Remember the days when you could buy a truck from your neighbor for some lunch meat and a few whole chickens? Well, you may not, but that's exactly what Steven Brazile's father did in 1967. A fair trade netted him a well-worn pickup. Years later, the truck was put out to pasture and it literally became a home for some rodents. Everyone in Steven's family thought his Dad's truck was ugly and no one wanted it. Steven took this as a challenge to do what was necessary to make this truck cool.
When Steven was tearing his Dad's truck down for rebuild, he encountered some critters that called his truck home. Their memory lives on in the rats airbrushed throughout the truck with his children's names. The term "rat rod" has been thrown around much too loosely in recent years, but it's all too fitting for this '59 F-100. This truck not only looks the part, but literally defines the term rat rod.
He knew a solid foundation was necessary, so he had Mark Lynn Custom Fabrication weld up a 2x6-inch custom frame with Mustang II-style front suspension and a rear ladder-bar setup hanging on dual adjustable coilovers. Once the chassis and body were together at Show Car Specialist, Roger Ferris went to work massaging the body and removing years of rust. The front fenders were modified by closing the front wheelwell openings by 6 inches to give it a better look. The rear wheeltubs were widened to house the massive 29x18-inch tires, and vented 15-inch Wilwood brakes now provide the stopping power. A raised wooden bed floor now covers the custom frame above the rear axle. The tailgate chains and hooks quickly went into the scrap pile.
The patina paint quickly gives a nod to the history of this truck, and you'd have to be dead to miss the giant leather buckles that hold the hood down and the bitchin tucked bumpers full of lightening holes. This whole package rolls on custom-made and powdercoated 18x9 and 20x16 Dayton wire wheels. A Weber fuel-injected 466ci Ford powers this beast and is backed by a Kiesler five-speed. Inside the cab, a stock patina painted dash houses Haneline gauges. This is surrounded by a stock bench seat covered in a Mexican-blanket-style material.
This whole project was completed in about four months, giving Steven the reliable daily driver he was shooting for. After all, Steven said it best, "This was meant to be a fun build without having to worry about getting top honors at indoor shows. This truck was meant to be full of great ideas without overdoing it, and for everyone to leave with a smile after seeing it." Mission accomplished!
The 411
Engine/drivetrain:
466ci Ford V-8 / ported and polished Super Cobra Jet heads / Scat crank / coated pistons and bearings / hydraulic roller cam / Accel DFI fuel injection / AeroMotive fuel pump and filters / custom-built stainless steel headers and exhaust / Borla muffler / MSD coil, 6AL spark box / Ron Francis wiring kit / Keisler five-speed transmission / Lakewood scatter shield /Centerforce Dual Friction clutch / 3.73 gears / Strange axles
BY: Chris Watkins at IRT Performance / Chip at Competition Marine Center
Rims:
Front: 18x9 Dayton wire wheels
Rear: 20x16 Dayton wire wheels
Tires:
Front: 26x10x18 Mickey Thompson
Rear: 29x18x20 Mickey Thompson
Suspension:
Front: Mustang II-style IFS / Strange Engineering coilover shocks
Rear: Ladder bars / Strange Engineering coilover shocks
Chassis: 2x6-inch custom-built mild steel frame
By: Mark Lynn Custom Fabrication
Body Mods:
Tucked bumpers with lightening holes / leather hood hold-down buckles / front fender openings closed off 6 inches / widened factory bed wheeltubs / raised wooden bed floor / shaved tailgate chains
By: Roger Ferris
Custom Paint:
Multilayered patina-style paintwork / airbrushed rats and simulated rust throughout the interior and exterior
By: Roger Ferris and Keith Summer (airbrushing)
Interior:
Stock patina-painted dash and steering wheel / stock bench seat covered in Mexican blanket material
By: Scott Bullock of Bullock Interiors
Audio/Video:
OEM '59 radio rebuilt with new internals for FM reception
BY: Owner
Special Thanks:
Roger Farris at ShowCar Specialist for having a hand in every part of the build, Jeff Burke at JB Customs for his help with the build, Mark Lynn Fabricating, Chris Watkins at IRT Performance, Chip at Competition Marine Center, Scott Bullock at Bullock Interiors, Daug Albietz at AMT Performance, Jim Tovo, Keith Summer (airbrush work), Dave and Chet at Midwest Machinery Solutions, and Linda Raye for wet-sanding.