Rat Rod Built From A Bit Of Everything

2023 - Volume #47, Issue #1, Page #39

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Rich Imhoff could tell right away when he saw a 2008 Ford pickup with only 50,000 miles on it that it was rat rod ready. The body was badly dinged up.
“One taillight and the grill were the only pieces on it that weren’t bent or dented,” recalls Imhoff. “The doors were tied on with rope.”
Imhoff has fun with cars. He was previously featured in FARM SHOW with a bi-directional car that had two front ends (Vol. 23, No. 5). He decided to also have fun with the pickup, which he got cheap.
“I stripped off the body, including the cab, and started adding stuff,” he says. “Everything went together really well.”
He replaced the truck cab with a cab from a 6600 Deere combine, setting it in place over the dash so he would still have a radio, heat and air conditioning. The doors would have been awkward to climb out of, so he replaced them with doors from a Peterbilt semi-tractor.
“Getting the Peterbilt doors to fit was my biggest challenge,” says Imhoff. “The bottom of the cab had to be pushed in a little.”
Imhoff cut out the center of the old hood and welded in the hood from an IH 504. The center grill is IH but also includes a Ford emblem. Expanded metal fans out to either side.
A new rear end came from a Deere 6620 combine. Imhoff laid some 2 by 4s across the rear frame of the truck where the bed had been, unbolted the rear end from the combine, and set it in place behind the cab.
“I ran lights back to the rear and screwed everything down,” says Imhoff. “The opening to access the straw walkers is right behind the cab. I can flip it open to get in that way. I modified the back end of it with a tailgate that can flop down.”
The rat rod even has its own invasive pests. Imhoff made bug-like creatures out of shoe stretchers and mounted them on the hood.
To finish it off, Imhoff made a Chevy bowtie out of log chains. He attached it in front instead of a bumper.
Imhoff admits that his rat rod will likely never be finished. For one thing, he already has his eye on his next project.
“I’m thinking about selling the rat rod and building something different,” says Imhoff. “I’m already planning it out.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Richard Imhoff, 1826 231st St., Ruthton, Minn. (ph 507-820-0259; rrandjj@yahoo.com).

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Rat Rod Built From A Bit Of Everything TRACTORS Made-It-Myself Rich Imhoff could tell right away when he saw a 2008 Ford pickup with only 50 000 miles on it that it was rat rod ready The body was badly dinged up “One taillight and the grill were the only pieces on it that weren’t bent or dented ” recalls Imhoff “The doors were tied on with rope ” Imhoff has fun with cars He was previously featured in FARM SHOW with a bi-directional car that had two front ends Vol 23 No 5 He decided to also have fun with the pickup which he got cheap “I stripped off the body including the cab and started adding stuff ” he says “Everything went together really well ” He replaced the truck cab with a cab from a 6600 Deere combine setting it in place over the dash so he would still have a radio heat and air conditioning The doors would have been awkward to climb out of so he replaced them with doors from a Peterbilt semi-tractor “Getting the Peterbilt doors to fit was my biggest challenge ” says Imhoff “The bottom of the cab had to be pushed in a little ” Imhoff cut out the center of the old hood and welded in the hood from an IH 504 The center grill is IH but also includes a Ford emblem Expanded metal fans out to either side A new rear end came from a Deere 6620 combine Imhoff laid some 2 by 4s across the rear frame of the truck where the bed had been unbolted the rear end from the combine and set it in place behind the cab “I ran lights back to the rear and screwed everything down ” says Imhoff “The opening to access the straw walkers is right behind the cab I can flip it open to get in that way I modified the back end of it with a tailgate that can flop down ” The rat rod even has its own invasive pests Imhoff made bug-like creatures out of shoe stretchers and mounted them on the hood To finish it off Imhoff made a Chevy bowtie out of log chains He attached it in front instead of a bumper Imhoff admits that his rat rod will likely never be finished For one thing he already has his eye on his next project “I’m thinking about selling the rat rod and building something different ” says Imhoff “I’m already planning it out ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Richard Imhoff 1826 231st St Ruthton Minn ph 507-820-0259; rrandjj@yahoo com