hey, hows everyone doing?
we are Gas Guzzlers Garage, from Plainfield, IL.
we are a local hot rod shop here and we are building a 1955 F-100 as shop project. we have had this truck sitting around in our shop for sometime now not knowing what we really wanted to do with it. so about a month ago we got to thinking with the way the economy is and the way that "the work is just flooding into the doors" . it might be a good idea to build it and try to flip it right away to try to help keep our doors open. so we decided to make a nice rat rod out of it.
Also, thought it might be a good idea to get on a ford forum and see if you guys could possibly help us out a little with this build and maybe we could all share some ideas from time to time.
so here are some of the pictures of what we are starting with and little bit of the work that's been done so far. 1955 F100 | Facebook
Enjoy
thanks,
Gas Guzzlers

 

Welcome to the forum. It appears to me that perhaps the truck was too nice to go the rat rod route. JMHO

 

What kind of rat rod stuff are you looking at doing?
My once concern would be that trying to flip it in the economy might be tough. Depending on the type of mods, you might reduce your audience a bit. Of course, you guys probably know what sells best since you are in the business.

Lately we have had discussions on cost and most of us have come to the realization that we will never get out of our trucks what we put in, if we decide to sell.

What engine will you be running in it? I see you already have IFS and a new suspension in the back. Looks like lots of bracing in the frame as well.

We love lots of pictures and will gladly give you lots of advice, Of course our opinions are quite varied.

By the way, we have had discussions on how to remove a cab. Well this is the best way...I would love a lift like that.... Oh and what is that in the background on the other lift?

 

yea it is to nice to go complete rat rod with it. it going to be show quality but just with a rat rod feel. its going a two tone flat burnt orange on the bottom and the top is going to be and off white with a copper pearl coat. we are going to try to find some reclaimed wood to line the bed floor with and it going to be slammed with the original chassis... custom interior... the works hoping to get about 25 to 30,000 for in the end

 

well the way it is right now we have the front end except a grill and the cab with doors. but no bed... and for the chassis that we are lifting it off of we havea ctually been trying to sell it on ebay for 7500 dollars, if anyone know anybody looking for a chassis let us know..... we originaly got that chassis for our panel truck but decided to go with a fat man tubbed chassis with full air ride instead...we are hoping to fund this project with the sale of the chassis. all the body and paint work on the truck is being donated by our body man here at the shop. we will be dropping in a 352 big block with a C-4

 

oh and the other car is another shop project that we started a while back but have lost funding to work on it... its going to be a strictly show car. its a 48 Pontiac that we are making into as if they made a GTO the

 

IMHO, since you have announced yourselves as a pro shop, and are building this truck to try to turn a profit, I feel like I can be more critical of your work than I would be of a home builder putting together a vehicle for himself. Building a rat rod is not the way for a "pro" garage to showcase it's talents or bring work in the door, there are plenty of backyard shops pumping out that type of vehicles, and way too many second rate shops on TV slapping out quick and dirty work with unjustified pride to add to it. Do you think people like Foose or Alloway are having trouble keeping their shop full? At least if you need to turn the truck to keep the doors open I wouldn't brag about it. Maybe you need to take a closer look at why work isn't flooding in your doors rather than trying to put a bandaid on it?
Sorry to sound so harsh, but you struck a sore nerve for me.

 

well thanks for your opinion and we do appreciate it but also those companies like foose design and Alloway also have a great deal more money backing them with collaboration with major manufactures, where we do not we are just a two man shop. and its very very hard to try to get involved with major manufactures when there are a million other shop fighting to do the exact same thing, trust me we have been trying. and to let you know we are very well respected for the quality of our work in our area we have built numerous award winning show cars from the ground up here. also if you would have read the post all the way threw I said we are building it "to be show quality but just with a rat rod feel."
and please feeling free to check out our facebook and critique our quality there as well
thanks,
Gas Guzzlers

 

Haven't looked at the Facebook pictures (can you put them here?), but a rat rod going for $30k ain't likely to happen. A full-on show truck isn't likely to get that much.

 

ok, well I guess I phrased that wrong for everyone I guess it will just be "old school" Show/ driver quality, instead of Rat Rod

 

I also made a thread about our 56 panel Truck as well that won #1 international show truck in 2007-2008 and top 20 international show vehicle when we were on tour with world of wheels. there is a link to our facebook with some pictures of it

 

Rat Rod does not translate to high quality with me. You will have to put twice as much work into the truck to impress somebody enough that after they first see it, they want to buy it. The market still appreciates a quality build, and they want to show it off.

How about a custom retro rod? Modern running gear, modern suspension, and A/C all in something that looks basically stock except for maybe bumpers, tires and wheels. My buddy did it to a 57 Ford pickup. He lowered it, and put a dependable 302 in it with A/C. He welded the bed tailgate shut and painted it a pretty shade a teal. Nice upholstery and cool wheels and he had people offering to buy it even though it wasn't for sale!

Good luck, Jag

 

Rat rods suck - You're about 5 years behind the RR craze - Build a truck in your own style not some cookie cutter crap

 

Hmmm..... I think you should remove the sugar coating and tell us what you really think !!

I had to laugh at my nephew ....he looked at my project & said "nice rat rod" It did get a minor rise out of me!!!

Dark side maybe, but not a rat!!!

 

I like to stare at rat rods and figure out the inovative way that they made a vehicle out of scrap. Low budget, yet functional.

I'm impressed by a shop by their execution of a theme and their inovation; IE new ideas such as lift beds, transparent bed floors, tilt cabs, and custom interiors. "Wow! I would like that shop to build me a vehicle"

The best custom that I ever saw was a 55 Chibby car made into a WWII fighter theme. The car was covered with hundreds of hand painted rivets and multiple machine guns!

You initially said "rat rod" which has a negative conitation for many. Maybe a theme of heavy-duty machinery. IE: riveted sheet metal with painted hydraulic actuators, with pulleys and cables, and fine-tooth gears for wheel covers?

Good luck, Jag