Rat Rod Everything!

I went and checked out the mechanical tempest work shop yesterday. I had arranged to meet up with the founders with the intention of volunteering some time to help build up some bikes. When I arrived two dudes were out the back cutting up old frames and welding them together to build a portage bike. They said they'll use it to pick up abandoned bikes for the shop. One of the founders, Arthur, showed me around the place. If anyone remembers the old Adventure Cycles, the original Fort Lane one, then they'll know how rad it is to have a workshop overflowing with weird old stuff. So far so good.

The shop works like this: a few people volunteer to work. If someone wants their bike fixed, they come in and the volunteer teaches them how to do the job themselves. Payment is Koha (small gift like contribution). If you wanted to build a bike from scratch, it'll cost you $20. You just need to forage around for the bits and pieces you need. Rad? Indeed.

I start on Friday. I'll post some pictures of some of the stuff later.

All this has gotten me excited about building bikes again. I've been digging the whole idea of Rat Rods, but applied to anything but cars. From what I can tell Rat Rods are munted old chassis, not really worth restoring, that are welded up and mutated and melded with allsorts of wierd parts to make a spastically awesome...something.
Check out these clubs:
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/gallery.htm
http://www.bareiss.net/nlccbc.html