Thread: Young and looking for advice

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Hi everybody I know I am really young and don't know much but I just sold my Javelin AMX. and want to build a rat rod. I am not doing this to be aprat of some fad. I just like the raw mean and agressive look of the rat rod and its got balls. But I would like to do things right and I want to do it like it was originally done back in the day. So if anybody has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate for I am not sure where to start.

Well, first of all, we are mad at you for being young, and we aren't.

Welcome to the forum. I'm exactly like you (except you are young ) I like some of the "back to basics, raw, plain" elements of the rat rod cars. I have seen some that really stop me in my tracks and make me want to take a good look at them. The creativitiy some display is refreshing.

You are being very smart in your approach in wanting the car to be built well. The ill feelings many of us on here share about some rat rods is that the owners have built a piece of unsafe crap and don't give a darned about that fact. We simply can't condone building a car that represents all of us rodders that might hurt or kill someone, especially some innocent bystander.

Now to get back to your original question, how to go about it. That is a very tough question, especially when you enter into the mix that you are young. The reason for that is because building a car takes some experience, but also a fair amount of money and equipment. You may possess these, but most young people have not accumulated either of these elements yet. Another thing that complicates it is that the term rat rod has been attached to everything from fenderless model T's to 5 year old Buicks that are primered. I may be thinking fenderless hot rod, and you are thinking '56 Oldsmobile.

What is your ideal rat rod? That is something we have to know first. A great way to get started is to buy someone elses almost finished car and make some changes to it to make it your own. You stand a better chance of getting one on the road if you start with more than chalk marks on the garage floor.

Finally, there is no way this first rod will be your IDEAL car. It never is. All of us are already planning our next car, or the next 2 or 3 cars. What I am saying is compromise a little on this first one and use the experience to go on from there.

Good luck,

Don


PS: I just noticed the portion of your question about how it was done "back in the day." That seems to be what rat rodders feel they are capturing with their cars today. Some of the things they do are correct, and some never existed. I don't remember one car that had license plates for floorboards, although one car I bought, a '33 roadster, had rear radius rods made from water pipe. Not a good thing. Bottom line is that some of the stuff we did in the early days was good and some was pretty shoddy. Even when I look back at some of the articles in magazines back then, the workmanship they did in those articles was pretty crude. The best rat rod would be a blend of a car that looks like it just rolled in from the 1956 salt flats, yet used modern components to make it safe and dependable.


I really like it when youngsters come into this hobby. I especially like it that you seem to have your head screwed on straight as to how you want to do it the right way. That's terrific.

Start in the spring............a rat rod (sic) and Wisconsin winters don't jive...................

thanx guys sorry about the being young part I was just born in the wrong era .

My ideal rat rod is like a for coupe or four door that as been chopped and lowered(but not always) and between the years of like 23-40. Fat tires in the back and thinner ones in the front. A V-8 with manual trans. I dont want something thats all cromed up and tricked out because I intend on driveing it everyday during the summer atleast during the winters I am away at college like I am now. But I figured I should start pulling some ideas together cause you never know where or when u might find something that is perfect. And money I don't have I work myt ass like everybody else. Tools I can use the local highschools and my paretns have a couple of friends who own repair shops and garages. As far as experience little but I am learning and am loving doing it.

Sounds more like your looking for a street rod than rat rod. But either one could be called the other.

Like Don's said Young isn't bad we'er just jelous

what is the difference? not trying to be a smartass.

Well I wish I could tell you because street rods are of just about every year up to 49 I think. Most are finished off custom interior chrome dripping off them skinnies in frount and wides out back. I think it is more what in beholder wants to call it. How many car shows have you been to.

A lot thats what my summers consist of.

Probably your best bet would be to just look around somemore till you see what you realy like I wouldn't get hung up on what (type)its called. When your ready theres more guys AND girls here to lend a helping hand. I thinkl Don said what ever you build it won't likely be your last. I couldn't tell you how many cars and trucks I've had. BUT THEN I'M NOT YOUNG ANYMORE

I know it won't be my last and that it won't be perfect. And if it was it owuld take all the fun out of it cuz then u can change things arround and experiment with different designs and ideas. Thank you very much guys.

You asked about the rat rod name vs the hot rod name. In the last couple of years this has become a very volatile subject. Most hot rodders resent their cars being called rat rods and see it as sort of an insult. What has caused this are the rat rods that are built badly and the attitudes of some rat rodders. Some of them like sticking our noses in it and generally having an "I don't give a d*** attitude."

That being said, rat rods do have their own style, and it is easy to tell one from a hot rod. I can't tell you the difference, but I know it when I see it.

If you are talking about a car that was built like they were done in the old days, you are more than likely talking about a traditional hot rod. It is just that now a days everything on wheels is being called a rat rod. Usually, the inexperienced are the ones doing this, and you just have to educate them when they make that mistake.

Don

I don't think anyone will disagree with this simple definition of a likely "rat rod":

If it's got shiney paint, it probably is not a rat.

If it has a flat, or faded finish it might be a rat.

If it is built with '50s influence, such as vintage parts, and pinstriping, it is very probable, that it's a rat.

If the owner has tattoos, or piercings, it is a 99% chance it's a rat.

The last 1% depends on the owner's description of "said vehicle". :-)~

shiney paint and chrome mean nothing to me. its all about whether or not the car will go. i want that kinda essence that it will eat a lil forgien 4 cylinder like its nothing. I like the power that a motor puts it just give me that indescribeable feeling.

I think Budget is the first place to start. How many coins you would like to spend on this project or the initial cost of body may answer many "what kind of car to build" questions. But keep in mind, one of Hot Rods top 10 cars of the year is a Rat Rod with less than 6K invested this year.

yes i did ask what a rat rod was i am only 18 and cars are what i love i just wanted to know if there was an actual difference or if it was a difference in opinion but i see that you guys are very intense about such things cars are cars guys and they are meant to be driven i don't care what kinda they or what motor they have or how rare they are. these things were built to be driven and beat up by the american buyer and i just want people to go back to that and i want cares to have style and big motors again. wanna be able to distinguish between companies with out a doubt once again but I know that day may never come or atleast not in my life time.