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As rat rods go, this one, based on a Ford The Model A and riding on the commercial chassis of a 1996 F-700 truck, is absolutely insane. With its simple looks, exposed frame, and a bunch of interesting but sinister styling bits, it looks like a tow truck straight out of hell. Of course, there are plenty of Model A-based rat rods with chopped roofs and chopped suspension, but this one stands out as special thanks to its high ride height. It’s like Tow Mater from the Piexar’s Cars Franchise had an evil twin come to life!
Jeremiah, the man who created this epic machine, may have given it a bad look, but his intention in creating it was pretty sweet. He wanted to build something he could take to car shows with his three daughters and wife and make every trip an exciting and memorable family experience.
Andre from TFL Studios gives a detailed tour of this unique rat rod in a recent video uploaded to the YouTube channel.
A Model A Rat Rod That Is A Used Tow Truck
Growing up, Jeremiah admired Ford Model As. He loved seeing them on his visits to car shows as a kid. He always wanted to own one but never got the chance due to low funds. Later in his life, when he was working as a truck driver for construction and other commercial companies, he came across the chassis of a 1996 Ford F-700 with the body of another truck on it. And as luck would have it, he soon found himself the body of a Ford Model A as well.
After driving the F-700 for a while, Jeremiah had the idea to build a rat rod by combining the truck chassis with the Model A body. However, he did not use the standard Ford Model A rat rod look. with a chopped roof and broken suspension, because this setup does not allow him to take his family comfortably to car shows.
Originally, the F-700 chassis had a crew cab body and a 20-foot bed in the back. Jeremiah did not need such a large vehicle and therefore, with the help of a friend, cut the back of the truck and brought it closer to the front. He then swapped the crew cab for a Model A body and added a Model A pickup truck bed to the setup that he happily purchased for just $100.
The tow truck system you see on the back of this rat rod is fully functional. Jeremiah custom built it and made sure it works like a regular setup, because he didn’t want to make just a trailer queen. All the bad decorations you’ll find on the Model A rat rod, like the loose chains and giant spanners, came from Jeremiah’s personal collection of crap he bought at various auctions.
This Model One Rat Rod Has An Interior Made With Wrenches
From the outside, this rat rod might make you believe it’s an old clunker, but its creator has put in a ton of work to get it to the stage it is today. So, Jeremiah had to replace that with a custom-built steel structure to support the body. The cab still uses wooden floors, allowing him to work efficiently with the truck’s mechanicals.
Working with the 100-year-old sheet metal of the Model A was a huge challenge for Jeremiah as he had to fabricate many custom parts for this unique rat rod configuration. For example, he used a bunch of wrenches to make the steering compartment and pedal assembly, while the mining kart’s rail supports the custom-built steering shaft. It does have power steering, though.
Despite all the changes, Jeremiah wanted to keep the Model A’s cabin as close to stock as possible. And therefore, as you can see, it retains all the original controls and gauges. It still has the original Model A key, but that’s a dud and acts as an anti-theft device with the actual controls hidden under the glove compartment.
To make sure he and his family can travel comfortably to car shows in this rat rod, Jeremiah gave it a suspended cab setup similar to what you’d find on a semi-truck.
You’ll Need Ear Protection To Ride This Crazy Rat Rod
This Model A rat rod runs on a 429 ‘Lima’ big-block Ford V8 engine that originally came with the F-700 chassis. Jeremiah didn’t put much thought into this motor other than making minor changes to the driveline to make sure it worked as needed. Interestingly, he fitted it with a straight-pipe, so it’s so loud that you’ll need to wear ear protection if you decide to ride. This truck uses a 6-speed manual transmission and, with all its added bits, clocks the scales at around 11,000 pounds.
Starting this beast takes more than the turn of a key. And as you might expect, driving it is no easy task either. However, it is definitely a treat.
Source: TFLclassics YouTube
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