Brandon Patrick’s 1928 Ford Model A

We go to a lot of events. We see a lot of amazing vehicles. We get to meet incredible people. So, when we run into a bagged 1928 Ford Model A powered by a 4BT Cummins and then learn that it was built by a father-and-son team? We know that it’s a must to show you all. It’s only right. Brandon Patrick and his father, Rick “Pops” Patrick, teamed up to create this beautiful Model A that features a myriad of custom handmade parts they created themselves at Pop’s Garage in St. Joseph, Missouri.

What you are looking at is not your typical Model A. This is arguably the cleanest one we have ever laid eyes on, especially once you start looking at things closely to really appreciate the wizardry of these two skilled craftsmen. The body has been chopped and channeled over the boxed and Z’d factory Model A frame. Pops hand-fabricated the 1932 Ford grille to fit, which helped keep that traditional styling. Brandon told us during the shoot that they had made the roof one singular piece by blending and adding material to the ancient pre-war American steel and wood until it was smooth and seamless. The two did all of the body and paintwork in their shop, and you can easily kill a few solid minutes taking in all their hard work.

The frame features a Pete & Jakes dropped front axle and front disc brake conversion kit, as well as a Flaming River reversed Corsair steering gearbox, which is very popular among hot rodders as a “universal solution” to ensure steering and braking are up to par. All of those components are sitting on a custom-fabricated triangulated four-link rear suspension with dual airbags, and you guessed it! The whole thing was made at Pop’s Garage too.

As far as the powertrain goes, the Patrick boys decided to go with a 3.9L Cummins 4BT. After ripping it out of a Case backhoe, they threw a compound turbo setup at it that holds 50 pounds of boost or so. The main turbo, being a Holset HY35W with its wastegate closed, is from an ‘01 Dodge, and it feeds a 64mm no-wastegate secondary turbo. All the fuel tuning was done by St. Joseph Diesel in St. Joseph, Missouri, and David Layman of Diesel Turbo in Iola, Kansas. The list of performance parts includes a 4,000 rpm governor spring, fuel pin, and delivery valves that were supplied by Evan Ratcliff of Ratman Performance. Paired to the 4BT is a Borg-Warner T18 heavy-duty four-speed manual transmission, chosen specifically for its robustness and simplicity while guaranteeing that traditional truck feel every time you hop in. The 3.73 rear gears make sure you can get up and go without sacrificing any cruising abilities.

If you haven’t caught on yet, Brandon and Pops know their way around a machine, and their bespoke parts list hasn’t ended yet. Those 21-inch wheels you see up front? They are also one-off handmade items from Pop’s Garage. You wouldn’t realize it immediately, but the rear wheels are actually 16 inches with a 5-inch whitewall and a 7.50-16 tire, while the 21-inch fronts are wrapped by 4.40/4.50-21 tires with a 3-inch whitewall. Bearded Customs in St. Joseph, Missouri, did all of the wheel powder and finish. Now, if you try to run a setup like that on anything else on the road, it will look wildly mismatched. Here, though, with this Model A, it is difficult to envision it any other way.

The interior was completely overhauled to create the right blend of workhorse and show quality. The black and white theme remains firm here, with handmade cowhide door panels and bright white bomber seats and really cool floor matting, as well as a custom-stamped saloon-style leather headliner. Five speakers and a hidden 10-inch sub in the wine crate will play whatever tunes your heart desires, and Brandon’s grandfather’s L.C. Smith double-barrel shotgun is now cemented in even deeper family history as it is now the shift linkage for the transmission.

The build was originally planned to be just a traditional rat rod, but this Model A ended up far above what most ever aim for. Finding good people behind it like Brandon and Pops keeping the love of diesels alive is all we could ever ask for. Brandon deemed it the High-Class Rat, as it is equal parts raw attitude and amazing craftsmanship. To him, the Model A is more than just a hot rod; it is a tangible representation of time spent with family, learning hands-on skills, and preserving tradition. We couldn’t agree more.

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1928 Ford Model A

Owner: 
Brandon Patrick
St. Joseph, MO

Engine & Drivetrain

• 3.9L Cummins 4BT
• Compound turbo setup
• Holset HY35W turbo
• 64mm no-wastegate turbo
• 4,000 rpm governor spring
• Fuel pin
• Delivery valves
• Fuel tuning by St. Joseph Diesel and David Layman
• Borg-Warner T18 four-speed manual transmission
• GM 10-bolt rear axle
• 3.73 gear ratio

Wheels & Tires

• One-off hand-built wheels by Pop’s Garage
• Front: Lester 4.40/4.50-21 tire with 3-inch whitewall
• Rear: Lester 7.50-16 tire with a 5-inch whitewall