Ratstock 2024 hosted by Rat rod Magazine (Click here to be redirected to their page) is the biggest rust show in Illinois that was hosted by one of the coolest outdoor bars Psycho Silo Saloon (Click here to be redirected to their page).
Outlawed Ink and staff had the opportunity to set up a booth at the event and all I can say is WOW! The bar is fuck'n amazing and the staff at Rat Rod Magazine had the most organized and well thought out plan for an event this size. Everything happened that was supposed to happen when it was supposed to happen. The event was so big that the bar actually hit capacity and had to close its main gate.
Our booth was set up in the direct path the rats had to travel to get to the viewing area exposing us to the coolest rides that were built by some of the most talented artists I have ever seen. With that being said what I write next should hold some major weight. This rat drove by with its cabin open and rotated back about 70 degrees exposing the occupants. I literally stopped mid conversation with a customer and redirected their attention and said, "Look at that fuck'n car!"
Lucky for me the owner came by the booth later and bought some shirts and I was talking about my favorite rats I had seen and turns out Dave was the owner of the rat that drove by! I asked if I could shoot the car and do a blog for the page, and I was so appreciative when he said yes!
About The Owner:
When I meet Dave, he gave off a very laid-back hippie vibe and I assumed he bought the car complete because he didn't seem like the type of guy that could turn a wrench... got damn was I wrong.
Turns out Dave spent over thirty years working for the government but would not say what three letter agency he worked for, so because of the chill vibe Dave gives off let's assume for this article it was the DMV.
Turns out his experience has taken him around the world. A couple of years ago while deployed in Ukraine he taught firearms training to troops. The assignment was only supposed to be for 30 days but ended being 60 days because the base, I mean DMV office was hit, and he was forced to travel from one side of the country to the other. Turns out the Russians don't like the DMV either.
During his time in country Dave witnessed a lot of horrible things while he was there, however, one of the positive things he saw and fell in love with was an unknown vintage vehicle that had a farm-type diesel engine in it. After seeing that he knew that when he returned to the States the next car would be a chopped Model A rat rod that would have a diesel power plant for the engine.
Now Dave is retired and applies his knowledge of heavy equipment operations helping his fellow Americans in other areas of civilian sectors that currently include disaster relief. As of this writing Dave is a volunteer for Team Rubicon (Click here to be redirected to their page) that is currently helping hurricane survivors that had been their homes ravaged through the East Coast in fall of 2024.
Now I say next build because Dave is no stranger to building cars. His last creation was a 1942 Willys military Jeep that was lowered and extended with a chrome-plated .30 cal machine gun mounted on it. Â Shortly after he sold it to finance his next build Dave saw it go across the auction block on Barret Jackson for considerably more than he sold it.
After searching around, he found to his amazement and good fortune, a 1930 Model A that appeared to be 75% complete with nearly the same build ideas Dave had envisioned. Dave was so excited the car checked nearly every box that he had dreamed up while in Ukraine. On the outside and cosmetically it looked great but as any car builder knows nothing ever goes easy and the challenges were just about to begin!
The Exterior
Dave quickly realized the car was going to need a complete rebuild starting with the frame. Based on conversations with the previous owner Dave got the feeling the car was given to the seller as a way to pay off a debt and didn't really know what he had.
The cab was removed, and Dave noticed the only thing keeping it together were two tac welds at each joint. The first time the gas pedal would have been mashed to floor the rat would fallen apart like a LEGO car being stepped on and cause just as much pain!
Dave called in his son to help with adding steel, increased the front stabilizer shock, and re-welding the entire vehicle increasing the structural integrity and making it road-worthy and safe for all the burn outs.
Attached to the frame is Air Max bags all around the car that are tucked away and hidden from sight. The airbags can be adjusted for ride comfort and drop the frame all the way to the ground.
At the end of each axel sits disc brakes from Wilwood, due to the weight of the rat the owner opted to go with no power assist. Dave and his team updated the brake lines and added moister tab drains in the line to ensure the that when the pedal is pressed there won't be any issues.
Dave went with serious rubber Pro-Trac P215/75 D15 as he loves doing burnouts as you tell from lack of tread. The tires are wrapped around MH Race Masters 28x12.50-15 LT wheels. As an added touch bullet style lug nuts keep the wheels from flying off.
As you walk around the car you noticed amazing pinstriping that was free handed by Dr. Ru (click here for a really great write up on Dr.Ru) a famous pinstriping artist for over 50 years from Michigan.
Engine and Transmission
Sitting in the frame is a massive 5.9-liter 12 valve Cummins diesel motor attached to a General Motors Turbo 350 transmission. A HX35W turbo forces 25 PSI of boost that is runs through an intercooler then forces cold air down the throat of an after-market air intake kit that included a high-flow filter and high-flow intake tubes.Â
Now this engine is massive and makes it just as hard to see out the window as an overweight guy trying to find his eggplant standing at a urinal after one-to-many drinks.
The exhaust system is custom and engineered to reduce back pressure and improve exhaust flow which resulted in increased hp and torque. The fuel pump was upgraded to provide increased gas flow rates for higher fuel output.  The result is a rat that produces 450 horsepower and 1200 pounds of torque at the wheels.
The exhaust from diesel fuel shits out of the engine directly off the header spewing black smoke that would make any pasty blue haired vegan cry in outrage as it passes by their 100 horsepower EV car.
The Cab
By far the cab is the most impressive part of this build and while Dave can't take the credit for this feature as it was already part of the car, but he did refine and upgrade it. The cab is raised by pneumatic cylinders and hydraulic lifts that run on independent air pumps.
This allows the cabin to go up and down extremely smooth considering the weight. The system redundancy adds additional safety features because the hydraulic lifts and/or pumps would both have to fail at the same time for the cabin to close unexpectedly. Even if both failed at the same time, the remaining fluid in the pistons would cause the cabin to go down slowly allowing the occupant(s) to either tuck in or get out before cabin closed completely.
The doors have been welded shut but, in the event, one needs to evacuate the car they could easily climb out the top as the rat has an open roof.
At shows the owner does secure the cabin to the frame when open as an additional layer of safety for spectators to climb in and out to check out the ride.
The Interior
The thing I love the most about rats is also the thing that sometimes I also hate the most. Each builder is not bound by rules in this culture and can really make a beautiful piece of art that reflects their personality; however, I have seen some rats that go overboard that cause a confusing build to look at.
In other cases, like this one the fabricator tones down the distracting additions and focuses instead on a clean build that gives us just enough insight to the builder's soul while still leaving us to want more.
If you look closely enough you see elements from farm that Dave worked on while growing up, small trinkets that hint at his past government employment, and his love drag racing.
Dave believes that a rat doesn't need to purposefully uncomfortable and has seats that were hand stitched by his wife Michelle using cow leather from the family farm. I can tell you from firsthand experience that these seats are way more comfortable than the ones in my Jeep Wrangler.
Behind the seats sits a well thought out and beautifully organized components that include a bronze box that is an Old International Harvester toolbox came off his grandfather's tracker from the farm were Dave used to bail hay from as a kid that is used for typical items found in a glove box.
In addition to the box sit several tanks. The first two small ones are for the raising and lowering of the cabin that I discussed earlier. The black tank is for the air shocks, and the larger chrome tank holds the diesel fuel. The red switch directly behind the driver is to turn the battery on and off.
Another part of the install that really stands out is how the wires are ran; neat, organized, and well hidden. No wire rat nests here!
What I love the most about this ride is how you feel when sitting inside. If you do not enjoy being in confined spaces, then stay away from this car! As the cabin can down, I felt like I was sitting in World War II era fighter plane cockpit!
The fit was tight but not cramped. My right arm fit comfortably on the custom-made center counsel that sits on the exposed transmission. I had several buttons, toggle switches, levers, and handles that were within in easy reach.
Starting with the three bronze levers, these activate the cylinders to add air to the bags to each corner of the rat. One for the front drivers, front passenger, and then one dedicated to both rear bags.
The three toggle switches closet to the driver are dedicated to releasing contents in the air bags lowering the front/rear shocks and dumping the frame to ground. The one labeled body up/ body down is to open and close the cabin. Below that switch is a toggle labeled Hi/Lo for the headlights. To bring the rat to life first flip the toggle to the hot position then press the start button below it.
The brown, blue, and red pool balls are speed shifters for lighting shifting for drag racing. The black pool ball is used for normal automatic shifting. These shifters remind me of the got damn Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, I feel like yelling "Chewy punch it!" as the passenger throughs the speed shifters forward!
While the right hand is managing the controls of the car the left sits on a custom-made steering wheel with brass knuckles and leather wrapping by Dr. Ru the same guy that did the pinstriping around the rat.
As I mentioned earlier, the transmission is completely exposed but runs surprisingly runs cool without the fear being burned due to open design of the car.
Conclusion
All Dave's hard work made his rat stand out from the coolest cars that attended Ratstock 2024 and earned him a placement in the top 10 vehicles at the show. He would later tell me this was unexpected as the car wasn't built to win prizes and he almost missed his award as he was casually walking around the event looking at the other rides with his wife as the trophies were being handed out.
Any car builder will tell you the hobby is never complete. Dave owes much of build to his wife, family, and friends as they each brought a particular skill that Dave lacked or doesn't have the time to learn.
One thing that bugs Dave is the grill on the rat and plans to add some changes to the front that align with his vision, and no one ever said, "Ah it has enough horsepower..." so there are talks of adding a second turbo charger along with some other personal touches.
About Us
Outlawed Ink first and foremost is a group of like-minded individuals that loves gas guzzling engines, does the jobs that make beta males cry, love hot girlz, lives life by their rules, and stand up to over governance that just happens to also sell shirts.
If that message resonates with you then click here to checkout our apparel and welcome to the tribe!
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