This is why I love America (except for the DMV)

[freebeard]

Mute the sound and put on some Retro-Future Jazz in another tab.

Best Rats Rods around the USA

I'm not big on Detroit Diesels huffing NOS (for instance) but I find nuggets among the dross.

• Pickup half cap/half tonneau (lace paint)
• Wide-body T coupe with transparent top and scissor doors
• Suicide doors, leave the original hinges
• drive-in speakers on the dashboard

....and I'm only 15 minutes in.

I've driven cars taken out of junkyards before, but my idea of an ideal bobber truck would be this:


edit:
minibike with a tractor seat
fabric boat tail on a 'Renotti'

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

It's somewhat surprising to me how Americans have such freedom to build their rat-rods, even though they might not be EPA-compliant. Not to mention low-tech brakes would still be allowed, while back here the few beach-buggy still active (most of the market for them is in the Nordeste region, due to the touristic resorts) already had to resort to ABS brakes, and even airbags.

[freebeard]

The big cities have vehicle inspection stations, but it's not as bad as Germany -- I hear they will tow and impound you right out of the traffic stream.

In most of the country it's 'Run What You Brung'.

[Gasoline Fumes]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

It's somewhat surprising to me how Americans have such freedom to build their rat-rods, even though they might not be EPA-compliant. Not to mention low-tech brakes would still be allowed, while back here the few beach-buggy still active (most of the market for them is in the Nordeste region, due to the touristic resorts) already had to resort to ABS brakes, and even airbags.

Each State is different, but generally you only have to meet the requirements for the year the vehicle was made/sold. So a rat rod based on a 1930s car isn't a problem. Making a rat rod out of a new car wouldn't be legal, unless it was mostly cosmetic changes.

[Isaac Zachary]

Then you move to a part of the country like mine, where we are under Californian emissions compliant laws, but there are no inspections. At the same time, everyone here and their dog seem to think that they need to delete their "evil" catalytic converters and modify their diesel engines to roll coal.

[Piotrsko]

Gotta yank the cat and stock mufflers if you roll coal. One good try and the cat is plugged, engine stops. Btdt but not my stuff, casual onlooker perhaps 15 years ago and gawd was it funny. Big bad lifted truck had to be towed back home, what a pita for the tow truck.

Lived in Redondo beach California back in the day, was one day suprised to see the surrounding mountains not blocked by the smog. Ditto for Denver way back in '75

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Lived in Redondo beach California back in the day, was one day suprised to see the surrounding mountains not blocked by the smog. Ditto for Denver way back in '75

Now it's all covered in marijuana smog.

[Piotrsko]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

Now it's all covered in marijuana smog.

You have personally experienced the air quality recently? I was there 2 months ago didn't notice a single whiff of the odor.

[freebeard]

I'd not've used the thread title prior to the end of Prohibition.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Gasoline Fumes

Each State is different, but generally you only have to meet the requirements for the year the vehicle was made/sold. So a rat rod based on a 1930s car isn't a problem.

IIRC anything pre-'67 is unaffected by emission regulations back there.

Making a rat rod out of a new car wouldn't be legal, unless it was mostly cosmetic changes.

That's not what I meant, I was considering builds from scratch, or replicas.