1940 GMC Rat Rod owned by Dennis McFarlane

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Issue

January 2023

Owner

Dennis McFarlane

Ride

"Jimmy the Rat"
(1940 GMC Rat Rod)

Meaning Behind the Name

It's a GMC

Photographer

Dennis McFarlane

Ride Details

Original Cost

$400.00 for the cab

Build Cost

Approximately $8000.00

What was the inspiration?

Around ten years ago, I had just finished a 1929 Ford Tudor high boy. Rat rods were becoming popular and I just wanted to build something form scratch. Something different and unique. Growing up, I built model cars from scratch. As time progressed, my interest in creating and building did as well. I'm building my 3rd rat rod truck now.

How long did it take you to build?

I would say it took about a year and a half to build the Forty GMC aka Jimmy The Rat.

How long have you been building?

I have been building hot rods and rat rods for 10years. I am sixty-eight years old and a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to building hot rods. But I have been dreaming about them al my life.

Club Affiliations

I am a lone wolf.

Your future plans?

In the future, I plan to continue building hot rods and customs. My forty-nine Chevy coupe is next and then 1931 Chevy four door sedan street rod is next. Following that, a 1937 Plymouth four door sedan lowrider bomb will round out my stable.

Vehicle history

My 40 GMC began as a body and frame. I found a GMC grille at a junkyard and that is how it became a Jimmy. I didn't use the grill at the time and instead decided to build my own. However, a few years later, I found a Mercedes grill that I forgot I had during the build and I switched up again. But there was no title for the truck. It took four trips to the DMV in Springfield IL, to get the title. Now it is officially titled a "Specially Constructed Vehicle" instead of a "1940 GMC". I bought the frame from the same guy I bought the cab from. I bought the suspension pieces from Speedway and he welded every thing for me. After that, I read magazines and went to car shows to get additional ideas. I have not seen another painted rat rad similar to mine at a show yet.

Thanks to

Thanks to the high school administration where I worked for allowing me to build the truck in the metal shop classroom.

Previous Rides

The first build was a 1929 Ford Tudor High Boy. I sold this car to my buddy Dre who turned it into a rat rod.

Engine Details

Make

Chevrolet 1980's small block

Cylinders

v-8

Displacement

350

Engine Mods

It's stock, came out of pickup-truck in Arkansas. Has been running strong, have not done any work on it.

Engine Add Ons

Edelbrock intake and carburator.

Chrome or polish

A little here and there

Driveline Details

Torque Converter

Yes it has one

Axle

Got it out of a Chevy truck at the junkyard

Builder Shop

School where I worked as a Dean of Students and at home.

Chassis Details

Chassis

I think 2x3 tubing, built by Grahm's Garage in Windfall, Indiana. He also welded on all of the suspension components.

Mods to Frame

Zeed in the front and slanted kick up in the back.

Frame Builder

Grahm's Garage, Windfall, Indiana

Drop or lift inches

All static drop, it's about 4 inches off the ground, which means swerving around man hole covers and pot holes.

Front Shocks

Chrome Speedways

Rear Shocks

Coil overs

Spindles

Speedways

Springs

Front transverse from Speedway

Four Link

In the rear

Chrome, Paint, or Polish

Some chrome, polish when I take it to the shows, and it's painted New Holland Red.

Wheels Details

Front Wheel Type

Chrome reverse rims in the front.

Rear Wheel Type

Chrome reverse rims in the rear.

Front Wheel Size

15 inches

Rear Wheel Size

15 inches

Front Tire Size

Don't know, but they have whitewalls

Rear Tire Size

Don't know that either, but big whitewalls in the back

Paint Details

Color

New Holland Red from Farm and Fleet

Paint Type

Don't know, but I mixed it up and poured it in a Wagner electric spray painter and painted it in the metal shop driveway.

Graphics Description

No graphics, pin striping by "Skully" of Bradley, Illinois

Painted By

Owner

Graphics By

Body Details

Channeled

Hood

No, but I carry a tarp to cover up engine bay

Grille

70's Mercedes

Wing

No way, I cruise nice and slow

Addon Accessories

A lot of gingerbread, see pics

Body Mods

No mods to cab. Shortened 60's Chevy bed. Homebuilt stepsides and rear roll pan.

Body Mods by

Owner

Interior Details

Dashboard

Stock

Gauges

Sunpro w a stock speedo out of a 49 Chevy car.

Steering Wheel

red glitter from Speedway

Console

Homebuilt with a shifter boot made from a toaster

Head Unit

Pioneer

Amps

I don't know that, but I can crank it up enough to turn heads

Speakers

Got 4 Pioneers in the cab, two in the kick panels and two behind the seats.

Video System

Nope, too high tech for me

Stereo Installed by

My buddy Steve Taylor

Shifter

Lokar with extend chrome shaft with a clear crystal knob.

Seats

Junkyard buckets

Tint Percent

No tint, I want people to see who's driving this rat rod

Trunk or Bed

Shortened bed, the battery and toolbox is located under the bed floor. The gas tank is housed in a 1920's trunk in the bed under the read window.

Upholstery Description

Seats are tuck and roll.

Upholstery Description

See pics

Upholstery By

Mike's Upholstery in Olny, Illinois

“Jimmy The Rat”

Building a rat rod is all about creating something unique and different, and Dennis McFarlane’s 1940 GMC Rat Rod, “Jimmy The Rat,” certainly fits the bill. The owner’s inspiration for building a rat rod came from his interest in building model cars and a desire to create something scratch-built that would stand out from the crowd. Dennis has been building hot rods and rat rods for over 10 years now, and this is his third truck.

Dennis purchased the cab of the truck for just $400 and built the rest of the vehicle from scratch. The truck is powered by a Chevrolet 1980’s small block with a 350 displacement and came with an Edelbrock intake and carburetor. The engine has been running strong ever since he bought it, and he has not made any modifications to it.

The chassis of the truck was built using 2×3 tubing, and Grahm’s Garage in Windfall, Indiana, welded all of the suspension components. The frame features a zeed in the front and a slanted kick-up in the back. The truck has a static drop of about four inches, with chrome Speedways in the front and coil-overs in the rear.

The rat rod features a New Holland Red paint job, which Dennis mixed up himself and painted in the metal shop driveway using a Wagner electric spray painter. Pin striping by “Skully” of Bradley, Illinois, adds a touch of character to the truck. The interior features tuck and roll seats, a red glitter steering wheel from Speedway, and a homebuilt console with a shifter boot made from a toaster.

Dennis’s 1940 GMC Rat Rod has a unique and eye-catching look that reflects his passion for building hot rods and rat rods. He plans to continue building custom vehicles in the future, with a 1949 Chevy coupe and a 1931 Chevy four-door sedan street rod on the horizon. If you’re a fan of rat rods, Dennis’s Jimmy The Rat is a must-see.

Owned by: Dennis McFarlane

Photos by: Chris Gosda