Tot rod: The Beast
Allowing children to get involved and create a one off design is something that they will never forget. It will also bring a media obsessed generation back to the physical work and a international love of the classic vehicle industry. Classic cars, bodywork and mechanics is a dying art, as you know. Creating tot rods with your child, will inspire them to go back into garages which will help the dying industry.
The tot rod also grows with you. In this moment, my tot rod is a stroller; which is pushed by me or my wife as my daughter is only one. But as she gets older together we will look into adding a new electric motor and the full chassis system. It also teaches children to maintain a vehicle (especially when your at the stage of using engines and the driving system). Like a lot of hot rod or classic car enthusiasts, they want their child to love it too, they want their child to get involved. But when working on a $40,000 hot rod children are usually pushed back to holding a light. Building tot rods like this brings children’s ideas into view and gets them started on the love that we all have for the classic vehicle industry!
I started working in a bodywork garage in January, and started this build in March. I wanted it to showcase my skills, while allowing my children to know what I do and how I do my job. The body is fiberglass (made by outback customs), the frame is wood. The engine is plastic (from a build your own engine kit), intake is for a VW, the 10 inch wheels are for a pallet truck, the interior is wood again but with a period correct leather interior. It comes with two safety belts, a 2 point belt and a 3 point belt.
This is just the start, not only for my daughter but for my other children. I’ve recently had a baby boy and I’m eyeing up doing a hot rod Ford model T. Also this year I’m doing an electric powered Jeep for both of my children and I am wanting to do a snow plow for my daughter (which would be called snow white), that will have changeable plows and be done in a snow camo wrap.
From all my builds I want my children to learn lessons, not just on bodywork or mechanics but life lessons. I want my children to understand the meaning of making decisions, and the work involved, to understand the meaning of work, and that it is hard, yes, but its also fun and a sense of achievement. I also want my children to respect the past, from the vehicles to the lifestyle.
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Owner of Tot rod: The Beast-Rob Page
Photos by: Rob Page
