Thread: Ideas on rat work and anyone seen this rat on Overhauling overtime?

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Paul: I just went back an reread your original post. I think the thing you mentioned there would be a terrific way to get started toward your dream, i.e: join a local club and get your feet wet by working on others cars and getting that experience first.

The car and motorcycle build shows on TV have been both good and bad for the hobby in my opinion. The good is the increased interest they have generated on building these creations. The bad is that the one hour shows make it look like these things are easy to build. They are not easy to build, as any one of the guys on here can tell you. There are times you can't muster up enough enthusiasm to even go to the garage one more time. You will cut, burn, and hurt your body in ways you never imagined. They always cost 3 times as much as you think they will, and take 4 times as long to build. (I sort of stole that from another member )

If you look at the thread I am doing "project $ 3K" it will give you a very small glimpse at some of the challenges you will have to overcome and the process itself. You will see I have just posted some pictures of the '29 my own Son is building. He has built every part of that himself, where possible, and still has a fortune in the car, not to mention 2 solid years of mostly 10-sometimes 20 hour days. He sort of took off from work for the last entire year to devote to building this car, and it is still far from complete.

Now, none of that is meant to discourage you, or anyone else. In fact it is great to see new rodders entering the hobby. But you need to know all the facts going in, or you will spend a lot of money, get discouraged, and sell the unfinished car to someone else. It happens all the time. Just don't want it to happen to you.

Go to some local cruises and shows and start networking with other rodders, and get the feel for what you want to build, and are capable of building. Homework done first pays real dividends in this hobby. You have taken the very first important step in joining this type of forum, and are asking smart questions. We really want to help you and others get started, but in the right way.


JMO.


Don

RitterP - I am half owner of the Overhaulin rod that you are referring to, and I would have to agree with most on this post that it is definitely NOT a rat anymore. It was in the beginning but is so much more than that now. I for one hope that you do not set out to build a rat rod. That trend has been far too overplayed (at least here in CA) and it gets tiring seeing row upon row of rusted, mexican blanketed, riding on bare metal seats cars out there. We never intended to leave the Ford looking the way it did before Chip and his crew got their masterful hands on it. We never would have been able to do what they did, either. Build what you like, because you're going to have to look at it everyday. Good luck!

(P.S., If you ever make it out this way, we'd be glad to show you the car in person....)

I think if I were ever lucky enough to own a Chip Foose creation I would put it inside an air conditioned big glass case and just stare at it. Wow, are you lucky. Chip is an absolute genius and talented car builder to boot.

I love that rod.


Don


PS: Welcome to the forum. Why don't you stick around?

That tub looks like the one Street Rodder had on their cover years ago and they referred to it then as a "beater".

Saw this car at the Belmont Shore car show a week or so ago, very nice car, as could be expected considering the designer and builders. After talking to the owner I was kind of curious as to a statement he made about the amount of time it took to complete the car. If I understood him correctly he indicated that they had the car since Nov. '05 and he got it back in Apr '06? And I thought they did these cars in a week????

I think alot of that is television-producer-speak. I have never been convinced you could get a car done to the level they do them in 7 days, what with paint cure times, metal work, running gear, etc. I also have felt the owners kind of know their cars aren't "missing." If I was the one who had them take one of my Family's cars away I would not be able to keep the secret. I'd tell them to just play along and you are going to end up with a $200,000.00 car if you play your cards right.

How did the owner of the tub explain where they thought the car was for all those months?

Don

also know someone who has had their car overhauled and from what I understand, the car as you see it at the end of the show is done in 7 days. They car then as to go through a safety inspection thus the wait to get it back. Ever notice that the cars on overhaulin hardly ever have mirrors. A lot of the little details are left of for astetics and then later added to meet the safety requirements after the show is taped.

you guys need and apprentice help?! boy what a learning opp. that would be!

Originally Posted by photochk1

RitterP - I am half owner of the Overhaulin rod that you are referring to, and I would have to agree with most on this post that it is definitely NOT a rat anymore. It was in the beginning but is so much more than that now. I for one hope that you do not set out to build a rat rod. That trend has been far too overplayed (at least here in CA) and it gets tiring seeing row upon row of rusted, mexican blanketed, riding on bare metal seats cars out there. We never intended to leave the Ford looking the way it did before Chip and his crew got their masterful hands on it. We never would have been able to do what they did, either. Build what you like, because you're going to have to look at it everyday. Good luck!

(P.S., If you ever make it out this way, we'd be glad to show you the car in person....)

Photochk1
Glad to see ya made it.......

MM64

O.K., to clear up some of the confusion regarding an OH'd car. Yes, they shot our episode over a week (o.k., technically 11 days) in November. At the end of the week, Matt was let in on the fact that he'd been Overhauled, so he wasn't kept in the dark for several months. I had a hard enough time keeping the secret for a week, there is no way in hell that I would have been able to do that for months. I'm sure that there are folks that know that they're being Overhauled, but Matt didn't or else he did a fine good job of convincing me that he didn't.
Second, no owner ever goes home with their cars immediately after the show. Because of the short amount of time involved in the build, the show takes the cars afterwards and puts the finishing touches on them and puts them through thorough safety checks. We got our car back in April because it was a ground up rebuild and took longer to make sure that everything was safe and running right. As you all know, parts for these rods can't just be ordered out of a catalog like the muscle cars they usually do, so it took a little longer. As for mirrors or anything else, this car never had side mirrors, and really, do you actually have a blind spot on this car? They weren't required. Chip likes the clean line look, so he does strip off excess chrome and the mirrors aren't usually replaced (on other cars) until after the show.
That being said, we were thrilled to be picked, we were lucky to be picked considering they never intended to OH a hot rod, and we couldn't be happier with the results. Any more ?, feel free to ask....

ritterp - Are you asking for pics of a highboy touring like the Overhaulin one or just Model A highboys? Highboy - fenderless body mounted on top of the frame. Touring - body has a front and back seat with no windows.

FYI - The A was originally a Tudor Sedan...we chopped the top off....

Photochk1, thanks for clearing that up. I've kinda suspected that the actual time it took to complete a car was longer than the 7 days that they attest to. I saw on one episode where the owner came out and touched the driver seat and you could see the seat almost fall over backwards because it was just set in the car, guess they didn't have time to bolt it down, or were anticipating having to remove it again for some reason.

Thank you for the insight into how the show works. Very interesting. I guess you were the person who initiated contact with OH ? How does that work? Do you write them and tell them you know some deserving person or what? How does it flow from there? What restrictions do they put on you once the deal is made, i.e: do you have to agree not to sell the car for a period of time?

Really would appreciate a glimpse into what really happens behind the scenes, as most of us really like the show (at least I do) and it would be fun to have someone fill in the blanks.

Thanks,


Don

I filled out an application, sent in pictures and wrote a little ditty. It took them a year and a half to call me. Like I said, they never intended to do a hot rod given Chip's history and the fact that they didn't believe he could build one up to his standards in a week. I guess we just got lucky.
You are in contract with the show for a year to allow them to take the car to appearances (if you agree) and to not alter or sell the car without letting them know. Other than that, there really aren't any restrictions....