ratrod baja would it be posible

patrickn64 · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 5:13 pm Post subject: ratrod baja would it be posible

i built just a plane Jane Baja this summer and as of right now it has no fenders and has big tires in the back and smaller tires up front and i was looking at it the other day thinking it kinda resembled a rat rodish look so i got to looking and goggling rat rod bugs and i see that there’s actually a community for them and they look pretty cool with the chop top, no fenders and tire size.
so it got me curious would this be possible to make a rat rod Baja. i was thinking have it sit angled down towards the front and have a foot of clearance or so and in the back have more like a foot and a half maybe more. i was thinking that most of the weight in a Baja would be in the rear and that would be where i would think you would be most likely to bottom out.
so i was wondering if anyone has ever herd of anything like it done and if it would be at all practical. i have no real plans to do this right now but was just wondering if i ever did take this approach what do you guys think

bajabug420 · Samba Member Joined: October 04, 2011 Posts: 64

that is exactly what my next build will have.

My only issue right now is fender laws and how to fix that issue WHILE still having that rust bucket rat rod look to it.

It is possible.

I was thinking of how cool one would look with large white walls, fenderless and a chop top and just mount the seats lower or go with low pro so my head won't go BANG when I go over stuff.

The rat rod vw look itself has a ton of great mods that would work well offroad anyways especially their overdone industrial accessories.

The paint job and rust issues would work well with an offroad vehicle in the first place AND you won't have as many "keep certain year bugs NOT chopped or molested) COMPLAINERS griping at you as they will see it more as a rusted bucket anyways so HEY have fun with it lol.

If you get something together please post pics. I am still trying to figure out the wheels I want to use. I was thinking REALLY large but thin like tractor tires or something else that might work. I was thinking of having that "lowered" look but on really tall thin tires so it would allow it to still be lifted.

I would assume highway speeds would not be the best though LOL. Odds are there is a tire that would help aid in the look BUT still perform offroad as well.

I love the rat rod bugs and they get just as many complaints from their chopping up bugs as the baja guys do anyways.
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poomwah · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 9:18 pm Post subject:

I flopped back and forth between wanting a baja and wanting a volksrod. I still want a volksrod, but at least right now, I think I want the baja more.
Anyway,
if you're any good with photoshop, just download a pic of a volksrod you like, then use photoshop to raise it up and angle it how you want it. That will give you an idea of how it will look. It would probably have more of a gasser look lifted up like that than a rat rod. rod's are usually lowered with extended front ends.
240, I've seen a couple ways around the fender laws... if you aren't TOTALLY in love with the fenderless look, they make old ford style hot rod fenders and running boards for volksrods. If you need the fenderless look, you can use "flat" rear fenders, basically just a piece of aluminum, from the side, they are barely visible. Front fenders, I've seen guys use trailer fenders with a bracket toward the inside of the vehicle. They come out looking a lot like the fenders on a prowler
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dirtkeeper · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 8:42 am Post subject:

will look cool

there will be a lot of mud and dirt thrown around with no fenders

patrickn64 · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:09 am Post subject:

here is wat i ment with the down angle

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

this isn’t mine i just thought it would be a good example and if for off road probably more lift

here is another photo i found this i think is a toy but i think this would be a prime example of what i would be shooting fore

Of course not a toy though but some lift with big fat rear tires and thin shorter front

Dave24 · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:21 am Post subject:

I can tell you what woudn't be possible in it... Offroading.

kbwakesk8 · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 12:03 pm Post subject:

By kbwakesk8 at 2010-07-09

By kbwakesk8 at 2010-03-29

By kbwakesk8 at 2010-04-26

volks rod was the idea i started with.

patrickn64 · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:21 pm Post subject:

i like it kbwakesk8 that looks pretty cool what did you do for your back fenders just cut fiberglass fenders or are those like aluminum fenders

also kbwakesk8 did why did you not chop the top just curios if chopping the top would still allow visibility to see wall off roading iv never been in a volks rod and am curies on the visibility issues chopping the top could have

kbwakesk8 · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 2:11 pm Post subject:

those where cut fiberglass but i ended up not running any fenders

here it is fished not so ratrod

By kbwakesk8 at 2011-02-23

bajabug420 · Samba Member Joined: October 04, 2011 Posts: 64

I just pulled my back fenders off. I was sick of them hitting my tires bfg all terrain ko's 215 75 15

I always liked the rat rod look. I think I will however add the front fenders that turn with the tires. I need to find a pic of that with some offroad tires and see how I like that.

I like how it looks fenderless plus I get to move my lights towards the back of the car and have less stuff to rub up against when going through tight spaces and trees,rocks etc.
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special-k · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 6:28 pm Post subject:

I think most of the the rat rod/volksrod look comes from the front beam being moved ahead. Do that and there isn't much difference with the small fenders on the rear and minimal/no fenders on the front.

joescoolcustoms · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:12 pm Post subject:

Would it be called a Ba Rod or a Rat Ja?
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Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

kyle_pc_75 · Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:46 pm Post subject:

Ratrods are all about (or were originally) low budget builds, making do with the junkyard parts you could scrounge, flat black paint be damned. So, in essence, many Bajas ARE ratrods.

worcs · Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 5:21 pm Post subject:

bajabug420 · Samba Member Joined: October 04, 2011 Posts: 64

I have now gotten my front fenders off as well. It looks like a semi lifted rat rod to me Twisted Evil

I already have a ton of ideas from the volksrod/rat rod style that I dig (goes with my punk/oi! background) and the baja offroad style that allows my bug to go anywhere I want it.

Best of two styles smashed into one. Once I get further along I will get some pics, actually I might just post some up tomorrow so you guys can see the progress.
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patrickn64 · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 5:37 am Post subject:

that’s awesome bajabug420 ya if you can post some pic's that would be cool i think that a volkrod Baja is an awesome idea and that some on could get to work see my theory on the matter is that basically all the wait is in the rear so if you put the most amount of suspension in the rear it would allow you to do some pretty good of rodding even maybe a jump here or there i will admit something it would make rock crawling out of the rang but i think most off rodding purposes it would be fine for

bajabug420 · Samba Member Joined: October 04, 2011 Posts: 64

Yeah, I am running new headlights (near shock mounts) and will also put a pair on my front roll bar bumper. I am trying to find a cool blinker option that will fit my "style" that I am after.

I agree a true rat rod would have a lowered look but I don't see a baja bug no matter what you do to it (besides a body lift) look like a gasser. The only "rat rod" look I won't be after is adding "red" anywhere lol. I hate red personally.

Mine is going to be a rat rod "military" style. The body will be a flat green with "accents" being flat black. Fenderless, and a couple other tweaks but more or less will just add and take away as needed.

I am going to put a "dont tread on me" stencil on my driver door and a liberty or death on the passenger (still deciding on this part though).

The only issue I am having right now is looking for TALL and THIN offroad tires with a nice white wall AND mean tread. Any ideas?
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bajamike560 · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:41 pm Post subject:

For the tires you might look into re-cap bias ply's. 700.15 close to a 30" tall tire and about 4" to 5" wide. Go to the back ally tire shops they might be able to fine something. I forget the names now of some I have seen on the net. Mount the fenders on the spindle or backing plate mount (think motorcycle) that will turn and run thru suspension cycles. keeps law happy.
Photos would be nice also. Wink

Mike
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bajabug420 · Samba Member Joined: October 04, 2011 Posts: 64

Bajamike

I am actually going to end up with fenders just as you described. I was actually doing measurements today on them. I just need to figure out what size front tire I am going to run.

I was actually thinking of doing the fenders so they can adjust up and down so I can test run different tires and make my life easier.
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bajamike560 · Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:02 am Post subject:

Get some popsicle sticks and elmers glue and get to work... Razz

Can either make 2 brackets (1 for big and 1 for small) or a sliding mount, (but not sure if that would work or not because of vibration) Or a sizer type of mount. Would slide also but with diagonal support that would probably keep it in place... Question

Guy in Bend OR graigs list selling his ratrod VW with fender mounts on the inside that follows tire, I will see if I can find it and post it.

Mike
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