1941 Chevy Business Coupe Becomes ‘Duranged’ Rat Rod
You have to be ‘Duranged’ to swap the inner workings of an AWD, Hemi Durango into a ’41 Chevy.
In the classic car world, swapping brands is usually frowned upon, especially when it comes to powerplants. But hot rodding was founded on the distinctly American ingenuity of combining things that weren’t intended to go together. So while we might question the motives of Grenade Motorsports, we can also appreciate their mad scientist ways. Because they’re in the middle of one of the craziest projects we’ve seen in a long time.
That project consists of the desire to marry a 1941 Chevy Business Coupe body with the rolling chassis of a Dodge Durango SUV. Because that Durango has a HEMI engine and all wheel drive. And, well, just because they want to see if it can be done. That, my friends, is the very essence of hot rodding. So with Sawzall in hand, they get to work on their personal Frankenstein.
After chopping the Durango down to nothing more than a rolling chassis, the mad scientists remove the vintage Chevy body from its frame. The old body surprisingly fits decently well, but a few modifications and some fabrication are necessary. After a little cutting on the firewall and relocation of the master cylinder, the crazy rat rod is moving under its own power.
Part 3 is all about the details, like fabricating a new gas filler and cap and making the hood fit. Mating the Chevy dash with the Durango column proves to be a tedious exercise. One piece at a time gets cut and fitted until the firewall is complete. And with the interior mostly in place, the Duranged ride drives out of the garage with no issues. We’re right in the middle of this crazy project, so stay tuned for more!
