Diesel Rat Rod: Blowin’ Smoke
Diesel Powered Hot Rod at Viva Las Vegas
Photos by Swanee
Diesel Rat Rod blowing pure Cummins smoke!
SEMA 2009 proved to be an extreme mix of automotive genius and variety. Rat rods are becoming part of that creative pool. Rat rods, in general, are built solely from old parts and pieces that are deliberately left raw and natural. Additional trinkets are added, leaving their patina to show. The surge of this style of building is gaining support by a recent article by Car and Driver Magazine. Check it out: Car and Driver Top 10 Favorites from SEMA
1928 Dodge 4 Door Rat Rod
Case in point, is this “Diesel Rat Rod”, a 1928 Dodge 4 door body, rusted and abused beyond restoration, was chopped and channeled onto a hand built frame. Stepping way out of the box and into the next field, a retired 1998 Dodge pickup donates its motor, a Cummins 12 valve mechanical diesel engine. The diesel motor produces plenty of horsepower and torque plus gets 20+ MPG.
The diesel rod is the imagination of Steve Darnell, owner of a fabrication shop aptly named, WELDERUP. www.welderup.com. Want to see another Diesel Rat Rod From Welderup? This one’s a COE also with Cummins turbo diesel power.
Steve has been around cars all his life. Finding old cars is his reason for living, even better when he can drive the beauty home! Steve’s daily driver is a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, left in its original condition.
Diesel Rat Rod Interior – all the gauges
Steve and his crew build rolling works of art. This diesel rod has so many features that every time you see it, the more it pops. The trim around the body is a bandsaw blade, a chainsaw blade surrounds the cowl. Brass screen mesh, from a gold mine, has been recycled into interior door panels. The dash is sheet metal from an old piece of farm equipment. The rear bumper is two pistons from an excavator engine and the steering support is a connecting rod from the same piece of machinery.
100% Pure Rat Rod!
This entire project, as well as others, is based on the recycling of old parts. Sheetmetal, handles, gears, chains and endless other parts come from salvaging in the backfields of the farm and ranch community.
Steve jumps at any chance to cruise the streets and enjoys all the attention he gets riding in this rat. Burnouts at every stoplight baby! Fire from the propane injection and smoke bellowing out from the single exhaust pipe.
No trailer queen here, the diesel rod was built to be driven and enjoyed by everyone.
Another look: Diesel Rat Rod Interior – who needs a floor?
The diesel rat rod has been featured in a variety of magazines; Diesel World, Diesel Tech, Diesel Power, and Hot Rod. This rod brings the diesel heads together. Rebel Rodz teased the rat rod community and overseas e-magazines like, El Diablo (Spain) by featuring this rat and Mattblackrat (England) http://www.mattblackrat.com/ found the diesel rod to be an interesting ride.
(This is a picture of the hand crank starter. About half a turn is all you’ll need, believe it or not, to fire this thing up. I watched him do it and couldn’t believe how easy it was.)
What is next? ENJOY IT! Welderup is based in Montana but, the crew isn’t scared to drive all over the U.S… Be on the lookout as the “show” rolls into town!
Alan57
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That thing is wild! Low, Long and Wide! Whatta Ride! Thanks Alan!
one of my favorite rides from Viva Las Vegas….great story Alan!!! Thanks!! =]
Swanee, that billowing smoke pic is so gnarly! Sorry it took so long to post it!
I am in love with the crank starter. I’m not a big fan of relying on batteries in general, and the pure badassery of that starter just makes the car. Two thumbs way up.
This “meant-to-be-driven” rod was brought in on a flat bed to the Mooneyes X-mas Show last weekend. It may look menacing, but was super quiet when cruisin’ through the rain-soaked crowd.
I have this car for my desktop. It is the insperation for my next project. A 92 5.9 Compound turbo 500+ hp Cummins going into a 1943 Buick Special. Not quit as Rat Rod as yours. I am thinking of hand stitched, ball glove leather for seats and do a painted rust pateen to stop the existing rust.
Planning this car for POWER TOUR hauling an Air Stream
This car is a POS. Build a real hot rod not some ugly rusted junk. I would take a flathead model A anyday over thoes cheesey shock rod cars.
“dirt man” is a hater! This IS a hot rod, its called a RAT rod. It’s supposed to look like a ratty rusty piece of junk, its a little bit of mother nature, mixed with the beginning of the life of the automobile… and not to mention CREATIVITY! I hope these guys keep on partyin, rockin, and rollin’ and making more pieces of art like this one!
This thing gives me wood..
we dont get awesome kewl like this in Aussie, too many rules and shit over here… he’d be hounded off the end of a pier out here.
Awesome machine ..
I just keep comming back that is something. Crank starting a 98 cummins I love it.
It was awesome to see too… took like half a crank and he barely had to try… the thing just fired right up!
Yeah dirt man, go to The HAMB and watch build after build come out looking exactly the same! Rat rods are creative and FUN. Face it old rich guys: your time is over!
I’m a rat rod lover, but gotta say that this car in its own way is just as pretentious as any six-figure street rod. Pro shop, lots of $$$; can it really be called a rat rod?
This thing looks pretty over the top, little gimmicky if you ask me. But that’s what’s so fun about rat rods, there’s lots of different styles.
The initial idea behind ratrods was to create almost cartoon-like piece that are actually operable. The guy who designed and built this car is a true innovator and has built a ton of overly original and well crafted machines. Any a-hole can throw a ton of bondo and paint at an overpriced hunk o’ steel to make it look “flawless” but if you want to show your true skill, leave it bare and let it RUST! I don’t expect everyone to love or understand the style, but at least look at it from a technical standpoint and respect the level of craftsmanship required to pull off a build of this magnitude. There’s a difference between a ratrod and a trashrod, it doesn’t take a genious to see that this is a bona fide rat! If you’d like to see more from WELDERUP google it! Oh, and dirt man, just because you don’t understand or agree with something, doesn’t make it a POS….. Flat heads are overpriced, under powered and super temperamental. I love the look but hate the bs that comes with it. There’s a reason that Ford stopped using them almost 60 years ago! This thing could easily do a cross country tour and still run like a champ at the end. I’m sure the only reason he didn’t do the Rat Rod tour was because he couldn’t choose which of his 6+ fully built rides to take.
I love you guys who think he is hand starting this engine. That hand crank is hooked up to a starter switch. There is no way on God’s green earth you are hand cranking that engine to get it started. This is an awesome ride, love it!
Russ, I saw the guy hand crank it myself. Started right up. There is a regular started, but this thing works! – pikesan
UMMMMM – Is that a coat hanger holding the chain together on the starter crank?
It could be… it only took like 1/2 a crank to start this thing. I saw him use this to fire the motor. Very strange but cool!
32:1 compression ratio… no – he didn’t hand crank that engine.
BSwope, I guess I wasn’t standing there when it happened… I guess there’s no such thing as “mechanical advantage” or “gear reduction”.
Update: Like anyone cares… the hand crank triggers a starter. Bswope was right.