Thread: Describe your Rat Rod project here.

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Rick.
I love the sport coupe. It's only a rat rod if you want to call it one. I tried to post yesterday about the gas lines but my computer malfunctioned and I lost it. A broken motor mount or a stray football or even a minor accident could create the ultimate flame job. My suggestion was to mount a fuel block on the back of the intake and run steel lines. A steel line from the fuel pump is a good idea too. The rubber line should be on the inlet side of the pump. if it breaks there it will leak some but it wont be spraying fuel everywhere. The fuel pump would also have to be mounted on the engine if you run a hardline to the fuel block.

I have a tri-power setup on my A roadster and would like the looks of three red plastic lines from a firewall mounted fuel block but for safety sake I'm using steel lines. The roadster is stuck in a back corner of the garage and is blocked in by a 66 Chevy I'm restoring. The Chevy has no engine or bumpers so it only moves when I can get help pushing it around. If I can ever get it out in the sunlight I'll post some pictures on this thread. It's come a long way since I posted the pictures of the mock up in my gallery but it doesn't look much different.
AL

al, that may be the safest way to go, and dont get me wrong but i tried many ways to mount this stuff, it has steel lines from the tank to the pump with a small rubber line at tha pump, and steel line to the fire wall...no room behind the manifold due to the mag!! the fuel block is hand made in '60 by the guy who built and raced the motor, so i had to use it. rubber line would be better, but thats what i put on the 1st time, change'n it soon...although theres been a million hot rods built with'em so???

anyway thanks for the nice words....like to see the pics of your car

Originally posted by easily sled
Dangeroustoy, the truck you posted is totally awsome, its rides like that that are the highlight of shows for me, anyone got any more pics along the same lines?

Easily here is another photo for you... I would consider this more of a Nostalgia Rod than a Rat Rod like George's Stake Bed... I took this photo at the NSRA Mini-Nats in Oklahoma City earlier this year... It definately cought my eye and is another example a a very nice period looking car with a "safety first" mentality...

Dave Brisco

Here is another photo I took at the OKC NSRA event... This is more what I would call a Rat-Rod... Notice that it is not really a period car with modern touches like K&N filters, modern styled valve covers and some pieces built from aluminum... The artwork on the door looks like something from an Iron Maden album cover and Wheels and tires are more nostalgic in origin... I think the owner of this car is making a statement and delivering a different approach to rodding... Here are a couple of other tid-bits you should know about this car... The owner is about 21-22 and represents the future of our hobby!!! He also drove this car from Ohio to Oklahoma to make this event... Note that there is no windshield in this car!!! Personally I like this car, but think there are a couple of things the owner should consider "up-grading" to make it a little safer...

Still a cool ride...

Dave Brisco

Here is an example of a real Rat Rod, or would this be more of a Rat Machine?... This is a car that some friends and myself took to the Street Machine Nationals in Springfield MO. last year... It is a 67 Firebird Convertable that my friend got in a trade deal... This car was last titled in 1987 and has been sitting in a field every since... We drug it out of the field and into my friends shop and found that it was so rusted out that there was no saving the car... We decided it needed one last outing and got the old 350 2 barrel running again with the help of some Marvel Mystery Oil and a new battery!!! It blew a freeze plug from the back side of the block so we got a nibbler and cut out the passenger side fire wall so we could replace the plug without removing the engine... After getting the brakes working good enough to stop the car we took it for a ride... It smoked but was running... Everything was good until we decided to fill up the tank which fell to the ground with the rusted out trunk once the weight of a few gallons was added... Next we atted a 16 gallen fuel cell in the trunk, but it also fell through when some gasoline was added... We ended up having to cut a piece of plywood to build a makeshift floorboard so we could mount a Ford Truck fuel tank... We then cut a hole in the passenger side rear quarter to make room for the filler cap to stick through... Next we decided it needed some new rear floorboards so after a few cases of beer we decided to use the beer cans to make the floorboards from... We smashed the cans flat, then stacked them on top of the cardboard packaging and set them in the rear floors... Mixed up some fiberglass resin and poured it over the cans... Wala, new floorboards... We then decided that the car needed a set of 18s and 20s to set it off... Found a mis-matched set of wheels and tires around the shop and mounted them to the car... Sure, they rubbed until we broke out a mallet and beat the fenders out!!! Next we bolted an old swap meet blower body and Hilborn style to the hood for effect... Last we added a surf bord to get the right look... You would not believe the looks we got droving this thing around the fairgrounds all weekend!!!

For the record, other than our test drive this car was never driven on the street, but we drove the heck out of it at the show!!! It was a blast... After the show, we removed the wheels, tires and blower and returned it to its resting place in the field behind the shop...

There is a true Rat Rod!!!

Dave Brisco

And the beat goes on!!

Up to four pages, and I don't think I've seen anymore from the "Kid" who started this.

So you're enthralled with the Iron Cross motife? Here's a link to some guys who make that crowning glory aircleaner for your rod. Look under their "Kustoms" section: http://www.geocities.com/bedslead_kustoms/

Don't get me started on that Streets, besides, I think we all have a little trouble now and then with spelling and punktuation.

The one that gives me the equivalent of brain freeze is the misuse of the posessive, your, when the contraction you're (for you are) should be used. But it's so prevalent I just grimace and move on.

Gee Bob your starteng to sound like my old englush teecher

You guys are a product of the Eastern Elite Public School system aren't you??

Labels. There is an inherent problem with them, and I unfortunately started it by inviting the discussion about what is commonly termed rat rod. Rick, you have the right to have a code and I can see how the classification may sound degrading, but don't bail. When you surf the tube and someone's gonna drop in, let out a bark, but be friendly again in the lineup. Let's hear more about your project. One very significant benefit of building a primered ride without umpteen coats of black pearl laquer is that one can drive it without a need for a laxative. Hotrodding had a need for a new form of expression and that's what's happening. I'd like to hear more about how much bang for the buck can be obtained in old-style hot rod projects. A big feature of swap meets is the project cars; and why the rat rod rage is cool is the focus (in my mind) on the vintage look and the back-turn on hyper-gloss. But that's only my opinion that does not dis-acknowledge the artist who seeks perfection.

Originally posted by Bob Parmenter
You guys are a product of the Eastern Elite Public School system aren't you??

Kid, pardun me whilst I jump up here into Mr. Bob and Streets discussin of skoolin. Well now fellers, us southern folks got us an edumucation in the three R’s too… roddin, racin, and red-neckun. So don’cha go thunkin that’s you folks on the left and rite of us are any bit better thun we folks in da middle

Dan J

P.S. Kid, you can return to your regularly scheduled programming now.

Sorry Kid!

Now Dan, I want you to get a map of the good ol' US of A. Find Solomon, Kansas............................THAT'S the middle!!! Now I know why you didn't have any G in the description of yur skuulin'!

O'tay Bob, I know there's a big area on the other side of this river that I live next to (called the mighty Miss-a-sip), and I know you guys (including Kansas) are on the other side of it... OHHH my gosh, I'm on this side of that river with Streets! Maybe I need to move a little closer to the "middle"

Dan J

I think Rat Rods are more in the line of what we used to call Jalopys!!!

I tend to believe some of the "Rat Rod" Image was started by groups such as the SoCal Shifter's Car Club , who think of themselves as a throw back group... Below is a photo of a car known as the Purple People Eater built and owned by Mark Izardi... This car has gotten it's share of press throughout the last few years and has become a Rebel Rodder Icon... For more on the Shifters and their style of Custom Culture check out the links below...

Dave Brisco

http://www.hotrod.com/thehistoryof/53221/

http://www.purplepeopleeater.250x.com/home.html

http://www.aeclassic.com/shifters/

http://www.realgoneracket.com/

I try not to say much unless I feel that I can offer some help to someone, but I have to put my $.02 in on this one. I know that I'm probably going to piss some people off in the process but here goes.

I have no problem with Rat Rods (whatever the definition) as long as the cars are built to be safe. Juice brakes or no brakes doesn't hack it. The same with plastic fuel lines and no floors. If you want to build a period correct or "traditional" car be my guest, but don't compromise on safety!

Like I said it's not the Rat Rods I mind its the "Rat Rodder" lifestyle that really bothers me. Call me old fashioned but I've always believed we are walking advertisements of our character and the way we dress, speak, and act is a very good indication of what lies inside. The tattooed to the hilt, 115 mph down the interstate, beer drinking bad boy persona that slams anything that isn't "traditional" is not acceptable and is definitely not good for the hobby. We've spent many years shedding the "bad boy" hot rodder image created in the '50s and some (not all for sure) of these guys are hell bent to send us right back to the ranks of societal outcast.

If you want a primered, chopped and channeled Model A with straight pipes (with baffles of course) running a Nailhead then more power to ya, as long as you build it safe. If you want to live the lifestyle that’s fine too, just don't come whining to anyone when the local constabulary slams the door and throws away the key after you've been picked up for doing double the speed limit.

Some of us have outgrown the need to prove to anyone that our testosterone level is higher than anyone else’s. That's what happens when you start thinking with the head on your shoulders instead of the other one. I guess it comes with age and maturity.

OK I'll get off my soapbox now.