FLASHBACK! A large number of you have been asking us to move a number of our old articles into the new format so in this issue we are bringing back two of the most requested articles - Rat Rods At Back To The 50's and SEMA 2009. We hope you enjoy!
What came first, the Rat Rod or the Hot Rod, the chicken or the egg? Does it really matter? In one instance we have eggs, loved by some and not eaten by others, the other, chicken, roasted, fried, crispy, glazed. The same goes for the flavors of cars, like the chicken or egg debate there will never be a correct answer. Regardless, to not at least sample this world of custom cars known as Rat Rods, is to deny yourself an experience that will expose you to yet another art form.
I’m not sure that the birth of “Rat Rods” as they are known today, can ever be tagged to any particular date, time or event. You can spend days looking at old issues of car mags and find all kinds of examples of cars in primer with front ends from one car and a rear from another. You can go back even further, post war, when budding young mechanics without a lot of options for car parts were adapting whatever they could find to make it work. You can even go further back to the 30’s and the depression years, where necessity warranted making anything work as long as it got you places. If you put these cars side by side you would have a car that sure looks a lot like what we now call a Rat Rod.
I view these cars, trucks and even vans, as an inventive utilization of parts, and with a few other trinkets, form some pretty darn fine automobiles that are every bit as inventive and creative as any high dollar car built.
How many times have you asked yourself, “How did they do that?” Or, say something like “Yes but I could never do that”, well I am here to say that in most cases you can do anything. I say most because there is always a point where one has to be honest with their limitations, we all have them, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. There is a reason for the huge aftermarket parts world, it’s there to help us car builders. Many times I have spent hours trying to build a part for a project only to order one that was built for the purpose. I know what some of you are saying, “that’s easy to say, but I can’t afford to buy those expensive aftermarket parts, I have to make my own“ or “I have more time than money”.
This 34 project is a classic example of those two statements. I started on this car in 1990. At this stage I still haven’t told my wife that we now own this thing, not the best way to start a project. Money is always going to be an issue when building anything and with two young ones, mom always has the last word. If at that time I had the cash, I could have towed this car around town and had the pros do it all, and I applaud the owners who are at a place in their lives where thay can do this, their hi-dollar masterpieces are the inspiration for many of us to build a car of our own. Well if there’s a will there’s a way. I bought parts, sold parts for a profit, traded labor for labor, made some of the parts, and at times convinced the family that something I needed would make a great Christmas or Birthday gift. Looking back if I would have put the overtime in at my day job and bought the aftermarket parts, I may have been way farther along.
There is no right or wrong way to build a car, and don’t feel bad if your result is similar to mine, we will finish our cars. In my case, this 34 will be a project vehicle for PartPal-In-Print, the motivation to finish it is back, so lets get going. Follow the build and I hope you are inspired to get to work on your project.
If you have attended the SEMA Show in Las Vegas hosted by the Specialty Equipment Market Association and were asked to explain to the curious what you saw, you would probably use words like "fantastic", "WOW", or "You just have to see it to believe it". But none of them would give a true picture of what this event is all about. This show is massive, and even with the 2009 show feeling the pinch of a cash strapped economy, it is still days and days of automotive after market over indulgence.
If you are in the automotive business, the SEMA organization will give you the tools to improve. Educational seminars are put on by some of the best in the business, and held every day throughout the event. There is a cross section of vendors covering every spectrum of the industry. Product Specialists are abundant and are willing to answer all of your questions. Then there are the Cars, Cars and more Cars. A car show within a trade show. Cars built by many of the household names as well as the soon-to-be stars.
