Hercules

Rat Rods Rule

Help Support Rat Rods Rule:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Two days of intensive cutting, welding, grinding, (and some re-designing of ideas that didn't work) the front suspension is complete. My trailing arms are kinda chunky and industrial looking, but I want them beefy because there will be struts attached to them for the fenders, and then they will be pretty much out of sight anyways... Panhard bar keeps it centered and I mounted the front shocks from the F100, beefy ones which is good to help control the springyness of the air bags. May need to put a c-notch in the right frame rail so the drag link (don't have it yet) doesn't hit.

attachment.php
attachment.php
attachment.php
attachment.php
attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3682.JPG
    IMG_3682.JPG
    113.3 KB · Views: 73
  • IMG_3683.JPG
    IMG_3683.JPG
    131.2 KB · Views: 79
  • IMG_3684.JPG
    IMG_3684.JPG
    123.5 KB · Views: 76
  • IMG_3687.JPG
    IMG_3687.JPG
    142.6 KB · Views: 74
  • IMG_3679.JPG
    IMG_3679.JPG
    136.3 KB · Views: 73
Now that's a hell of a frame/suspension. You won't have to worry about that being the weakest link in this project! Great work [cl[P:cool:

Are you going to scratch build the body? It always amazes me what you produce out of your shop.

Watching with great interest
 
Now that's a hell of a frame/suspension. You won't have to worry about that being the weakest link in this project! Great work [cl[P:cool:

Are you going to scratch build the body? It always amazes me what you produce out of your shop.

Watching with great interest

Yes, a scratch built body, similar to the Hennway - same only different :rolleyes::cool: This is how the Hennway looked in the raw. Hercules will have less bling and no hood - and lower. :)

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • mar 25 06 012 a.jpg
    mar 25 06 012 a.jpg
    59.2 KB · Views: 66
Put on the rotors and some wheels and
took it off the blocks - optimum altitude achieved ! :D
Thinking of the theme song from Rawhide - "Rollin', rollin', rollin'.... :cool:
Trimmed the Hercules shell a bit to get it far back as possible, had to do some minor surgery on it to fit the rad, spread the top corners apart . Fits the rad pretty well, I'll probably use an electric fan, and with a shroud, the whole assembly should hide the fugly air bags and wide crossmember fairly well.

attachment.php
attachment.php
attachment.php
attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3688.JPG
    IMG_3688.JPG
    141.7 KB · Views: 55
  • IMG_3689.JPG
    IMG_3689.JPG
    139.9 KB · Views: 54
  • IMG_3690.JPG
    IMG_3690.JPG
    137.1 KB · Views: 54
  • IMG_3691.JPG
    IMG_3691.JPG
    135.6 KB · Views: 55
Looking awesome!

I'm curious about the full fenders attached to the suspension idea. Primarily I'm looking forward to see what you have in mind to have everything connected but still allow the front and rear suspension to articulate independently or not buckle the fenders/running boards. The added unsprung weight will be interesting as well.
 
Looking awesome!

I'm curious about the full fenders attached to the suspension idea. Primarily I'm looking forward to see what you have in mind to have everything connected but still allow the front and rear suspension to articulate independently or not buckle the fenders/running boards. The added unsprung weight will be interesting as well.

It's on my mind too, I've done the cycle type fenders before but this will be more of a challenge. I may be onto something or totally bat sh*t crazy, but if you don't try, you'll never know.....
 
It's on my mind too, I've done the cycle type fenders before but this will be more of a challenge. I may be onto something or totally bat sh*t crazy, but if you don't try, you'll never know.....

It's certainly a challenge to work through. I'm curious what you can come up with, it will be awesome if you can make it work.
 
Mounted the grille shell and rad today. I have some nice stainless mesh that I'll put in the shell, and paint that uncool aluminum radiator flat black. Also temporarily mounted a pair of KingBee headlights to get a feel for where they look best... [S I want to get some 34 Commercial lights, but they out of stock everywhere except for one pirate trying to sell them for on fleabay for $1300.00 :eek::mad:
Time to bring the engine over and start making mounts [;)[;)


attachment.php
attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3693.JPG
    IMG_3693.JPG
    144.5 KB · Views: 77
  • IMG_3694.JPG
    IMG_3694.JPG
    137.4 KB · Views: 81
Back at it ,mounted the steering box, the drag link will be parallel to the tie rod at ride height.

attachment.php
attachment.php


Coming in for a landing !

attachment.php


Touchdown, the greasy lump has found its new home. :)

attachment.php


Made the tranny crossmember - first I shortened the F100 crossmember but found it was too bulky, didn't leave room for the exhaust to go through.

attachment.php


Remarkably, the fuel pump and oil filter clear the Vega box, usually one of big problems with Fords. Yet to find out how the steering shaft will interact with the headers when they come, likely to require some surgery [;)
Engine mounts tomorrow. :)

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3695.JPG
    IMG_3695.JPG
    125.2 KB · Views: 71
  • IMG_3701.JPG
    IMG_3701.JPG
    124.4 KB · Views: 66
  • IMG_3700.JPG
    IMG_3700.JPG
    135.8 KB · Views: 69
  • IMG_3699.JPG
    IMG_3699.JPG
    157.1 KB · Views: 68
  • IMG_3697.JPG
    IMG_3697.JPG
    138.4 KB · Views: 71
  • IMG_3696.JPG
    IMG_3696.JPG
    137.6 KB · Views: 70
Engine mounts done, steering shaft will fit thru no problem. Took off the exhaust manifolds, typical FE Ford, 3 of the top bolts broke, 2 had enough sticking out to get them out with the torch and a prayer. The other one needed to be drilled out, got it done, no damage. Carved off about 5 lbs. of crud off the engine/trans (maybe I should have powerwashed it before I brought it in [S) It's still a filthy beast, but it will get cleaned up later after fab work is done.
Looks like a 16" flex fan will fit, so I won't need to use an electric one - less wires and too modern looking.

attachment.php
attachment.php
attachment.php
attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3704.JPG
    IMG_3704.JPG
    129.2 KB · Views: 60
  • IMG_3705.JPG
    IMG_3705.JPG
    149.1 KB · Views: 62
  • IMG_3706.JPG
    IMG_3706.JPG
    150.2 KB · Views: 64
  • IMG_3707.JPG
    IMG_3707.JPG
    136.1 KB · Views: 64
Todays developments, shortened the driveshaft(s) from the F100, steadybearing sits nicely on a crossmember. Got most of the center structure sorted out and tacked in place.

attachment.php
attachment.php
attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3708.JPG
    IMG_3708.JPG
    143.3 KB · Views: 49
  • IMG_3709.JPG
    IMG_3709.JPG
    153.7 KB · Views: 51
  • IMG_3710.JPG
    IMG_3710.JPG
    138.8 KB · Views: 51

Latest posts

Back
Top