THANX ONE AND ALL FOR THE RESPONSE. I AM OVERWHELMED AT THE DIFFERENCES IN OPINION.
This appears to be pretty much as I thought. The term RATROD evokes a broad difference in meaning to many people. To some it is a badge of courage. To others it is fighting words. I personally don't care what you call it. I am more interested in what state do I call finished....Mechanically or add cosmetic?
I have had my 65 Mustang since 1998 and spent my dollars on mechanical (making it run right so I could drive it to car shows). The paint is El Cheapo Maaco style production...No clear coat...some chipping. OK.
It is an inline 6 to V8 conversion. I put my dollars into fixing the problems that were inherant in the original vehicle. I am also fixing things that weren't fixed earlier.
DON: The more I go to judged shows around the San Francisco Bay Area, the more I am turned off by them. I like the free car shows where everyone gathers after work with their cars in an area, listens to music, has a hamburger, shoots the breeze and then goes home.
Yes there are some high dollar cars. But there are a bunch of low budget specials. RESTOMOD is not a dirty word there. Nor is UNFINISHED!!!
As for the choice of cars, there are no rules. Choose what catches your interest. As for the definition for RATROD, there are no rules. The response indicates that it means DIFFERENT things to different people.
My Mustang has a 65 289 with a Ford Motorsport T-5, high back seats for comfort, seat on drivers side moved back on rail for leg room, air conditioning,
aftermarket aluminum radiator cooling system, digital dash.....all things to make it drive better.
Am I going to spend $15K on a paint job so I can put a "Do not touch sign on it?" NO WAY!!!! Not when I hear people that tell me they were almost disqualified for being in the wrong parking spot. That pickyunish behavior turns me off.
I personally enjoy more seeing the low budget specials that are unfinished, primered, flat black, swirly paint,rusty, missing door parts. That is what I like about the Billetproof show coming up in September in Antioch....Where a Rust Bucket can have across the top of the cab "Fresh Paint Do Not Touch" painted on and nobody gives it a second thought.
Len Trimlett --- www.smogrfg.com Thanx