Thoughs on this "Rat Rod"?

I was reading over this thread and started thinking about this car. What are your thoughs about it? I maybe be planning something for my students to build.

Pros? Cons?

Let me have it.

dan

http://www.killbillet.com/showthread.php?t=1386

 

Why built it to look ****ty when you can spend a little more time and put a bit more thought into it and built it nice. There are some things i really like about the car and some things i dont. But thats the way with most cars.

 

Try the tech archive for the B*** coupe,Rolf's coupe or Littleman's coupe for some better ideas on quality builds.Better quality,will help inspire,more professional workmanship and pride in your students.

 

yeah...

 

What he said.

 

Rolf's coupe really is the pinnacle of Model A's.

-Dave

 

To build a car like that yourself if that is the limits of your skill level would be acceptible to me. Hopefully learn something along the way as well.

But to teach kids to build a car like that would be just wrong.

There are some things like the chop that don't look bad but too many crude building habits there for me.

 

They pretty much summed it up.... and please remove the wide whites from the s10... thanks

 

Couldn't have said it better.

 

Please don`t teach them to built a "rat rod"...teach them to build a safe car,both mechanically and structurally.

 

Well I was getting really ready to build a Rat with the cl***. You see I want the kids to see that there is more out there then the run of the mill boring street rod. There are so many and you will never have the nicest one cause it's always a show down of who has the most money. The Idea of a budget and time frame sounds right for the school. You will forget a black 34 coupe, but a rusty 31 sitting on the ground will stay with you forever.....at least I think...

The safty about the car is right, new tires, brakes, and lines. How is it ay different then a street rod? Just cause it is not painted means its ugly and unsafe? The 4 link rear air set up is miles past what most of us drive in our everyday cars. LOL maybe I was looking for the opinion of the wrong people.

 

You're asking for trouble if you ask for opinions around here. ... But that's my opinion.

 

building a traditional Hotrod is something to be proud of...taking the time and energy to find the right vintage parts in good condition is very rewarding...as a bonus you meet some really great folks...when you are finished and guys who were around in the old days compliment you on your use of parts and style is what you remember...bonus is you have a complete, well thought out, safe, traditional car...buy VERN TARDELS book( hot to build a traditional ford hotrod)...teach the kids something usefull...

 

still has some welding to do...

 

Always true if you only want opinions that match your own.

 

This is a better sedan build in my opinion. That other one looks almost dangerous.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124153

 

If you even mention the phrase rat rod, around here you're gonna get flamed. That being said, please build something with those kids. If you want to build a rustbucket with them because thats whats cool right now, do it. Build it for the rat rod look make it safe and congratulate yourself because not to many younger people ever have the opportunity to work on anything, let alone a hot rod. I'm sure with a school time limit and budget theres no way to build a nice period correct vintage rod (thats what generally goes on around here, generally...).

But if you build a car with what you have and teach them to build it with quality, in my opinion at least, you still have a hot rod. It won't matter if it has a rusty body, and a late model S-10 rearend, and 305 out of an old camaro. It's still something to be proud that they built it and learned from it.


Now on the other hand, a poorly built car will always be that. And thats what the rat rod craze has become....a 'let me see how much more dangerous my frontend design can be than yours' contest, or a 'who left their brand new frame out in the rain longer to get it rusty' contest.

Just build something, I would have cared a lot more about highschool if they would have let me do ANYTHING like that.


Bird

 

Right. Maybe instead of thinking in terms of street rod/rat rod, maybe you should try to show them to build the best car they can and be proud of it. Showing them it's cool to skip bodywork isn't the right idea I don't think.

 

Im trying to build mine on a budget also. this place is a great place to have questions answered and what works with what. i am in the parts collecting stage with mine. So far I have come up with:

9" ford out of a truck
dropped front axle (new)
37 ford spindles
53 ford f100 brakes
51 f100 steering column (not my favorate part)
set of www
a completly rotted out 31 sedan
and some sbc parts (for reliablility and cost effective parts)


Show the kids how to look for parts- not just to resort to autozone and ebay. There are a lot of other sources out there for parts.

Good luck with the project

 

im not sure why everyone is saying that that sedan isnt going to be a safe ride...once everything is welded up and bolted together i dont see any difference from alot of cars posted on here except that this one looks rougher and the guy didnt take the time to clean up stuff that you or I would. hell hes even running disk brakes in the front, more than alot here can say

that said i think the link kustomkulture posted would be better info because it shows more of the process rather than just intermediate pics of the steps.

 

The spring notch is more than halfway through the frame too.

 

I'm not much of a welder but it seems to me like the splice from the old frame and new looks like its only spot welded seems like I would finish that before I was rolling it around and sitting in the thing.... Maybe I just hate hearing the term rat rod I don’t know....

 

Two things you need to teach these young kids.
1) the term RAT ROD is modern for the 50's version of SHOT ROD.
in other words " a piece of ****"
2) rust is damaging to metal and should be coated with some type of paint. No kid in the 40's-60's would have rode around in a rusty piece of **** on purpose.
Im kinda new here, so im not sure how most people think about all of this new rust craze, but damn saying that felt good!

 

Just build something actually. Try to keep it somewhat aesthetically appealing, and well ***embled.

 

you want a car they would be proud of, a rat rod is not it

 

"well ***embled" is the right phrase and frame of mind in building any rod/car/custom.

with no disrespect intended to this sedan, by looking at the pics and timeframe it seemed it was "rushed". Safety definately plays a concern from me for the driver, the p***engers, and pedestrians.

 

"So today we got the lower cross member and the 4 bar link ends made. Donny fab'd them up, and then sand blasted them so they will rust." why would you want something to rust? i try to keep my stuff from rusting.

 

Personally, I like the "TETNUS" license plate. thats cl***y...