model a rat

Bob, I'm thinking you walk on the HAMB side of the Rat Rod issue and just don't know it.
"All my rods are well built and can be driven anywhere"
This sums up a car that is NOT a rat rod. Safety comes a distant second to rat enthusiasts. A trad car can look ratty but be well built. There is a difference, and hell. You should be telling us with your history in this great lifestyle......

 

Hey, I remember not so long ago, when I would've asked the same kind of question. Granted the absence of introduction, but what's with ganging up on the FNG? I thought the hamb was about spreading the gospel. I, for one gnfrs, hope you stay on the board and gain from the incredible amount of knowledge here. Traditional rod, is probably a better term than rat rod, as I'm sure you've figured out. Also, even if people are being ***es, try to be respectful. This isn't a board we're people just go on to bicker. They go on to learn and share stuff about the cars that they love.

And actually, I thought that pic you linked to was really quite cool. That tudor has really nice proportions. As far as finding a nice body, peruse the hamb cl***ifieds religiously and eventually something will come up. The nice thing about the hamb is that we are a community, and so not only do we try to help each other out, but most of us try not to screw fellow hambers over. Word travels fast.

Also, do a search of the particular years and bodystyles you are looking for so you can how much people are paying for bodies you like. Explore the tech archive as well, you'll get lots of cool ideas as well as idea of how people are approaching their frames.

 

Welcome aboard gnfnrs!!!! LOL . you're rockeriffical! ! !

 

Cool looking car, I like the lines on it(especially around the rear wheel)...not quite sure of the make but it is not a Ford Model A. Ebay sometimes has some decent A sedan bodies for a decent price, the cl***ifieds here on the HAMB are good as well. Craigslist.org and fordbarn.com are also pretty good resources. As for the frame, you can easily get a stock frame for cheap and box it(or not). There are some guys on here that build GORGEOUS frames, and they are very reasonable...do a search. As for motor choice...sbf, bbf, or flathead are all doable...but I think a flathead will cost more than the others and, although it has the right look, will not be as fast as the others unless heavily modified and pumped up. Maybe a hot 302 with a sweet multi-carb intake and the right valve covers and exhaust? Wire wheels are pretty cheap and accessible...get a straight set, clean 'em, rattle can them whatever color you want, and throw some cheap Coker bias-plys on. As for the mods...channeled and chopped body, juice brakes, dropped front axle, split wishbones, z-d frame, etc. Good luck with your project and remember, the term "rat rod" is not taken well around here...and is sometimes an unforgivable offense. I am not sure why, really. I personally never picked up the term in my vocabulary but hearing it doesn't bother me...even when used to describe my car. Roll with the flaming and eventually you will learn a lot, there are some amazing craftsmen and artists here.

 

A final remark: I flew to Viva Las Vegas. Don't know a bit about rockabilly. Don't have funny hair. I saw many serious pieces of dangerous machinery. But, there were nuggets of inventiveness and creativity in even some of those. Guess I just look for the good in a build and tend to minimize the rest. HAMB is GREAT! Things I thought I knew as gospel, I've had to change my mind, based on information on the HAMB. Guess I'm simply not offended if someone calls one of my hot rods by the "forbidden term". Viva HAMB!

 

I think I hear that Auto Zone is having a sale on Iron cross accesories in there RAT ROD section. Don't forget to look on the isle with the spider web grill insert/decals.

RAT RODS forever,street rods are for pussies.





I said rat rod and street rod in the same sentence............

Is that like saying ***** and mouth in the same sentence?

 

Hey sweet pants a Rat Rod does not act as a ***** extension, you're gonna need surgery for that, come to think of it have them use a section from the one on your forehead.

 

You should wear this when you cruise your oldskoolratroderiffic heap of **** around.

 

Heres what you do... first your gonna need to call the Doc and get a tet**** shot, then get the car you want and strip it down bare cause your gonna spray it with salt water for a week. Then you need to weld a piece of rebar to the trans-tunnel and make sure it sticks straight through the roof, top it off with a beer tap, yeah, a big chromed plastic beer tap...... you dont need to widen the frame for the motor, just make some 18" motor mounts from 2x4 box steel and weld'em to the oil pan..... yeah, yeah.... then dont forget to buy a huge plastic rat and wire it to your grille, thats a must....dont forget to get a sticker from ol'skool rodz and put it in your window, heck, I'd put one in every window....then get some 5" diesel exhaust to make side pipes with and paint the wheels red and your good to go.

Good luck.

(I actually saw this happen once)

 

I see by your avatar you cleaned it up a little since then...........

 

Took me a while ..... but now I get it.
Been a while since I've laughed-out-loud.

Thanks.

 

No worries mate, people laugh at me all the time. Maybe I should be a comedian............ or get a haircut?

 

bobw, sounds like you have a nice HOT ROD there. My point was that you didn't use "the term" back in the 50's....or did you? Maybe we're on to something here....you should be giving us a history lesson. I fully understand what you say about not seeing the cars that were in the parking lot. That makes a lot of sense. Just like how people say "they weren't that low back then" and I pick up a 50's rod n custom and theres a cover car with the caption "I defy you to go lower" and there's a pic of a chevy 1.5" off the ground...

 

You don't know who Mike Ness is? How old are you? I'm guessing 15ish?

 

Very true!
...and I quote.

"Yay, they did walk through the valley and proclaimed the word. HIS (Ryan's) word is "traditional", and it was good."

 

xadamx has some of the nicest rides on the planet...i'd be listening to him. But maybe spend a bit of time searching past posts and threads running back a while...an amazing bunch of cars and people here......jumping in and asking how to build a "rat rod" will get you in trouble...read and research and you will see what I mean.

Cheers

MAIKI

 

Ratrodzzz rule.

 

...leave Mike Ness out of this...

 

Well, I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon to bash this guy. Everyone has to learn sometime.

gnfnrs, welcome to the board. Give us some background. WHat is your experience with cars? You sound like a Ford guy by your engine choices. Call your car anything you want. You don't owe anyone an explanation.

No matter what you decide to build, there are some things that are an absolute must. 1. Don't skimp on brakes. Run a dual circuit. 2. Learn suspensions. Some are safer than others and some are down right dangerous. Bottom line is, build it safe. There is a wealth of information on this board. Most questions have been covered already. Just do some searchs and read a lot. Doesn't matter what the car looks like. That's up to you. I'm about tired of hearing from so many hypocrites on this board that build and drive things that the general public would term a rat rod then get all pissed off about it when someone calls it a rat rod. You don't learn if you don't asks questions.

Welcome to the board.

 

Wouldn't it be better to educate a new member than berate him/her for using a term you don't like?

Just because someone uses the term "rat rod" doesn't mean they are posers. It means they like the look of cars that are (hold on to your hats, you might not like learning this....) generally understood by the uninformed public to be "rat rods". You incorrectly, arrogently and foolishly ***ume too many things about this new guy based on the guys first post.

Whether you thinkit or believe it or not, you come across like a pack of douche bags and it hurts the HAMB's rep each time this happens.

 

No it's not true. 302's and 351's are as narrow or more narrow than a SBC. The thing to watch out for with a 302/351 is it's overall fully dressed length front to back. Possible interference can exist between the pulley's and the steering linkages and/or front crossmember depending on the style of steering and suspension setup you might use.

 

Another thing about the SBF is you can make it as short as the chevy with a SVO water pump and pullies. Also use a offset oilfilter adapter and you'll have a bit more room to fit in the ch***ie.. PLus there is more then one way to skin a cat ..

 

I was noticing far out the front of my 302 sticks out there with pulleys, fan and all. Mine came out of a 73 F100 so it might have a longer pump anyway. The SVO pump you mention, what rotation is it? Do they make both? Were they oem on some application?

 

The M-8501-A50 kit is reverse rotation and 1.75" shorter than standard (with the short pump it's only 27.5" long vs. 29.25") . If you wanna run this setup, save some cash and find the complete front drive from a V8 Explorer in the junkyard because that's what the parts are off from.

Also the timing chain cover is part of the water pump so you can not just swap a different (standard rotation) pump onto it.

They take special pully's too, so get them from the donor (donor pulley's are steel and serpentine belt) or you can buy the M-8509-M street rod aluminum pulley kit.

Lastly, the alternator mount is specific to the V8 Explorer too. You will need it or need to fab a new mount.

 

Sorry for using the term "rat". I want to build a car that is safe and handles good. I guess you would say I am looking for the "traditional" look. Just cause it looks brown and or rusty doesn't mean I want it to fall apart while driving into my neighbors house. What's wrong with having good parts that aren't painted nice and all chromed out as long as they work and are reliable? But whatever, I can see there will be no help here cause of a "term" I used. Maybe I'll try back again in a few months.

 

There are plenty of people that will help you and want to know more about your ideas. Don't give up on everybody because of a few douche bags.

 

Bye.

 

(trying so hard not to get too involved with this one)

gnfnrs buddy... You came just after completely destroying an FNG for starting out the way you are. I will admit, you are actually getting a better start than mopar742000, but I think if you can get through the flogging you're going to get and stick around a little longer, we could see something good from you. The HAMB will eat you alive if you don't do some lurking and learning not only about what you want to learn, but also about how these guys want you to do things around here. For what you want to do, you ARE in the right place. Just grow some thick skin, read all the rules and then ask away! Just don't make the mistakes that mopar742000 made... he got defensive and started calling everyone gay pussies... Did you ever go to a basketball game where there's that one guy that everyone hates so they BOO him EVERYTIME he gets the ball? That's what happened to mopar742000... everytime he posted it ruined the thread because the bashing would begin...

Anyway, spend some time lurking, reading, searching and then start firing the questions. We'll be glad to help you man!! Welcome to the HAMB!!

 

Don't give upn the HAMB too easy there is too much cool stuff on here. Spend a little time lurking and using the search and you'll find most of the answers yer looking for.