alright, well today was day one for the project. This is a diffrent project because im not going to spend any money on it. I will be selling the parts i dont need to get what i do. I've kinda cheated because I have so many parts laying around plus a fresh rebuilt 600hp motor that I had in an old project. but here is the before



and what im going for..



6"-8" channel
5"-8 chop
dropped as low as i can get it.
basic wiring
open headers
coil overs for support

tools:
cutting torch
mig
arc
grinder
metal chop saw

nothing flashy or fancy.

day one.



front end is off, up for sale too!

 

front axle is off too, a dropped axle will be installed



torched the mounts off, cut the steering collum



finialy free!



mean huh?



tomarrow will be cleaning the chassis and getting the floor cut out on the cab for the channel.

 

No offense, but why do people think a "ratrod" has to look like crap? In the day that is trying to be emulated (40-50s low budget homebuilt rods I think?) we still had pride in our rides, just because they didn't have fancy paint, gobs of chrome or leather interiors, didn't mean the poorest condition junk was used to build unsafe concoctions, good craftmanship was still highly regarded as was grassroots engineering.
There are some really cool RRs out there to emulate, but sorry that isn't one of them IMHO. But each to his own...

 

rat rods dont have to look like crap, but thats a personal opinoin. there is alot of engineering going into this, its not just throw togather... i do repect your opinion, and yes to each there own, personaly i think trailer queens are stupid, so im going in the other extream, but doesnt mean that it wont be built right.

 

I agree with you 100% I would like to make something that look like a 50's rod for my next project. I am going to leave out the word rat just doesn't seem to fit. I want it to be a decent looking vehicle that is very road worthy. I would like lake pipes on it, red wheels and the wide and skinny tires. White walls would be great but are a little expensive for a driver.

 

I think its an ambitious project. Personally I like the earlier body styles better for the stripped down rod look, but, I'm also a big believer in working with what you have. One of the cool things about this hobby is that eveyone can express their own identities.
I'm also collecting parts for a (I hesitate to use the term) ratrod. So far I have a decent Model A bed and and unknown cowl and seat section (early teens open cab truck of unkn origin) I have access to a GM 12 bolt/th400/Olds 455 and am running down prospects for a front axle and frame.

good luck with it, keep us posted on the progress (yes that means pics)

Bobby

 

six7seta,

I'll be interested to see what you come up with, so don't think that I am in any way trying to discourage you, but I think I'm with the the Carolinian (AXracer) on this one. Most of these "rat rods" just look like unfinished work to me. I'd like to think that if it's worth doing at all, it's worth doing right, which to me would include doing the body work, the interior and and painting it. Just my opinion even if nobody asked for it.

 

yea i didnt really want to use a 52 to do this, but im using what i have, i might section the front end incase i feel like using it. oh and texan2004, our the cars/truck we have ever really done? the reason i like the "rat rod" style is that is the bare roots. motor, body, and chassis. i be sure to keep photos going at the progress comes.

 

Do all Rat Rods (I despise the term almost as much as “Old School”) have to be flat black? It seems like everyone building one paints theirs flat black. I know flat black is the best color to hide bad body work, is that the reason? If it’s to be radical and different it’s like all the kids wearing their pants below their waists and the crotch down around their knees, it’s not different if everyone is doing it(It also looks pretty stupid, the pants thing not the Rat Rod, IMHO). I am doing a low budget restoration using stuff I find at the local farm supply store (Although I POR 15’d the cab floor) and using their tractor restoration paint which runs about $60 a gallon, including the thinner and hardener, about the same as John Deere flat black that is popular to use on Rat Rods. Why not paint it red or purple or green with wild flames or stripes or scallops. Now you really could express yourself with those and still do it relatively cheap. It doesn't have to be show stopping paint job with high cost paint, remember it's a "Rat Rod".

Just my two cents on the subject.

 

I suspect you have a point, however, that is my goal. Time will tell I suppose. Good luck with your project. I'm curious to see how it turns out.

 

nah, before i pick to go way out there i was going to do it flat white, i like it a lot, might still do it this time around, or just water blast what i can off. i do admit flat black is a little overplayed

 

Are you going to leave all the front sheet metal off? Rear fenders too? Running boards....?

 

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to say that you will end up building something that looks like crap, I just didn't like the example one you showed. I think a fine looking RR can be built and can be with your year cab, in fact I think it well could be more interesting than the square style ones since they are fairly common. One of my recent magazines had a sketchbook type article about making rods out of fat fendered bodies.

 

yep all going good bye, its actually a flat be so there is no rear fenders. but the whole front is for sale and running boards, if no one take them off my hands then im either going to section the front so i can cover the motor if i want to or just turn it into scrap metal.
axracer, no offence taken, i will admit i am one of those young punk kids (21yr), and im sure what im doing will **** some of you guys off, i am open to opinions and ideas. ive done a hot rod, drag, and drift cars so i wanted somthing a little more out there and that makes me think on how to build then to buy somthing off the shelf

 

Believe me, it doesn't hide bad body work. My '53 is proof of that. I'm not a body man and in no way, shape or form, going for a "Rat Rod" look. My grandpa has been building hot rods since forever. He helped me alot with my truck and showed me pics of all his past hot rods. Him and all his buddies used to paint there rods black. I liked the look of it and that is what I wanted on mine. Flat black with polished aluminum and SS. I like my flat black truck