Rails model without database

class Tableless < ActiveRecord::Base
  def self.columns
    @columns ||= [];
  end

  def self.column(name, sql_type = nil, default = nil, null = true)
    columns << ActiveRecord::ConnectionAdapters::Column.new(name.to_s, default,
      sql_type.to_s, null)
  end

  # Override the save method to prevent exceptions.
  def save(validate = true)
    validate ? valid? : true
  end
end

class Foo < Tableless
  column :bar, :string
  validates_presence_of :bar
end

Loading development environment (Rails 2.2.2)
>> foo = Foo.new
=> #<Foo bar: nil>
>> foo.valid?
=> false
>> foo.errors
=> #<ActiveRecord::Errors:0x235b270 @errors={"bar"=>["can't be blank"]}, @base=#<Foo bar: nil>>

class Car
    # here goes all your model's stuff
end

class Car
    attr_accessor :wheels # this will create for you the reader and writer for this attribute
    attr_accessor :doors # ya, this will do the same

    # here goes all your model's stuff
end

class Car < ActiveRecord::Base
  self.abstract = true
end

my_car = Car.new

config.frameworks -= [:active_record]