Brat Bed Cut-Out?

[OCD]

Has anyone ever wondered what the cut-out panel in the Brat body's bed is for? You know, that sort of 'perforated' line between where the roll bar mounts..

When I was a kid, I always assumed it was to allow the frog body to be used as a kind of 'undercowl' for the less protective Brat shell. (I know, the Brat was released first, but there's plenty of design details that make me believe that they were designed simultaneously)

Anyhow, I was preping my Brat for paint this evening, and noticed the old 'cut-out'- still there after being 'reproduced' from a Brat to Mud Blaster and back to a Brat again. Now, with my adult's eye, it seems that the Frog undercowl thing wouldn't have really worked any way. No place to mount the narrow buggy-style shell on[xx(] Funny how I thought this was perfectly reasonable explanation when I was 12

[:I]

So, does anyone else have a clue? [?]

[miramar]

the panel is supposed to be cut out when mounting the body on an SRB (Sand Scorcher, Rough Rider, Ford Ranger). It was even shown how to in early Brat body parts set manuals.

[DJTheo]

Does anyone have a scan of that pic?

Cheers

[OCD]

YES! I'd love to see one of these done! Who wants to sell me a SRB roller- I got a brat body ready to mount... just gotta cut that panel out []

Seriously, has anyone here on TC done one these Brant/Ranger conversions?

(Would love to see that scan myself)

[Scorcher Champ]

I did that conversion with a Super champ years ago and it actually looked very cool. I'll see if I can find a Pic.

[Odd-N]

I bought a Brat shell years ago and the only thing that was already done to it was that cutout. Never found any use for it but it fits quite well on a XC-chassis..... maybe some day. I could scan the instruction and send you if you want. It is only a small pic at the bottom of the page that says "When mounting on chassis of Super Champ" and "cut off here"