model T rat rod build up by a newbie. suggestions wanted

"Hot Rods" were, for the most part "Rat Rods" in their day.....I don't get why some of you are so hung up on titles, or that one mans ride isn't the vision of what you call "Traditional".....Truth be told, most of them back in the day were pieces of shit..........

 

i kinda like the "drama". it lets opinions fly. funny that i got 10 comments on how my frame will not work. i ask why and got only 2 comments returned. so... gussets: am putting spider web gussets under the front Z and plating the side. steering: STEERING IS NOT EVEN STARTED YET!!!!!! im going to take my torch and cut that fucking steering off so you will leave me the fuck alone about the steering. that was on the beam i got and removing it is more trouble than its worth. capping the front rails? yeah but think of something cooler that just a cap. new ideas: from the front of the rear z wrapping around to the other z. that makes 6 gallons. like a feul tank inside the frame rails. what about making the frame a driving chassis including the floor and mounting the body tilt twards the rear? ever seen air ride on the front beam where you cant see the bags. keep watching. what if that sbc had daul quads and had zoomie pipes feeding twin turbos with intercoolers mounted where a firewall should be. would act like a/c. these are ideas that would challange me. mabye i will mabye not. but if you dont like my untraditional ideas, take your trendy ass to another fourm and let people worth a shit discuss there custom ideas as well.

 

People sure like to get bent about other people throwing around terms like "rat rod" and whatnot, but what about the term "traditional"?.......That term gets thrown around too much as well.

I realize the point of this forum is centered around rods done in a "traditional" style, which I think is awesome, but you can't knock a guy for building a rod the same way that every old hall of fame rodder started out back in the day. Back then they built what they could with what they had and they fucked up and rebuilt alot along the way. Flatheads and banjo/quick change rear ends were plentiful just like today's sbc's, sbf's, and 9's, so that's what they used. You would have never heard of Mr. Teague or Mr. Hillborn trying to locate Stanely Steamer engines for their first rods because they thought it was "traditional".

The "traditional" rods everyone covets today were the "rat rods" back then. The rodders that built them and the reason they were built is also part of what encompasses the idea of something being "traditional". Those rods were built for a purpose: go fast, look cool, have fun, or all of the above.......period. And any out of the box thinking was welcomed especially if it made you go faster, look cooler, or have more fun. If it wasn't for the "Cameltoe" type of thinking, initiative, and drive of the rodders back then, no one would have "traditional" rods today to copy.

I think building a rod to remember and pay respects to a certain era is great and undoubtedly belongs on this forum. But I also think that building a rod with the passion, vision, and innovation of those "traditional" rodders is great as well and also belongs here. And anyone who doesn't think that those rodders 50 years ago wouldn't be stoked to see a bagged, channeled, z'd, chopped, small block breathing rod or sled pull up in front of their favorite hangout is lying to themselves.

Cameltoe, keep on doing what you're doing and keep us posted. I'm really interested to see how you're going to bag the front.

For everyone else, if you can help him then give him some tips, otherwise you're just wasting space on the thread. As for "Doc", maybe he should just go back to asking people to post "pictures of the Brizio built 87 AMBR winning "Deucari" the V-12 Ferrari powered thing. " because that was a great example of a "traditional" rod.

 

hey are u gonna run 20's with low profile tires thats mini truckin style?

justwondering bling bling

 

do a search on here for dodgerodder he did an incredible build using bags and a solid axles. (he shows how he built the bags into the frame in his threads.)

personally i think your frame needs some serious cross bracing. especially in the drivers compartment and the you may want to consider a way to transfer load from the rear spring area into the main portion of the frame.

when i visualize the torque load being transmitted to the frame i see lots and lots of twisting moments everywhere...like a real 427 cobra...only worse.

also how do you plan to locate the rear axle? have you taken into account front axle rake?

 

even better 21's with the skinniest tires i can find

 

Dick Teague also had a real Portola Pope, with the jug spacers...in case you cared. whistling billy.

 

sounds bitchin. build the car that u are thinking about . i think it is rad that u are involving different styles of cars to build one . u think making the tank out of the frame is a lil dangerous?

 

The jug spacers! I completely forgot about those!......real cutting edge for the time. I think I've got a picture of that somewhere......

 

fur bisciut- your rad. first technical comment ive seen in 130 posts. rear end is 4-link and trying for no panhard but we'll see haw thats going to work out. front end rake. my rake now is exactly what my father in laws 1916 centerdoor driver is. ive done research( yes research) and from what i can tell im close. but im understanding thats one of those put it togeather and see what happens type of thing. unless you built them everyday. so we'll see.

 

Camel,

One of the traditions of hot rodding is that the cars are built to the owner's taste (or lack thereof). Just make it safe first, then fast. But please, don't build it with one of those commie dildo forest airbag mount thingys like what's in the picture...WTF?

 

Flatheads are ghey, I run a big block caddys all day

 

A panhard with a 4 link? Are you retarded? Unless you are going parallel, which is more work then its worth. Triangulate the upper bars, you have more then enough room and dont need the lame ass panhard bar at all.

And screw the old geazers that say mini-truckin aint cool. I have 2 bagged s10s that I love to death

 

Wanna REALLY piss off Seymour?

Put a Mousestange II front end on it with no fenders.

He'll love ya for that.

 

my frame rails at the widest in the rear is 32". so what i was saying if i have bags, gas tank, shocks, drive line and still tring to fit a rear seat for the kids- might not be enough room to triangulate and still keep a steady pinion angle. too short upper bars equals nasty pinion equals broken drive shafts equals a real bad day.

 

You would think so, BUT, if you think about it..........
1. a fuel tank is MUCH thinner metal then your frame

2. your fuel tank can be hit just as easily as your frame, infact, in most accidents, your frame is left intact but your tank is POURING fuel.

3. Ford actually built tractors *when Ford did such a thing* and ran fluids thru the framing. I just got done rebuilding an old tractor that was actually a backhoe. It's hydraulic fluid was run thru it's framing instead of having an actual reservoir tank. Killer idea for a pigshit picker upper...........I was actually considering a similar idea for a rod.

 

Some of the machinery I work on still does this, ie: Laymor sweepers. They use the main framework as its hyd tank. Fairly common.
Ford still has tractors,but are manufactured by New Holland I think.

Josh

 

Brandy I do not know where the Hamb would be without you, I love it.

 

They are New Holland.......Ford took their name off of them when folks realized that FORD wasn't changing their tractors to fit the times. Guess Henry figured, hey why fix it if it ain't broke. That's why most look the same for decades at a time.

If you can use the frame as a hydraulic tank in industrial equipment *and I ain't talkin Farmer Joe's puttputt, I mean backhoes and everyday heavy equipment* then why not a daily driver? Or at least your weekend cruiser? I work with everything; alot of the industrial companies right now, but I'm trying for my go with Cat..................here kitty kitty.

 

Yeahhhhhhhh, I'm a wierdo.

 

I was reading that some super non-traditional guy named Ed Roth used a Mini Cooper engine in his Surflite car. He used VW torsion bars on his Road Agent car. His Mailbox trike was Crosley powerd. He used a VW engine with Honda forks for his American Beetle and Speckled Bird trikes.

Fuck it. I'm building a volksrod. I am free! LIBERTAD!! LIBERTAD!! LIBERTAD!!

Viva La Cameltowing!!!

 

Can I have the Lincoln then? Since yer feeling SO liberated and all?

 

You could use the frame as an auxilary oil tank for the engine, esp if you wanted to run a dry sump system.
Or if you are going to air-bag it for sure, use the frame as the air tank. All the 4x4 guys do it.

Josh

 

Hey Brandy you are posting and it says you are offline am I missing something?

 

Nah I'm offline.

 

Dam.......and I thought I was getting crap about using a drag frame under my 34.............

 

Well, ex-pat or not, you must admit he makes it very tempting to create a new user account and post threads asking "non-traditional" questions. That is funny shit....lol

 

I think all you guys are cheesey, well except Plowboy and Brandy (I love her, she just doesn't know it yet )

Camel, if you could make a triangulated 4 bar work, that would get away from the panhard bar...but,

Maybe you could try the pickle fork thing I have seen on the front end of some...hmmm streetrods, they are really quite neat...



and for the folks that think this post is harsh!!!!! try being an fng four years ago, this dude would be running to mommy to have his diper changed! It would be WAY worse..












Have fun with your car Camel if you have questions...ask some here have actually built their own cars (not meant toward anyone)

HRD