What do you like most about rodding?

[Willowbilly3]

Trailer brakes or not, my rpu only weighs 1900#, not enough lead in it's shorts to handle a trailer. Maybe a little Mullins or something that size.

 

[440shorty]

exactly

Tanks for a great thread. I also love making stuff.
The attention doesn't hurt either, but I do it mostly for me. My late-model projects mostly have been sleepers, so they don't draw much attention until After the loud pedal drops.

I also love using cast-off parts. kinda like automotive recycling. That would be a good name for my s10 project - The Cast-Off.

440shorty

Mechanical Creativity!

 

[05snopro440]

I have to go with the building part, I like a challenge of dreaming something up and then someone says 'you can't do that it won't work" and then you do [.
And yes the attention is good too, mostly if their car people. [cl

I agree that the attention is better if they're car people. Proving people wrong is always fun, hey

Trailer brakes or not, my rpu only weighs 1900#, not enough lead in it's shorts to handle a trailer. Maybe a little Mullins or something that size.

Back to the topic [ddd

 

[Neverdone]

I like the creativity any thing goes philosophy of rat rods.

 

[tmgant]

I like all the work that goes into them, but the thing that drives me is the time i get to spend with my sons. I get to see the joy of learning something new, at the same time talking about life, and keeping them on the right path. (One's 17 one's 20). I hope they get half as much from this has i do. I'm sure there's more like me out there. Tobby

 

[zzrodder]

All of the above X2.
But for me the best feeling is the first drive in a fresh built rod.
Anticipation, excitement, nervousness, pride and fear all at once, an ear cocked for weird noises, the smell of header paint and hot pipes, an eye in the mirror for stray parts, pondering the wisdom of the first burnout.
Pure heaven ,
Almost better than se_ ............er, well at least on par...

 

[MercuryMac]

Pride in my accomplishments. I am proud of taking on quite a few challenges and beating them. That is why it burns my biffy when someone comes along who hasn't built anything and points out some little wee flaw like a rock chip, unmatched tire or antifreeze leak and misses seeing years of work and creativity.

Making parts and then, making them look like they came with the car 70 years ago.
Can I add these to my 'happy' list?

 

[DougnDog]

Wow, how did the car handle such a heavy trailer ? I know the power would be ok, but did it try to push you around going down the road ?

One time I loaded a stripped out Mustang body on my trailer to take to the scrap yard and it was the scariest ride I ever took, never prayed so much in my life. I was towing it with my Ford LTD, and even with that big of a car it was shoving me all over the road.

Don

Yes Don......not a good idea, truth be told it was empty save for the steel I bought. and the steel yard is only a mile from my shop. the only reason I used it. altho my rod weighs in at 2040 pounds and has disk brakes on the rear. I DO NOT recommend towing with a rat rod. but I have used it to tow my bike at times.

 

[05snopro440]

Can I add these to my 'happy' list?

We might have to vote on it Mac [ddd

Agreed, coming up with creative solutions to problems is rewarding. It's one of the reasons I could never restore a car to 100% stock.

 

[buckeyedon]

Defiantly the build the mechanical aspects figuring things out. Helping friends with there builds... Then driving. Swap meets are a lot of fun looking for certain parts and buying stuff just cause I like it. Old cars and trucks just get my blood up.

 

[IAM-LDS-2]

For me it's the people I meet . Have had lots of great conversations with both car guys and just regular folks who were out and about to pass the time . Have seen a lot of kids go home with a smile on their face and a picture of them sitting in the rat in their parents phone / camera . Also people watching is great fun . Sometimes I will move my self to a location where the people looking can't see me . I find some folks will take more time looking when nobody is sitting at the truck . Have also had quite a few of those type lookers come back to find me and ask questions .

 

[BillM]

I have to agree with many of the posts already...Don pretty well summed up my feelings - the attention, but also the sense of satisfaction of building the entire car, the creativity, and all lot of it is the "network".....in the garage, online here and while out......by and large, car guys are awesome.....the majority of "us" would go out of our way to help out another, on the road, tracking down a part, a hot lead on a car somewhere......

....and RRR's are probably the best examples of that network.

Proud to be one.

 

[Dirtyrat]

A lot of you had some great points about what you really love about building, and I agree there are so many positive things to building Rats or Hot Rods!

For me the majority of it is the build itself, but the first time you roll that build out to a show or event and the flock of people that come to check out something new is great! The sense of accomplishment of building something with your own two hands whether it was the entire build or most of it. I think one thing that really intrigues me is having something that no one else has, and I don't mean putting a different touch on a build, I mean something completely different or unique. I love cars, but I can only look at so many muscle cars all painted up with nice interior and wheels before I'm bored... I also like the challenge of engineering different aspects of the build rather than just buying an off the shelf part at every turn.

I do really enjoy the people I meet as well most of the time, there are always the crazies that come out of the woodwork at times, but for the most part people really are great to meet and talk to at shows. I specifically like the people that actually do their own work and I have a hard time talking to people who show a car they had zero part of other than picking colors out of a book. I guess it's tough to have something in common with someone who doesn't enjoy the build process...

I hope that through our builds we inspire another generation to get off their rears, off their computers, phones and other e-devices, and do something in the real world with passion. So much of today's world is throw away and people really are losing the ability to repair or rebuild things for themselves...

 

[billy]

oh yeah
i like giving rides too.[cl

 

[MercuryMac]

Dirtyrat, You touched on something there that reminded me of a 'happy trigger' for me. I like to fix things or rebuild something because, parts of it are still good so the whole thing shouldn't be thrown away. I guess I'm not part of the throw away society.

 

[IAM-LDS-2]

oh yeah
i like giving rides too.[cl

I had at one time considered that , but felt the liability factor could not be ignored , so I just let them sit in it . Surprising how so many little boys start making motor noise when they grab the steering wheel .

 

[billy]

I had at one time considered that , but felt the liability factor could not be ignored , so I just let them sit in it . Surprising how so many little boys start making motor noise when they grab the steering wheel .

I have had folks jump with glee when I offered to give their kids a ride.
Course they want a ride too...

 

[jfg455]

Engineering something that there is no bolt on part for

engine swaps that you would never expect

building something from nothing

loud, brash, fast, type A personality rods

HP, HP, HP...

craftsmanship, welding porn, bare metal before paint..

 

[mikec4193]

Hi Everyone

I am kind of a loner so I try and stay away from car shows and such...too many people around for me....I like the welding of 2 pieces of metal together...I like grinding metal too...
Some of the older trucks (and cars too) have such soul and have so much character too...when I get a project so it will run down the road at highway speeds...I will be loving the ride out to see my kids...now that part is going to be cool for me...

my smelly old 2 cents...

MikeC

 

[Jason454]

I like searching for parts, getting a good deal, building them for cheap and that first drive. I also love the looks on my sons friends face when one day its a frame sitting there, next time its a frame and body, next time "do you want a ride?"