I Smell A Rat (Rod) or "What to Do When AMT Gives You a Lemon

[ToyLvr]

Hi Folks:

Just recently completed my first Rat Rod (see attached pix).

I normally like to build what I call "Showroom Stock" cars, and paint them in nice shiny colors.

My local model car club chose the Model T Ford as the club's internal contest theme for 2012, so a few months ago I went out and purchased the AMT 1925 Model T kit. I intended to build a nice little T-Bucket roadster in traditional style. When I opened up the kit, I found that the roadster body was badly deformed. I was about to ship it back back to AMT - with a strongly worded letter - when one of my fellow club members suggested that perhaps I hang on to it for future use in a junkyard diorama, etc. The work "junkyard" stuck in my head, and over a period of days it morphed into "junker", and finally I knew what to do - build my first "Rat".

It was quite a change of pace for me, and took a lot longer to build it "ugly" than I thought it would. I have a new-found respect for you guys who have been building them this way for years.

Hope you find it amusing. Questions/comments/suggestions are all welcome...

Mike

[geetee66]

Raised from the dead!

Well done with resurrecting the T...it deserved it..poor old thing.

[Modelbuilder Mark]

Very cool! Congrats on stepping into something new!

[JasonC]

Is that your Corvair in your avatar? I got a 65 myself!

[realgone58]

That came out great! Love the twin-pot six. I too am mostly a replica stock builder, (or at least shiny) and not long ago, I ventured into my first rat rod build with the very same kit! I used a Ford flathead V-8, and a chopped '26 T 4 door sedan resin body. The body's badly casted resin is what prompted me to build rat rod style. It was fun! Every now and again I think I'll build another rat.

[Sixties Sam]

Nice rat! well done, not too rusty, just right! What engine is that?

Sam

[ToyLvr]

Sam - the engine is a Chevy "Stovebolt" 6-banger, sourced from the AMT '51 Bel Air kit. As Alan noticed, I opted to install the performance "Nicson" 2-carb intake manifold with the "Zenith" carbs as supplied in the Bel Air kit.

Hey Alan - when the kit manufacturers give us a lemon, we make lemonade.....

BTW, anyone interested in specific details of this build, I wrote a very indepth article for the newsletter of my local model car club. Send me a PM with your e-mail address, and I'll send you a copy....

[mcgedert]

Great rat. Sometimes steping outside the box is a good thing.