ratrods - Jalopnik

posts about #ratrods more →
The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
The Stupidest Awesome Car At Billetproof 2009: Lowest Car Ever
And The Winner Of The Greatest Use Of Fiero Powertrain: '39 Chevy Rat Rod
Flame Jobs Or Surface Rust?
Billetproof: All Ate Up With Motor
1-in-5 Youngsters Dig Muscle Cars
Autorama Blowout! Vintage Rods - It's All About the Parts
2006 Woodward Dream Pre-Cruise: What's The Difference Between A "Rat Rod" And A "Hot Rod?"
Hanging in the Bronx with the Rumblers
Car Shows We Love: Asphalt Invitational '05

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discontinuuity has left the Jalop until further notice
08/06/09

In reply to The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
"Yoke," huh? Is that what you're calling it Ben?
Great photos Eric. I only wish that the aspect ratio was more conducive to making them wallpaper. Have you posted them to the Hamb? Those guys would live the vertical pictures for their calendar.
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TAInvestor
08/06/09

@discontinuuity: What do you need done to the photos to use them as wallpaper? Currently I have number 30 as mine. If I can change something on my end I am willing to e-mail them to anyone who wants them.
Who is the Hamb? I obviously wouldn't say no to anyone who wants to use my photographs in an appropriate manner.
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discontinuuity is missing Uncle Pete, the Auto Insider, and the Banhammered Nine promoted this comment TAInvestor was starred TAInvestor was unstarred

Smells_Homeless
08/06/09

@TAInvestor: The HAMB is an awesome message board populated with exactly the kind of audience that appreciates pics like this the most.
[www.jalopyjournal.com]
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discontinuuity is missing Uncle Pete, the Auto Insider, and the Banhammered Nine promoted this comment Smells_Homeless was starred Smells_Homeless was unstarred

Novaload
08/06/09

In reply to The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
Some of the best photos ever. Seriously. High art and low rods.
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theeastbaykid
08/06/09

In reply to The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
Shameless plug: The minds behind Billetproof and LeMons are teaming up to knock the Monterey weekend down a notch next week: www.concoursdlemons.com
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TAInvestor
08/07/09

@theeastbaykid: I would love to photograph a LeMons race. So many great images to be had. Do they do any in Texas, perhaps around the San Antonio area?
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Rockford_Brodie promoted this comment TAInvestor was starred TAInvestor was unstarred

Rockford Brodie and the Masters of the Hooniverse
08/07/09

@TAInvestor: YEE-HAW IT'S LeMONS TEXAS (2009)
Date: October 24-25, 2009
Track: MSR Houston, Angleton TX
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TAInvestor
08/06/09

In reply to The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
Thank you everybody! Im the camera jokcey, Eric. Im a new member here so I realize that nobody really knows me yet, although I have been reading the site for some months now.
But I hope everyone enjoys the pictures
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P161911 now with M POWER! promoted this comment TAInvestor was starred TAInvestor was unstarred

acarr260
08/07/09

@TAInvestor: Thanks for sharing - very cool pics. Welcome to the commentariat. I hope you enjoy yourself here.
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Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable
08/06/09

In reply to The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
Is it weird that I find the Stude pickup much more interesting than any of the ratrods?
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
08/06/09

@Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable: No, because that's a pretty damn nice, unusual truck.
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Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable
08/06/09

@TV's Paul Y.: A local garage has one in their yard, and I saw one at a carshow this past May, that made 4 Stude trucks I've ever seen. Edsels are always a win, and it's nice to see a toothy DeSoto grille still in an actual Desoto, but hotrods? Meh.
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TAInvestor
08/06/09

@Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable: Interesting story about that picture. I had the truck all framed up for a shot and an old man walked up to it and looked inside. I was a little upset since the spot where this truck was placed I could take a picture of it and not have too much background noise. However I decided to work with what I had and took the picture you see there. It ended up being one of my favorites. I guess I should thank that old man huh? lol.
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Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable promoted this comment TAInvestor was starred TAInvestor was unstarred

Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable
08/07/09

@TAInvestor: Happens to me whenever I go to car shows- find a car that's an interesting subject (NOT a Mustang, Camaro, Chevelle, etc.), frame the shot, start to push the button, and some dude walks obliviously into the shot. Personally, I much prefer bringing my camera to the junkyard- composition is sometimes a problem, but crowds never are.
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TAInvestor
08/07/09

@Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable: I would like to do a junkyard series. Should be fun, I've never been to a junkyard before
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Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable
08/07/09

@TAInvestor: Well, with your artistic eye, you should have no problem besting my efforts.
[jalopnik.com]
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TAInvestor
08/07/09

@Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable: I like that picture, it looks so very sad.
This is going to be a very novice question to ask, and I am embarrassed to ask it here. However, do you have to pay to get into a junkyard or just pay for whatever you want to take out of the junkyard? I am already ashamed lol.
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Serious Mopar Jones- Incurable
08/09/09

@TAInvestor: It seems to be different all over the country- junkyards here (Maine) let you wander more or less at will, and pulling your own parts is S.O.P., and cheaper. Some places, I hear, have a "cover charge", and some places won't let you in at all...
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superbadd75, now I remember why I left...
08/06/09

In reply to The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
Slammed Conti #20... fucking sweet.

#23 looks pretty damn raunchy. I'm lovin' that one, too.
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vwminispeedster, pronounded Si-trow-in promoted this comment Edited by superbadd75, now I remember why I left... at 08/06/09 6:27 PM

Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet
08/06/09

In reply to The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
#26 is fantastic. Wish you hadn't processed all the images so much.
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TAInvestor
08/07/09

@Van Sarockin, rogue trebuchet: Thank you for your compliment and I also appreciate the criticism.
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Rockford_Brodie promoted this comment TAInvestor was starred TAInvestor was unstarred

Psiu! Puxa!: You're right, Mopar or no car!
08/06/09

In reply to The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
I love billetproof and anything else that brings hotrodders back to their roots. All of the flame painted Boyd Coddington (RIP) style stuff that passes for a "hot rod" these days is just played out and fake to me, anyone with a thick wallet can buy it. I love seeing these vehicles built the way our hotrodding ancestors did it, piecing together bits of different cars and building stuff they thought up on their own. I'm not saying that some of the stuff at billetproof isn't bought from professional builders or anything, because I've seen that too, but it just breathes the essence of traditional hotrodding.
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Ben Wojdyla promoted this comment

P161911 probably shoudn't have
08/06/09

In reply to The Paint And Chrome Artwork of Billetproof Texas
Is #14 an MGA? Really wasn't expecting that.
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Bret
08/06/09

@P161911 now with M POWER!: I thought that too and am pretty sure it is. Here's a shot from a similar angle I took of an MGA {hopes linked image works...}
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P161911 probably shoudn't have
08/06/09

@Bret: It IS an MGA, but with a big hole cut in the nose beside the grill. Wonder what kind of engine they shoved in there. An MGA is pretty close to a factory made Rat Rod. It comes from the factory with plywood floors I believe, and I'm pretty sure rust was installed at the factory too.
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Plecostomus [Tyrrell]
06/10/09

In reply to The Stupidest Awesome Car At Billetproof 2009: Lowest Car Ever
God, this car is dangerous-looking.

it looks rickety and likely to kill you in the way that a dilapidated old wooden roller coaster is. if it were really scary, and missing sections of track and had no safety harnesses.
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thunder; now eta-powered
06/09/09

In reply to The Stupidest Awesome Car At Billetproof 2009: Lowest Car Ever
Crud; clicked too soon. It was done up with a Caterpillar radiator and Caterpillar-yellow wheels. Some huge sprocket for a steering wheel and a huge Crescent wrench for a shifter.

Didn't get a chance to talk with the owner, but saw him hit the hydraulics to get it off the ground before driving off, with his head sticking out above the roofline. The engine sounded pretty decent too.
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thunder; now eta-powered
06/09/09

In reply to The Stupidest Awesome Car At Billetproof 2009: Lowest Car Ever
You call that low?

Seen last fall at the Outkasts Kar Klub show in Beautiful Downtown Mitchell, SD, home of the World Famous®, One & Only Corn Palace.
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golferal - Now with no Segway!
06/09/09

In reply to The Stupidest Awesome Car At Billetproof 2009: Lowest Car Ever
I hate rat rods. Not only because they generally look like shit, but because they are universally owned by overly tatooed douchebags who seem to be stuck in a WWII era time zone. And don't even get me started on their "significant others", who are equally tatted up and seem to think their dyed hair (choose your favorite color of red, orange or jet black), pasty white skin, and fat asses are somehow attractive.

The whole fucking scene pisses me off.
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MushyHeirloom
06/09/09

@golferal - has no need for a snarky screen name: Hey, there is nothing wrong with black hair and pale skin.

Well, if you/your partner drive a hearse.
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discontinuuity has left the Jalop until further notice
06/09/09

In reply to The Stupidest Awesome Car At Billetproof 2009: Lowest Car Ever
I have no problem with people making unique hot rods on a budget, but at least make it safe people. You know, brakes that work, functional suspension, and maybe a floor (even if it's made of 1/4" plywood it would be safer than the air separating the driver from the driveshaft and axle). I'm not asking for you to make it safer than a Volvo; modern crash protection is pretty much impossible with something this old -- but at least make it so that the very act of driving around won't cause a part of the car to break apart, sending it careening towards oncoming traffic.

If you want a badass "rat rod," do something like the Green Grenade:

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Novaload
06/09/09

@discontinuuity is once again meme-free: Hot stuff indeed.
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Mad_Science
06/09/09

In reply to The Stupidest Awesome Car At Billetproof 2009: Lowest Car Ever
This pretty much straddles the line between ratty cool and a cobbled together piece of crap.

I'm no OG rat rodder or anything...but I thought the origin was more about focusing on mechanical stuff and using what you had around to build a rod than making it intentionally crappy.

I guess the problem comes from my inability to figure out if the builder is really an awesome fabricator and this is what he chose to build...or if this is a cobbled-together piece of crap.
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