Show car vs Muscle Ratrod……..

[Bb70charger500]

I have more fun in my mutt's, beaters whatever you call it ,then I do in show cars . I like making them nice but they rarely stay when there nice because I don't want to hurt them . So I get rid of it and start over with a beater rod just to have fun

 

[entropy1049]

I would propose that along as you don't do anything that can't be undone, just get the thing on the road and enjoy .

 

[smb03]

mine was a numbers matching 383-2bbl car, whoopty doo...now ill have more fun with it being modified

 

[TetanusShot]

Was in the same boat a couple years ago, I had enough money saved to fix mine up nice and put a new interior in it. Instead I left it primered black and gutted, and used the money to build a Hemi for it instead. No regrets, its my daily driver when the snow isn't flying.

 

[Malicious]

Just a thought, if it really is 'too good to rat' and 'deserves to be numbers built', sell it and buy one that drives and you can enjoy. Or find a guy with a driving 'whatever' charger and work out a trade, with cash if needed. Win-win.

Personally, mine is half way. Built to drive, but built as nice as my time and funds would allow. Having said that, I am always on the look out for some ratty muscle. I was eyeing off a 72 Rancharo the other day... it could carry parts for my Mopar! ;)

 

[1967coronet]

We take our 67 all over, out for supper, walmart , ect. It was a 318 car now has the 383 & 3:23 sure grip in it, scratchs and a small ding or two, grandkids eat ice cream in it. Couple years ago I loaded up the G kids in the winter after a snow and we went to the ball field parking lot and spun donuts for awhile.
Finish that charger your way and go have fun.
I respect the trailer queens for the looks and hrs that are in them and do like to look them over, But give me a good old hot rod anyday.

 

[747mopar]

Built it for fun and forget it. I do like a purdy paint job but you could always shoot some flat black on it until you have the time and funds. Enjoying will keep the desire alive.

 

[Darthomas]

There's two ways to enjoy a car, in the driver's seat, or from outside.

The more perfect you make something, the more things will ding into it.

 

[64BEL]

I fell into a car that could be fully restored or left alone. At first I thought it was too rusty. But after looking at it and realizing what a rarity I found - an unmolested original car, I found a way to buy it. While the outer body has a lot of rust, it's extremely solid just as it is - all solid underneath and runs like a beast. I'm not touching it and leaving it as is. I plan to keep driving it as often as I can and am not worried about adding more miles to the low original 57,000 that are on it. This thing is just a blast to drive and the reactions from car guys who understand it is priceless when they realize what it is. Drive it and enjoy it!!!!

 

[747mopar]

I fell into a car that could be fully restored or left alone. At first I thought it was too rusty. But after looking at it and realizing what a rarity I found - an unmolested original car, I found a way to buy it. While the outer body has a lot of rust, it's extremely solid just as it is - all solid underneath and runs like a beast. I'm not touching it and leaving it as is. I plan to keep driving it as often as I can and am not worried about adding more miles to the low original 57,000 that are on it. This thing is just a blast to drive and the reactions from car guys who understand it is priceless when they realize what it is. Drive it and enjoy it!!!!View attachment 388818 View attachment 388819 View attachment 388820

Ummmmm, I think I see why its a blast to drive..... nice!

 

[1baddogg]

Enjoy it while you can , I know I am , mine is in hot rod black and will be drove and enjoyed like that for some time to come... Im loving just having it going again ,

 

[entropy1049]

Enjoy it while you can , I know I am , mine is in hot rod black and will be drove and enjoyed like that for some time to come... Im loving just having it going again , View attachment 389210

Looks EXCELLENT!

 

[R/T]

 

[1baddogg]

Beautiful RT !

 

[Cranky]

Just got to get this one going again!!

 

[Superb Bee]

I fell into a car that could be fully restored or left alone. At first I thought it was too rusty. But after looking at it and realizing what a rarity I found - an unmolested original car, I found a way to buy it. While the outer body has a lot of rust, it's extremely solid just as it is - all solid underneath and runs like a beast. I'm not touching it and leaving it as is. I plan to keep driving it as often as I can and am not worried about adding more miles to the low original 57,000 that are on it. This thing is just a blast to drive and the reactions from car guys who understand it is priceless when they realize what it is. Drive it and enjoy it!!!!View attachment 388818 View attachment 388819 View attachment 388820

Thats awesome..
There is a guy in the worcester mass area (oxford I think) and he has a 64 hemi polara, the outside is similar to yours condition wise and the interior is clean but original for the most part, he had any tears fixed but no resto.. The best part is when he opened the hood, the car was all white and patina, but under the hood was fresh white paint, with the cleanest hemi you ever seen, lol.. It was unexpected, it had the hemi hood on it and the car was relatively rust free, just a bit of surface here and there but the underneath and the engine compartment looked spanking new...

 

[terzmo]

"muscle rat rod" I hate the term "rat rod" and to add muscle just makes it worse. A "rat rod" to me is just a term to make an old car look like crap all over again. Or pull an old body out of the field,get it running,add to the rust with stupid pipes,ornaments,whatever. Saying that, a car in primer that's may/may not have dents, and driven for fun is fine but on my terms NOT a "rat rod" If you stick all kinds of pipes and crap all over,leave it rusted to heck forever,drive it through mud/crap and never wash it and think that's cool...fine...but I'd rather never see it. My 2 cents,you don't need a trailer queen to have fun but these rat rods are like taking a dog outside to a party limping with 2 broke legs. Old cars need to be restored reasonably if possible,not made a joke out of. A joke....that's what a "rat rod" is for my 2 cents

 

[Outlaw525]

It's your car, do what you want. My '68 GTX is a factory hemi car that had been basically abondoned for 30 years. I could have investing alot of $ and spent 5+ years restoring it. I chose to rebuild the suspension and drive train and install my 472 hemi. I drive the crap out of it HARD and have had more fun with this car since it was finished last summer than probably any car since my first six barrel 'Runner in high school 35 years ago. Also it drives the inspection paint mark, date coded plug wire guys that have critique everybody else's cars nuts. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate and respect the restored to original cars, they just aren't my thing to own.

My vote: get it on the road, have fun and don't worry about a little rock chip or two.

 

[terzmo]

It's your car, do what you want. My '68 GTX is a factory hemi car that had been basically abondoned for 30 years. I could have investing alot of $ and spent 5+ years restoring it. I chose to rebuild the suspension and drive train and install my 472 hemi. I drive the crap out of it HARD and have had more fun with this car since it was finished last summer than probably any car since my first six barrel 'Runner in high school 35 years ago. Also it drives the inspection paint mark, date coded plug wire guys that have critique everybody else's cars nuts. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate and respect the restored to original cars, they just aren't my thing to own.

My vote: get it on the road, have fun and don't worry about a little rock chip or two.

View attachment 389619 View attachment 389620

Iagree. Yours doesn't resemble a rat rod...50 years ago if a rodder had a choice between spending money on a faster motor or a paint job...most went the motor route

 

[Cranky]

I'm not a fan of the 'rat rod' term either. I remember in the late 50's when guys drove the best 'hot rod' that they could afford. The term rat rod now applies to them but in reality, they were hot rodders and their cars were hot rods. Say "I like your rat rod" to one of them back then and look out....