32 Ford Rat Rod

[LOBBS]

Very tastefully done. If your aim was to create a well-worn old rod that's just in need of some TLC you've definitely hit the mark.

I personally find most of these modern "rat rods" grotesquely overwrought. I'd be willing to bet that some of those builders have spent as much money making their rods fugly as the billet rod guys they're supposed to be rebelling against.

[olarge1]

Those are killer pipes.....HOW did you do them??

thanks.. I used .100 styrene rod and a little heat to bend alot of trial and error I found that its better to leave the pipes long and once you get the fit on the block then cut the angle.

[olarge1]

Very cool build so far. I love me some rat rods.

Here's a tip for skull shifters. There's a hotwheels car (can't remember what it's called) that has skulls for headlights. They are a pretty good size for 1/25. Here's a pic of one in my 32 phaeton.

I think it was called rigormortis? looked for it @ wally world but couldnt find it, will have to buy a half dozen on ebay! Thanks I can see more rat rods in my future!

[jbwelda]

thats a very convincing early hot rod. very sweet

hot wheels with skulls for shift knobs (or for antennae balls on 1/8 scale for that matter):

heres two variants with the skulls.

the rigor motor:

and an unnamed variant evidently with a halloween theme and black skulls:

when these came out i bought up a few of them. the skulls are far superior to those ones in resin and white metal, i forget who makes them but these hotwheels have cooler ones, more anatomically correct for one thing. and a hot wheels costs a buck...and you get two skulls.

again really cool rod there, i especially dig the realistic wear you simulated.

[olarge1]

They had skull radiator caps as far back as the '30's. Well- okay, Ed Iskenderian did, and he cast it himself in shop class, but still, a skull shifter isn't that far fetched!

Glad to see you went with a Flattie- though for future reference if you want to do a Nailhead powered rod, the one in the AMT '66 Riviera (stock or lowrider version, doesn't matter) is really nicely done, though the simplified one from the '40 Panel delivery is pretty good as well, and features a period-style Ford manual gearbox. The Riv motor is stock and lashed to an automatic tranny, but many kits include Nailhead speed parts (I'm sure there are a few aftermarket guys with Nailhead stuff as well) that adapt well to this engine, and a simple razor saw is all you need to remove the autobox and sling whatever four-speed you like behind it!

I've bought five or six of these kits JUST for that engine. Sad, really...

Im kinda hooked on the old rods now so Im sure I will be doing many versions, Thanks for the Ideas and coments.

[The Red Ranger]

I bet those would make a good shift knob for a shifter too!