Custom-Built Turbo Rat Rod

2025 - Volume #49, Issue #2, Page #03

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Strapped into official automotive racing harnesses on a comfortable living room recliner mounted on the open chassis of a 1,000-hp rat rod, Andrew Kaplan attracted much attention at the 2024 Ultimate Callout Challenge (UCC) diesel industry show.
Kaplan and other workers at Randy’s Transmissions built the vehicle because the company wanted something to stick out and be exciting for the crowd. “We slapped this together in five days because we wanted to look ridiculous, do burnouts, and have a lot of fun,” Kaplan says. “The more you look at Methany (its name), the worse it looks, but the more fun it gets.”
Kaplan says the crew had plenty of extra metal in the shop and a 98.5 24-valve compound turbo Cummins sitting outside, so they just went to work. The engine had painter’s tape over the intake, the turbo was rusted, and the wiring harness was a rat’s nest. Initially, they couldn’t get it to fire up, but a new breakout box brought it to life. Initially installed in a race truck, the engine’s dyno sheets showed 1,300 hp on spray and 1,000 hp on fuel. Randy’s crew mounted it on a truck chassis and installed many unusual accessories.
The radiator overflow hose drains into a Jack Daniel’s bottle. Right behind it, the air intake filter is held on with duct tape. Kaplan says that wasn’t a problem because when the engine revs up, the inrushing air just sucks the filter in. The tubular frame has a partial roll cage; behind it, a huge garbage can serves as the exhaust pipe. It blows a huge plume of black smoke as the engine revs. Kaplan says the crew added the garbage can because “the whole rig is sort of trashy.”
Randy’s wanted something that had never been done before, and Methany certainly fit the bill. The rat rod was exhibited at other shows in 2024 and will make additional appearances in 2025 to provide visual and noisy brand awareness for Randy’s Transmissions.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Randy’s Transmissions, Tooele, Utah 84074 (www.randys-transmissions.com).

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Custom-Built Turbo Rat Rod Strapped into official automotive racing harnesses on a comfortable living room recliner mounted on the open chassis of a 1 000-hp rat rod Andrew Kaplan attracted much attention at the 2024 Ultimate Callout Challenge UCC diesel industry show Kaplan and other workers at Randy’s Transmissions built the vehicle because the company wanted something to stick out and be exciting for the crowd “We slapped this together in five days because we wanted to look ridiculous do burnouts and have a lot of fun ” Kaplan says “The more you look at Methany its name the worse it looks but the more fun it gets ” Kaplan says the crew had plenty of extra metal in the shop and a 98 5 24-valve compound turbo Cummins sitting outside so they just went to work The engine had painter’s tape over the intake the turbo was rusted and the wiring harness was a rat’s nest Initially they couldn’t get it to fire up but a new breakout box brought it to life Initially installed in a race truck the engine’s dyno sheets showed 1 300 hp on spray and 1 000 hp on fuel Randy’s crew mounted it on a truck chassis and installed many unusual accessories The radiator overflow hose drains into a Jack Daniel’s bottle Right behind it the air intake filter is held on with duct tape Kaplan says that wasn’t a problem because when the engine revs up the inrushing air just sucks the filter in The tubular frame has a partial roll cage; behind it a huge garbage can serves as the exhaust pipe It blows a huge plume of black smoke as the engine revs Kaplan says the crew added the garbage can because “the whole rig is sort of trashy ” Randy’s wanted something that had never been done before and Methany certainly fit the bill The rat rod was exhibited at other shows in 2024 and will make additional appearances in 2025 to provide visual and noisy brand awareness for Randy’s Transmissions Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Randy’s Transmissions Tooele Utah 84074 www randys-transmissions com

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