29 Ford Rat Rod

Being the owner of a Hot Rod Magazine and being a fan of unique and crazy hot rods sometimes I have to go digging for these unique and crazy rods but ever once in awhile a unique and crazy rod finds me. I give you ladies and gentlemen Scott Wiley’s 29 Ford “God’s Rods” Rat Rod! When it comes to rat rods, I am usually very picky about them some a great others I think are just money spent on junk, but with Scott’s rat rod he put in a lot of his own blood, sweet, tears and personality into the car so I ended up loving it at first site. (Plus its a flathead and I love flatheads).
The story of the 29 Ford Rat Rod by Scott himself

Here is the story of this car from an abandoned body left in a field for over 75 years to the “best of show” winning creation in the following photos.

“After having collected classic and muscle cars for over 35 years they all began to look the same to me and I was bored with the hobby.   Then in June of 2011 I went to an event called the Road Rocket Rumble in Indianapolis, Indiana that changed my perspective and ignited my passion for the car hobby again.

What I saw were these creative, one-of-a-kind, crazy, cartoonish, totally personal vehicles called Rat Rods.  Not one of them were the same and they all reflected the builder’s personality.
Instead of rows and rows of the typical Camaros, 57 Chevys and Mustangs, that to me became “white noise”, I saw these vehicles that were raw with unique powerplants, weird wheel and tire combinations, bizarre interiors and fabricating techniques and materials.

These were individual works of art and moving sculpture that used raw, rusty metal as their clay.  I immediately put up for sale old our beautiful, restored 1966 Shelby Cobra and set out to create the rolling tribute to my life you see before you in this article.

I found just the right canvas for my project not far from my home in Northern, Indiana.

A gentleman named Ed saw an abandoned 1929 Model A Tudor body in a field near his home and built that base car.  It was chopped 7? inches and channeled 6? on a new 2 x 4 boxed frame.  It was Z’d front and back.  For even more uniqueness it was converted to be driven from the right side of the car.
The rear suspension is a ladder bar set up with a panhard bar and a 1940 Ford buggy spring.  The front is a 4” dropped axle.

The engine is a 1953 Ford Flathead V8 with a Fenton intake and dual Holley 94’s.  Resting on the Holley’s are a pair of functional Model T horns acting as air filters.  It uses a Chrysler starter and the exhaust is handled by a set of  Lakester headers complete with removable motorcycle baffles.
The transmission is a Turbo 350 with a manual Hurst 4 speed shifter powering the 10 bolt Chevy rear end.

Stopping the beast are finned Buick brake drums with 1940 Ford brakes inside.

It has chrome reverse wheels with rare Coker inner and outer whitewall tires.

To make it truly personalized and one of a kind I added these personal touches from my lifetime.

The Radiator cap is a 1940’s Boys’ Club Bumper clamp. I’ve been a member since 1966.

Roof is an actual sign from my Mom’s 1960’s Warsaw Dance Hall.

Transmission boot is my very first baseball mitt.

Baseball shifter knob my brothers 60?s.

Golf head cover on the transmission dipstick was deceased father-in-law’s.

Bullet casings on the door openers are from my brother’s and father’s 21 gun salute at their military funerals.

Third brake light is from an old Schwinn.

License plate light is an old Rayovac flashlight.

Tail light lenses are modified Margarita glasses with blue dots added.

Oil drain plug is a Pabst Blue Ribbon Draft Taper.

Periscope is functional and came out of necessity so I can see stoplights.

Coil cover is one of the very first Diet Pepsi cans.

Oil dipstick is a horse syringe.

Radiator grill is from a house fan.

Screwdriver sticking through radiator is an old one of my Dads.

Seats are school seats from a 5th grade class.

Steering wheel (yes it is right hand drive) is from an old bumper car ride from the county

fair, held on by an allen wrench.

Steering wheel spinner is from a water faucet.

Brake pedal is an acrylic encased scorpion.

Gas pedal is an old motorcycle license plate.

Primitive alligator clip kill switch on steering column.

Boat bilge pump switch on steering column just for fun.

Flashlight dash light mounted on passenger side

Dome light is a modified ceramic house light fixture

Dome light pull is an antique plumbing  tag

Pass through between the seats is an old meter cap

Rear view mirror is an old lady’s compact with my wife and daughters photo.

Louvered interior door panels are from an old furnace.

Trunk in back is an old ammo box.

Blower behind the seats is an old air conditioner unit.

The pair of Vise grips on the driver side frame holds the ground wire on.

Large Safety pins hold the wheels on.

The Odometer in the passenger side rear wheel and is from an old semi.

Meat Thermometer through the top radiator hose is the temperature gauge.  (Ham and

pork seem to be the best temps)

Antique pliers mounted on the front were found in the gas tank.

The front turn signals are old drinking fountain spigots bored out and mounted on the

headlights.

Headlight mounts are Ford Flathead connecting rods

Look for the ball bearings in the fuel bowls

Door hinge pins are old nails and a couple of old screwdrivers

It has been signed by George Barris and Dennis Gage

The sides are painted with “God’s Rods: Where Car AND Driver are works in Progress” to share my faith.

Antique repo Route 66 signs on sides with nail crosses, again to share my faith.

Actual 1929 license plate.

Biohazard sticker on voltage regulator on interior passenger side firewall

Old wrench welded as a handle for the electric access panel.

Old barn wooden floorboard

In back are an antique gas can, battery charger, and voltage meter.

Interior door panels are the louvered access panels from an old furnace.

I get a real kick out of seeing the look on peoples faces when this “beast” wins “best of show” at the car shows.  I know what they are thinking.  They are thinking that their car has a $10,000 paint job on it with a $20,000 engine so how is it possible that this contraption without paint and a rusty flathead beat my car???  It has 5th grade seats for an interior for crying out loud.

I just smile.” – Scott Wiley