34 Dodge Humpback

[mr.34dodge]

20 inch wheels finally!

I started mounting my 20 inch spoke wheels to my axle. Used a 3/4 inch aluminum plate to make a doughnut shape then indexed the 6 lug pattern on my mill and drilled the hubs and plates to match. Currently at 1/4 inch holes so as not to totally vibrate my machine apart. Planning to open them up to 9/16. I just love the way the tractor tire looks with the spokes and the rest of the car. I plan to do the poor mans white wall treatment to the tires. As you can see, I currently have no front brakes. I will eventually run some huge truck disks or something that looks pretty cool.

My turning radius isn't spectacular but I don't know how much track racing this thing will do. I keep making as much progress as I can between school and everything else! Thanks for all the nice stuff you guys have said. Check back for more later!

 

[Neverdone]

The tractor tires do have a cool look, but are they rated to handle the speed of a hot rod?? I don't think they are rated for more than 30mph, probably not wear so well either. Just sayin....

 

[CORPO]

I'm thinking never done has a point with the tractor tires... But I think I would be more concerned with that turning radius... U have a long wheel base and now the limited clearance at the front end... Don't think you will be able to make a right hand turn without crossing into the other lane....

Might want to re evaluate that

 

[mr.34dodge]

The tires are for show only. Also going to kick the wheels out another 3/4 of an inch to give it more turning radius. Thanks!

 

[OddRodsGarage]

I have a soft spot for the humpbacks ...... and you have brought this build together nicely from what it was at first .....good work

 

[MercuryMac]

Welcome back Mr.Dodge. The front wheels you have for show looks quite a bit like my wheels for a '34 Dodge Brothers truck. They have 5.25-5.50 x 17 tires on them and are 29" high. You would probably have to get some '33-'34 Ford wire wheels to fit the studs on your axle, as they are also '17". '32 Ford wheels are '18". Speedway has some little weird shaped spacers to help the wheel fit the hub better.
Keep on tinkering.

 

[05snopro440]

I had a chevy suburban axle of some kind under the rat because it was wide enough basically. I didn't like it at all, the pumpkin wasn't in the middle, the emergency brake cables were pinched, not posi, it was drum brakes, and it was modern. So I tossed it for this 60's Dodge truck posi-trac rear end. I converted it to disk brakes before it went in. The brakes clear everything and work great, they are the style with drum shoes inside for emergency brakes. This axle looks awesome, fits correctly, is Mopar, has disk brakes and is just everything I really wanted.

This thing looks so cool! Those headers look really cool on there, I hope you can make them fit!

You didn't want a modern diff but then you put discs on the older diff? I understand that you probably did it to get more modern and safer brakes, I just laughed when I read it so I had to give you a hard time about it.

What wheels and tires are you going to run regularly if those are just for show? Not only would I not trust those tractor tires at freeway speeds as others have mentioned, but those tall and narrow spoke wheels may not be up to the task of freeway driving either, depending what they're off of.

Is it possible to move your links for your front suspension or relocate any of the suspension pieces, etc., to get a tighter turning radius? As it is I don't think the extra 3/4" per side will help you a whole lot, maybe someone else here has remedied a similar issue.

 

[mr.34dodge]

Thanks!

Thanks for all the great stuff guys! The rear axle has the "look" i wanted but I also needed to be safe, thus the combo I created haha. I'm waiting on a guy to plasma cnc me some header flanges actually. As for the spokes, The rims are 20 inchers. I have re drilled my hubs to 6 lug so they bolt up pretty well. The turning radius is not ideal i agree, but I think it will suffice. My suspension is pretty cool where it is so I don't want to mess with it. If I need to later on, I'll either adjust the axle or do something different on the tires. When I get the money I will purchase some real tires for the front, but I will probably never run it on the highway so I am keeping the wheels. Thanks again!

 

[Old Iron]

Glad to see ya back at it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mr.34dodge]

It's alive!

Been working too hard to post anything for a while, but now I've got time! My goal has been to get this rat rolling before I exited high school, more specifically I've wanted to win (at least the rat rod section) at the Field of Dreams car show put on by the Las Cruces Rod Runners. I've had it there every year since the day after I bought it. Anyway I got it running, and running good! Here's how that happened.

I pulled the motor, rebuilt the heads, put a timing chain and some other things then painted it. I love the color, it's derivative of an original engine color with a little twist. I thought it looked really good with the car and everything else.

Had a lot of trouble finding the right parts to get the transmission to function properly and ended up pulling the motor twice before I had it down. First I used a cracked bell housing because it was $50 instead of $350 for one that would fit my 383 and my 4 speed. It didn't line up properly. I had to go through 2 different flywheels because the starter didn't fit, then i went through 3 starters.

The starter I had was too big to clear my steering, then the mini starter I found didn't work, so I ordered one that came in the morning of the car show and got installed literally minutes before I pulled up.

Some Pics!!

I went with the cross rams. I think they speak for themselves. They were painted black when I bought them, but I liked the cast aluminum look so I stripped the paint.

And I finished widening my rear wheels and mounted the tires.

 

[mr.34dodge]

Cleaned and installed the other ram. Started building the adapters from big block mopar to big block chevy. They came out great, but I wish I'd divided the chambers because it sounds a bit like a tractor.

The adapters didn't clear standard spark plugs so I went with these shorties. They are rated pretty high, NGK and most of all they work.

Got everything else that I needed to get it going and going safe, then loaded it for the show. Cooling's hooked up through an old honeycomb radiator. More pictures.

I didn't win anything at the show which was weird because they've always given me at least second place. But that's not the point. I did it for the fun of it. I built this because I needed to, because it felt right and because I loved doing it. I wanted something that no one else could have, something I wanted.

I was parked next to a row of mustangs at the car show and I just kept thinking, there will never be a row of chopped and shortened 1934 Dodge Humpback ambulances on scout frames with posi trac disk brake rear ends and smiley A axles powered by cross rams on a 383 pushing a 4 speed with 62 imperial headlights and 20 inch spokes and 15 X 15 keystone rims and an 18 inch banjo steering wheel. Or something.

I love this thing. It is a never ending project but I'm so glad to have made it to this point. My dad helped me so much in achieving my goal, have it running by the last rod runners show of my high school career. Luz went to the first show I had the dodge at and she's followed its build encouraging me all along. It's been real great to have people like her believe in a 15 year old kid with a welder and a saws all. Barely 18 now, I never sat down for more than 3 minutes before someone wanted to talk to me about this crazy contraption.

It's been fun. I don't think I'll work on it too much for a while as I transition into college, but I'll put it in every show I can and when the time comes that I have time, I'll finish up.

Thanks for reading this thread and check out #ZachsRat on Instagram and Twitter.

Zach Eason.

 

[Old Iron]

Good job
"I wish I'd divided the chambers because it sounds a bit like a tractor."
Goes right with the front tires

 

[RickyBobby]

We use those tires on our sand cars, typically see 115-120 multiple times a trip, never have a problem. However wheel balance issues if present can't be felt and the cars have 20-25" of suspension travel.

Cool project, can't say I've ever seen one

 

[bob w]

You have built a truly unique hot rod. It would be a huge project for anyone and to see a youg kid stick with it is inspiring.

Have fun showing it this summer and good luck with college in the fall.

 

[moparx]

anyone know if this member or vehicle is still around ?