"rat rods" are very different from "grass roots" rodding of which you speak - even though both may involve holes in the floor to see the "grass roots"....

seeing a 22 "T" with rusted chassis rails, 4 wheel cable operated drum brakes, rust hols in the doors so i can see the driver's sock colours, crossply front tyres on wire rims and oh-so-horrid original steering with the only major mods being a 350hp 351C, a C4 and drop spindles makes me cringe - and it should make everyone else out the worried to even see that sh1t driving next to them. it's not only exceptionally dangerous to have a rusted chassis, but a rusted chassis that was orignially designed for a flathead fourpot making 22hp now has a 350hp+ engine in it.

grass roots rodding is getting a repro chassis with rack and pinion steering and disc front brakes, a cheap body (glass or steel) and having some fun with a low buck engine combo. my dad built something similar out of a 35 chev using a 253 and a torana front end. cost him about 10k on the road i think.

THAT'S budget rodding - not driving an assembled scrap metal yard and calling it a "hotrod".