Almost 12 months and I m still here

[Gerry]

I have been here for almost 1 year and made many friends and had many people make some great comments on the T Im building.
So heres the crunch
I LIKE rat rods. I know you will all howl with disapproval but i really like them. They remind me of my 20s. When a T Bucket got the same reaction and the 'Norms' looked down their noses at me and my ride. I like the fact that there are still people out there willing to take a stance and live with the reactions. I like the fact that the cars are different and away from the expected. I like the fact that we disapprove, which means these guys have found a new direction. Not sure Im happy with a chain link radius rod but hey there you go.
All in all if I EVER build another ride it will be a 15 T rat rod.
Kill me if you want but look ahead and see whats coming. If you cant see this is a REAL HOT ROD and very cool to boot, then our hobby is dead. Sure I dont like the driving position (It stinks) but thats down to a little effort and engineering... either way this is one coool hot rod

[media]

Ban me now. I may just go on about these cars
Gerry

 

[lincolnuT]

At least he put a Ford in it.......What ever you do make it safe. I have seen so many of these that should not even be on the road.... .

 

[Telman2]

There's nothing wrong with liking them and I see no reason to ban them. Personally I don't care for the look and I could never get my old body to bend enough to get in one but that's me. I'd welcome anyone building one here.

 

[Youngster]

well said LincolnT ... A well built car will stand on it's own merits. Gerry, I can not see you building a car that would not be road worthy, not with your attention to detail. I would like to follow such a build.

Ron

 

[ellis8500]

Hey Gerry, hope had a good holiday.

Nothing wrong with a Rat Rod. They have their own style and each one is unique. Lots of people think that the Buckets and 27T's are Rat Rods. When someone refers to my 27T build as one, I just smile, shake my head in agreement and let them think what they want. No reason to correct them. I just like the fact that they are admiring my work and wishing in their mind that hey had one too. I know you will build one that looks outstanding and is structurely sound. Go for it guy. Love to see your work and wish that I was able to do the stuff you do. I'm at a level where I can cut, grind, drill and fill. Will be learning how to paint when it warms up here in the midwest USA.

Have a Happy New Year and don't do too many pints. Just for a change, try it really cold like we do here.

 

[Lee_in_KC]

I like certain "rat" rods... those that are well engineered and constructed and not too outlandish. I don't care for the junk-mobiles that are just rusty, kluged-together collections of mis-matched parts with lots of safety issues, like no floor and/or an open driveshaft. I am seriously considering building a "rat" rod as my next project. I'm thinking along the lines of a well-used shop truck, maybe a Model A RPU. No shiny stuff, maybe a little rust here and there, faux-tina paint with an almost worn-off shop sign on the door, etc.

 

[Old Rotor Flap]

I like some of'em. It's interesting to see how innovative some are. Others scare me as sometimes I see rat rod an excuse for poor workmanship.
Have you ever heard one of these guys brag about how little they have in the car and then think the car is suddenly worth Barret-Jackson auction prices.... LOL
I fear the one in the video could easily be used against the whole rodding community to accelerate the demise of the hobby/industry by government.
In my opinion, that car is not safe and I find any car or bike with no mufflers to be disgustingly disrespectful of anyone forced to hear it. Is it true the Dba level of the exhaust is inversely proportional to the owner's IQ?
The other big problem with that car is the driver can't see around motor and therefore is not able to see traffic lights, people stepping off a curb or a child darting into the street.
Insurance companies will look at cars like this and may deny coverage.... not that some would care if they had any insurance at all.
The only people who need insurance are those who have sommething to lose.

 

[one finger john]

Gerry, Gerry, Gerry ..... Perhaps a bit of the old midlife crisis? I think you need to get the yello car running FAST and start to enjoy it NOW. It has become your Moby Dick and as Capt Ahab you are lost in the eternal search. The rat rods represent instant gratification and a quick build with no care about the finish of the end result (or very little). I suspect that you want to be done with T and off to something as outrageous but more practical and DRIVABLE. Something that you can drive and get dirty. Do you want a show horse whose mane & tail need constant grooming and has to be trailered around from show to show or do you want a good solid horse that will go anywhere, do just about anything you want and looks good doing it? A good working horse. I have a feeling that rat rod (really a version of the old competition coupes) you show as an example has way more money into the engine/trans alone than a lot of the true r.r.s have total. You and a select group of enthusiasts are the only ones that know how much work there really is in your car. To the general public its just a funny yello car. With out a top.
A car that is not finished is nothing more than garage art. Immobile and fraught with possibilities and potential but no capabilities. Something to lust after (like a woman in the men's magazines) but not yet achieved. I dare you to list all the work to put it on the road (including registration), and have it done and waiting for Spring.
Right now, here in Los Angeles, Ca, it is probably as dark, rainy, and cold as where you are. In your case, probably even darker, rainier, and colder. This is effecting my mood and my response. The only thing I want to ask you is do you want to look at your car or do you want to drive your car (and this is with relatively little work to complete)? Show pony or working horse?

John

 

[ellis8500]

John,

Some people build show cars that they rarely drive and trailer from show to show. Some build really petty drivers that don't get out much. I'm building a car that I plan to drive as much as I can without violating Missouri's law about the care being driven"occasionally". Believe me, I have fought with myself constantly about my build trying to keep from building a show car. It would be easy to get too finnicky about this and that from a cosmetic standpoint. Very easy to exceed my planned budget by buying show instead of go. A constant battle of the brain that we probably all have dealt with. Gerry's Yellow build looks like it's taking the show car route in it's fine detail and workmanship; but only he will decide how he's going to use it once it's done. If it does end up being a show car, the he MUST build his driver; because I'll bet he wants one that he can drive the wheels off of without worrying about a few paint knicks and blemishes. A basic Rat Rod just might meet that need. Now if Gerry can win that battle in the brain is a whole other issue.

Have a Happy New Year.

 

[Northstar T]

The sport of hot rodding is in need of a few more classifications of rides IMHO. from what I see of the car you posted I'd put that somewhat above the catigory of "rat rod" which is a term I personally use as a very derogitory term. A rat rod to me is a rusted piece of crap made up of mismatched junk just for the sake of junk. the owners seem to get a perverse pleasure out of the negative comments they receive, somehow believing it makes them a cool "rebel" of some kind. even that would be ok with me if it weren';t for the fact that they are so unsafe, which WILL affect us all some day in terms of regulation. I like the look of a car that looks like it was build back in (the day) and just driven out of the barn it's been in for 50 years, but nobody built cars like are being built today and called rat rods. they would have been concidered junk then, and are junk now.
The terminology, we need to expand on would be something more like "vintage reproduction" or perhaps even "toon car" (as in cartoon). you don't have to have a $10,000.oo paint job to have a fun and very cool car.

Russ

 

[Youngster]

Back in the day as they say now, we built cars from ideas we got out of the few magizines that where on the news stands. For every model A that was turned into a running car, there where probably 10 that ended up in the scrap yards or out behind the barn. Today, for the most part, the rat rod symbolizes a culture of younger guys that like the look but don't have the knowledge to build what we consider an acceptable steet rod. Give 'em time, they'll catch up just like we did. If someone like Gerry wants to build a "rat", that might influence some of these new comers to improve thier projects. There's always room for more folks in this wonderful sport.

Just so I'm not misunderstood, I too have seen cars that I would be afraid to share a hiway with. These are the folks that will eventually make thing hard for the rest of us thru legislation and insurance fees.

Ron

 

[Gerry]

Well that started some healthy discussion.

This is a subject that I feel quite strongly over, as I see the Rodding scene dying a slow and painful death through lack of new blood and over legislation. One of the guys I have known for a long time and still owns an all steel 57 Chevy that runs 8s and was driven on the street for years feels the same; its dying A DEATH, slow but sure. This is a view shared by many others that I have talked to in my age group.

So lets look at what’s happening. Most of the young guys are into Rice Rockets and spend reasonable amounts of money on turbos, engines, suspension etc to get them to a state that’s ‘acceptable’ in the eyes of their peers. The young un who drove my Topolino 3 days after getting his licence has put thousands in to his Nissan, Toyota or whatever and goes to the drags on a regular basis. He runs almost as fast as the Topo and then drives home in it. He spends weekend in the workshop just fitting new or upgrade parts to keep it going. No ground up build, no making stuff, just buying bits and bolting them on. That must tell you something. He comes to me if he needs something made that’s not available on the open market. He also likes the T and Topo just as much as his Jap wheels, but there are not the thing he wants.



The last XX years I have spent building the Fad has been a pleasure for me as I am lucky enough to have the skills and knowledge to put stuff together and make things with my hands. If I dared to add up all the hours I have spent doing this, it would probably put off someone who is thinking about embarking on a similar journey before they start ( I stopped after the 5000 mark and that’s without adding my build buddys hours in on top).

Now lets talk about money. I could have bought a Ferrari, Corvette or drop head Merc for the money I have already put in to the Fad, so John, I don’t think it’s a mid life crisis… especially at 57 years old. I looked at these things and decided that they were not for me. I want a Fad T. As for the magazine girls, I have one of those in my lounge right now, and we have been together for almost 30 years. Loyal I am; to my girls and my cars. John. I always appreciate your posts with their common sense approach and dryness but you have missed the mark on this one.



The reason I like and want a Rat Rod is not because my Fad is Garage Art. The T will be driven and not fussed over, believe me, otherwise there is no point in putting so much effort in to it. Scratches are just another way of saying it’s a road car not a trailer queen. I am not precious about my rides. Every one of them has been driven, scratched and beaten up by miles of driving. I like rats because they are just as different as a T was in the 1950s. They show innovation, invention and expression like nothing I have seen in the last 20 years or so. As to their build quality, yep there is some crap out there and some of the builders should be locked up for their workmanship, and I certainly would not want one of those on the road and heading towards my family. BUT.

BUT, when my build buddy owned an auto trans shop back in the 70s and 80s we saw a lot of rods and customs. I can still remember the ones that we refused to test drive due to the build quality. Its not a modern thing.

The looks of a low slung, bitichin ride with an over the top engine just appeals to me. As the guys that know me will probably have guessed already, If I built one it would have to have the right dents in the right places with the right amount of curve and depth, but that just means I would of progressed things to a more acceptable and conformist point.

Now that’s the bummer!!!!!!



Stay with me on this one, they are the future of rodding. Just take a look at the poll on age group we did and then tell me the youth of today will carry on with ‘traditonal’ A’s, B’s and T’s as we know them. We need to help them along and if rat rods is their way of doing it then more power to them.

Shoot, I can rant when I get in to things, cant I?

Gerry

 

[blownt]

as long as the Rat Rod is built safe and passes a state inspection I have no problems with them and some I really like. Something like the Purple People Eater is really up my alley. BUT all the ones I have seen in the Houston are pure POS's and should not even be on the streets. They are the ones that give hot rodding a bad name. I don't wanna be no where near them when they wreck and/or take somebody else out with them. That is the worst aspect of having an Antique plate here in Texas, not having to pass an annual state inspection, and get those POS's off the streets.

Sorry if I came on strong but when I see a rat rod here in Houston, they really piss me off the way they are built and give the rest of us problems.

 

[deckofficer]

Gerry,

I've thought long and hard before weighing in on this one. If aesthetics are sacrificed to allow more of the build budget for performance and safety, I have no problem with a rat rod. Not my cup of tea (or T) but to each its own. In response to the hot rod hobby is dying, IMHO, not at all. You just need to look at all the new cable shows based on the hot rod, but more important is we, the baby boomers, represent a huge population bubble and in the early 60's a lot of us old farts wanted a hot rod but could not afford them. Once we paid all the college bills for the kids, we now have money to spend on ourselves. I predict as modern cars move away from internal combustion engines and the rest of the baby boomers shed the family bills, our hobby will have a resurgence like the late 50's and early 60's. Remember, it was Detroit in 1964 that starting building muscle cars that made it easier for someone to have a cool and respected ride that could be bought new and financed rather than building. During the late 70's through the mid 80's when performance was a dirty word in Detroit, hot rods picked up again.

I sure love the "edit" feature when your first post a reply because I neglected to comment on what Old Rotor Flap had to say about the noise issue with both motorcycles and rods. I couldn't agree with you more, Amen brother.

Bob

 

[ellis8500]

I agree with Bob. The hot rod hobby isn't dying. Just look at all the companies that make T-bucket kits and Model A kits. Spirit and RPM both had to expand to meet customer demand. Others might have too. What we have now is the older guys finally being able to afford their dream. We have sons and grandsons that will follow suit when they can after we've planted the seed. SEMA will help more states relax their laws to accommidate our hobby. As long as there are V8's available, there will be hot rods. That's what I think.

 

[Northstar T]

Is hot rodding dying?? not that I've seen. not in the USA anyway. evolving perhaps, but I don't see it dying any time soon. As baby boomers, perhaps we see things changing and say "hot rodding is dying". but just because kids don't build T buckets and full fendered model A coupes doesn't mean it's dying. I, on the other hand, prefer T buckets and full fendered A coupes, so I'm holding my end up for us old farts. I respect the tech aspect of the cars the ricer crowd has produced, but as far as rats, I've yet to see any true innovation in any rat rod I ever saw. hanging on a rusted tractor grill shell, using a 216 Chev motor for power, or welding a chain together as a drag link is not innovation. I'll personally be happy when every rat has been trapped and dropped in the dumpster where they belong.

Russ

 

[deckofficer]

Is hot rodding dying?? not that I've seen. not in the USA anyway. evolving perhaps, but I don't see it dying any time soon. As baby boomers, perhaps we see things changing and say "hot rodding is dying". but just because kids don't build T buckets and full fendered model A coupes doesn't mean it's dying. I, on the other hand, prefer T buckets and full fendered A coupes, so I'm holding my end up for us old farts. I respect the tech aspect of the cars the ricer crowd has produced, but as far as rats, I've yet to see any true innovation in any rat rod I ever saw. hanging on a rusted tractor grill shell, using a 216 Chev motor for power, or welding a chain together as a drag link is not innovation. I'll personally be happy when every rat has been trapped and dropped in the dumpster where they belong.

Russ

Now Russ, don't hold back how you really feel about rats and what you would like to do with the vermin. LOL

Bob

 

[Youngster]

Let me pose a question. Is the term rat rod used by the unwashed masses to discribe any car that dosen't have a complete paint, bling and interior?

 

[TexasT]

Hey Gary, I can tell you more about the ratrod in the video you posted. The guys name is well we call him Tbucket Tom we usually cruise to a burger hangout on Friday nites, and it is one crazy car. A blown 460 ford with a 250hp shot of Nitrous and man is it fast. He has several "rat" style built Tbuckets. It is also prety much a daily driver standing at only 40 inches total height from ground to top. Serious chop and channel

 

[deckofficer]

Hey Gary, I can tell you more about the ratrod in the video you posted. The guys name is well we call him Tbucket Tom we usually cruise to a burger hangout on Friday nites, and it is one crazy car. A blown 460 ford with a 250hp shot of Nitrous and man is it fast. He has several "rat" style built Tbuckets. It is also prety much a daily driver standing at only 40 inches total height from ground to top. Serious chop and channel

Is "Biffs" the hamburger hangout you mentioned?

Bob