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Influences: Jimmy Shine Bare Metal Ford Pickup

Now, I know what you’re thinking; so don’t even say it. The “R-Word”, this isn’t one and never will be. I’m talking about the word “Rat Rod” (yeah yeah – 2 words). Those rusted out, dangerous, cobbled, tetanus-shot-requiring machines which everybody’s neighbor was building in their garage ca 2006. This is the car that started all of that madness, but purely by accident. And all of that has NOTHING to do with why I love this car.

This car is great because its a future look at how cool stuff could have been 50 years ago, a throw back to the way they never did it. Its so far improved on any car built in the late 40’s or 50’s that is a disservice to mention them in the same breath. This car sparked the Rat-Rod movement because it was in bare metal, it sat low and had a flat-head. They all said “he didn’t need paint, so neither do I”.

Apparently they missed the point entirely.

The metalwork is nearly flawless, and if you have nothing hide, then why cover it with 1/2″ of bondo? This car doesn’t NEED a drop of paint. Jimmy spend painstaking hours picking and filing on the metal to get that finish, it would have been WAY easier just to slather it in bondo and call it a day. Every weld on the chopped and channeled body is dressed to perfection. The frame is “Z’d” just right, so the door opening is so low you could pick a tamale off the tarmac at 55 mph. I could go on and on about this car, but I’m writing this because it influenced the work I do. I don’t plan on building a flat-head powered ’34 just like this, but the craftsmanship serves as a beacon of “What to Do”. Every weld. Every piece and part needs to fit and look perfect from every angle.

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