Bedford Rat Rod?

[byrnesy]

I was wandering around our local truck wrecker, when i found this sitting up the back corner. I dont have any idea of the year cause someone had taken the plate off the engine bay. im thinking it might be early 60s???

The guy only wants $500 for it, so im thinking it might make a good starting point for a rat rod? what do you guys think[S

 

[earthman]

Welcome to the board. You could make a cool roadster out of all those curves with a lot of time and imagination. Personally i would keep looking.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Welcome to the board. You could make a cool roadster out of all those curves with a lot of time and imagination. Personally i would keep looking.

It's funny how rodders look at sheetmetal differently than most folks do.

I personally have never seen a Bedford. I'm guessing that glass and weather stripping could be a challenge to find (metal parts can be fabricated as needed).

 

[Willowbilly3]

OK, so I'm guessing your not from USA since you didn't take the time to fill in that blank. At any rate that truck is oozing coolness.

 

[byrnesy]

OK, so I'm guessing your not from USA since you didn't take the time to fill in that blank. At any rate that truck is oozing coolness.

Hi, yes I'm From Australia

I personally have never seen a Bedford. I'm guessing that glass and weather stripping could be a challenge to find (metal parts can be fabricated as needed).

I want it to look pretty ratty so i think a few missing bits of chrome shouldn't worry me. The main thing i'm interested in is the cab and front fenders. plus my friend has another one just like that sitting in his yard i could get parts off if needded.

Now to figure out a way to get out from the middle of a truck yard haha

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

looks like a 50s dodge

 

[wendle]

Love it.

Probably in better condition than what most people start with.
Certainly better than my Dodge was when I got it

I've never seen one of those Bedford trucks. Only the ones that look like a van with the back chopped off.

 

[cantwell.colton]

hi, yes i'm from australia



i want it to look pretty ratty so i think a few missing bits of chrome shouldn't worry me. The main thing i'm interested in is the cab and front fenders. Plus my friend has another one just like that sitting in his yard i could get parts off if needded.

Now to figure out a way to get out from the middle of a truck yard haha

tractor and chain?

 

[byrnesy]

tractor and chain?

Possibly, or luckily its backed on to fence with an empty yard. So im hoping they'll let me just take the fence down and pull it into the next yard hahah

 

[cantwell.colton]

Possibly, or luckily its backed on to fence with an empty yard. So im hoping they'll let me just take the fence down and pull it into the next yard hahah

id use a bobcat lol - you guys have bobcats down under?? lol
if youre just using the cab and front end - id just take them off there in the yard if theyll let you --- a few friends and you should be able to life the cab off no problem and toss it on a trailer if you can get one close --- and i can move a truck front end no problem on my own and im like 5'8 140 lbs.

 

[byrnesy]

id use a bobcat lol - you guys have bobcats down under?? lol
if youre just using the cab and front end - id just take them off there in the yard if theyll let you --- a few friends and you should be able to life the cab off no problem and toss it on a trailer if you can get one close --- and i can move a truck front end no problem on my own and im like 5'8 140 lbs.

Yeah we do have bobcats here, they're only toys compared to some of our mining equipment haha

-Im hoping that I'll be able to just get the cab and guards so i'll ask when i decide whether to get it or not.

Another thing was it had some wierd spray on lining on the floor that water got underneath and started to rust out. that and a few other big rust holes under the windows, witch is kinda putting me off a bit.

 

[echnidna]

Just as a matter of interest it's a 60 to 70 model J1 or J2 or J3 Bedford
J1's had 4 wheels, j2's & 3's had dually's on the rear. The cabins are identical.

Here's a good looking one , I think this is on a Holden 1 tonner chassis

ps I got a rolling one tonner with a 253v8, I'm just looking for a beddy cab now.

 

[byrnesy]

Just as a matter of interest it's a 60 to 70 model J1 or J2 or J3 Bedford
J1's had 4 wheels, j2's & 3's had dually's on the rear. The cabins are identical.

Here's a good looking one , I think this is on a Holden 1 tonner chassis

ps I got a rolling one tonner with a 253v8, I'm just looking for a beddy cab now.

Thanks that's some usefull info, i found the number j2id on one of the tags in there so I'm guessing its a j2 haha.

I was also worried that the cab would be bigger than a normal pick up, so if they're all the same as you say its looking quite promising as a good build [

 

[L28 rat]

I was wandering around our local truck wrecker, when i found this sitting up the back corner. I dont have any idea of the year cause someone had taken the plate off the engine bay. im thinking it might be early 60s???

The guy only wants $500 for it, so im thinking it might make a good starting point for a rat rod? what do you guys think[S

Something different and certainly left field
But , as myself being an aussie, id think long and hard as to what you want to achieve, and wether itll be a trailer sailer, or full rego
IF your goin full rego , check with your state road laws and mod codes as to what you can or cant do , yep every damn state in aussie land has different rules

 

[byrnesy]

Something different and certainly left field
But , as myself being an aussie, id think long and hard as to what you want to achieve, and wether itll be a trailer sailer, or full rego
IF your goin full rego , check with your state road laws and mod codes as to what you can or cant do , yep every damn state in aussie land has different rules

My goal would be to just make this a project and maybe get it registered one day. Because its after 1949 i cant make my own chassis for it without it becoming an "individually constructed vehicle" witch would be a large PITA to get registered.
The next option is to 'rebody' a hilux or some other ute chassis with the cab, then it just has to comply with the hilux's specifications. They even get registered as a hilux. I need to do a bit more research first [S

 

[echnidna]

Rebody to a totally different chassis might be a big no no in Qld.
You should consider joining the ASRF and ask their TAC blokes.

As a matter of interest I'm pretty sure the body plate on a bedford states that it is made by holden. This may enable you to to do a rebodied holden one tonner chassis with another body made by the same manufacturer.

But I'm a Victorian and not in full touch with other states requirements so you need to ask someone who knows. You could try asking around on the ozrodders.com forum for aussie knowledge.

 

[byrnesy]

Rebody to a totally different chassis might be a big no no in Qld.
You should consider joining the ASRF and ask their TAC blokes.

As a matter of interest I'm pretty sure the body plate on a bedford states that it is made by holden. This may enable you to to do a rebodied holden one tonner chassis with another body made by the same manufacturer.

But I'm a Victorian and not in full touch with other states requirements so you need to ask someone who knows. You could try asking around on the ozrodders.com forum for aussie knowledge.

AFter doing a bit or research it seems like might be a bit too much hassle for me, Im trying to find something pre 1949 now to go under the "street rod" rego thingo

 

[L28 rat]

AFter doing a bit or research it seems like might be a bit too much hassle for me, Im trying to find something pre 1949 now to go under the "street rod" rego thingo

Theres a build on here a lad in melbourne (???) has done a bedford type rebody on a 1 tonner chassis, quite an indepth build, well worth the search and read
The main problem youll find especially here in australia is good tin , or parts are either thin on the ground or worth a damn fortune
You can thank the recent good scrap prices for that
Dont wanna seem negative, but im way out west and there just isnt much out here

 

[byrnesy]

Theres a build on here a lad in melbourne (???) has done a bedford type rebody on a 1 tonner chassis, quite an indepth build, well worth the search and read
The main problem youll find especially here in australia is good tin , or parts are either thin on the ground or worth a damn fortune
You can thank the recent good scrap prices for that
Dont wanna seem negative, but im way out west and there just isnt much out here

I think i may have read that, and seeing the amount of work needed put me off if im still gonna have a big hassle to rego it.

We live up in north qld were there's still a fair bit of old mining and farming machinery still lying around in paddocks. Im hoping if i hassle and ask enough people something worthwhile will turn up eventually haha

I'm going on an adventure even norther today to investigate an old dodge tow truck a half drunk guy was telling me about at the pub last night....I'm not getting my hopes up

 

[wendle]

Theres a build on here a lad in melbourne (???) has done a bedford type rebody on a 1 tonner chassis, quite an indepth build, well worth the search and read
The main problem youll find especially here in australia is good tin , or parts are either thin on the ground or worth a damn fortune
You can thank the recent good scrap prices for that
Dont wanna seem negative, but im way out west and there just isnt much out here

That may be me. I put a 48/49 Dodge onto a HX.

It's a 50/50 decision. It's more work doing the body swap than just building a frame to suit exactly what you want, but depending on what state you are in the individually built frame can be a very grey area with engineering and registration.

My build is is linked in my sig below. It may help you decide one way or the other?