RATS// what's your'e reason for building them?

l have noticed a lot of new people showing up and l think that's wonderful

that said, l got to thinkin' why all of a sudden the "new" interest in rats and rat style vehicles. l'm sure the economy has a lot to do with it.

so what other reasons to build or buy one?

my reasons;

1. l like the fact that it don't have to be pretty to be accepted here, unlike some sites. most people like'em at the shows or get thumb's up when driving. safety is always top most when l build a vechicle, building a "bomb" is just asking for trouble.

2. if l scratch the paint or in some cases, rust, when working on or driving it, big whoop, can't really hurt it.( unlike my shiny one)

3. l let kids and people sit in and they can touch mine with-out the --OH- IT"S GONNA GET DAMAGED--so it's more hands on and more fun for me.

4. using what l got on hand and/or trade for some things. brakes, fuel lines, suspension and tires are all new so no worries about falures.

5. creativy on these kinds of builds fascinate me. some one is always figuring out how to make something do what it was never designed for.

6. really no rules, build what ya want. no one going "oh you have the wrong WHATEVER PART to be on this site'' or ''you built the wrong era vechicle to be here''. ;;no snobs here[P[cl[dr


Later

I think you have nailed it,at least for me . I would move #3 to the top of the list . FUN is the key aspect to owning a rat .

they are the coolest cars at the car show

Im one of those new guys. I have always liked cars and going to the car shows but until I saw my first rat rod show never thought , thats something I could be part of. The first show I was at there was this rat rod harley built for cooker tire. It blew me away. It was a high dollar build that had more creativity than I thought was possible. I could not stop looking at it(I might of been drouling a little), than the builder of the bike said , go ahead a sit on it if you want. I was a nobody , this bike wasn't even roped off , and I get to touch it. Iv'e been thinking about rat rods and what I could build ever since.

Skull I think you nailed it for me also with 5 and 6. The creativity and being able to do whatever you want really appeals to me. Its mostly the creative part, and that is definately why I'm on here sooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

brchopper said:

Im one of those new guys. I have always liked cars and going to the car shows but until I saw my first rat rod show never thought , thats something I could be part of. The first show I was at there was this rat rod harley built for cooker tire. It blew me away. It was a high dollar build that had more creativity than I thought was possible. I could not stop looking at it(I might of been drouling a little), than the builder of the bike said , go ahead a sit on it if you want. I was a nobody , this bike wasn't even roped off , and I get to touch it. Iv'e been thinking about rat rods and what I could build ever since.

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Great pic!! Almost make a poster "How do yo tell if a guy is a Rat Biker? Count the bugs in their teeth" I can see a buncha bugs in yours, and you were sittin stiLL!! [cl

Fun stuff!!

PA41

Good list! They all hit it correctly. IAM LDS 2 nailed it....FUN![cl.. I enjoy looking at the construction of most Rats and can appreciate the amount of work and sweat that went into each build. I love all Streetrods and Hotrods, but after awhile you get tired of looking at the same "cookie cutter" cars and I especially dislike the attitude of a number of rodders who get "Freaked out" when my 9 year old gets within 10 feet of said rods. He was taught to respect all cars and trucks and he knows the #1 rule of not touching anyone's vehicle and he doesn't!!! He likes going to shows and he shows a genuine interest in cars. Rat owners have let him sit inside and whenever that happens, the boy can't get the smile off his face for the rest of the day!.....CR

1: fun
2: no creative restraint
3: relatively inexpensive

All the above. I love the rush from all the thumbs up's, how much cheaper it is to build one and how much faster you can build a car if you don't have to prep for paint etc. Plus, the people are way cooler!

Beercan

IAM-LDS-2 said:

I think you have nailed it,at least for me . I would move #3 to the top of the list . FUN is the key aspect to owning a rat .

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I agree completely on all points and #3 is my main point as well.

I was looking at the list to see which meant the most to me. I cant choose one over the rest. All of the list is important to me. And I can even add one: I really like how some of these cars and trucks look. I guess I too am becoming numb to all the show-quality cars I see on a weekly basis. I will never be able to afford to buy one like that, and I wont live long enough to learn to build one like that. I love that I can put something together with my own hands and it looks cool, runs well, sounds great, and people look because there isnt another one like it for MILES (or anywhere for that matter). Individuality is a great thing.

When I go to a car show, I already know what to expect on the gloss and shiny rows. But the rats have crazy personalities/mysterious features. and if you pay close attention to the detail, each car or truck reveals or makes a statement. Some are so bad a _ _ they look like they were spit from the jaws of hell. Now that's an attention grabber.

The reason I build rats...It's as good as I can do.

7. Just because I like old stuff.

Completely refinished street rods erase all traces of being old other than the shape. The natural aging process adds character (fake patina isn't the same).

I have a little 1930's mercedes tootsie toy on my desk at work that looks like it was dug out of the ground...still has dirt in the seams. That little toy car stirs up the same emotions that a good rat does for me.

The car I'm building, I have wanted to build since the late 70s, before anyone even thought up the term. It's just a hotrod to me

woodman said:

When I go to a car show, I already know what to expect on the gloss and shiny rows. But the rats have crazy personalities/mysterious features. and if you pay close attention to the detail, each car or truck reveals or makes a statement. Some are so bad a _ _ they look like they were spit from the jaws of hell. Now that's an attention grabber.

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I Agree after a while they all look ..... Well..Regular! With a Rat you can run anything you want...


Even a Tree Frog..



Cadman

cmon! its the working man's hot rod THAT YOU CAN DRIVE!

someone once asked me -- "wouldnt you be just super excited if
someone got your car on overhaulin'?" and i said "heck ya bc i could
build about 20 cars the way i wanted to after i sold it!"

We are starting to build cars that bridge the gap.. I hang out here because we are not accepted anywhere else with our "clean" rat look.. Our cars are too low and chopped too much for the hamb and we hang out around killbillet but people dont talk to us much there either.. We stay around here alot because people are quick to talk to ya and not fight.. If you havent seen our clean rat style here is a link to a walk around on the coupe we just sold.. Were building a sedan now.. Then a clean roadster..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMEpIOnvwH8

dial up sucks!

wer'e happy to have ya, slaughterhouse customs. can you post some pics, my dial up won't download/play vids.

where l am l can't get decent internet

Later

I agree with Bob, Its the best I can do. Im a tinkerer with no money. I would have built it the same way I am without a support group, but Its nice to know others think like I do.

sure heres pics
DEI engine full roller race engine running off av gas
suicide doors 59 impala dash sectioned down 18 inches and molded into the doors so when the doors shut the dash flowed into them..
6 inch chop 3 inch channel
If you notice all the inside was sheetmetal filled in like the door panels and roof panels were all moled into the body..
It had a few modifications to it haha.. I miss that car. I sold it to a guy that is putting air ride on the back and he said he was putting something on the doors to solidify it as a rat rod.. I really liked it the way it was i thought it kind of bridged the gap between rat street and hot roders.. I mean there was some stuff about it that street rodders or traditionalist didnt like but the good overcame the bad at car shows and no one ever considered it a rat rod however it didnt really have a class to fall in lol.. and that was really all we were tryin to do with that car.