Stirring the pot

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Northern Grit

Northern Grit

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So my wife's car is going to it first show this weekend, it's an all original 71 AMC Matador survivor car with 29k miles.
Two old aqaintences saw her car registerd and decided to drop in for a visit as I was out in the barn diligently working on my "rat rod" 75 Valiant. My valiant is no show car, in fact it's supposed to be just a fun car.
When they saw what I was doing to it they looked like they were about to get sick. These guys are fanatical purists and started in on me about doing things the right way.
I've built cars the right way but now I'm having fun doing things the cheap way. What I call "weight reduction" they call "butchering", what I call "creative repurposing" they call "hacking".
I got kinda wound up and tried to explain that there is a theem to this build. Also I chose a car that I didn't really care about for this project so it's not really a loss.
Am I alone here? Dose anyone like the road signs for floor pans look? I think a "rat rod" can be just as interesting as a survivor.
 
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Why must we have to defend ourselves? Your car, do as you wish.
If it were me, I would kindly answer their questions while we were walking towards the exit door. When outside and I finished answering thier question, I would bid them a good day by thanking them for dropping by, step back inside, closing the door behind me.
Eff them, do what you want, have fun with the torch. Just don't burn the place down. :usflag:
 
If they're so worried about what you're doing to your car offer to sell it to them. Then they can do to it whatever they want.
 
Mail box as a hood scoop?

24H-Of-LeMons-96-copy.jpg
 
I completely get it. I'm at the same place. I'm havin fun.
 
Why does someone else get to dictate how you build your car? It's yours to do with as you wish, as others have stated. That's what really pisses me off about so-called "purists". I don't try to tell anyone else how they should build anything, unless it's an obvious safety issue I have no right to interfere. A good friend of mine built a really cool rat rod 1946 Mercury pick up a few years ago, I posted some pics of it here a while back. I thought it was great that he took the time to do things differently, and use unconventional parts and pieces to make his truck unique.
He built a shifter using some 12 or 13 frying pan handles, brilliant! It worked perfectly, but I would bet it would deter a least a few would be thieves since they probably would have trouble figuring out how it worked. He too used road signs for floor boards, and old tool boxes for wheelhouses. Do it the way you want, and to hell with what the "purists" think. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.
Now if it were a 1971 Hemicuda convertible, welllllll......................

I may not call it restoration but.........
This is my current project, never going to be a painted show car, had a 1970 Dart that was all done, mild restomod, drove the piss out of it for years. I also have a survivor 1976 Pontiac Ventura with 39k miles on it, nice car, drives perfect, but a paltry 105 horsepower. Have shown it a few times, always gets attention.
 
While I don't think I would do a rat myself, I have seen some really cool things done that I have an appreciation for. My best friend is big into rats, and he has the most fun, and is what it is about. I'm doing a nice E body now, but don't think I will tackle something like it again. I'm thinking a patina pickup will be next, nothing perfect, runs good, fun to drive, not afraid to park it anywhere.
 
I've had a few nice cars in the past. What a ponderous endeavor to constantly clean and babysit a car that you have so much time and money invested in. Used to have a 70 Challenger Rt 440-6 4 SPD Dana clone car. Pretty decent car. Restonazis would walk right up to it check Vin and fender tag and walk away mumbling. F-em
 
I was taken to task by a "purist" about my Demon being carved up. I explained that before I bought it, I had traced back the ownership. The original owner turned it into a race car in the mid 70's, long before I got it. It was a /6 car no options to start & they changed all of the stuff out to make it a 10.5 car. I am the 3rd titled owner & other than driving the thing like I stole it, I have NO plans of trying to take it back.
 
I'd say "I do this just to piss people off."
I did a very clean 66 Charger with a 360 replacing the Poly 318.Guy said "These cars are supposed to have a Hemi." I said "you buy me one and I'd gladly put it in."
Here is my latest.I just love it and don't care what others think.Now has a Gasser scoop pokin' out of the hood.
IMG_2966.jpg
 
People like those guys always have been around, and probably always will be. I finished my 71 Challenger conv in 1993. It looked like a nicely restored car on the inside and out.....but it beat the ground when it fired up. I raced it every chance I got, and loved the car shows put on at dragstrips. At one particular show, there was a judge who owned a T/A Challenger....and it just mortified him that I regularly pulled my car into the water box and did burnouts to prepare for a run! :realcrazy: My car was always entered in E body modified car show class, because it had headers and a few other very visible mods. That whiney judge tried to count points off on my car because of the rubber stuck to the bottom side of the trunk floor extensions.....but the show promoter put the smack down on that. Long story...but the point is, fix your car YOUR way and don't worry what those pecker heads think!
 
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