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Rod Rat

Tips to Build a Rat Rod

A rat rod is not at all a machine like other sports car. It is not pretty in its looks as it is said that the older the car is, better the rat-rod. It is basically a bare-bones car built for speed and racing. Every rat rod built is unique to its owner. It doesn't have any specific looks or finishes done on its surface. Following are given some tips to which help you to build it. These tips are easy and simple.

Items Required

You need following items;

- Chassis
- Engine
- Frame
- Power Components

Directions

Pick out Your Engine

Selection of engine is largely depends on what kind of frame you are considering and how much power you need from the engine. If you are the one who can spend much, you can search on the Internet and look for the best performance specs. However, if you don't want to spend much, simply visit any local junk yard and see what you can pick up for a reasonable price.

Build or Acquire the Frame

As far as the frame is concerned, you can use anything you want as long as it is strong and sturdy enough to not to fall apart under the influence of the speed you want to achieve. Mostly light weight metals and composites are used these days for racing machines. Whatever you choose largely depends on your budget.

Mount the Engine in the Frame and Install the Basic Power Components

After picking up an engine and right frame for your rat rod, you are now ready to assemble all the components such as battery, transmission, wheels and axis. Make sure that the parts perfectly fit into the frame. If you have bought a junkyard car as a frame of your rat rod, you can easily find the parts that can easily be fixed on the structure. As we know that rat rod isn't a necessarily a street legal so adding lights could be an afterthought.

Test the Heart and Guts of the Car

Make sure that the engine is working properly and wheels and all other supportive components functioning well. You can now proceed to other things.

Install the Steering Control Mechanism and Gas and Brake Pedals

Now is the time to install the controlling mechanism and pedals. Install them properly and make sure that while sitting in the rat rod you can access all the controls easily.

Finish Up the Body and Interior

Rat rod is considered as a racing machine, so anything you add additional to it; there will be an increase in the overall weight. You can also add body panels that will help to increase the vehicle's aerodynamics or decreasing drag or they will increase the amount of tire grip as like in spoilers. They do add weight as well. A last point for some enthusiasts that flames doesn't increase the speed of your car.

About the Author

You might want to learn more about Build a Soapbox Derby Car and also Build a Rat Rod

What is a good Chassis for a rat rod with a 542 chevy big block?

Im planning on building a rat rod with a 542 Chevy big block and don't know what chassis I should use.

The S10 truck frames are used in alot of projects like this as it lends it's self well to mods, easy to fab, will fit a v8, and has a good front suspension design. Also alot of parts already made that will fit the S10 frames like drop kits, rear suspension kits, air ride kits, ford 9" rear ends, etc

Vette Doctors 2010 "RAT ROD" Camaro 485 CID SuperCharged

This entry was posted on Friday, August 8th, 2008 at 5:31 pm and is filed under paintings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.