Austin Mini Rat Rod

[Chuck Most]

Started this thing about 150 years ago, but finally got it done this weekend. Amazing what you can accomplish on a project when you stop letting it do little more than sit around in a box, right? 

Normally, I resist using Small Block Chevy engines, but I figured in this case the rest of the car made up for any lack of imagination using such a generic engine would normally carry with it. That, and I had an old Accu-Pro B&M supercharger for a 1:24 Chevy V8, and I had to use it on something, right? 

The Tamiya body sits on a partial NASCAR T-Bird chassis, and much of the interior was made from plastic sheet. The car is meant to be laid out on air suspension, and I added a pressure gauge and switches for that on the console. '37 Ford artillery wheels are used, with the hubcaps from an Austin FX4 taxi kit. The front bumper is from a Fujimi Rover Mini, which includes an earlier style set of bumpers and grille on the chrome sprue. 

Other than the plug wires touching on the scratchbuilt headers (which were a last-minute addition) I'm about as pleased as I possibly could be about the finished product. There's no room to route the wires under the headers (which I think is how it was done on stock Chevy V8's?), so maybe I'll just use some comically long plug boots. 

 

Edited July 2, 2017 by Chuck Most

[thatz4u]

Great rat, original thinking,...do you own a bottomless parts box?

[426 pack]

Cool rat rod very out of the box idea 

 where did you get the headers from? 

[donb]

Very creative Chuck. Very cool indeed.

[bondo bill]

neat concept and construction

[blunc]

very "ratty", sir. 

 

Edited July 3, 2017 by blunc

[ChrisR]

Awesome!

[Foxer]

This is from another galaxy far, far away ... and I'd like to visit!

Everything just seem right!

[bobthehobbyguy]

Very cool. Looks like a rat built for the rat rod build off in Rat Rod magazine.

[cobraman]

Now that is different ! Also very creative. Oh and did I say different ?

[MeatMan]

Yes, very creative! Kudos!

[crazyjim]

You have a very sick mind, Chuck.  Help is available though.

[espo]

Great looking Rust O Rod. The headers remind me of a Calliope. I wouldn't worry about the spark plug wires. On 1:1 modified Chevy engines with headers it's common to use 90 degree boots and run the wires above the headers.   

[Slotto]

That is wild! love the rust

[Sixties Sam]

Wow! Now that's creativity! Very crazy and cool, Chuck!

Sam

[mod3l Lover]

    Holy krazy kool Batman!!  That looks like

it was a lot of fun to build!?!

    David S.

[FredRPG]

Don't know why, but the green headlights are my favorite part.  You seem to put a lot of thought into these builds even though they appear random, was that just a 'why not' moment, or is there a reason?

[Helix]

Awesome!

[PatW]

Whoa there! We have plenty of Mini's here in the UK, where's my laser cutter now?  Fantastic Chuck, well done!