I just ran a model T search on e bay and I couldn't believe this car. Some one HAD too much money and now wants some of it back. I must say in my mind this has got to be one of the ugliest cars.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-Other-Coupe-1927-Ford-Rat-Rod-Model-T-Roadst er-/190704040250?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2c66d8b93a
I dont see any model t in it..... Looks like maybe a model a stone guard
What a piece of crap. Even worse it has a God D*** 350 in it.
He should be ashamed of the fact he put original 1927 License plates on it.
Might have a Model T front spring. Only T part I see.
Butt ugly to me, Maybe it's just that I don't understand the concept!
five bucks says he used a section of 27 frame rail with the serial number in order to register it this way. what an eyesore
It looks like the builder was confused on what direction he wanted to go, so he tried doing all of his ideas whether they worked together or not. It's part sports car, part rat-rod, part futuristic and part "traditional", and the result is that everything looks out of place.
I like a well done hotrod, but this car is downright ugly.
Somebody will buy it and he will be just much of a jerk as the guy who built it.
You see these every day. Not many "Model T", but a combination of many different cars, some actual parts and many after market replica parts. The side of the car looks like a pre-26 roadster, but not quite. I didn't see anything else which even resembles a Model T. I think cars like that should be named for the "inventor" or after the engine block, but not named for something which it never was.
Norm
No vintage parts were harmed in the contstruction of this contraption, so no need to worry about this odd rod..
Now how do they enter w/o doors but with some strange roof rails in the way?
Guys, I wouldn't lose any sleep over this one. It doesn't use that many Model T parts and even the body is fiberglass. All the other parts that even might be Model T, frame, hood,etc. are so plentiful or reproduced, so I don't see any harm done. Of course, it isn't a restorer's cup of T.
Well it "ain't" no T, but I'll be the odd man out today and say, I like it! I'm not into hot rodded Model Ts but I think we're all in agreement that this isn't a T of any form.
I think it's pretty cool actually. Would I buy it? No. But it has an interesting quality to it.
I'm not a fan of the "rat rod" look, but do like hot rods. Too each their own but this one is a mystery to me.
Ya really have to pick a theme and stick with it, or you end up with this.
It really fails the "rat rod" moniker because it has such a clean and finished look.
The main thing that makes me crazy is when people want to put a 350 in every hot rod. WHAT is the deal with that? I really don't understand. Ford made some of the most beautiful, elegant, sexy body styles ever ('34 Ford is the quintessential hot rod). But why do folks insist on doing things like putting the wrong engine in a car?
Another common change amongst hot rods is the use of a Ford 9" rear end, regardless of the make of the vehicle. That one I can almost understand, given the vastly inferior quality of other maker's products, particularly from back in the day.
But the same logic doesn't follow with the 350, it's not a vastly superior engine to a 351 Windsor or Cleveland. And certainly there are as many after-market parts for Windsor engines as there are for 350's.
Anyway, I'm off my soapbox now. All of that to say I just don't get it. As for the *ahem* "T" for sale on ebay, I'd drive it if I won it in a contest, or if someone gave it to me. But those are pretty much the only ways.
Seth, I think it's safe to say there are a lot more 350s out there than 351W or C motors and I know from my own experience, they're cheaper to buy and build.
With the exception of my T though, I'm actually a GM guy for the most part, and for me, the engine of choice for any hot rod (within my budget) would be the Pontiac 400. I'd kick any 350 to the curb quite frankly, for a Poncho 400.
This is all of course, a matter of opinion...anyone else's mileage probably varies..grin...
I've never had a streetrod, and never had any desire, except for the candy apple full fendered '31 A coupe with flathead I wanted to buy when I was 17. I didn't have the $225.
Here is a bit of possible explanation for the 350. The Ford engines have oil pump in front of pan, which interferes with the tie rod on old Fords. Is that true?
Main reason you see K-mart motors (SBC's) in so many rods is several reasons.
1- Parts are cheap and they are plentiful as Danial noted
2- They are fairly light and easy to build horsepower.
3- For the most part people follow the in thing and roll with it. Now the trend is to stay away from Small Block Crapshaker motors.
As I was walking out from the local greasy spoon the other morning, a guy was looking at my '56 Ford. We got to talking and it was a good conversation until he said "drop in a 4 bolt main 350 with a 700R4 behind it." I told him to walk inside and ask for some soap so he could wash his mouth out.
I then told him about the Y-block I'm in the process of building for the car. He never heard of one. No big surprise.
Luke, on a side note, I had a factory Y-block tri-power intake manifold GIVEN to me a few years back by an old retired guy clearing out a shop.. I had no use for it then and sold it on eBay for mucho dinero.
I kind of wish I had kept it on my shop wall though, as a great conversation piece like the old guy did.
The smallblock Chevy is rapidly becoming obsolete now as the GM LSX engines are taking over as the "it" engine in hotrodding for many of the same reasons the SBC has been so popular for the last 50+ years... affordable, lightweight, big power, small size, and the parts are interchangeable within the platform.
I'm in the process of putting an all aluminum fuel injected 383 stroker LS1 in my Chevelle, which is also equipped with a Ford 9".
Danial, In 1968, I went to buy my first new car. I wanted to buy a Chevrolet Impala with a 385 horse 427. Well, the local Chevy dealer wouldn't "get right" with me on the price, so I bought a Pontiac Catalina with a 375 horse, 428 ci engine. What a dog! I got what I paid for. Chevys with 325 horse 396's and Ford's with 325 horse 390's had no trouble dusting me off. Forget about the 427 Chevy's and worse still 426 Hemis or 440 Chrysler products. They were across the 1/4 mile stripe before I even got moving. No more Indians after that. Fords and Chevy's, only. I only saw two or three Pontiacs that impressed me. One was a college friends 67 GTO with a 360 horse 400 ram air engine. One was Arney Beswick's race car, and the other was Don Gay's "Infinity" race car.
Terry if you read my post a little closer you will see that I mention the phrase "within my budget". Sure I could have got more zing with a 427, but please let me know when you find a 427 selling for the same price as a Pontiac 400.
I can assure you of one thing - I had as much fun as you did for a lot less money...grin...
ANd I can also assure you your Catalina had a whole lot more curb weight than my Firebird.
ANd I gotta ask: why would anyone have bought a Catalina or Impala in 68 when they could have bought a Firebird, Camaro, Roadrunner, Cuda, GTX, Mach 1 or Torino GT?
No wonder you were disappointed. You were comparing land yachts to speed boats!
Somebody wanted a Veyron but did not have the 4+million dollars for one.
That thing is not by definition a rat rod, at least not the way I understand them. It's just a street rod. We are free (well so far) to express ourselves with our cars, art and whatever else we deem fun and interesting.
One of the main reasons so many sbc's are used is because Ford got out of the racing world for some years and so the prices of the sbc keep coming down do to engineering. And since Ford has gotten back in some of the parts have come down in line with the sbc's. It's amazing that even though sbc is used they still like the 9" Ford, which will go up to about 2000 hp. My father-n-law built 1/4 milers and the last one he built was for his boss and the rookie car, rookie driver went to the NHR finials and the driver red lined. When he was driving he always built up 289's and the last he built up with stock parts got to 2 horses per ci. Just prior to his death he told me he had figured out how to get the same 289 up to 2 1/2 horses per ci. The sbc's have been cheap engines and that's what got them into so many cars today followed by a Ford 9". The guy that built up the what ever in the ebay ad had no idea what he really wanted and it shows. Yes it has a following but limited at best compared to some real rat rods or some of the others that have been mentioned.
B A R F
I like the car! That is what is unique about hot rods is you build it to fit your budget and taste. It doesn't have to please anyone but the builder. I agree with other posters though, it is not a rat rod. It is far too nicely detailed for that look. Wonder how it drives?
The car is a Model T in the same sense that a merino ram is a species of migratory waterfowl.