I happened to pass by a guy selling a wood chipper off his lawn, so when I came back to pick it up, he let me take some pics of his 1954 "rat-rod".
Wait'll you check this out!
The cool part of a 'rat-rod' is that you don't have to worry about your $40,000 paint job getting a scratch. Just spray a little primer back on!
The second advantage is that your vehicle doesn't have to be 'politically correct', doesn't have to have last screw be entirely original, and doesn't have purists going over it with fine-toothed combs, but can be something that can be a total hoot to put together, and can be as outrageous as the owner's imagination will allow.
Of course, "safety first", and no self-respecting vehicle should be without a fire extinguisher!
The owner, 'Kip', told me re: this piece, that he "got bored one day" and knocked this together with an antique wrench, a sprocket, some wing nuts and a chain!
...and it sits above the "tool chest", a contrivance of which all you hobos ought to be familiar!
Hand-grenade handle for the owner-built rear gate that swings open to the right!
Check out the decal in the window! LOL
Customized antique door handles!
Outside...
...and inside!
Customized cup holders, home-brew cans!
Glove compartment.
As in many of the pics, enjoy the crazy decals. They're everywhere, and a total hoot!
Obviously a one-off tranny. Check out the shift-pattern!
Gauges and knobs. I was enjoying myself so much that I forgot to ask what they did!
Most excellent steering wheel and shift knob, and the 'air-conditioner'!
Roof-decals with...
...sun-visors!
The front, with the radiator overflow tank.
The 'go' and 'stop' devices...
And Oh! My! God! I just love this one. An engine with not an iota of emission-control crap on it. Just a plain ol' engine. Ain't she bea-YOO-tiful?
Mitch, you crazy Chrysler mechanic, tell us all about this engine!
And alongside the engine. Compare this to a modern car!
If ya have to work on 'er, there's room enough you can climb right in and sit in the engine compartment!!
*Ah-OOO-gah!!
Dig the crazy air-cleaner!!
I made Kip an offer I thought he couldn't refuse, and offered to trade him my Kia Sportage even-up for his rat-rod, but obviously 'sentimental value' ruled the day.
.
Ah well, awesome job anyway, Kip!!
You ought to be proud!!
On April 21, 2009, NS reported that its profit tumbled 39% in the first quarter as slumping industrial activity carved deeply into the volume of freight hauled across all of the railroad's main business lines. On the bright side, operating costs fell 19% due to idling unused equipment, layoffs and cheaper fuel prices. 
