The Rat Rod Side-by-Side continues to crawl its way out of the ridiculous workshop swamp, and this week we’re leaning heavy into Gothic Halloween Town meets Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
We’ve got honkers. We’ve got mirrors. And not just any mirrors skeleton hands clutching them like they’re prying open a coffin lid to check the traffic behind. This is the sort of absurd detail that makes a man smile and a suburban HOA president file another complaint.
The seating situation has been the main meditation point. The bench is the soul of this beast, the stage where passengers will either bask in the glory of absurd engineering or grip the sides praying to survive. The current throne is rough, but it’s got that long, one-piece bench shape that screams “ridiculous side-by-side rat rod tricycle” in a way individual bucket seats just can’t.
Now about that wood. Prices jumped during COVID, dipped for a second, and then shot back up like someone discovered gold in plywood. Fortunately, I still had some leftovers from building #TheRonaRamp 3/4-inch ply, seasoned with a touch of rust dust and regret. It’s perfect for the base structure, but for the gothic iron backrest, the thinner 3/8-inch sheet might be the lighter move. Problem is, lighter wood might not carry the weight of that hulking metal scrollwork without sagging like cheap patio furniture.
Speaking of iron this backrest is pure, rust-kissed drama. Tall, ornate, and screaming Transylvanian patio chic. It’s a touch higher than the ply is wide, but that just means the silhouette is going to have presence. A seat with a crown, if you will.
The plan: marry this medieval scrap yard throne to the honking, mirror-grabbing handlebars up front. Upholstery will happen at some point, but not before a few mistakes are made, mistakes we’ll call “character.”
Next time: maybe wheels. Maybe fire. Maybe a flamethrower coffee holder. This is Part 4 of 43. Pace yourself