When rat rods go too far

bravenrace wrote: In reply to JoeyM: What would I do with the other 20 feet of chassis?

Twin engines?

bravenrace wrote: In reply to JoeyM: What would I do with the other 20 feet of chassis?

you could bob a few feet off the frame and still stick 2000 HP in there.

DaewooOfDeath wrote:

Yeah, Sean Hinds's creation.....you have to love a rotary powered microcar

In reply to bravenrace: How about a slammed and chopped extended cargo van on a Dually chassis?

Or a slammbulance? [URL=http://s265.photobucket.com/user/derekrichardson/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image-4.jpg.html][/URL]

Will wrote: In reply to Chris_V: Glad to see you put "traditional" in quotes. There is very little traditional about most current rat rods. They've become caricatures of what their owners think hot rods used to look like.

One of the two I posted was not a rat, it was a traditional rod. Like these:

This style is called a low boy due to being channeled down over the frame (as in opposition to a highboy which is a fenderless rod that sits on top of the frame). the rea wheels dont' ahve the highboy's fender lip around them, due to being so low on the frame. These were very popular in the late '50s and early '60s.

here's the highboy version:

Notice where the frame rails are in relation to the body. The late model rats in this thread are of the former style, just using lateer bodies. Hot Rod magazine had an article back in the '80s about building lowboys from late model cars, which is where most of these got their inspiration. I've got hot rod and custom car magazines going back to the mid '50s, and was involved with them 30+ years ago. I remember growing up with the traditional rods, and how rats differ (and are still inspired by traditional ones).

Chris_V wrote:

This is perfect in every way. I'd take that over almost any other car.

We're getting off topic now.

bravenrace wrote: We're getting off topic now.

OK then, correcting course, here's the inside of the silly 911 Looks even worse inside. the frame rails have been cut with small sectional material inside. I'd love to see how they will stich it all together.

I think most Rat Rods are too far. Rods used to be about making something as fast and functional as E36 M3 off a shovel while spending the minimum of money, run what ya brung. Assthetics were very much secondary. Now concentrating on making it look like merde while coming up with something with diminished driving dynamics has taken over. So much fail in the whole concept.

This can be argued as doing it right. Buy a wreck, resurect it then clear coat it, but spend time on getting the mechanicals perfect, I can live with this:

From

To this

Story here: Link-e-dink

This is a 'real' rat rod too. Early SC. Over 300K miles. 3.2 swap. 930 brakes. Mechanicles A1, body is on for the ride

Bork it, what about Burt Monroe. Build with what you have and go fast as hell

I think to appreciate rat rods you have to view them as a kind of art, not as vehicles. Kind of like you would high end show cars with chromed rotors. If you can't view them that way, then you're probably not gonna like a lot of them.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Story here: Link-e-dink

Thanks. Great thread. I just glanced at it, and will definitely spend a lot of time wading through that one

Disclaimer or no, this was just another post of me grousing about what someone else does with their time and money. Edited into the ether...

RealMiniDriver wrote:

bravenrace wrote: In reply to JoeyM: What would I do with the other 20 feet of chassis?

Twin engines?

I do have a spare 454 to go with the 454 in the truck. Hmmm, V-16?

bravenrace wrote:

RealMiniDriver wrote:

bravenrace wrote: In reply to JoeyM: What would I do with the other 20 feet of chassis?

Twin engines?

I do have a spare 454 to go with the 454 in the truck. Hmmm, V-16?

enabling link: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66801&showall=1

carbon wrote: these cars kinda remind me of tour modifieds.

my thoughts too

wonder if a barn find coupe modified could be done for Challenge money

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Bork it, what about Burt Monroe. Build with what you have and go fast as hell

Just one good run Mate.

One Good Run, The Legend of Burt Munro

The same story as in The World's Fastest Indian.

Maybe not so much of a RAT but a Hoopty . . . this was my daily driver for four years. I stripped away all of the paint and poured piss on it for a week. Just seven days to get it to this fine "bog find" look. And yes . . . the luggage rack IS welded to the roof.

In reply to TeamEvil:

How did it smell?

Graefin10 wrote: In reply to TeamEvil: How did it smell?

Probably like R. Kelly's sheets.

That being said someone here will probably get pissy about sanding all the paint off on purpose.

No, but please tell me that isn't a Porsche next to it with the same treatment? Also, there appears to be a sizeable helping of junk inside, which raises the question: When are rats cool? And when are they merely POS with an attitude?

Adrian_Thompson wrote:

bravenrace wrote: We're getting off topic now.

OK then, correcting course, here's the inside of the silly 911 Looks even worse inside. the frame rails have been cut with small sectional material inside. I'd love to see how they will stich it all together. I think most Rat Rods are too far. Rods used to be about making something as fast and functional as E36 M3 off a shovel while spending the minimum of money, run what ya brung. Assthetics were very much secondary. Now concentrating on making it look like merde while coming up with something with diminished driving dynamics has taken over. So much fail in the whole concept. This can be argued as doing it right. Buy a wreck, resurect it then clear coat it, but spend time on getting the mechanicals perfect, I can live with this: From To this Story here: Link-e-dink

I drive by KCW every day on my way to work. Those guys are something else.

kreb wrote: No, but please tell me that isn't a Porsche next to it with the same treatment? Also, there appears to be a sizeable helping of junk inside, which raises the question: When are rats cool? And when are they merely POS with an attitude?

Cool is in the eye of the beholder. I guarantee you that some people would consider a lot of our cars to be POS

Chris_V wrote:

Will wrote: In reply to Chris_V: Glad to see you put "traditional" in quotes. There is very little traditional about most current rat rods. They've become caricatures of what their owners think hot rods used to look like.

One of the two I posted was not a rat, it was a traditional rod. Like these:

I actually wasn't referring to either of the cars you posted, but to some of the earlier cars. The painted cars you've shown are all quite nice, and I wouldn't call any of them rat rods. I'm referring to the guys whose rat rods look something like rusty, poorly-built versions of these things:

But I stand by the caricature statement. Stuff like the skulls and spiderwebs I see on so many rat rods are just ridiculous. They're no more traditional than girls covered in ink who think they look like Betty Page.

And I worked for 7 years as an editor/photographer for a street rod magazine. I know you were being helpful, but you don't have to explain channeling, lowboys, or highboys to me.