Thread: another newbie!

Tweet

hello everyone. new here. my name is michael, im 21 and from jeffersonville, IN. right across the ohio river from louisville, ky.

im mainly a ford/mustang guy. my current car being a 96 Mustang GT. but i have love for all forms of automobiles. my mustang is pretty much stock again, and is due for repainting come spring. due to a fender bender. i say again because i got into modding it alot and when it got hit, i kinda sold alot of the mods. and decided to keep it mainly stock for now since its my daily driver. really sucks to break at the track and not have a car to drive till it gets fixed

which is why ive joined here. i cant live without having something to mod ive been thinking of building a "rat rod" type car. i just have never seen anything that sparked my interest.

well earlier today while outside on a smoke break at a thanksgiving dinner, i found inspiration for what i wanna do. i spotted a truck just calling my name. rusting away in a field. im not great on my old cars, but its def a 30s ford truck. rolling chassis, cab, and bed is all there is. it got my mind racing, and even if i dont do it with this particular truck, this is my next project.

so ive joined to look around for some beginners advice. im very mechanicly inclined, i havent found much i cant do with my hands yet. and im very confident i can do this. cause whatever i dont know how to do, im very eager to learn how to. and theres no better way to learn than to just do it.

anyways. im here. hello everyone. let the good times begin

Welcome to CHR Stock. If your mechanically inclined you'll should have no problems with older vehicles. They just take alot of time and effort your willing to put into it. On an older vehicle thats been sitting in a field or barn the first thing you want to do is take alook at what you actually want to do with it. Rod it, race it, restore to origional you name it and it can be done. expect to put alot of hrs. into the project and when it's finally done maybe 2-4 years from now, you can sit back and say I've done it!!! Good luck with whatever you do.

well it sure is a debated style huh? so much hating on other styles instead of seeing that theyre all cars. and thats what car guys enjoy.

just to clarify things since it looks like half of the people here arent fond of the style. i like all styles of cars. id just as much enjoy riding around in an impala with hydraulics as i would a chopped and dropped 54 merc, or an 02 camaro ss. show car or daily driver. i dont really care. i enjoy cars period.

it seems though everyone has a diff opinion of what makes a rat rod though. when i typed my intro, i debated using the term. but couldnt think of anything better. i would never build something that wasnt mechanicly worthy of the street. i enjoy life too much to endanger it. i just dont really care about asthetics as much as actually enjoying the car. id rather have a rust bucket with a nice engine than a car id be scared to drive because i spent 3k on the undercarriage paint.

but thats just my personal style. and im not here to argue which style is best. i enjoy all styles, even though i may have my personal preferences.

oh i wasnt offended. im the last person who gets offended. i just wanted to straighten things out. i knew there was a lil hatred towards the style, and mainly the term "rat rod", i just never realized how many people actually disliked the style. but that just makes it that much more tempting to do.

i understand some throw something together unsafe. id never drive something without brakes or no floor board. the finished product will be structurally sound before i drove it. seems most people consider all rat rods unstreet worthy.

i am kinda fond of the "unfinished" look. rust doesnt bother me, and IMHO adds character. i personally dont care to make it astheticly appeasing to others. ill be doing it for myself. so if it sees any paint at all, itll be primer. cause i dont care if it shines in the sun. and rust is just a diet plan at work. less weight, the faster you go

i like stuff thats very mechanical. and its even better when you can see the mechanicalness of it (is that a word?) thats what i find appealing about the style. nothing flashy, bare bones, down to business. if it isnt really needed, do you really need it?

i wanna do it the "old way", IMO, the fun way. piecing it together with what you can find, and making things work. spending weeks in junkyards looking for that one piece, or a piece thatll work. not picking up a jegs and letting the ups guy bring it to me.

i just dont want to start any debates over a style issue. i have my opinions and youll have yours. just enjoy them for what they are, cars. and when it boils down to it, thats what makes us all happy.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DennyW
When a lot of us were doing our things, they were just good old hot rods. I am learning myself on this. It seems that a rat rod, is just a quick put together, with primer, and a un-finished look.

hey that reminds me of my uncle sam

welcome to CHR stock

no when my uncle builds them (Sam) he just slops them together i guess you could call it he puts the cheapest and easyest engine in it that ha can find to put in one like today i was helping him put a engine in his 55 ford panle and it needs a front mount and he says thats what i was saving this for and i look up and he was holding a 2by4 now who has heard of useing a 2by4 for a engine mount oh and he dont never replace anything unless it dosent work or isnt there and then he trys to find away to bypass it if he can thats what i mean oh and as far as the rearend and things he had a 373 in his 71 and was complaning about it how he was goin to junk it and all so i GAVE him the one out of my 72 i dont know why i guess i was just being dumb.
sorry this want happen again