The Case For Ratty Muscle Cars

[eldubb440]

Agree 100%. The ratty muscle car keeps you an "eternal teenager".​

There's nothing wrong with having nice cars too.

years ago I developed a look I call "high school"........ like the kid working on his own car in shop class while keeping it drivable.....primer spots, different color panels, ect......It never really caught on, lol

 

[Kern Dog]

 

[eldubb440]

View attachment 1072192

lol.... I was thinking of you as I was typing........ High School!

 

[SteveSS]

He sure doesn't sound like he's from Tennesee! I have to admit I do love ratty muscle cars. When I got the GTO (Really a Tempest.) I was looking for a car I really liked and would drive even if it was ratty. A lot of times you guys post cars for sale that look like they need a ton of work but I would drive them as is.

 

[#41]

years ago I developed a look I call "high school"........ like the kid working on his own car in shop class while keeping it drivable.....primer spots, different color panels, ect......It never really caught on, lol

Developed? Never caught on? That's just the regular Mopar life for 40 years or more for lots of us.

 

[Bb70charger500]

I like driving them sweaty looking. Don't got to worry about damage ... I get board of nice restored cars always worried some a hole will hit it! I don't keep finished cars long . It's a little a body that's rough it's worth more as a cool driver then someone would pay for it as a project ..

Drive on

 

[Budnicks]

Alaska & even upcountry here
has all kinds of rustbuckets like that

I remember seeing guys
rivet beer cans over holes so they could drive them even

not really my cup of tea
I'd rather make it somewhat presentable
unless you have to drive it

you want to see that stuff just watch Roadkill Garage
they do it all the time

edit;
Mine isn't really what I'd call ratty,
it's no show piece or trailer queen either
not that there's anything wrong with that style of build either
but it was ratty when I bought it back in Dec. 2005
went thru several renditions before the paint
I just didn't like seeing the dents, crease or small rust holes holes
or bad repairs
I drove it around in Ultra Flat black for 12 years,
after a lil' bodywork
to straighten out some of the worst parts
so I could drive it & not just be beater/'a pile'
before finally painting it the org. LL1 with my personal touches

this was right after a respray/touch up of the Ultra Flat Black Paint
Apr. 2011 after 5+ years driving it that way

this is after the garage paint job 20 ft-er Oct 2017
nevermind the date stamp it's wrong

 

[Darter6]

High School Engine Rebuild. Hone,Rings&Bearings finish it off lapping the valves.
Doing it all yourself.
Hey when you were working for a $1 a hour that was something.

 

[64BEL]

The real problem is the cost of redoing the car, nevermind a true restoration. This leaves most people with.

Have fun with what ya got and do with it as you please.

OR

Spend everything on a mint body and have no money left over to do ****.

Do you enjoy the car or not?
How you get to enjoy that car is often limited to the wallets thickness.

Must the car be restored in order to drive it?
If it does, I have a donation barrel in my back yard that is empty and I’ll take what ever you give.
But I’m driving it until the day I reach the resto shops price tag.

Which brings up another point? Actually several.
Is the price of a resto going to increase the cars value to the point of you getting your money back?
Is a Duster worth restoring? A triple black HEMI 4spd ‘70 Cuda is I’m sure. Come sale time, I’m sure you’ll make money on it.
How well does that work for a old commmon made by the millions A body people mover grocery getter car now?

It’s a hobby with many avenues to take that is often limited by the wallet and ones desire to do with what they want with there car there way.
It’s a shame the resto Nazi’s are ruining the run factor of just simply owning a old car you just get running and want to drive around and show up at a gathering with.

This turns off more people than you think from even getting an old car.
One that could have been saved or at the very least, put on life support rather than just sitting and rusting away somewhere. And one less car Car hobbyist in the crew. This just simply never enough of us no matter how you slice it.

Like, Like, Like! This is why I drive my Satellite the way it is. Don't let the rotted sheet metal fool you. It's as solid as can be underneath. I've never seen another one like it that wasn't rotted on the underside, too. Still only 60,000 miles on it, and it rolls down the road as smooth as can be. It's a great cruiser and an animal when called upon. I love them all, restored and unrestored, and I can tell you that I don't see any of the rust while I'm behind the wheel banging gears in an original Hemi car that I wouldn't have been able to afford if it were restored.

 

[69a100]

I stopped watching a .15 seconds when I saw and realized this dumbshit is to lazy to clean the back window!!!!!

 

[Budnicks]

Like, Like, Like! This is why I drive my Satellite the way it is. Don't let the rotted sheet metal fool you. It's as solid as can be underneath. I've never seen another one like it that wasn't rotted on the underside, too. Still only 60,000 miles on it, and it rolls down the road as smooth as can be. It's a great cruiser and an animal when called upon. I love them all, restored and unrestored, and I can tell you that I don't see any of the rust while I'm behind the wheel banging gears in an original Hemi car that I wouldn't have been able to afford if it were restored.

View attachment 1072220

but;
that's a fucken badass car to start with too

 

[F4R/T]

I recall paper route money to buy my first then print shop and a restaurant to keep it going...

 

[Hey-O]

I had two darts back in the day, fix it, It's a classic. To many newer **** buckets to drive in the snow, no Thanks. I guess because It's old you don't have to clean the snow off it either. Just my opinion.

 

[67charger383]

He sure doesn't sound like he's from Tennesee! I have to admit I do love ratty muscle cars. When I got the GTO (Really a Tempest.) I was looking for a car I really liked and would drive even if it was ratty. A lot of times you guys post cars for sale that look like they need a ton of work but I would drive them as is.

He left NYC 20 years ago once the commies took over

 

[Hey-O]

Like, Like, Like! This is why I drive my Satellite the way it is. Don't let the rotted sheet metal fool you. It's as solid as can be underneath. I've never seen another one like it that wasn't rotted on the underside, too. Still only 60,000 miles on it, and it rolls down the road as smooth as can be. It's a great cruiser and an animal when called upon. I love them all, restored and unrestored, and I can tell you that I don't see any of the rust while I'm behind the wheel banging gears in an original Hemi car that I wouldn't have been able to afford if it were restored.

View attachment 1072220

You can't compare that to yours, please!!

 

[RussT Plymouths]

Like, Like, Like! This is why I drive my Satellite the way it is.

Awesome ride, and I agree you don't see the rust from the driver seat.

 

[Big bill]

I look for ratty cars I seek the out

 

[Triplegreen500]

Not a Mopar, but if you want an argument for a ratty musclecar...here y'go.

Family bought it out of the newspaper, from the movie company.

Drove it as a "used car" for 6 years, then just stuck it in a barn for 40 years.

Sold it for $3.4M.

They're only original once.

 

[HawkRod]

There is nothing wrong with ratty cars OR fully restored cars or those anywhere in between. There is room for all of them!

 

[mopar 3 B]

He should at least clean off the back window so he can see!

Why put sand bags in the trunk when there is snow on the roof for weight?