Will we hate the "ratrod" years after its gone?

you know, i just hate the term "rat rod" I own , drive and build traditional hot rods that people that don't understand call "rat rods" I have taken people for rides in some of my cars and they just freak to think we would drive these yet they are good driving safe hot rods and after they have been in them they realize these are good ( for the most part ) dependable cars. Its just the terminaligy thats been given to them by "Gold Chaingers" that they don't understand.

 

My mom took me shopping at JC Penneys, where I was directed to the "HUSKY" jeans.

It took me a while to figure out that "HUSKY" meant "FAT".

And when I did, I cried quietly under the covers.


What were we talking about?

 

Nads, tell the truth now... You just didn't want to clash with the carpets in your house...

When I was a kid, the next door neighbor Navy Captain who had come up through the ranks came over and asked my Mom if she knew of a place that sold long sleeved Hawaiian shirts because he and his wife were supposed to go to a Luau at the Officer's Club and he was ashaimed of being the only local Officer with "Seaman's" sleeves of Tattoos, all the way down to the wrist chains and half-naked hula dancers.
Mom usta remind us of this once in a while to keep us thinking about the long haul in life when it came to making spur of the moment decisions about permanent things.
That and "Don't write promises in a (love) letter you'll be sorry about later."
So, I did listen to some "adult" advise and never got a Tattoo or wrote anyone a "Love letter".

 

El Cool.......... you hit-it on the head............ The # 1 thing we all have to remember is our love for cars.... no matter what the denomination and the fact we are all in this for that reason,,,,, THE LOVE OF CARS... Everone has differant abilities and talents for building a car... Because each and everyone of us likes differant things about cars does not make some >>>>>> A better then other car guy.... This crap of who,s better then others,, is grade school girl shit.... I ride motorcycles and am fortunate to own both a BMW and a Harley........ It amazes me how many times (some ) Harley guys will look down there nose at you cause your rideing something other than what they think is the standard bearer of motorcycles........ Its all bullshit....... enjoy what ya got ,, and if you feel comfortable in your own skin......... Screw what they think...and drive-it

 

I have been passively watching this board for a few weeks now. I have enjoyed the tech articles but this has been the first post I have felt inclined to answer

I am a young guy of 23. Been into cars my whole life. I have wanted a hot rod of some form or another since I was old enough to know what one was.

My first car was a new '99 Jeep Wrangler. 4 years later it had a 6" lift; 35" tires on Mickey thompson wheels; Detroit Locker; custom exhaust; and on and on. There was not one area that wasn't touched. from motor to interior to audio.

When that wasn't economical to drive back and forth to work and school and such. I looked for something cheap and fun to drive. I found a 2003 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V. Big 2.5 Liter 4 cylinder, 6 speed manual tranny, limited slip, and a cheap price tag for a college student. what i considered a modern hot rod. Since then I have played with the motor and suspension. I have tried my damnest to make a fun car without making a RICE mobile.

My latest venture is a ground up car build. Hand made frame and body. My plan is to make a car that makes a statement of simplicity with no billet or chrome. Call me trendy or not. I have enjoyed every one of my vehicles. from my jeep, to my import, from my crotch rocket motorcycle to my full dressed harley I like em all.

I am a car guy, Call me what you will

 

I get the same thing, when I am on my CBR the harley guys are asses to me, then I'm on the Harley and the honda/yamaha/etc guys don't wave. "Get off your high horse guys, we all ride!"

Off topic I know, but seemed relevent, just less wheels

 

I think that sums it up pretty good.

I've always supected a lot of the guys that jumped on the 'ratrod' bandwagon were the same assholes running out not long ago buying Harleys, leather pants with no ass in them and getting barbwire and other 'hardcore' tattoos.

 

Hot Topic is not Punk Rock!

 

Whatever. I got tattoos, I build cars, I like punk & mohawks (check out my website). If you don't like it, fuck you! If you DO like it, fuck you! (there's punk rock attitude for you!)
But seriously, I don't like badly-built cars. Not that I haven't built a couple in the distant past, but we all gotta start somewhere, right? Real hot rodders will learn from their mistakes, either by getting killed or by getting frustrated with owning a piece of shit that ain't reliable. BUT.... everyone's gotta start somewhere like I said, and the true rodders will stick with it and improve their skills and build what they dream of.. just like all of us. "RAT ROD"? Who cares about labels and other identifiers.. just drive the damn things and have fun doing it. Those that aren't serious will give up; those of us with hardcore interest will overlook the jargon and keep improving our talents.

 

Uhm, no! I got a pretty good view of the entire U.S. hot rod scene over the last 5 years traveling around the country for Goodguys and Rod & Custom Magazine and I didn't see any "BUPPIES" hopping into rat rods. For the most part they are built and driven by young guys (or young at heart) that don't have the skratch (or interest) in owning a car that looks like a Boyd or Bobby Alloyway creation. Originally that was cool, but when it it morphed into mullet heads trying to OUT CRAP the CRAPPIEST CRAP that's when it all took a wrong turn. We all know the difference between crap and creative- so get over it- no one is coming to your house to take away your tools and hot rods, so until that happens enjoy being in America where we a FREE to build and drive whatever gets us fired up.

 

We even had a Merry Go Round here in Memphis in the early eighties. Bought a pair of Docs and a few shrts there back then. lol


"You can dance if you want to..........."

 

i saw a 80 camero on craigslist titled great rat rod LOL

 

Scott, don't bogart that number, and pass it on over here, I'm sure I can adjust my thinken. Just jiven ya bro, we all are compelled to say what we think, and that rocks. My overview is that it has created more interest to hot rods and I think the scene is damn cool especially the rise of rockabilly bands that kick ass. Oops! There I rambled on. Never stop ridin the board. Sololobo

 

Not gonna miss the guys with the "fancy" cars calling our cars "ratrods". I hope the NON shop-built car craze stays. The Boyd thing really gives hotrodding a bad name. I know shops that aren't run like a little league team. Thank god for Mooneyes BBQ,Primer Nats,Viva,Paso,etc..

 

I have to say this and this.... I promise will be the last time I say this. Tattoo's have nothing, i mean absolutely nothing to do with traditional hot rods!!!! Period. This is a message board dedicated to " spreading the gospel" of traditional hot rods. Not for everyone to get on here and talk about how they " think tattoos are gross" or " tattoo's have nothing to do with traditional hot rods". Unless of course we are all pandering to an off topic thread that about rat rods that turns into a thread about how tattoos affect hot rodding or how boyd and co have stole "our scene". I will quote an almost famous man. " You get out of the hamb what you give into it." It may not be word for word exactly but you get the point. As far as I know this site is about TRADITIONAL HOT RODS!!!!!! Not talkin smack every chance you get about Supposed Hot Rod Culture. Hot rod culture is lame. Spelling "c" words with a k is lame. So I digress.


Does anyone have any pictures of east coast style 32 coupes?

You know channeled and not chopped?????????????????????????

 

I already hate the term "ratrod"!!! And it already is dying!!! For example lots of people built rat rods as they are cheap to do and creativity is free if you have some. Lots of people I know have sold there "crap rods" and have moved on to more tradtional hotrods and customs. rat rods to me kinda seemed like a starter kit or stepping stone. Just my opinion though LTR Dave

 

Are you sure about that? My Rat Fink tat was worth at least 15 extra ponies in my car.

 

bitch bitch bitch
I personly think the ratrod craze is good, who here has less than 5grand in their traditional hotrod, I shure the hell dont, it exposes a whole new generation to rodding, theyjust need to be guided in the correct direction not to turn crap into crappier crap, besides back in the day, (so Ive heard) guys used what was available and what worked, do you see any 300 dollar 32 fords? couse I dont, I dont see any 50 dollar ardun heads either. these cars are built in the same way they were back then, with what is available and what works. I dont see any thing tradional or (period correct) spending 100k on a hot rod, besides what would you rather driive next to a honda or old iron
just be glad thier working on cars instead of your wife

 

it aint about money it is about makeing something look like sheeite
and not to

of course money is an part of it every thing costs money
even if an rat rod has costed 2000 bux to build it could have been done better looking still, i hate it when people bitch about everything cost, sure things cost, the cooler parts you want the more it costs
but there are cheap nice cool parts out there, if you just look around,
i think people invest to little TIME in some cars, spend more time fixing the rust and making it sit allright and choosing your parts
ragardless of how much they cost
no one forces anyone to channel an car 50 inches over an frame
and chop it 35" and think its cool because its crusty and shitty
its more an issue over taste and style then of money

nothing comes along automaticly, ragardless of what your building
invest TIME and thought into it, but if you have tons of cool parts and throw it together it sure has more potential to look good then having shit just thrown together, but have lack of funds and have to choose more visely from the parts you need, the sence of style can be so much more obvious...

it's easy to bitch about lack of funds when its really that some people just lack style and taste

 

rat rodz.... the next conversion vans..........

 

the only problem i see with the term rat rod is who is using it.......and how its being used.
its kind of like a handle and everyones trying to hang on,tryin to be hip..
the botom line is this alot of us GET IT,
theres those who are tryin to get it,
and those who dont get it at all ..
what it boils down to gentalmen is buildin kool ass shit
and driven kool ass shit, DRIVING..
you can always find me at the front off the pac
this traiditional shit is forever
maybe they'll figure this shit out maybe they wont
thats the beauty of it
so let them have there lil handle
and think its hip
while were drivin kool ass shit
remember the doors open if ya want to step over to the dark side
so if the term rat rod is helpin them along so be it
maybe someday they'll finaly get it
maybe they wont

 

From an army of wannbe "rat rodders" will come a few that realize and respect the tradition of a hot rod or kustom. And yes I did indeed spell kustom with a K. That's been around for decades and is just being re-visited/used in context with the latest craze. My true appreciation is in the time of the early kustom kemps done by our heros of the past. I most often find that not near as many people understand the need and desire to do that to certain cars. And show rods, holy shit what a time that was. Out-fuckin-standing. Imagination and creativity. Let those that think any fenderless hot rod is a rat rod move along as they will. If they care, if it sparks enough interest to learn, if they grow to respect what the core of this board is about (and has been since WAAAYYY before the PC), that's just fine. The "gospel" spreads itself, doesn't it?

Back on topic, will we hate the "rat rod", I say no. There was a time when it was called a "beater" and still oozed spirit...the spirit of hot rods and kustoms.

 

In a sense, yes. Think about a '50 Merc being done in '53, mostly cosmetic mods (including drawer pulls for grillwork), maybe a couple of them were done to go faster, and it was a late model car. Even taildraggers were fairly late model cosmetic customs when they were being done to start with. Not a whole lot of conceptual difference other than timeframe. Take a late model vehicle, inexpensive, available, and do cosmetic mods to make it look better to yourself and the group you hang out with. Hmmm.

At least they are modding and having fun with cars. The ones who don't have a clue are the ones that can't conceive of the idea of modifying a car, and that's the vast majority of people.

 

Careful what you guys say about the whole emo thing... remember thats what Sunny Day Realstate and Texas is the Reason came out of.

 

What is this emo? Sunny Day Realstate? Texas is the Reason?

 

I guess I really was an outcast during the 80's, I always thought that the name was insanely gay and that only highschool girls shopped there, never darkened the doorway of that place. The only thing I ever bought from Chess King was a pair of grey pleated slacks and a skinny black tie for work. While everyone else was trying to figure out what ABACAB meant I was listening to The Doors and Jimi Hendrix. I was into anything with a V8 back then because anything coming out of Detroit at the time was anemic. I never owned a pair of Vuarnets either, I bought Ray Bans and had my Rx put in them. My worst 80's offense would be the Members Only jacket I bought from Caldor while I worked there. I had it for maybe a month, one of my brothers stole it from me while he was in college, I never did thank him...

 

Imagine a whiney little bitch feeling sorry for himself and cutting it onto a disc in a music format.

 

The Dirty Harry avatar is much better than the dog in the sailors uniform...........that thing was disturbing.

 

LOL, glad you approve...

I was born on a Navy base on the coast, I love the sea, I am a seadog...

 

At the risk of getting this thread closed for posting outside the original subject.....


Mutt