Hi all hard to believe I haven't been here in ten years. I hope everybody has fared well. I finally have the time and motivation to Vette tinker again. My first submission is for the "National Corvette Rat-Rod Society" members.

The Victim: 1980 L-82 (in badge only) Many years of rode hard and put up wet, and a long story as to how it is now mine.

The Proposal: Rat-Rod instead of parting


The amount of money it would take to restore this car would only increase its value to less than what it would take to restore it. This was my nephews car for a time so I can't bring myself to part it out, so I am going the opposite direction of a restoration.
I'm going to try and hold the cost down as much as possible. The engine and drivetrain are the best part of this car. it has a crate 350 (5000 miles), rebuilt automatic transmission with a shift kit, headers and true dual exhaust feeding glass packs. The interior needs work, but function over looks will be the object. My plan is to mismatch colors for replacement items. The door panels are in poor shape and will be patched instead of replaced, mismatched color patches of course, The paint is horrible. My nephew bought it from a used car flipper outside of Daytona that specialized in Vettes and such. It had a new paint job when he bought it, but by the shape it's in now I doubt they even washed it before they sprayed it. My plan is to remove all the paint using various methods except from the nose and tail. Repaint the doors, hood and headlight covers to look like they came off of donor cars. Paint a nice stripe from front to rear. Then tag it with graffiti and Banski type stencils on each side in a left/right split personality way.

My vision is to pull up to the cruise-in car show, park it among the garage queens and play nonstop Motorhead from the 80's.

I will try and keep you up to date along the way. First up is to get a proper seat. It has aftermarket seats that put my head through the roof. Luckily my Nephew kept the original seats. Bad news is they need complete renovation and are covered in black velour.

 

sounds like an interesting idea .

please put a dash camera in ,as you drive slowly into the first car show and find a spot next to some chrome bumper purists , we need to see their faces when they realise you intend to park next to them! also park at a slight angle and leave the front wheels turned a touch

 

welcome back!!!

 

Since it has a small block 350, wouldn't it be better to call it a "Mouse Rod"?

 

Rat rod the hell out of it and have some fun!

 

You need to roller or brush paint the parts your painting and make no attempt to smooth it out! This could be fun, and as others said, just sit back and chuckle at the comments.

 

Put some green moss on it, and call it a barn find

 

winner!

 

Thanks for the replies.

I was seriously thinking about parting this car out until I saw the hot rod power tour roll through town. The patina'd and rusted rat rods got me to thinking, how could I do that to the ugly vette wasting away in my garage. I thought I would much rather drive it with no paint than crappy paint and the seed was planted. I'm getting a new battery this week and hoping to get it registered by August. In the mean time I will be working on interior parts and posting my progress. I think I will make an NCRRS sticker for my back window, on second thought maybe not.

Brush paint or rattle can paint bombed, it's what bubba would have not no fancy sprayer magiggie.
Yes! barn find. No passenger seat just a box for the chicken.

 

well an individual window sticker...or piece of art that is not commercially for sale would not seem to violate anything

 

A guy around here did that to a clapped out 67 Camaro. Zombie Squad motif. The cops are constantly pulling him over and he gets a ton of grief at cruise-ins. I suspect you'll receive the same.....attention. But if that's the sort of thing that you're after, go for it! Post photos when it's done.

 

If you like it, good for you!

I personally think that the "rat rod" craze is a fad that will eventually run its course. The result will be the owners of the "creations' will have what they started with; a pile of crap.

I like restomods and I love street rods, but I can't see anything appealing about this. But to each his own.

I am sure I will get lectured about how I should not state my view on what someone else does to their car, but this is my honest opinion.

 

Back in the 70's, a guy I knew bought a string of 62-3 fairlanes and stuffed a built 390 in them. Then deliberately sideswiped a bridge with them. Pulls into McDonalds with this trashed fairlane with bald G60's on it. Only ever lost to a HemiCuda. Then the rear spring mounts start breaking off the body, so he buys another 50 buck body and starts over... I drove it once. Hit gas, front wheels come up, car goes sideways cuz rear isn't in straight. Somewhat spooky feeling.

 

I was on the hotrod power tour again this year-

I like rat rods- BUT only the ones that have the neat details- you know the ones you look twice at where some real thought and creativity was used-

Something like this- spinner wheels-


Or something like this- really neat how the guy used a chain to do the steering-


Oh- for the paint- not just a crappy roller job- but why not really mess with Car Show Goers and have it look like a rusted rare "steel" bodied Vette-




Or wrap it to look like an old racer- Maybe some Greenwood stuff-

 

 

And I don't get intentionally applying overspray to mimic a quick sloppy process on the assembly line....

Oh- here's another thought- except do it in every paint color for 1980-

 

Crawfish333 no lecture from me. If every body had the same opinion then what would people argue about. I may however try and pull your chain about it.

Richard454 The power tour looked like an awesome way to spend a week. Nowadays rat-rod is applied to a fairly wide spectrum of hot-rods. I like the rat-rods with unique details as well, but I think my car will sit on another part of the spectrum. I'm thinking more like old school hot-rod. Like before they turned into trailered gleam machines. More like the guy who buys an old car and puts his limited budget into the engine and suspension but still wants to drive it no matter what it looks like. We used to call them beaters. As more funds are available the interior is fixed up (check that, kraco stereo and speakers before the interior) last thing is the paint and body. That's the concept I'm shooting for, low budget old school beater hot rod .

I think a fake rust paint job on and old vette would be amusing and would be quite a car show conversation or stroke starter. I can paint rusted cars on canvas so I might be able to pull it off, but too much work.
Every panel a different color would also be interesting but again to much work. I have a resto mod '74 big block I need to get back to. In order to do that I need to get the 1980 out of the garage. To put it in the driveway I need to get it registered (I hate HOA's)

This has been an interesting conversation thanks for everyone's input.

 

wrap it to look like a rusted out well worn race car, much easier that way!