Louisiana man builds truck from the ground up ( Missouri )

Hannibal Courier-Post ^ | Sep 15, 2009 | BRENT ENGEL

[george76]

Johnny Bolton claims all it took was a one-car garage, a tape measure and a welding torch.

“And a lot of thinking,” Bolton said.

Regardless, the Louisiana man is driving around in a truck he spent eight months building from spare parts.

It may not be pretty, but it’s road-safe and Bolton can get around without having to worry about making a car payment every month.

Bolton used Ford axles, a Chevrolet bed and an Oldsmobile engine, all placed on a 1949 International frame. He's nicknamed it the "Mississippi River Rat."

Bolton, who works in the power plant at Hercules in Louisiana, built the machine in his spare time. His girlfriend, Melisa Constable, never had to worry about locating him.

“She knew I was in the garage,” Bolton said with a laugh. “It was something she turned her nose up at, but she rides in it.”

The most difficult part was figuring out how to wire the vehicle. Bolton had to create his own system.

[george76]

[Dr. Sivana]

Ah, there’s a thousand guys in Cuba who do that regularly.

[al baby]

What a POS is that the best he could come up with

[mnehring]

This guy needs to check out this garage project. The Splinter

[Larry Lucido]

Definite chick magnet.

[Dogfaced Soldier]

Johnny Cash - One piece at a time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIuo0KIqD_E

[mnehring]

Looks like a typical ‘Rat Rod’.

[behzinlea]

He built it one piece at a time
And it didn't cost him a dime

[Army Air Corps]

The powerplant in that car is pretty cool:

“The beast began life as a Cadillac Northstar aluminum block. We reversed the flow of the 32V, DOHC cylinder heads, which resulted in exhaust headers running out of the top center where the intake manifold would have typically been. This setup required us to fabricate 2 small intake manifolds which would fit in the normal location of the exhaust headers. Each intake manifold has its own Root-style supercharger feeding it through 2 air-to-water intercoolers.”

[Larry Lucido]

No relation, by the way...

[edcoil]

Kinda hard on a DIY guy aren’t ya.

[edcoil]

Kinda hard on a DIY guy aren’t ya.

[BlueDragon]

Frankenstein trucks are fun to piece together. I don’t have one, but among other rigs, do have a good running engine in one old truck that is pieced together with parts from 5-6 different motors/years. For sale 500$, but to you only 400$, since you have such a kind face...

[Army Air Corps]

A family friend cobbled a Frankentruck together from a Ford, Chevy, and an International.

[yarddog]

I had a friend in High School whose Father did the same thing. We all thought it looked awful. We called it the goat mobile.

The funny thing is he drove it around everywhere and was proud as could be of his creation. I guess it does take some talent or ability.

[BlueDragon]

I've been pondering scrapping a Chevy, (but keeping the engine, trans, radiator, etc.,) and an International, or selling the International, but KEEPING the International locking differential. An oldy, but a goody. Damn, I'd hate to see it go. It's the best part of that particular truck. Motor mounts and drivelines can be cobbled together. Width can be changed, but it's much easier (and cheaper) to match differential/axle assemblies with frame rails and fender clearances, if one can...

Now all I'd need is a older, wide Ford chassis, huh?

[Squantos]

Rat Rods rule !!!

[BlueDragon]

wait...not a Ford, an old Dodge truck would be more likely to fit...bingo. make a flatbed out of it, too.

[RichInOC]

[cue “One Piece At A Time” by Johnny Cash]