61 White Truck Rat Rod Build

[61WhiteSuperPower]

Here are some pictures from the beginning of the project.

To summarize the history of this build; I acquired a 61 White Super power truck cab, fenders, hood and grill from a salvage yard in Hobbs,NM around August of 2012. The truck used to do it's duty in Carlsbad, NM as a garbage truck and came with a title and documentation from its previous service. I have been letting the cab sit, and letting the whole project, truly, stagnate as I tried to find a donor truck for the project, and spending more time riding the harley, amongst other things. I ended up finding a 1989 Ford F-350, 460 fuel injected, 5 speed dually on the east side of Midland,TX around the beginning of July 2013. Since then the project has a renewed feeling of life. So far I have pulled the 460 and trans out of the truck and cut the rear frame to keep the heavy frame and the rear end together. The dual wheels are going to stay. The plan is to use the rear end and frame as the starting point of building the front half of the truck and get it running before April 2014. Plans are to later air bag the rear to allow for the truck to sit the frame on the ground. As far as the front end goes I am going to run a straight front axle and a split wishbone radius rods and a rear mounted spring in a suicide set up. I may or may not be cutting the floor pans out of the truck to tuck the frame into the cab. It's still an ongoing debate; however, it is in the plans to suicide the cab doors. The front end is going to come out of a '47 ford car that we have laying around the shop and replace the spindles and brakes to disc brakes and new spindles from Speedway. Enjoy the pictures and I will try to keep the thread updated as the project progresses.

 

[61WhiteSuperPower]

These photos are from the more recent progress.

 

[Country Misfit]

Thats going to be a cool ride..

 

[maverickmk]

Awesome! I like where this one is going

 

[sgtpontiac]

Cool.....and [P [P [P....

 

[skull]

sweet

sounds like a solid plan.

so what is the plan for the body of the donor 1947 ford body?

Later

 

[Dirtyrat]

I love those mammoth front fenders! Cool truck to build!

 

[Flipper_1938]

The rear window/body line above the window is cool!

Unless you are gonna run a 40" tall front tire, I'd ditch the front fenders. It is gonna be a challenge to make a small tire look like it belongs there.

 

[61WhiteSuperPower]

fenders

I agree with you flipper. The fenders are pretty much not in the equation. As far as a the hood goes, we are thinking about cutting the sides and run just the top over the engine and use the sides maybe as the start to the bed. I am looking for some options as far as front wheels and tires. They are going to have to fit 5x4 3/4" bolt pattern. I have been leaning towards a thinner and taller wheel but haven't really looked into my options that far.

 

[Flipper_1938]

I'd be tempted to run the hood sides in some form or the other. They are pretty unique looking.

I'd like to see a mock-up of the cab/full hood/grill to see how that all looks without fenders.

At first glance, it looks like the grill is too tall as is. Is the outer bezel for the grill cast or stamped?

 

[61WhiteSuperPower]

hood and 47 body

Flipper, if you are judging that the grill is too tall by the mock up photo that I have posted previously, you would be right. That mock up is on a 1948 chevrolet chassis, that I won't be using. We just wanted to get a feel for how the truck used to look, as I had no idea what the truck originally looked like. We are going to build the front of the frame and the plan is to run the suicide so the grill is between the axle and the spring with maybe a slight amount of lean back, to give it that cow catcher look. I will be working on the front end of the '47 starting on friday evening. After it is out I am going to do a lay out of the pieces to figure out how much rectangular tubing we are going to need to get. Saturday or Sunday morning I should be able to get you a picture of the grill again.

Skull, the '47 isn't mine. I think right now the only thing left from the car is the frame and the front end.

I have attached a photo of what White trucks used to look like and what the grill may look like with it straightened out.

 

[Flipper_1938]

If it were mine, i'd keep the grill at the factory angle and place it just barely in front of the axle like Rolling Bones does on their 32 ford builds

 

[61WhiteSuperPower]

White Truck Picture again

That '32 looks pretty sharp flipper, but I am pretty sold on the suicide front end. Here is that picture again. This time it is the right dimensions

 

[61WhiteSuperPower]

And if my memory serves me correct the out bezel of the grill is stamped.

 

[61WhiteSuperPower]

mock up

I pulled out the front end from the '47 ford this morning, spent all day yesterday getting the cab pulled off the '48 frame, sprayed the 460 and trans, and some time messing around with the grill and a tape measure. The cab is sitting on the ground right now with the rest of the pieces mocked out. So far I am pretty impressed with the way the whole thing is starting to come together.

 

[I-R-POPS]

And if my memory serves me correct the out bezel of the grill is stamped.

Here's what I did with that grill. Mine was mangled about the same.
I like the idea for your build and you can probably see why.
Stay after it.

 

[christcrusader13]

this is a sweet build!

 

[61WhiteSuperPower]

str8 grill

Pops, I thought about that when i first got the "tins". i thought about finding some of that old oil heater cover in brass. I am going to attempt, at first, to straighten the grill out as best i can. I would really like to bring some of that soul back from the original shape of the panels. After searching and seeing the original look of the grill, i think the vertical slats need to stay in some shape or form. If we can't then i guess the search is on for some type of metal radiator cover. Either way the actual grill is going to be plated ineither brass or copper and then aged. Does anybody have any prior experience with home electroplating. From what I have been reading it doesn't seem all that hard. what i am most interested in right now is any tips for the etching and removal of the aged chrome so i can get the brass or copper to "stick". The finish of the grill doesn't need to have the imperfections smoothed out as i am interested in keeping the appearance gritty to match the patina. Thanks for the compliment christ crusader.

 

[I-R-POPS]

What's up with your build? I saw the front grill insert with the fins on EBay.
It was missing one fin but the rest was very usable. You could duplicate one pretty easy.
Hope you haven't given up on it.

 

[61WhiteSuperPower]

Hiatus

Nope. I haven't given up on it. I think about almost everyday. I made a change in career choice and a change in location for the time being. The truck is still in NM and I am in NV for college, all over again. So right now it is at a stand still. I went to viva las vegas this year which didn't do anything but make me want to get it done quicker. I am trying to figure out when I can get back to NM and the best usage of time to work on the front half of the frame, maybe get it rolling