'Not a cookie cutter car': Island man turning 1930 Essex into road-ready rat rod

When most people see an old rusted car body in a field, the words "hunk of junk" might come to mind but not for Brian Chandler of Milton Station, P.E.I.

He sees beauty.

Last year, he paid $400 for an vintage 1930 Essex, which was rusty and full of holes.

"It was frozen in the ground the day I went out and looked at it," said Chandler.

"It was terrible. It was almost split in two at the roof seam and I looked at it and I thought, 'Oh, what have I gotten myself into?'"

A P.E.I. man turns rusty old car into sleek 'rat rod'

7 years ago

Duration 0:56

A P.E.I. man turns rusty old car into sleek 'rat rod'

Natural coat of rust

Chandler, who owns a welding shop, has spent much of his spare time this winter turning the car into a sporty hot rod.

But unlike hot rods, which have expensive paint jobs, Chandler's car will keep its natural coat of rust.

This style of car is called a rat rod.

"The unfinished look is what it's all about," said Chandler. "More of a practical, fun car then an actual hot rod."

'They like the unfinished'

While some people don't like the rusty look, Chandler does, and said he's not alone.

"They can see what it looked like before the paint, before the body fill and the chrome went on it and it's a natural look to it," he said.

Chandler had to build a new frame from scratch. He then chopped off the lower part of the car body to give it a sleeker look.

"We're aiming for about 40 inches from the roof line to the bottom when it's finished."

Chandler has spent almost 200 hours on the project. The biggest challenge even for a welder, was to fix a huge crack that had split the car body.

"It was split at least four inches on the back half of it," he said, adding the doors wouldn't close before it was fixed.

'Bigger engine, more speed'

Chandler's rat rod will have a lot more horsepower a 350 GM Chevy engine compared to the 1930 Essex, which he said, "originally probably would have been a 50 horsepower."

That means the rat rod will move a lot faster than the original.

"It's going to be a lighter car because everything that's being replaced on it is stronger but lighter so it shouldn't take much power to move it down the road."

An engineer will ensure it's road worthy

Chandler wants to make sure his rat rod will be road worthy and good for more than just display. He plans to send the car over to New Brunswick to be inspected by an engineer,

"He checks the chassis to make sure it's safe for the road," said Chandler.

"We'll get everything done, fenders on it, windows in it, lights on it and hopefully away we go."

Chandler figures he'll spend about $4,500 to get his rat rod ready, although that doesn't include his labour.

'It's a lot of fun'

"You can't buy much of a car for four thousand," said Chandler. "It's a lot a fun. It really is a lot of fun."

There are a few other Islanders building rat rods.

"There's a guy up in Borden, he builds beautiful rat rods and there's a guy down east that does a terrific job on his in Morell," he said. "I guess it's kinda bragging rights in one sense to see what you do, and how far you can go with it."

"They're not a cookie cutter car," he said. "It's got an individual taste of everybody that owns one."

'Not a cookie cutter car'

It may take another year before Chandler gets his rat rod on the road, and said he plans to see the project through.

"No, I took it on. When I turned 60, I always wanted to do one from start to finish and I think I'm going to do it. We're gonna finish it."

Next project already picked out

And once he is finished, Chandler already has his next project lined up a Ford truck from the early 50s.

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