Art & Inspiration Who Drives a Beater Hotrod, Car or Truck and Likes it That Way

If you "Beat Around Town" in it it's a "Beater".

 

Man, that must have been BlueBear's (Boyds shop) Dad.

 

Here's a more detailed look at my Heap...

 

I keep getting asked when are you going to paint it? I tell them I already did. Rattlecan semigloss black. I keep a spare can for touch up after the grand kids get done playing in and around it. I love it!

 

My wagon wouldn’t qualify as a beater but it’s far from perfect and that’s the way I like it.

My OT Roadster is as close to perfect as I’m capable of and it’s a love hate relationship. I can’t drive it as much as I would like because I won’t risk damage. One time I yelled at a little kid for touching it and made him cry. I felt terrible. The kid was just interested in a cool car and I should have encouraged him, not discouraged him.

My wagon is the opposite, it’s far from perfect, missing some trim, the paint and interior are nice enough but not so nice I’m scared of it. Kids are allowed to touch it and women in bikinis are welcome to lay on the hood.
I get far more use and enjoyment out of my not perfect wagon than I get out of my perfect Roadster.
I just wish people would stop asking when I’m going to get the bumpers re-chromed!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Just about everything I ever built was a beater...and if it wasn't a beater, I would paint it flat black so it would looked like one. (even the new '36 Cabriolet is getting that same treatment)

 

original interior, painted over last Time probably somewhere in sixties.

 

Here's my fun beater. Nothing fancy. Made with leftover parts.

 

with all due respect they go bats over the truck because they know they can get close to it. If you're like my old man was if your jeans even got within the car's aura he'd pull out the 2x4 and beat us.

 

I would consider my roadster to be a beater. It was in a car show in the late 1950's-early 1960's. It was stored for many years, as the original owner lost his sight, and could no longer drive it. When i got it, it was similar to my first roadster that was also channeled, but with a Cadillac engine. My current . roadster has a 1955, no oil filter 265" SBC, chromed front and rear ends, chromed Fenton Black Widow headers. All the chrome is old, and so am I. I am 81 years old, and continue to enjoy my roadster. I would like to restore the roadster to it's glory days, but it is cost prohibitive. I just wash it when needed, change the oil once a year, and just plain enjoy it.

 

Enjoyed your post, yes you are the "real deal" hotrodder ftom Wayback.
Could we get you to post some pics?
79 and still playing with old cars, how kool.
No a Gent my way who is 82 and still building cars, that's amazing IMHO....

 

Great thread.

Most of you guys with less than perfect "beaters" might have a 300 to 400 + hp V8 under the hood.

A few decades ago, your car or truck would have been one of the fastest things on the street. And with its non imposing outward appearance, considered to be a real SLEEPER.

You'd beat everybody. LOL
A "BEATER", indeed

I don't have a beater to share right now. Working on it.
But in the spirit of the thread, I'll share this.
To all the beaters/sleepers...
... and their owners/drivers.

 

3 to 5k every year. Park it at work, Target, Home Depot, Costco and sometimes parking garages in San Francisco. It's a 50 footer but I like it this way.

 

not a beater but unrestored..... nicks, scratched,checked paint... some rust here and there..
wouldn't touch it... don't know how many times I've been asked when are you going to paint it .. lol..
my replies is NEVER !

 

But it’s purdy when your pushing it

 

39 ford pickup bought last year, had some repaints and few dents sorta fixed oveer the years before I bought it. I haven't done anything cosmetic to the truck. Am driving and enjoying it more than any of the several cars I have either done a frame off or really through repaint and detail . Has that old car smell( If I could bottle and sell it , I would) Not into the patina thingy unless it is natural to the vehicle . Have had visions of doing a full frame off on this truck but quickly realize at my age I really don't want this truck in my shop for months and months. It has zero rust ( rot) some light surface rust on some edges mostly , is probably one of the most rust free vehicles I have ever owned . I am satisfied with it as is.

 

Okay so took my "beater" put on highway for quick first drive with 318 swap.
Made video on my road prior too getting on highway.
Cruised on highway 70 mph easy.
Gotta do some spring bushing and shackle work yet.
At 60 mph I put my foot into it you coukd feel the torque.
Night and day comparison to my flathead 6 with dual carbs and exhaust.

 

Those AIN'T beaters in this country !

 

I guess about all my cars except my 64 vette and my 57 chevy hardtop would be considered beaters. Hell, I even had a 55 Dodge pickup like yours except mine was the "low bed" . Present hot rod Has a fresh engine, suspension, drivetrain but has been welded together from a bunch of different 33-34 bodies. No filler used under the urethane primer so it's a little lumpy. No paint scheduled for the future but tonight I bought a nice big tan leather hyde to do some upholstery in the near future.....seats are already upholstered in tan leather.

 

The pictures lie, believe me they are beaters.

 

I couldn't do a fancy paint job, mainly because I can't afford it, secondly because I would be so obsessed with it that I couldn't enjoy it.
If I do get around to painting it'll probably be rattle can and bed liner underneath and in the wheel wells

Sent from my moto z4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Personality only build cars that are not perfect, I drive to any store, park where I want, I let kids in my vehicles to sit and Not worried about door dings etc, My pops has a car full pretty paint and is scared when someone gets too close, doesn't drive it for fear of getting messed up. That's dumb to me, so I intentionally build em to drive, and not worry about. Id rather own a car/truck I can drive, go places in, and enjoy than any gold chain fully polished one that is too nice. Here is my current fleet.

56 Dodge, painted 10 years ago with John Deere Blitz black and added some single stage enamel scallops, refined by I think I have 200 bucks total in paint on this truck.



1953 Bel air, I have about 100 bucks in rattle cans on this whole car.



Both built to drive, enjoy, and let others enjoy them also, beater, driver, I don't care what you call em, but you will never call them trailer queens.

"Make rattle can paint jobs great again"

 

Mine started out nice about 13 years ago. It's been a daily all it's life and has 105,000 miles on her now. It's getting rougher than I like, but I don't see it get redone any time soon...

A beater, yeah, but just don't call it a rat rod!

 

And... there is a difference!
Most rat rods are hermaphrodites.
Bunch of different years, and makes all mixed together!
( which, once in a blue moon actually works!)
I have to admit though, you have to give them a little bit of credit, they don’t have all the great parts like we used to have, and they got to use what they find.

 

I guess it depends on your definition of "beater", but I tend to think it's something you drive where you want, when you want, and don't worry too much about it. It might look good, it might not, but that doesn't really matter, does it?

I have a couple of them...this pic was taken by someone else, in Wisconsin. I drove it a long ways to get there and beat on it at the drag strip.

 

I used to like ratrods when they looked like regular cars. Now it seems like it's just throwing a random body on an ugly half to frame slamming to the ground too make it look like something from Mad Max

Sent from my moto z4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

When I hear the term rat rod I envision a flat black car with red wheels


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

That one is nice.

 

I scoot around town in my 46 Willys Jeep.