Chevette Engine Drives

2014 - Volume #38, Issue #4, Page #33

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Chevette Engine Drives "Made It Myself" Tracked Tractor

Layman Cornelison could have built a “rat rod” out of his old Chevette. Instead he decided to build a Ratapillar, using the engine, transmission and rear axle from the 1980 Chevette. It wasn’t the first one he built, but it’s the best.
    “The first one was dangerous,” recalls Cornelison. “It used a 6-cylinder engine from a 1949 Plymouth. The frame was shorter, and it had a short driveshaft. It tended to tip over backward.”
    The Chevette Ratapillar is 8 ft. long and 4 ft. wide. Cornelison built the frame largely with 4 by 2 steel tubing. He reused the 2 master brake cylinders from the Chevette, installing them on the rear wheels for steering.
    “I geared down the engine speed with the help of sprockets and roller chain,” he explains. “I mounted a 12-tooth sprocket on the driveshaft coming out of the 4-speed transmission, and an 80-tooth sprocket on the rear end with 85 roller chain connecting them.”
    When Cornelison bought the Chevette, he also bought a second rear end. He cut the axle up, retaining the wheel and axle stubs. To mount the wheel stubs, he dropped short lengths of steel tubing from each side of the frame. He attached them so each could pivot from a single point. Turnbuckles attached to the bottom of the verticals and forward to points near the front of the frame serve as tensioners. Wheel stubs were welded to the end of the verticals. He installed 15-in. wheels front and back.
    Cornelison made tracks out of rear tires from a C-Farmall. He cut the beads off and placed one over each set of wheels. Tightening the turnbuckles stretched the track enough that the rear wheels could drive it.
    “I used a radiator from an old Nissan and a grill from an old Deere tractor, cut in two and pieced together,” says Cornelison. “The rest of the body is steel sheet metal.”
    He used expanded metal for the driver’s platform and a cast aluminum seat. He installed a clutch, gearshift and a lever to activate each brake cylinder as needed.
    “It steers like a charm, it doesn’t jerk or anything,” says Cornelison, who recently built a trailer specifically for his Ratapillar.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Layman Cornelison, 6731 Center St., Ira, Iowa 50127 (ph 641 792-3379).

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Chevette Engine Drives Made It Myself Tracked Tractor ENGINES Layman Cornelison could have built a “rat rod” out of his old Chevette Instead he decided to build a Ratapillar using the engine transmission and rear axle from the 1980 Chevette It wasn’t the first one he built but it’s the best “The first one was dangerous ” recalls Cornelison “It used a 6-cylinder engine from a 1949 Plymouth The frame was shorter and it had a short driveshaft It tended to tip over backward ” The Chevette Ratapillar is 8 ft long and 4 ft wide Cornelison built the frame largely with 4 by 2 steel tubing He reused the 2 master brake cylinders from the Chevette installing them on the rear wheels for steering “I geared down the engine speed with the help of sprockets and roller chain ” he explains “I mounted a 12-tooth sprocket on the driveshaft coming out of the 4-speed transmission and an 80-tooth sprocket on the rear end with 85 roller chain connecting them ” When Cornelison bought the Chevette he also bought a second rear end He cut the axle up retaining the wheel and axle stubs To mount the wheel stubs he dropped short lengths of steel tubing from each side of the frame He attached them so each could pivot from a single point Turnbuckles attached to the bottom of the verticals and forward to points near the front of the frame serve as tensioners Wheel stubs were welded to the end of the verticals He installed 15-in wheels front and back Cornelison made tracks out of rear tires from a C-Farmall He cut the beads off and placed one over each set of wheels Tightening the turnbuckles stretched the track enough that the rear wheels could drive it “I used a radiator from an old Nissan and a grill from an old Deere tractor cut in two and pieced together ” says Cornelison “The rest of the body is steel sheet metal ” He used expanded metal for the driver’s platform and a cast aluminum seat He installed a clutch gearshift and a lever to activate each brake cylinder as needed “It steers like a charm it doesn’t jerk or anything ” says Cornelison who recently built a trailer specifically for his Ratapillar Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Layman Cornelison 6731 Center St Ira Iowa 50127 ph 641 792-3379

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