Thefarmboy21
Well-known member
* The back story is a long one....sorry 
Scroll past if you just want to see some pictures.
Since I was a kid, I've always wanted this old International Farm truck that my Grandpa had. I always told everyone I was going to fix it up one day. My Grandpa and most of the family, were/are old school farmers who NEVER get rid of anything. Their farm is like a massive museum of farm equipment scattered all over 298 acres. I tried and tried to get his old trucks and he never would turn loose of any. I almost lost out to my cousin a few years ago when he wanted it for his first truck (I was ticked too) but he quickly shot down the idea when he saw how bad it was. I tried to acquire it shortly thereafter but it was back to "ahh I might need it someday." Now I'm 28, almost 29 and FINALLY acquired the truck of my dreams.....well day dreams more like it. Last thanksgiving (2013) I was out there and my grandpa was in bad shape by this time and I started prodding around about the old trucks. Finally my aunt talked my Grandma into giving them to me before they rotted any further into the ground. My Grandpa was starting to have some pretty bad dementia by this time and he basically had no say so. I let it set a while longer because I had a lot going on at the time. The truck was bought NEW in 1950 by my Grandpa. It's a 50 "hidden hinge" L-112. It was the first vehicle my grandparents had ever bought new! He drove it until sometime in 1963 (which is the year the tags on it were) and used it as a farm truck only until 68/69 from what my dad and aunt can remember. Starting it up 2-3 times a year to only take in hay was hard on it and finally it just go parked for good. On July 14, 2014 my dad and I un-earthed it from where it had sat/sunk/rotted since the late 60's.....never even being moved again. I can only imagine my face when it moved from the first jerk of the tractor. I couldn't believe it was finally going to get a new life! I steered it behind the tractor for close to a mile I think, being pulled almost all the way across the farm through the fields and over to my dads where I could get a trailer to it at my convenience. Sadly my Grandpa passed away in September (I think the 5th) at the ripe old age of 95! Took a while to get around to hauling it home because I had been working the bugs out of my 86 Chevy (Also my Papaws truck) but on 11/15/14 (almost a year from when it was officially "mine") dad and I loaded it on the trailer, with a winch and a tractor lifting the whole rear and drug it to my house fenders flipping and heads turning. I shoved it in my basement/garage 11/24/14 and started tearing it down 11/28/14. Tonight is 12/05/14 and I've got all but the cab itself and what's left of a bed floor sitting on the chassis. I'll pull the cab next and roll the chassis, along with motor and tranny out shortly I hope. It's in far worse shape than I thought it was and I knew it was really bad! If it didn't have so much sentimental value, it would be trash. I've already been told it's too far gone several times over......BUT I've got time and it's a complete truck. If it have to patch it together with pop rivets and sheet metal patches that are layered one on the other, then that's what I'll do. I don't care what it looks like, it's a rat rod! I'm a welder, I built derby cars for years and I've got friends who've built rats before........it can be fixed. I'm not in a hurry, just in a hurry to tear it down, so I can start welding up the cab. Not sure if I'm going to build a new frame or source one. I kind-of own a 78'ish Caddy that I ha intentions of derby'ing BUT now I'm thinking I'd rather use the chassis. But I'll have to talk to my buddy about it because we were kinda in the middle of a trade and he got incarcerated......SO really hadn't planned on that happening. ANYWAY my goal is 3 1/2 years. Only reason being, is that I want to be able to take my boy to his first day of Kindergarden in the truck. He's got race fuel in his veins already and he's not quite 2. I just think it would be really cool to be dropped off in a rat rod, that you "helped" your dad build" your very first day of school!
So there's that, now I'll try to post some pictures!!!!
Scroll past if you just want to see some pictures. Since I was a kid, I've always wanted this old International Farm truck that my Grandpa had. I always told everyone I was going to fix it up one day. My Grandpa and most of the family, were/are old school farmers who NEVER get rid of anything. Their farm is like a massive museum of farm equipment scattered all over 298 acres. I tried and tried to get his old trucks and he never would turn loose of any. I almost lost out to my cousin a few years ago when he wanted it for his first truck (I was ticked too) but he quickly shot down the idea when he saw how bad it was. I tried to acquire it shortly thereafter but it was back to "ahh I might need it someday." Now I'm 28, almost 29 and FINALLY acquired the truck of my dreams.....well day dreams more like it. Last thanksgiving (2013) I was out there and my grandpa was in bad shape by this time and I started prodding around about the old trucks. Finally my aunt talked my Grandma into giving them to me before they rotted any further into the ground. My Grandpa was starting to have some pretty bad dementia by this time and he basically had no say so. I let it set a while longer because I had a lot going on at the time. The truck was bought NEW in 1950 by my Grandpa. It's a 50 "hidden hinge" L-112. It was the first vehicle my grandparents had ever bought new! He drove it until sometime in 1963 (which is the year the tags on it were) and used it as a farm truck only until 68/69 from what my dad and aunt can remember. Starting it up 2-3 times a year to only take in hay was hard on it and finally it just go parked for good. On July 14, 2014 my dad and I un-earthed it from where it had sat/sunk/rotted since the late 60's.....never even being moved again. I can only imagine my face when it moved from the first jerk of the tractor. I couldn't believe it was finally going to get a new life! I steered it behind the tractor for close to a mile I think, being pulled almost all the way across the farm through the fields and over to my dads where I could get a trailer to it at my convenience. Sadly my Grandpa passed away in September (I think the 5th) at the ripe old age of 95! Took a while to get around to hauling it home because I had been working the bugs out of my 86 Chevy (Also my Papaws truck) but on 11/15/14 (almost a year from when it was officially "mine") dad and I loaded it on the trailer, with a winch and a tractor lifting the whole rear and drug it to my house fenders flipping and heads turning. I shoved it in my basement/garage 11/24/14 and started tearing it down 11/28/14. Tonight is 12/05/14 and I've got all but the cab itself and what's left of a bed floor sitting on the chassis. I'll pull the cab next and roll the chassis, along with motor and tranny out shortly I hope. It's in far worse shape than I thought it was and I knew it was really bad! If it didn't have so much sentimental value, it would be trash. I've already been told it's too far gone several times over......BUT I've got time and it's a complete truck. If it have to patch it together with pop rivets and sheet metal patches that are layered one on the other, then that's what I'll do. I don't care what it looks like, it's a rat rod! I'm a welder, I built derby cars for years and I've got friends who've built rats before........it can be fixed. I'm not in a hurry, just in a hurry to tear it down, so I can start welding up the cab. Not sure if I'm going to build a new frame or source one. I kind-of own a 78'ish Caddy that I ha intentions of derby'ing BUT now I'm thinking I'd rather use the chassis. But I'll have to talk to my buddy about it because we were kinda in the middle of a trade and he got incarcerated......SO really hadn't planned on that happening. ANYWAY my goal is 3 1/2 years. Only reason being, is that I want to be able to take my boy to his first day of Kindergarden in the truck. He's got race fuel in his veins already and he's not quite 2. I just think it would be really cool to be dropped off in a rat rod, that you "helped" your dad build" your very first day of school!
So there's that, now I'll try to post some pictures!!!!
