Newb from TN

[winston427]

Hello folks, newb from Tennessee here. No rat rod yet to speak of but actively looking for the first project. I travel extensively across the country and see a lot of antique car junkyards and have browsed through several of them. Still trying to decide what decade and style of vehicle I want to start with but will certainly start a build thread when the day comes. I'm no stranger to forums so I know how to search for answers before asking the same old dumb questions, but I will be asking questions.

 

[Old Iron]

Welcome to the site

 

[MercuryMac]

Hi and welcome to RRR from northern Alberta. I'm glad you are doing some research first before you jump in to a project. Maybe check out quite a few hot rod magazines too. Have you narrowed down the era of your rod yet? Maybe, find a picture of a possible project and Photoshop it. Good Luck.

 

[winston427]

No particular era yet Mac. I have a love and appreciation of all eras and automotive style (except ricers, sorry if I'm biased). It's hard for me to narrow down what I want to build. Walking through the junkyards I don't see rusted old remains, I see dreams waiting to be brought back to life and I want them all.

 

[MercuryMac]

It sounds like you're on the right track with your thinking. Most non-builder people don't walk through junkyards because there is only junk in them, whereas, you see an old car waiting for a magician to bring it back to glorious life. You will be that magician. Right on.

 

[26Troadster]

welcome to rrr, from bama.

 

[Yankee Transplant]

Welcome to RRR from lower Alabama...

 

[Sam_Fear]

Welcome to RRR! How deep do you wanna get into a project? Build your own frame and the whole works or just a fixer upper?

 

[winston427]

I dont mind getting one that needs a lot of work but I can't dive into a custom frame fabrication. I'm only home on the weekends so wrenching time is always limited. That's why my Jeep isn't a daily driver because when I wheel it hard and break it, it can sit until time allows for repairs or upgrades. Finding one that simply needs minor mechanical repairs to be drivable would of course be ideal but then the budget is also limited. I won't start with a bare rusted out shell that will require every single aspect of a build to ever see the road. I have one in mind that a customer has on his lot in OK, a mid 60s Studebaker Lark wagon with the sliding rear roof. It's about 90% complete with a clear title for $1200. Just haven't pulled the trigger because I am still leaning toward something a little older with more curves.

 

[bruno]

Welcome from Ky!

 

[BillM]

Welcome from Southern Ontario. Good idea patiently waiting to decide what you really want...if you get in to something you are completely committed to, next thing you know it will be left sitting - and you don't want that. On the other hand....that Lark sounds interesting, even if you were to clean it up and flip it, it might generate some funds for your "real" project. "Long roofs" are pretty popular now (around here anyway).....

 

[Dirtyrat]

Welcome to RRR!

 

[winston427]

Get to do a little reconnaissance today. Going to browse through a 37 acre antique car salvage yard to get a few ideas. Not sure if it will help me decide on what to build or fill my head with a thousand more possibilities. Either way I will have the camera in hand to build a library of concepts.

 

[buckeyedon]

Welcome to RRR. From Ohio.