“Why does it look so easy when you read it in the magazine, but when you go to install it is more difficult?”


Almost everything gets cut off at some point. But you must brace things up before you start hacking at your frame. I used some relatively thick angle iron bars to hold the top and bottom of the frame rails and to keep them from twisting and moving when cutting out the cross members, two temporary crossbars up front and one towards the rear just for safe measure. Also, welding extra crossbars around the frame will help prevent the twisting and flexing that welding can cause if the frame doesn’t hold anything together. Remember, welding causes the metal to expand and … Continue reading “Why does it look so easy when you read it in the magazine, but when you go to install it is more difficult?”

64 Ford Pickup


As if we didn’t have enough to do, we traded for a 64 Ford custom cab pickup with a Y-block. The idea was to pull the motor and drop in a Windsor. Well, that turned into another entire project, as when we tore into the truck, we found a lot of little secrets. For one, the stance was too high, so we flipped the leaf springs in the front and notched the rear end to bring it down. Then we had the cab floors that needed to be replaced, swapped out the steering column and the gas tank, and built … Continue reading 64 Ford Pickup

Mustang II Suspension – Lakeshore Fab


It has been a while since I have posted anything. I have over five hundred pictures of the transformation of this car. When I started this project in 2009, I planned to build a little rat rod. Well, that has changed drastically. I will update this site on where we are now with the car, starting with placing a Mustang II suspension kit onto the frame. No one makes a kit for a 1954 Merc, so this had to be a custom order. I went with a local builder roughly an hour from my home — Lakeshore Fabrication in Colombia, … Continue reading Mustang II Suspension – Lakeshore Fab

The Maiden Voyage


Well, the Maiden Voyage came a few weeks back when we took the car to the final Hunnert car pile in 2011! I busted ass on the car the nights leading up to the day before and even a few hours before we left to get travel and show ready! Remember that this car was inspected and licensed the day before we went. The vehicle was driven about twenty miles and parked the night before the 300-mile ride to Decatur, Ill. The car made it up without a hitch! Ran like a top all the way there! I had the … Continue reading The Maiden Voyage

The Merc Is Up & Running.


The day has finally arrived; the Merc will fire on its own and stay running! I had a chance to drop through the gears, and to my delight, the transmission works wonderfully. The brakes are still harsh, so I need to bleed them again. We have the wiring to finish up and, last but not least, the damn bodywork! It’s been crazy in the garage as there are so many damn projects we are working on that I sometimes don’t touch my car for a few days. With the warm weather coming around, it puts the excitement back into getting … Continue reading The Merc Is Up & Running.