Let me help out here before the wolves getch ya. It's a language problem. The word marked ** has bad connotations. When it first came on the scene, it was OK. However, along the way it became associated with cars that are built with deliberate bad construction and, in most cases, bad taste because the builder(s) have this romantic idea that was the way it was done in the good ol' days. This group, for very good reasons, wants to distance themselves from such a car building philosophy because that's not what guys were striving for in the good ol' days. There might have been cars back then that didn't look so great, but it was due mostly to lack of funds or lack of ability. And usually cars like that would be held in low regard even then. Whew ... OK. I'm just tryin' to be of some help here. Don't anyone start wantin' to whoop my @ss ... please.
Ya know, that should become a standard Cut & Paste reply for every post that starts wth a "RR" related question.
all this pissing and moaning about the word rat, so i looked up members with that word as part of their member name. would you believe 13 frick'n pages. why not just eliminate that word for a member name and get it over with. but then that's only part of the problem.
I agree that many times that there's a big deal made about a silly word. In my mind (what little there is), this site is not only about sharing information among folks who are a part of the HOT ROD and Custom community, but also to hopefully set the record straight or educate people who are interested in knowing what "traditional" rods and customs are. In other words, as the motto goes, "spreading the gospel' regarding traditional hot rods and customs. The term "rat rods" has come to mean a specific thing ... and that thing, many times, is not a good thing. There are things goin' on and being built in the Rat Rod ranks that negatively affect this hobby (think of the negative public image that took so many years to change). So, it's probably a good idea to be a little guarded. Now, havin' said all that, I don't think it's a good idea to be too harsh to a new arrival to this board just because he uses the term "rat rod". Nearly all posts I've seen where a newcomer to the board uses the term does so innocently. I find they mean it as being synonymous with the term "hot rod". If this site is about enlightening or educating, it seems it would be serving the hobby better to do so in a friendly manner. Of course ... it is fun to give someone a rash of sh!t occasionally. As for Luckys Garage, sorry that I helped to derail your post. I just felt compelled to spout off. The guys here are really a lot of fun. We just like to beat each other up occasionally ... you know, like brothers.
38 replies and no definitive answer to the origional question. Approximately 35 replies pretaining to Rat Rods. Sounds like a typical HAMB thread as of late. SAD!!!!
Bullshit, it has already been established that 3/16 is the norm for a closed car, and 1/4 (or .250) is considered correct for an open car. In case you wonder why the slightly larger gap for the open car, they flex more, the extra 1/16 helps keep the paint from getting beat up...
Acceptable??? It's whatever the best you can do is. Cause if you put even a few minutes effort into alignment, you're putting in a few more minutes than the factory did!! Factory gaps suck!! If you get an unruly one, just call it "factory tolerance" if anybody asks.
Geez, you would have been better off asking how to widen and lengthen a traditional car over a late model frame!
There is also that whole rules of the HAMB thing. One of them says to spend some time reading before posting. Had he done that (Read the rules, followed them) then we wouldnt be having this issue. I guess some people are just slow. Doc.
I think he's got the message mate, no more drama. BTW what is that blob of red paint on the side? Does it say something?
AND! I should add its NOT mine. My A40 is still in many many parts, spread from Queensland, to Nowra NSW, to Melbourne Victoria and some is even in the US right now! Did look like this.
Correct, however it must be noted that the above specifications will vary slightly depending on both altitude and ambient air temperature. It is also recommended that paint thickness be taken into consideration.
I appreciate the helpful and positive suggestions. Although everybody is entitled to their own opinion....some are obviously on subject and some seem to be defensive for something that one 'word' means to them. Good fun is cool. Not taking the time to really read a post and understand whats being asked, not cool.
A guy who used to assemble fords in the 60s told me used a piece of carpet to set the gaps.This also protected the surrounding panels while he adjusted the door
Rat rods need to allow for for rust swelling the metal, and the build up of unspecified crud. So generally panel gaps need to be increased slightly over what would be run in a pristine award winning show rod. Anything from a quarter inch to two inches would provide acceptable fit and finish on a rat rod, with the edges of both panels preferably being jagged, beaten up, and visibly damaged. If the panels actually fit at all, you ain't tryin hard enough, don't understand the rat rod philosophy, and you FAIL.
I guess my question was a little vauge.... would a 40's to 60's convertible have a 1/4 inch door gap like the roadsters that were mentioned, or 3/16 ?
yep 1/4 " gap is pretty standard for converts due to body flex. the front gap you could keep at 3/16". just got done with a 57 convert. have an album of it on my member page. good luck.
On mine.. the quarters will get moved accordingly.. Im in the process of installing a floor in the Henry J.. what a pain..
The Jalopy Journal
