(Words and photos by Doug Gregory) – Some astute readers might remember young Ryan Pope’s ’56 Chevy gasser –
Being part of the younger generation of hardcore, classic-style gearheads you know the ’56 wasn’t his first hotrod and will not be his last. His most-recent creation is a Model A RPU (that’s Roadster Pick-Up). Together with friends and his employer, Mike Wagner of Cornfield Customs, this hand-hammered rod came to life in just about a year from when it was purchased. Starting with a roller on September 14, 2014 the parts collection began in earnest. The main tub is a stretched Brookville 1930 Model A unit. The grille shell, hood, hood sides, the entire bed, tailgate, and aprons are all aluminum and formed by hand at Cornfield Customs. The fenders and stretched running boards are original Henry steel. A ’32 cowl vent was grafted in and the windshield stanchions were chopped 4 inches. All that reshaped metal sits on a lengthened A frame. Front suspension consists of 4” dropped superbell with early Ford bakes on the ends held in place by a Posies’ reverse eye spring. Out back is a 9-inch Ford holding a 3.50-geared posi sprung on a ’40 Ford front leaf. Power comes from a ’70 LT1 short-block with earlier-model double-hump heads. The trans is a T-5 while the spent gasses exit out pipes bent by the local Spanky’s Exhaust shop. The steering wheel is the original while a homemade/Ebay harness helps power the Stewart-Warner gauges. Big n’ Littles on steelies complete the cool look. Dubbed the ‘RYN-O-LINER’, Ryan gives many thanks to Mike Wagner and Cornfield Customs for the help making it a reality.
While shooting photos of the RPU during a meet at the Ohio Mile the owner of Cornfield Customs brought out his authentic-patina ’59 Ford Edsel Villager wagon which is near completely stock with a 3” lowering and little else. It was such a cool cruiser we couldn’t resist catching some shots of it as well.
Both of these cars are driven frequently and the RPU even goes out in the cold without the top that has not yet been finished. If you got ‘em – drive ‘em.
Hope you enjoyed seeing these two rides and if you need some custom metalwork done – give the folks at Cornfield Customs a holler. We’re planning a trip up there soon and will bring you photos of projects, tools, some neat goodies hanging on the walls, and more. Stay tuned.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES OF THE CARS BELOW TO EXPAND THEM! THANKS TO RYAN POPE –
Unfinished RAT ROD
Not a rat rod. Purposely-exposed metal work. Half of what you see is ALUMINUM recreations of original steel. I wouldn’t cover it up.
Like I posted the very essence of a rat rod
In that case, you clearly don’t understand the difference between a “rat rod” and a “hot rod”.
Is that referring to me….?
Rat = rusty, hodge-podge of parts, rough-looking.
Unfinished hot-rod = staple of the genre. No street signs for flooring or firewalls in this one.