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It is possible to drive "forward) without a tie rod, as the other wheel just tags along, don't think I would want to go very fast thata way... If some of you fellows like to do hard cornering, a good strong tie rod is in order. Drag link and steering box also... A Corvair is not the strongest box on the block, but most T Buckets use small/thin front tires, so the stress is not that much... :)
 
47ratrod68002.jpg
 
I think the drag link is at to much of an angle.Or the pitman arm is to long.
There is the issue, Left turn bites the big one, right turn will slightly improve the geometry. I was so sure Ted would tear this guy up.........ruggs
 
This is the kind of thing that's going to get us legislated right off the street.

Ron

Howdy
Down here in Aussie we have really stringent laws we have to follow to get a car registered and have had for years. Each state has a group of volunteers that works with the relevant people to get our cars registered. I've read a bit about everybody over there being upset about proposed changes to your rules over there but what else would you expect with this sort of stuff. I look at lots of the engineering (?) done over there - and not just with the rat rod set and wonder why you would ever ride in 'em. We would have issues now registering a T bucket on a fabricated frame without having it signed off by a suitably recognized engineer. This adds big bucks to build costs but means our cars are safe. If you want to keep enjoying the car hobby builds like these need to be shut down.
Cheers
Tony
 
I think it is called thinning the herd if you would drive this.
 
Looks like he is going to drive it NAKED for a while, then when all the bugs are worked out, and it is all painted up, it should be fine... I do believe I would mount that steering box on it's side, so that the pitman arm would then swing in during turns, taking the drag link in with it, when turned to either left or right, allowing for tire clearance... looks different, but works great...
 
Gee I hate to criticise anyones elses pride & joy, but Im going to this time.

Maaate, them things have deathtrap written all over them, and they arent even cool looking. They are just ugly and the back wheels are too small on almost all of them. I know that "Rat Rods" seem to be the next big thing, but look, the Emperor has no clothes.

We can all do better than that. I like the Bobber trucks that have their proportions right, that have big wheels on the back and that have shiney paint. And I dont like seeing tractor grills on hot rods. Looking at old hot rod magazines, I dont see stuff like the rat rod stuff people are making now. Actually I didnt see too many tatooed ladies either, nor old guys with their jeans folded up at the bottom but hey, Im at the wrong end of the world so what would I know.

Those trucks are ugly. Okay, I said it.

Flame away folks
 
Well I will have to say that I am just enough of a 'Rebel' to like that look, and it can be just as good/safe as any fancy looking Rod or ride, and may just be better/safer, only the look is different, and a tractor grill is something I find refreshing to tell you the truth,,, I love being different, I was once, until everybody copied my car, probably partly my fault, selling kits and plans sure doesn't make mine different, for long... SO! I am designing a completely new car, chassis and all, and a one of a kind ride... We shall see... "-)
 
From what I have seen, the whole "rat rod" thing is a reaction to the 90's era proliferation of pro-built (Coddington, etc.) "smooth" cars (with every part of the body shaved and smoothed) and the billet-everything trend. The rat rodders' original motive was to return to the roots of rodding where you built your own car, which was typically regarded as a work in progress. However, the whole thing went way beyond traditional and the cars started becoming too rough (who calls a pile of rusty parts finished?) or too cartoonish and exaggerated (so low they get high-centered on speedbumps, etc). Personally, I find the return to traditional styling refreshing, but I think a large part of the current crop of rat rods goes too far to be considered anything but silly. Part of this silliness is the idea of building poorly engineered cars just to be "different", such as the welded chain steering link in an earlier photo. It may look "cool", but how well will it handle on the street? Different is good, but dangerous is not!

OK, it's time to hop down off my soapbox and stop ranting! :soapbox: I've got to get back to work on my traditional low-tech bucket! -Kevin

P.S.-I do hope I haven't offended anybody (apologies if I did), but I just had to get that off my chest.
 
Kev, You are totally right when it comes to safety, especially something like a chain tie rod, or chain anything for that matter... That kind of foolishness is bad for the entire sport of hot Rodding, plus cars so low that they are no wheres near legal to drive on any street... :)
 
It's true today as it was way back when, you have to judge each car on it's own merit. Even a poorly built car can give insiration to a well built car. Who would have thought that a return to a traditional car would be different?

Ron
 

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