Rat Rod ? Why ?

Been there done that. Had a 30 A sedan in black primer that sold in 2 weeks after i put it up for sale. My 34 purple with flames took me 2 years to sell and I really wasnt prepared to sell it when i did. It did give me the cash to build the 32 though but its never enuff.... I was just stirring the pot and im glad you all have a sense of humor..
Dave

 

So would a 6 be a 'gerbil'? As in 'That's an angry soundin' gerbil, son!' or
'That blown gerbil is tha sh%t,Richard Gere!'

 

lifestyle? lifestyle in kentucky is a hell of a lot more different than Southern California... i think people in Sweden know more about hot rodding than most Americans because we like to throw labels on everything, which in essence makes a subject convoluted and cheap.

to top it off, we argue over a silly magazine label such as "Rat Rod"... this is probably why people in other countries get confused and pose questions like, "What is a Rat Rod?"...

heres my answer: i dont know what it is.

 

In my opinion which is about as useless as everyone elses in the world,"RAT ROD" is a term that was created by some guys that pay people to build them a red fiberglass 32' with 25 inch Billet rims .They use this term to try to degrade low buck fun cars that steal attention from thier cars at shows.

 

JB I wouldnt let this detour you from ever posting again. Hell I cant imagine after this you could hit such a hated subject again. Your from a country that dosn't use the term how were you to know. Stick around its not so bad just wear a flack jacket if you want to talk about rat rods.

Oh some magazines are touchy subjects too for some reson evidently they cant please all the people all the time.

 

LOL what is it with people about Kentucky..we stopped riding horses here 5 years ago and yes we did get that Walmarts store last year!.come on we are all not in the woods out here.from my kitchen window I can see downtown Cincy Ohio.I live on the state line.5 blocks from the Ohio river..got to sign off now,got to go outside to the outhouse , talk to ya'all later

 

J.B. Just remember one thing.....most of the posters(posers?) here don't even own a car...or know how to fix one....much less build one.

Don't go away or quit asking questions.....worldwide hotrodding is interesting, got any pics????

 

J.B. i agree I didn't want to strike you in the heart.we are all on here to learn new stuff and to have a little fun.keep posting hopefully someone will be able to anwser you better than I did.

 

I believe a rat rod to be unsafe and built w/ poor engineering. End of story.

 

J.B has fuckin killer chopped 40 merc!!!! At least I think it's a 40. The club he runs with the A-Bombers have some great rides and I have seen the pics in a magazine a few times. He also plays in one of the best damm R&R bands on either side of the ocean. The Swedes also make some killer moonshine.

Anyway, Kent.....hope you don't run off.

 

J.B.
People are just a little tired of the term, thats all.
Some of the guys that replied to your question might have overlooked that you are in Sweden, ( its probably harder to get up to date info over there, specially with slang and terminology that is difficult to translate...).
So lurk a bit, find out how the place works, and grow a thick skin.
If you are into Traditional Hot Rods and/or Customs you will like it here, and you will ask questions again.

 

Lots of people don't like the term "RAT Rod", but it seems that's what you get when a Hot Rod type car is built with ROUGH parts. Unfortunately some idiots out there call ANYTHING a Rat Rod if it's not built by "Boyd Godagain" or someone like that. Don't shoot me, this is just an observation.

 

The description that I seem to understand from what I’ve grasped from this forum and a few magazines is this:

These cars are based upon the ”OLDER” vehicles (1920’s-1940’s) that were found lying in barns in the 1950’s & 60’s. These RAT RODS were found street racing and in high school parking lots. The cars are a “NO-FRILLS and have minimal to no chrome or billet accessories.

They are a vehicle that is put together by an individual, in his own (or buddies) garage done in a very cost effective manor. The vehicle is based upon a tired and/or neglected body/chassis (many RAT RODS are based on many different vehicles to make ONE car). The vehicle is brought back to life using parts that are “USABLE” for the function intended, but not the proper part for the function! Fit and finish is not a priority. The “PAINT” (if even put on) is done in non-conventional ways (brush, roller or rattle cans), with flat black being the most popular.

Wheels are stock steel, no aluminum or chrome here!! Tires are of those that were avail in that era as well. Engines and transmissions are of those that would have been used in that era (50-60’s). The cars interior was optional. 2 seats are the norm, but one will get you by. Exhaust can either be stock manifolds or headers. Mufflers are an option, but most use some type of sound dampening devise to be street legal.

I feel the reason that people (myself included) want to have a vehicle like this is to re-live the past that we may or may not have been part of. Just think back to a 50’s or 60’s high school parking lot. The “COOL” guys had the “SOUPED” up cars that made all the noise and hauled ass (that equation also attracted the female species to these car owners). Most looked like a piece of junk so people would challenge them to a race (thinking they would beat them). The end result was that the “PIECE OF JUNK” won that race! Those “RAT RODS” of days ago were the sleepers we know of today. Lightweight, bare minimum, early day racecars! It was the type of car a high school kid could afford. He went to the local junkyard gathering parts and supplies, spent his evening and weekends putting a car together. End result was something HE could be proud of and didn’t give a crap what people thought of it (his buddies liked it, so that was all that counted!).

The cars bring back a youthful feeling to us today. They are economical, fast, noisy, and to me very appealing to the eye! With all of today’s shows on TV like: AMERICAN HOT-ROD, HORSEPOWER TV, OVERHAULIN’, BARRET JACKSON AUCTION (just to name a few), they are all showing “PRIMO” paint and bodywork as well as the latest set of “ONE OFF” wheels!! Well…….Joe average does not have the money to have cars like that, he may not have the talent to build a car like that, and he just wants to be able to cruise around and enjoy HIS creation. There is more “JOE AVERAGE” type of people out there than there are people like CHIP FOOSE.

The “HOT ROD” builders are just building something they can have fun with and afford! I wonder if the name “RAT ROD” is short for RATTY ( as in unfinished/untidy) ROD? But then again…this opinion is from the guy who thinks you can build a RAT ROD from an 275 gallon fuel oil tank!!

 

Isn't that a Death Rod??


I'm glad maintenance isn't on that list... I sure need to redo my front end It's not too bad for being almost 50 years old.

Good point... I could agree with that.

 

J.B. he hit it right on the head..thats what I should have said! stick around we may all learn something

 

Nope, thats just a poorly built hot rod.

 

I think "Rat Rod" is some term a magazine guy or lawyer came up with so he can pat himself on the back in the mornings.

I thought they were Hot Rods. I built one "Rat Bike" which was an intentional de-construction and flat black painting of an otherwise ok two wheeler. I would imagine the "Rat Rod" actually gets the moniker from the flat black paint usually used on the Rat Bikes.

 

Oh.....My......God......



Mutt