Thread: Rat Rod Rules

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Build whatever you want ,the enviro nazis will be passing a law that says all cars get inspected and emissions here soon,better lay rubber while you can.!! I live in cali and can tell you the enviros are foamin at the mouth and in a frenzy like pirahnna on this one!!Some outrageous laws have already been passed ,they just do not go into effect untill 2009!!!Unfortunatly most af these rodents are buildin these cars in worst place of all to get us busted,thats cali.If they were in montana or missouri they may not have effected the laws soo soon!!!

Another newbie here...I just wanna say, I agree that there is something about younger people these days, not sure what the real issue is. I think in some cases, not all, its the lack of parental guidence. I'm 23 and love dirt track racing and hot rods of all kinds. But the biggest reason I'm into these things is because my father (63 years of age) is into these things and taught me to respect them and enjoy them! Sorry for rambling, but I just recently put my dirt late model up for sale and purchased a 1953 F-100 as a project vehicle for my father and I to turn into a "rat". Something for us to do together. Anyway, I look forward to learning things and discussing automobiles on this board. Thanks guys!

Everytime the rat word comes up, the lines start to form among rodders. Some have no use for them whatsoever, and some feel that a portion of them are ok. I fall into the later category, I actually think well built ones are really cool, even with patina all over them. But I absolutely hate seeing some of the suspension and welding techniques ( or lack thereof) that others employ.

I also think age has nothing to do with the fact you have respect or not. I know a lot of older people that have some bad attitudes also. But the rockabilly, anti-establishment type that loves to give us the finger are just out for trouble and would do it whether they were doing it with a car or not.
(by the way, didn't want to lump all rockabilly's into the same group. either)


Don

RatSalad,
im building a rat, but there are those that dont see safty is that obvious. ive seen some pretty crazy cars out there that i wouldnt want to drive..

Harmon

He is just keepin the torches from gettin lit, .Once the angry towns folk are gathered outside frankeinstiens lab ,things get more.... : confrontational.

My thoughts on the Rat Rod:
They have always been around, I even built a few I just didn’t know it at the time. My first was a 1957 Plymouth Belvedere. I put a 383 magnum from a ’70 super bee and painted it flat black with the full moon disk hub caps. This was in 1983 (I think) I was about 17 and it’s all I knew how to do. I never understood why nobody liked it, I still don’t. That car was more fun than anything I have ever owned. Maybe that’s the thing….. The people that own the Ratters always seem to be having fun. They don’t stress over scratched paint, or a cigarette burn in a seat, or the unexpected rain storm when the windows haven’t been put in just yet. There are no hours of chrome polishing to get ready for that show, just pop a cooler of ice cold beer in the trunk, fill‘er up, grab your best girl, and hit the road.
It seems to me that all the anti establishment-ism (if that’s even a word) gained steam a few years back when the TV shows came out where motorcycles and hot rods are built in an hour and are magazine ready. (Or maybe that’s just when I noticed it, I’m really not that in tune with the world) These are cars that a majority of the car building guys will ever be able to afford. I find myself in that position. For me, having a car that gets from show to show in a trailer is just not something I can afford to own. Not that there is anything right or wrong with it, it’s just not for me.
I remember when I was a kid tagging along with my dad at car shows I spent my time looking up & down the rows for my most favorite of all cars, the 41 Willis coupe. It was in my opinion the coolest car ever to grace a car show or drag strip. They were just cool. That’s the only way I can describe them. Most of them (when you did find one) were dangerous looking and really loud & fast. It was, for me, the definition of what a hot rod should be. The last street rod event I attended, there were rows upon rows of the Willis coupes, all fiberglass, all tubbed, all having the same stance, all having the basic same drive train; BBC / TH 400 / 9” Ford. It’s like a formula for the Willis. Anyway….I never even look at them any more. It’s kinda sad really.
The stuff I found most interesting were the ones that were unpainted, loud, and different in one way or another, standing apart from the crowd, the way the Willis was 25 years ago.
I’m building a 1935 ford 3 window coupe now, and I’m not sure of what I’ll do or exactly how it will turn out, but it will be something I’ll do myself, on weekends, and with what ever disposable income I can muster up for the month. Not sure how long it will take, or what it will be exactly, but the best I can hope for is when it finally does find its way to the road, that some kid somewhere with his dad will think it’s cool and think, “That’s what I want when I grow up”.
That’s the kind of thinking that will keep the hobby alive.

krash
dallas tx

Ok. Rule #1 Keep them safe for you and everyone one the street!
#2 Other than #1, there are no rules

Originally Posted by RatSalad

Ok. Rule #1 Keep them safe for you and everyone one the street!
#2 Other than #1, there are no rules

Pretty well sums it up for me!

I try to think ahead and make everything solid. I have had a couple things on my car I wasn't 100% positive about, so I redesigned them to be stronger.
My thinking is this, I cant predict what may be wrong with/on the road in front of me, I need my car to be able to roll over whatever it is without it shattering in the process, OR, be able to stop before I hit it w/o twisting my front axle off the mounts.

As for the BS line of thought about "hey, my car, my ass" comes from incosiderate fools that haven't seen an out of control car careen into oncoming traffic. Unless you eat it on a deserted road, odds are there could be someone else in the accident with you. I somewhat doubt they are gonna think your car is real cool then.

junk!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

junk!!!!!!

but, cool junk just the way i like it

Harmon

Originally Posted by CHEVYBOY

but, cool junk just the way i like it

Harmon

Cool? What could possibly be cool about stupid???

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Cool? What could possibly be cool about stupid???

i didnt mean it as to be used as any type of part that would put someone in harms way. just so you know that i know what stupid is as stupid does

Run Forest Run

i mean just because its a rat rod does that always automatically make it some form of danger to someone else?

Originally Posted by gassersrule_196

i mean just because its a rat rod does that always automatically make it some form of danger to someone else?

Yes. These things arent built to compete in speed contests. Just for cruising around. Im more concerned with the honda civics riding around on all donuts. Just my opinion but I think that the wrenches are a bad @ss idea.