A Builder’s Story from Rawsonville, Western Cape
Wayne Gresse isn’t just a car guy — he’s a storyteller who welds his tales into steel. Living in the quiet farming town of Rawsonville in the Western Cape, he spends his spare hours doing what most people only dream about: building hot rods, reviving forgotten trucks, and turning rust into attitude.
Among the collection of projects scattered around his workshop, one stands proudly finished (sort of), serving as his favourite daily driver. The others? Let’s just say they’re “still in progress”… or as his wife jokes: “Never, ever going to get finished!”
But that’s part of the charm. Because when you build rat rods, finished isn’t a destination — it’s just a coffee break between ideas.
A 1946 Ford Jailbar with a Past
This 1946 Ford Jailbar began life as a hardworking farm truck, left neglected for decades, parked under a tree like forgotten machinery instead of American heritage. Weather-beaten, sun-dried, and abandoned, it wore a natural patina long before patina was cool.
Wayne faced the big question: Restore it properly? Or let it live again as a rat rod?
The photos made the decision for him. Rat rod was the only answer.
10 Years. 1 Mission. 1 Look That Can’t Be Rushed.
About 10 years ago, the build officially kicked off. And unlike most restoration jobs that aim for glossy perfection, this one demanded something trickier:
Authenticity without faking it. Character without overdoing it. Patina that looks earned, not painted on.
It took over a year of painting, sanding, layering, more sanding, and carefully controlled abuse to get the finish just right. Wayne jokes that he spent more time perfecting rust than most people spend removing it.
Many hours painting and sanding it to get the effect. Big personalities need big patience.
From Farm Spec to Lexus Power
Once the body had its soul, it was time for the heart transplant. In went a Lexus V8 engine paired with power steering — a luxury combo no 1940s farmer could’ve imagined.
Suddenly the old Ford could cruise highways instead of dirt roads. The power was smooth, reliable, effortless.
And… a little boring.
Enter: “The Biggest Turbo I Could Buy”
So Wayne did what any sane rat rod builder would do when a V8 feels too calm: He bolted on the biggest turbo he could find.
The truck is currently back in working progress mode. It starts up, it moves, but it’s not quite ready to reclaim daily driver duty just yet. There are still tweaks, pipework, and safety sanity-checks needed before it hits the road again with the new forced-induction personality.
Turbo builds don’t just change engines — they change priorities, budgets, and sleep schedules.
Built, Burnt, and Crafted from Scratch
This Jailbar is more than modified — it’s hand-made.
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Door panels? Burnt intentionally for a rugged, scorched-farmhouse aesthetic.
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Steering wheel? Fabricated from an old wheel rim, chained to size, welded into shape, and re-engineered with industrial flair.
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Fun philosophy? Use whatever lies around and make it better.
Because a rat rod doesn’t ask for permission. It uses what’s available, what’s real, and what tells a better story.
The Spirit of a Rat Rod
To Wayne, rat rod building is freedom on four wheels:
“It all changes every time I get a new idea or better parts. That’s the fun in driving or building a rat rod — use whatever lies around and make it better.”
It’s not about perfection. It’s about imagination, resourcefulness, rebellion, and laughter in the workshop — especially when the wife pops her head in and reminds him that half the projects have been “almost done” since 2016.
Rawsonville’s Turbocharged Time Machine
When Wayne’s 1946 Ford Jailbar finally returns to the road, it won’t just be a daily driver again. It’ll be a rolling timeline of 10 years of creativity — part farm truck, part Lexus luxury, part scrapyard engineering, and part turbocharged madness.
A truck that once sat under a tree now shakes the ground with boost pressure.
That’s not restoration. That’s resurrection with style.
