Rat rod trucks at Columbus OH

Beck · July 10, 2005, 01:10:07 PM

The rat rod thing is getting hotter in the midwest. Guys are taking nice rods and trashing them into rats. There is a local 27 tall T that is a nice original restored piece. It is going to get the rat rod treatment this fall/winter. The same guy has a steel 32 5 window that he says is going to be a rat rod. I saw a steel 32 5 window sell in the swap area this weekend for $25k. It had the bottom half of the body patch paneled on. It had a running flatty in it. That seems like a lot of money for a builder to me.

Beck · July 10, 2005, 01:15:19 PM

here is another one

GPster · July 10, 2005, 01:48:11 PM

It's entertaining! GPster

kb426 · July 10, 2005, 06:03:47 PM

I thought it was about people with very little money that wanted a car without doing much work. From observing the prices you posted, I completely missed it. Anyone else got a thought?

Brootal · July 10, 2005, 06:09:19 PM

Taking a nice car and turning into a 'Rat Rod' is COMPLETELY missing the point.

Some people just never get 'it'. :?

EMSjunkie · July 10, 2005, 06:19:04 PM

Quote from: "kb426"I thought it was about people with very little money that wanted a car without doing much work. From observing the prices you posted, I completely missed it. Anyone else got a thought?

That was kinda what I was thinking. :?
I try to save a few bucks without making it look like it.
why would you want to shell out big bucks, to make it look like
you didn't.

maybe I don't "get it"

Vance

phat46 · July 10, 2005, 08:08:00 PM

I really like 'em. Do you happen to have anymore pics of the last in the row in the first pic you posted? It looks like a 30's-early40's Ford cab, I'd like to see the front of it. I don't know why anyone would buy a finished "streetrod" and make a "rat rod" out of it. there are plenty of reletively cheap bodies and parts out there to build one from, and i thought that was the point. I have less than $3000 into mine, it's not as "traditional" as those pictured but it definately not a "streetrod" But now that it's mainstream people are getting a lot more money for the old parts that no one wanted a few years ago; this too shall pass.

Beck · July 10, 2005, 10:23:29 PM

I may have mislead some of you. I don't know that the '32 that brought $25k was going to be a rat rod. It is most probably going to recieve a complete make over. I was just suprised to see a car with major rust repair bring that kind of $$$. It may well be worth it, but it is out of my league. I have heard of other nice steel 32 builders bringing that kind of $$. This car was not junk but a very nice builder. I was just commenting that it had had the lower panels replaced.
The body of the 32 that the local guy is going to rat rod isn't perfect but still a builder. The 27 tall T is a super nice original. It could be purchased for $8500. I thought that was a lot of money for a body, which is all that would be usable for a rod. The stock drive train would go. The stock frame isn't strong enough for rodding use. The interior and top would be fine. It would have to have some patina added since the paint is nice, but ugly green. Sorry if I mislead anyone.

I do have a front picture of the trio of rat rods, but it doesn't show the later model well. Check out my next post for a similar truck.

Beck

Beck · July 10, 2005, 10:26:17 PM

I have another shot of a similar truck from the Springfield MO NSRA show. I have a lot of photos of the truck from Springfield if anyone is interested. I believe this was a '37 Ford body.

Beck · July 10, 2005, 10:52:20 PM

I just saw this one on ebay. It looks like it has potential. It's cheap now but has several days left. I figured this wasn't spam since it's not mine nor do I know the owner. It's too far from home for me to consider.
You guys are right about the hole point of keeping the cost down. I would love to have one of these for a driver. I think they would be a ton of fun. A buddy of mine had one similar to the previous post picture. He built it before he went to college (he is now a retired shop teacher). That was his only form of transportation for 2 years. It was used in rain and snow. It was truely his only form of transportation. Several of his buddies had similar trucks.

When I read the specs on these trucks they say they are channeled, chopped, and sectioned. I know what sectioning is. These don't looked sectioned to me. Most of these guys are proud of thier welding and don't cover it up with filler. There is no seam down the side of the body. What am I missing?

?

Now lets see. I have a complete 47 ford car frame with suspension. I need to find a truck body!

Beck

unklian · July 11, 2005, 01:16:55 AM

Sectioning isn't real common on per war cars and trucks,
much easier to just slice the material off the bottom.
Many had the bottom several inches rust away,
so they became self channeling.

But some people like Buzz Words,
so everthing is "Chopped,Channeled,and Sectioned".

In some circles,the more Buzz Words,the cooler you are. :!:

GPster · July 11, 2005, 10:51:40 AM

Quote from: "unklian"But some people like Buzz Words,
so everthing is "Chopped,Channeled,and Sectioned"In some circles,the more Buzz Words,the cooler you are. :!:

That is the best description I could imagine. What is published about the lifestyle has more to do with how good you look standing next to a car, how many tatoos you have, how far the cuffs of your jeans are rolled up, how much cleevage the girl hanging on you is showing. It all depends on how you look and everybody sees stuff differant. The group that was at the "Flats" last year from Salt Lake City had an article done about them in "Hot Rod" and "Ol' Skool Rodz". You don't get to see much that's the same. They are trying to imagine what junk was like in the '50s. 50 years of inflation even makes junk cost more. GPster

MO_JUNK · July 11, 2005, 12:25:55 PM

Beck, the same three trucks were at GG Indy-even made it into the "Pro's Pick" area behind the grandstand. Anyway, I can't relate to taking a nice rod and "ratting" it out. Guess everyone want's to get into it. I forsee "ratted out" trailers to haul them being on the horizon. Anyway, I like these vehicles and I spend alot of time seeking them out at events. They take me back to a simpler time. I believe that it's a movement stating that "things have gotten out of hand". Some are well built cars/trucks made to look rough. Others, I wouldn't drive and aren't safe. I just completed a 26 Modified. It's rough but I consider it well built. Not really a true "rat rod" but a hot rod that is dependable and everyone is welcome to cruise the grounds in. I built it from all the pieces I had left from previous cars. I call it a hotrod. This should get better. Faux patina is no problem but what happens when you attempt to induce bullet holes into a glass body? Just wondering? Sam

Beck · July 11, 2005, 07:18:49 PM

I found a truck cab today. It's a 35 Dodge. It was a big truck but the cabs were all the same back then. One headlight was intact. The other was missing the trim ring. The front fenders and hood were there, but these were big truck parts. The outer grill shell was still there, but quite ugly. The grill was a big truck part also. It would have to be shrunk.

I didn't have the camera along. It had only rained once in the last 6 weeks so naturally I waited for it to rain before going out in the field to check it out.

I think it is even to rough for a rat rod. The hinges were cut on the doors. The owner said they were frozen beyond freeing. The bottom inch or two was pretty well gone on the whole cab. The doors were swiss cheese on the bottom. One front door corner was missing about a 6"x6" piece. The inner structure was seperated from the outer skin most of the way around the cab. There were very deep pits on the whole thing. The only place there was any paint left was on the cowl where the hood had once covered it. It had one good roof marker light the other was broken. I noticed those and thought they would be something different on a rat truck.

The price was right though. As long as I took the whole truck it was free. I told him I would be back after everything dried out again. It is supposed to rain for a week here. That gives me time to think it over a bit. As of now I am thinking it would be best to let it where it is.

If the truck cabs are being sectioned by removing the bottom of the cabs how do you attach the sheet metal back the inner structure? I assume just bend up some sheet and make a panel. Nothing to it right?

Beck

GPster · July 11, 2005, 08:24:25 PM

Quote from: "Beck"It's a 35 Dodge. The outer grill shell was still there, but quite ugly. The grill was a big truck part also. It would have to be shrunk.Beck

Or you could trade it to me. My "Rat Rod" '51 Chevy truck needs a grill shell that's about 23" wide. That's the width I have at the front of how much of the hood I'm using. I'll trade you the top 20" of a "Duece" grill shell. GPster