Vehicle Description
Conventional wisdom states that rat rods are supposed to be basic,
crude, and even kind of nasty. Most of them are the result of
thrown-together extra parts laying around the shop, slapped atop a
Pre-War chassis with enough rust you need a Tetanus shot between
every oil change. However, this incredible 1931 Ford Model A
Supercharged Rat Rod changes the game in a big way. Professionally
built by Dirty Dingo Motorsports, it definitely nails the rat rod
look but adds a healthy heap of modern power via the
built-and-blown Supercharged 6.0L LS V8 in the exposed engine bay,
an upgraded TH400 automatic transmission that's capable of handling
all that added muscle, and a custom frame that really shows off the
top-notch build quality. But rat rod purists (if any actually
exist) need not worry, this unique creation still has plenty of
patina and comes loaded with the bespoke picadilloes that make
these cars so incredibly cool.
Yes, we know the rat rod movement was born from guys getting tired
of high-dollar pro-built rods dominating the scene, but it would be
a mistake to criticize the price tag of this beautifully crafted
Ford before it's fully examined. It's packed with performance
goodies, and the countless labor hours spent getting that 90-year
old sheetmetal to cooperate easily filled several ledgers. The
5-window body is actually in fairly good shape, much nicer than
you'd expect for a rat rod, thanks in large part to the
preservation of the baking Arizona sun that's also kissed it with a
uniformed patina (a bit of an oxymoron, I know) that just looks
awesome in person. It's got that old-school look in spades,
including the ultra-low chopped roof and windshield visor, the
faded and bare metal bodywork, and the glistening exposed motor.
All those bumps-and-bruises have added wonderful character to the
overall presentation, and every time we stare and admire it, this
rat rod seems to reveal something new and interesting to look at.
Not many rat rods can make that claim. Up front, there's a cut-down
antique Ford grille shell and a set of King Bee-style headlights,
plus a radiator reservoir tank that's really kind of cool. The
bumpers and fenders were deleted for a streamlined look that's more
in keeping with the classic style of hi-boy streetrods, there's
some custom air-brush work on the back of the roof, and round LED
taillights were added out back. Yeah, this car nails the look.
Simple and performance-oriented, the interior hammers home this
build's industrial theme. There's lots of exposed sheetmetal and
aluminum inside, but it comes tempered with low-back buckets
covered in black pleated vinyl hides, matching inserts in the
doors, and a sporty 3-spoke steering wheel mounted atop a billet
column. The buckets are all-day comfortable and still provide
plenty of room in the chopped hot rod, and the slick-looking
B&M billet shifter was mounted atop a custom aluminum
transmission/driveshaft tunnel. The dashboard retains a relatively
stock look and includes two center-mounted Steward Warner gauges,
but those aren't enough to keep track of the beast in the engine
bay, so a trio of AutoMeter auxiliary dials was mounted in a custom
billet panel to the left of the cockpit. There are no creature
comforts unless you count racing seatbelts, a chrome extinguisher,
and billet pedals as such, which in a rat rod you probably could.
And prepare to travel light, as the trunk is now stuffed with
custom chassis and suspension components, along with a stainless
steel fuel tank.
As you've probably already guessed, the engine isn't some
garden-variety small block Chevy, but rather a line-bored,
balanced, and square-decked 6.0L LS V8 that's been built to the
9's. The list of performance goodies is extensive enough that we
don't have the space to list them all here (so call us when you
have 15 minutes to spare), but the highlights include ARP main
studs and bolts, diamond-forged pistons, titanium seats and
retainers, Molinar rods and crank, upgraded roller rockers, and a
grind blower cam - and that's just a small portion of the
internals. The feisty V8 is fed through dual Holley 4-barrel carbs,
a BDS billet aluminum blower intake, and a giant 6-71 Littlefield
supercharger that transforms it into a bonafide monster on the
street. Polished components, billet pulleys, and a thick 8mm belt
are both flashy and intimidating, as is the custom blower snout up
top. A fresh Hughes TH400 automatic with a 2800 stall convertor and
Derale remote cooler handle the huge power with ease, spinning a
Chromoly driveshaft into a custom 9" rear end filled with 3.08 POSI
gears. The front suspension is a straight axle set-up with upgraded
chrome shocks, all-new hardware, and a Flaming River 'Reverse
Corvair' steering box, Wilwood 4-wheel disc brakes are at the
corners, while out back there's a 4-link system and a set of
coilovers, all of which work in harmony to set the stance and help
this rat rod track true. And speaking of the stance, the classic
big-and-little look is punctuated with Rebel alloys up front and
Rocket alloys in the rear, all wrapped in staggered Mickey Thompson
meats that stick to the street.
Rat rods aren't necessarily beautiful, but this one is certainly
beautifully built. It delivers the killer look and feel that is all
the rage these days, with a HUGE dose of pro-built performance
unrivaled by a rat rod we've never seen before. Call now!
