64 PRO RAT, latest from our laboratory

[IronCustoms]

I`m new here so please bear with me. Let me introduce ourselves as Iron Customs located in Indiana. You might not of heard of us, but I`m pretty sure you have seen some of our work. 3 years ago one of our rats snuck into your forums, the hard top version. someone called it an interesting twist Well, we are back with all new versions to include the topless and delivery from the 60 to 66 chevy truck era. Hope you like, more pics to come. Respectively, Jim Hall[IMG]
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=569552&stc=1&d=1270738181[/IMG]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1270739439

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1270739426

[REDNOSE65]

Originally Posted by IronCustoms

I`m new here so please bear with me. Let me introduce ourselves as Iron Customs located in Indiana. You might not of heard of us, but I`m pretty sure you have seen some of our work. 3 years ago one of our rats snuck into your forums, the hard top version. someone called it an interesting twist Well, we are back with all new versions to include the topless and delivery from the 60 to 66 chevy truck era. Hope you like, more pics to come. Respectively, Jim Hall[IMG]
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/attachment.php?attachmentid=569552&stc=1&d=1270738181[/IMG]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1270739439

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1270739426

Looks cool Jim, thanks for sharing.

[DPowers]

That's cool- not really my style, but cool anyway- thanks

[jchav62]

Cool. Pics of that truck come up on here every once in a while... It always gets mixed reviews. Myself, I like it...very creative.

Welcome from Santa Fe, NM...

[IronCustoms]

I understand about the mixed reviews. Everyone has different tastes. One thing I want to say is that No good solid chevy truck was harmed in the resurrection of our projects. We start with trucks that are ready for the graveyard, then we pattern from the old with new metal or upper parts of the old. cut out all the rust, replace with metal and build new frames and suspensions. I love the 60 -66 chevy trucks in their original form and would never dream of cutting a good one up, just saving a few bad ones from the crushers. Jim @ ironcustoms

[jkb]

Creativity will always spur opinions! Great job! Way to save the ones lost to rust!!

[markeb01]

As a substitute for a conventional T bucket it looks like it would be a blast to drive. I love the creative spirit that must have gone in to making it, and other than a zillion hours of labor, it doesn't appear to need any expensive aftermarket kit components. Just hard work building, resulting in something fun to enjoy. Reminds me of stuff built in the 50's when even 32 Ford roadsters all looked different.

[muddpile]

That is very my-style, as it's a hot rod pickup. I can honestly say I like what you've done with the old cab. Any pictures of some of your other work?

[jonzcustomshop]

I really liked your hardtop version...
in the ebay auction you mentioned that you had some ideas for the front sheet metal, I am curious to hear what those were.

[jonzcustomshop]

Originally Posted by muddpile

That is very my-style, as it's a hot rod pickup. I can honestly say I like what you've done with the old cab. Any pictures of some of your other work?

here is one..

[rebel714x4]

two thumbs up!!!!!!!! and two fingers for the guy who cuts down craftsman ship!!!!!!!!

[originalJD]

That thing is awesome! I love it!.

[lakeroadster]

Rat?? Way too nice to be called a rat, IMHO. More like a 60's interpretation of an old Lakes Modified.

I too appreciate all the work that has went into this. It looks killer from the rear and rear 3/4 angle. However I think you would admit the front is pretty gnarly with the stock suspension. Curious as to what the final look will be once the radiator and headlights get mounted, that's when things have the potential to get even gnarlier.

How about "front-halfing" it, using a buggy sprung 1930's style front end, and a 35 Chevy grille laid way back? Or maybe an aftermarket Mustang II inspired independent front suspension?

Firewall forward something like below, but with an all "Chevy" theme?

[IronCustoms]

here was one idea I had in mind, ever heard of the mako shark, old vette from the late 60s, early seventies....well I had some old 66 chevy truck fenders and core support so I got a little crazy, It resemblies a sixties lotus indy car that has been stretched. I wanted to use parts from the same truck so here is one version.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...1&d=1270819094

[IronCustoms]

by the way, the radiator goes in the back flush with the bed, electric fans, etc,. Aluminum tubes run along the frame to acomodate the cooling system. original grill will be channeled and will fit very nice within the shell, Walah, light mounts

[lakeroadster]

Now I have to subscribe... intrigued at this point but waiting to see how the front end is finalized.

[Vernski]

Originally Posted by IronCustoms

by the way, the radiator goes in the back flush with the bed, electric fans, etc,. Aluminum tubes run along the frame to acomodate the cooling system. original grill will be channeled and will fit very nice within the shell, Walah, light mounts

I like the grill idea, I was thinking tubular front a-arms would slim down the look of the front end. Maybe chromed or powder coated to accent them. Although I like the traditional look of these trucks this is cool....Vernski

[Frizzle Fry]

I love the birth of something new through the manipulation of something old.

[rain_man]

i dig the different but i jst looks unfinished
same with the old and the new why do all the great work and leave it looking like you just gave up and never finished it

ex: hard top shaved the doors but removed the gas cap and left the hole and removed the mirrors and left the holes i could see the mirror holes if you were planing on putting them back on but why the gas hole?

ex:no top why not shave the doors handles?



im not dissing your trucks i just think they look like you diddent finish them

[IronCustoms]

your response is exactly the reason we do not finish these complete, We build just enough so people can buy them and make them their own personal rod. I have had so many ideas on finishing these that I tend to lose sleep. And other people that are potential buyers have many more ideas. So We provide the basic shell, sometimes we go further, sometimes not. We offer a safe chassis with suspension that most people can understand and adjust if needed. Most of our stuff is prototype work and we test the market with our ideas. If something clicks..we might run with it awhile. Yes we should have capped the fuel tank filler hole, you got me there. We had 4 projects going on at that time. besides the hardtop did`nt have an owner yet so it was put in the corner. The original mirrors do go back on these. All of these projects are a work in progress. I have yet to see one vehicle completly done. The topless version gets the original door handles back. by the way we are still working on it, The other one sold across the country as it was. Good feedback on your part... although I detected a little dissing , thats ok

[rain_man]

ok maybe a little diss but only because you beet me to the punch
i just stated a fenderless thread last week thinking wow i have never seen a 60-66 fenderless before and my first reply was a pic of your truck so i like what your doing.
the cab on my 61 is in relly bad shape so i was wanting to get a doner cab and was thinking about choping up the one i have to to see what it would look like.
keep up the good work.

make ratrods not P.O.S.

[jonzcustomshop]

I like the grille idea!
on the hardtop: were the m/t indy profile tires vintage, or a new thing?
they really give it that "look" some guys have mentioned that it looks like an old north east modified stock car.

[IronCustoms]

Thank you Rainman, If you need some chopping ideas, drop me a line.. I`m also on the lookout for cabs, fenders, doors, etc,.

Jonz: funny you should mention modified stock cars. I founded and built Patriot Chassis for 8 years, All late models and modified dirt cars. So I guess some of that might be showing in my current work, whoops. Plus I did a stint building top fuel chassis. I was cheif fabricator with Dario Francitti on his rookie year with CART. So all the crazy learning has brought me to this point. I`m now happy building what I want without living in hotels, being pulled in every direction, not to mention the politics in racing..It's nuts. I have met people that actually thought they walked on water and clouds. I`ll just stay here on earth and shape metal and build cool stuff that pleases me. Sorry about tootin the horn

The mickeys were new stuff but did have the vintage look I was after.

[Strodder]

Keep up the good work Iron Customs. I like thinking out of the box. You should do a build thread on the next one, or if you have lots of documentation, start a thread. I'd love to see more pictures.

[Strodder]

Better yet start a How to Chop a Top from start to finish.