Thread: Describe your Rat Rod project here.

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my ride isn't classic it's a ratty looking 1978 F150.But she has a healthy 514 stroker under the hood . and the guys with the new mustangs ,cameros,t/a's,and those damn rice burners ,well they start out laghing and end up crying because my ratty old ford just spanked there butts. so rick stop complaining , it could be worse you could be walking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that is a real rat rod but the part about the no brakes I disagree with, either way I think its cool look

Originally posted by Dan J
Yep, I've got too much time on my hands tonight...

Here's your basic rat rod, oops! I meant crap rod... big block and no brakes!

Dan J

RattymodelA, it looks like this is your first post on CHR... Welcome, and you might as well post a pic of your ride in the gallery section of CHR.

If you're going to stir this ole thread up again, I need to post the pic you were commenting on - so folks can see what you were looking at without having to go back about 10 pages in this thread.

Dan J

I saw this car at the NSRA Mid America Nationals last year, which may have been where Dan took this photo... I just wanted to say that not only did this car not have any brakes, it also did not have any wiring, seats, windows, interior.... In a nut shell this car was not drivable and was simply a conversation piece...

Dave Brisco

You're right Dave, that's where I got the picture. I honestly think that the owner of this car (who was trying to sell it) was wanting to make his "project" look better with the Rat sitting in there.... but you've got to admit, that it's got the making of a real rat rod!

Dan J

here is mine ............
http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/sho...&threadid=2539

Thanks I am glad I found this site, I realized after I quoted it didn't take the pic with it....as soon as I have pics of my crap rod I will post them up I take no offence to mine being that or ratty righting all the wrongs that have been done to it in the past 74 years would be impossible so I just make do with it, not that the some what unlimited budget some people have make beautiful hot rods but I like the low buck primer roots type hot rods that used what you had or made to keep it going look. As for the pic at least I have power disk juice brakes a power sunroof and late model wiring and all so I am one step ahead I just wish the some of the body was better.

Originally posted by Dan J
RattymodelA, it looks like this is your first post on CHR... Welcome, and you might as well post a pic of your ride in the gallery section of CHR.

If you're going to stir this ole thread up again, I need to post the pic you were commenting on - so folks can see what you were looking at without having to go back about 10 pages in this thread.

Dan J

I should have described what I have in my last post:

1929 model A sedan: chopped 4 " sectioned 2 feet into a p/u cab with a power moon roof installed and sucide doors fabbed out of the rear opera windows, along with a very form fittin roll cage formed to the roof line out of 2".187 tubing. fabbed bed of rolled steel and box tubing and creative use of a bending brake. also has an aray of aftermarket gauges a dodge colt steering column mounted on a cadillac 472 connecting rod via a pedal support from a jeep as well as the booster and master cylinder. unknown bucket seats for now that will be replaced with a more original bench.

frame: is a 23 t, I haven't finished boxing it yet but the rear has been and z'd to drop hi arch leaf and the 8.8 ford mustang diff with 3.55 gears ford ranger axles/brakes and the front has a 2" tube with a drop reverse stock t leaf. a '40' ford I beam axle upgraded to suspension engineering tube shock kit gm mid sized disk brakes and calipers kit and the stock '40' ford split wish bones on drop mounts.

motor:1974 ford 351 2bbl with custom made headers fabbed from some damaged mustang ones I had laying around and a rebuilt c4 trans pretty stock so I can drive it daily. I how ever saw a kit to install a chevy 4spd to a ford and I am considering that just because I am sitting on an old warner t10.

nearly rolling on black steels and radials I have about $800 bux it in I plan to leave it the black primer as it is now and have a buddy at a sign company pin stripe it all up. As soon as I have pics I will post them, I love hot rods of all types and it all a speed money thing how fast do you want to go whether your hotrod is a rat or ratty or crap or a show car or if you like drivin what you have thats all that matters and safety and some type decent fab was done to get there even better

Originally posted by rattymodelA
I take no offence to mine being that or ratty righting all the wrongs that have been done to it in the past 74 years would be impossible so I just make do with it....

Well RattymodelA, the only thing that's important is that you are "into" your car and you are making do with what you've got! I know some folks are more opinionated than others on this subject, but I like that fact that we all have different levels of talent, knowledge, tools, finances, etc. and yet we all are drawn to the same interest in cars. Don't get hung up on labeling your ride as "crap rod", "rat rod", or other....

Glad you’ve joined us, and post pic’s of your ride when you can.

Dan J

thanks, I don't want to label at all I would really like to call what I have when its all said and a done just a daily driver.

Here is my hot Rod.... Some people call it a rat rod, and I don't mind... Its a 35 chevy truck with a 348 . Its been chopped 6", channeled 5", frame has been Z'd in the front and rear, and its in BARE METAL. This pic was taken at its first car show, in Appleton in the rain, We worked hard to get it running and driving to make that show, so we weren't going to let a little water stop us........ I doubt this one will ever get painted...... LUKE

Lukes '35 Chevy truck pics...

OK. I've been here for a while now. I wasn't going to resurrect the thread just to post my rag in it, but since it is back
to the top, I thought about it. I had hesitated to post in this thread cuz I didn't like to consider my rod a rat rod.
But I looked at the pics of it again, and it is a pretty crappy rod. I bought it off ebay from a guy in Michigan. I gave
$1,776 for it. The pics are in my gallery for those who haven't seen it yet. The thing started out with some pretty
good work on it but the guy got bad sick. He sold it to another guy for the price of the engine. The second guy
decided he wanted a stock engine, so he passed it off to the next fool in line, me. I bought the rag cuz I liked the
body and it looked like my other car. My first one was a 1939 Nash LaFayette. This one is a 1939 Nash
Ambassador 6. Well, the thing has a 351 Cleveland with a C6. 9" rear, Mustang 2 front. Lowered in the front more
than in the back to give it a rake. I got it home after an ordeal and left it setting behind my grandfather's house
until we get the garage finished. We are wiring the garage now, and the Nash won't be out of the weather any
time soon. It looks as though he started out on building the car with money and energy, and as both faded, he
still continued. So, the engine doesn't want to run, the tranny won't shift out of 1st, most of the glass is setting
in the front floor board, all the exterior trim is gone, a bunch of pieces are missing, it has some awful bucket seats
of some sort that won't recline and are filthy, the body is done off in some sort of primer that was good 30 years ago,
the front fenders are just laying on the wheels, the hood is set on top of them, the back seat is torn up and just set
in, the battery was located in the trunk, but because the wires are that long, they eat up all the amps so the starter
won't crank, the floorboards are some sort of thin galvanized plate, the firewall was done pretty good, plus various
other problems. I am trying to work through college, and have been unable to find employment for 2 years. So I
don't have a lot of money to spend on the thing. I have been trying to buy parts for it and my other Nash as cheap
as possible. I just got a headlight lens that normally goes for 65 for 29 shipped. Just have to scrape the money up to
pay for it. Ebay can be a wonderful thing. So, my rod is definitely a rat rod. When I do get it running good, I think I'll
start on the interior and the body work. The body is in remarkably good shape. Those Nashes were built like tanks.
I think I'll be able to buy some good seats for not too much. The glass is all flat, so I think I can have some good
tinted auto glass cut for around $200. (that is the going rate for the cabs of two 60-66 chevrolet trucks, so I estimate
that is the approximate amount of glass.) If this lens gets here I'll have a full set for both cars.I'd like to change the
tranny over to a manual, preferrably a 6 speed, but if the engine gets running like it ought to, it is built to the point
it will probably take a 4 speed. I'm trying to sell off some of our other projects to finance this one. I think I can sell
off the 72 Burb for $2600 and an 89 &87 S10 for $1200, so that should go a distance in paying for parts. If any of
you all see parts for this car on sale at meets I'd appreciate a lead. I need taillight lenses and bezels now and
trim pieces. I think I can make a good rod out of what I have. It is just a matter of time and money

Originally posted by Bob Parmenter
Welcome Kid.

Take it from me...............................you DON'T want to know what Streets dreams. Be afraid, be very afraid!

Haven't seen too many of the rat rod folk here. Probably because they tend to be wrapped in a different culture that's pretty tight with itself. They'd probably think the same of "mainline" rodders (whatever that is). My only problem with many rat rods I've seen is that they forsake safety for what they think is period correctness.

But who knows, you might strike a cord.

hey Bob, Go easy on that "strike a Cord stuff O.K." ? CORDially Jerry

I'm new to this site, so I hope I'm not overstepping my bounds by commenting already. However, I can't seem to keep quiet about the controversy surrounding Rat Rods. Some seem to be offended by the label, and I think this is because they are not really Rat Rodders.

Those who have Rat Rods label their own cars as such. It is a term of affection, as well as a way to proclaim an identity. Many Rat Rod owners are "Old School" i.e. greasers, punks, etc.

For me, I term my car and truck Rat Rods as a way to distinguish myself and my rides as belonging to a separate and distinct scene, a subculture within the larger hot rod culture. I think the entire concept of Rat Rods has more to do with the builder's/restorer's personality and lifestyle, than the car itself.