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

A friend came over to my garage the other day. I showed him my TD body, 8-3/4 rear, and Ford beam, and elaborated on plans to weld a frame (with Chassis Research style cage) to hold all this w/ a 440 and 727. His reply was that "oh, you're building a rat rod."

I was looking for sixties style hot rod. But I didn't get into it.

I just think the whole rat rod thing is kinda' funny. I've always had rusty unfinished POS cars w/ 'MoPar three tone' (body color, replacement panel color, and some primer) because I is po' white trash.

And now guys want to emulate that look, and take it to a unprecedented extreme.

Kinda' like what psychobilly is to Sid King or Johnny Cash.

But Asian chicks are here to stay!

I saw some magazine photo evidence (before photoshop); may have been real. But in the ROC, guys asked me the same shit about white chicks. So, go figure...

I was er... admiring... some nineteen year old girl with Led Zepplin logos written in marker on her Levi Jacket the other day. Yeah; twenty years from now, there will be 'Ratt Rodzzz' made out of '88-91 Civics. Just watch. And giggle. And feel old.

I wonder if the DOL here would let me have the "C" word spelled with a K for a vanity plate...

But I'm digressing, too.

 

The future might suck so much that we remember the '00s and rat rods as "the good-old-days"

I don't think I'll look back and hate it, just remember what it felt like to be in my 40's

 

What happened to the days (8-10yrs ago) when the term "ratrod" meant traditional styled hotrod, I remember them looking like traditional hotrods not the ones in the old movies or in the old car shows but they looked liked the ones seen on an old track or lakes pic. I know now it seems the more rust and old parts you can throw at it gives it, it's status, does it bug us because it's trendy? I remember some of the guys would get pissed because it wasn't called a ratrod. The gold chainers ruled the shows and someone would call it a streetrod and some of the guys would correct them with the term ratrod. Rumor is that Anthony or one of the other Shifters coined the phrase?

I remember back in the 80's skateboarding, we skated street, we didn't carry our boards anywhere, they were under our feet constantly. It still bugs me to see kids carryin there board to the skatepark. I remember going to a demo, this guys name was Pier Weilinder (spell check), he was a freestyle skater, spinning and flipping his board underneath his feet all sorts of ways. I remember when we left that demo, it was all about what a pussy sissy fag he was cause he didn't skate street or launch ramps like we did. Look at skateboarding now, I don't remember us even thinking about using his flip tricks to grind a curb or a rail, my point is that this whole ratrod thing will settle down and make for better cars being built by the true car guys. Think about it how much better does ur car look now that this is trendy, how many of you that had cars in black primer and red wheels have cleaned up ur body work and painted ur shit???

 

This statement reminds me of being out in my old shoebox or the plymouth and hearing people come up and ask is that a "Merc"

It's kinda like branding:
U wanna stop and get a coke doesn't actually mean u want a coca cola.
coke=brand for soda
bandaid=brand for bandage
levis=brand for denim

 

I don't think Rat Rod as a description, was ever pinned down absolutely accurately....
I mean,is ...."one"..... the bizarre -6ft tall zoomie equipped 2X3tube chassied-18"kickuped-8 carbed obscure V8- scraatchy geared toploader With 12: to1 Banjo reared- tractor grilled -tractor seated-Roadster pickuped- with the 1/2" deep..."bed",and a molested Skull shift knob -witha few Maltese crosses emblazoned to identify it?
ORRRRRRR
Is one..... 35 wire wheeled-flatty equipped model T roadster made from a coupe- with the paint job from 1948 and same air in tires and engine oil from before the last world war?

Or is it the conveniently aged looking replica of all the above that is mostly mail order parts, left bare to rust -as it is assembled in a hurry to get to the next GG fiasco to pose with the powerparkers at the host motel till the pro's pick dot sticker is applied on it's weird looking headlites.....next to the fake bullethole stickers.....
I say NO hot rods will exist in the future so rat rods wont be lonley wherever they go....

 

Amen brother..

I got started in this mess by my neighbours. Guy across the street had a Chevy 5-window p/u, guy down the street had a '69 Charger, his buddy had a Roadrunner, other guy had a Power Wagon. Neighbour behind me made kits to put Corvair motors in beetles and the guy next door was a heavy duty mechainc.

My old man couldn't fix anything but all the guys in the neighbourhood showed me how to do almost anything.

If it burns gas and has wheels I like working on it.

I started out doing the mini-truck thing, then moved to classic Japanese cars. Now there are cars and truck from 1941 - 1996 in my driveway and I love every one. I've got British, American and Japanese iron that I play with.

As soon as my 1980 Turbo T/A is finished resto I'll be starting on the wife's '56 IHC pickup and hopefully finish my custom 1953 Morris Oxford.

Shawn

 

You got that right. This is an argument which'll never end because of the 'label' gig. I'm 56, own several cars that need polished regularly and I hate doing it !.... I don't know a fucking thing about doing upholstry and haven't the bux to have it done. I do know everything how to build safe, reliable, good performing old cars so I'm going to concentrate on that stuff. If that makes my (rolled on) Rustoleum Satin black Ford a Rat Rod or other cars I may build, so be it. No offense to anyone in particular, but rather than Gold Chains I'm beginning to see a few silver ones popping up here and there.

Jan

 

Speaking of skating, I built a half pipe in my backyard and all the "skate" kids in my neighborhood were like "Dude, what is THAT?"
Should've seen them when I busted out an original Caballero and skated it!

 

the rat-rods are gone? i am soooooo saaaaaad!

 

Yeah..luckily "Rat Rodz" hasn't spread here. People are still putting their Borla mufflers under late-90's trucks and attaching neon lights wherever possible.

And...thats a good thing.

As far as I know, no one even knows what a Rat Rod is. And if they did, I'm sure they wouldn't jump on the trend. Afterall...its as easy or "cool" as sticking some bolt-on catalog parts on your beater. Then being a badass.

Anyway...I hate for a trend to drag everyone down with it. Especially here. Late-30's is about the oldest sheetmetal still around and affordable. And seems to be the most "Rat Rod" fodder also. So hopefully...I won't be bandwagoned for salvaging some rotting truck into some sort of fenderless mutant.

 

MC Lars is more punk than you!

 

I just wanna know... who "WE" is...

The HAMB...?
I don't remember being asked the range and scope of my hate...





JOE

 

I have to disagree with RAT ROD not catching on here in the Bluegrass state, well kind of......... guys at work have a weird idea of rat rod. One idea I heard of , was making PRINGLE shaped pieces of steel and using them for "mod chips" , belt buckle gas/clutch pedal, beer bottle gas gauges............it never ends the ingenuity/ stupidity of it all. As far as late 30's metal not true I am currently working on a 26 lakes flatty powered modified T. Hopefully finished this year.......rat rod? no. Going for an immediate post war hot rod vibe, thank you.........

 

Crescent=brand for hammer shaped like a wrench

 

Hmm...atleast it isn't here then.

I live in the eastern part of the state. No one seems to care much for cars other than 4x4's, Muscle(ish) Cars, and wannabe ricers.

The most "Rat Rod" thing I've ever seen around here is some guy driving a mid-50's Chevy pickup with an aging repaint. Still...thats not rat. Just some old guy driving a truck.

Actually, the only car I have thats decent ('54 Customline) falls into the Rat Category. Its got nameless reverse-chrome style wheels, used to be gunmetal grey with pin stripes on the skirts, but its faded to a flat black in places. Some rust and primer showing. But thats how I got it, about 2 years ago. And it had been sitting for a while before then.

The car that eventually pushed me into cars without fenders (my real intrest) was some kind of Toyota/VW/T-Bucket that a guy I knew had and I rode around in once in eigth grade. Before that, I was building up some plans for something like it out of an old b-Model Mack cab. No idea what a "Rat Rod" was, just wanted a cheap fenderless hot rod. No black-primer, skulls, or maltese crosses.

 

Frosty, what the heck is that in your avatar? A Transformer? I can't make it out.................

 

Its like a powerwheels ski-craft thing.

 

Build What You Like Like What You Build And Youl Be Happy One Good Thing About The Rat Rodders Is When There Done With Rodding We Can Buy Or Trade For Any Good Stuf They Had Tim

 

My answer also !!!

 

i dunno where you're at in kentucky,,but where im at,,,all i fuckin hear at work is "RAT ROD" this and "RAT ROD" that for the past year or so,,,,

,,its funny though,,,the SAME people who where making fun of me for rolling wide whites with red steelies back in 1999 are the same ones who are now "EXPERTS" on the whole RAT RODDING "PHENONOUM" to finally make its way to kentucky within the past year or so,..yeah,,they used to say "why the heck did you paint your wheels red???" ,,or"your car looks like the one from GREASE" .hahahaha...

 

Hmm...one of my friends/guy i trade with/preacher described a few cars as "Rat Rod" a couple of months ago. But its just a loose term. Guy is building a 40-something dodge coupe. And...as far back as I can remember was keeping it in primer.

Anyway, hes old, and has been hot rodding for a while. You've got to admit, "Rat Rod" is a useful term for describing some kind of pre-60's vehicle that has been mangled up to function. Its alot easier to say than driver, or beater, or something like that. Which implies no rodding capabilities at all. And could be applied to a Civic also.

Guy I almost sold my F-1 to was an older guy also, but wanted to build a fenderless truck, or "Rat Rod" out of it. This is what comes to mind when i think "Rat Rod".

Something rigged up to reflect some kind of exageratted 50's hot rod, but uses mismatched parts, and techniques. With no regard to aesthetics, proportion, or taste.

I can see...using semi-traditional parts or bodies to build a rod. But you can't call it "traditional".

Example...I'll probably use a F-1 rolling chassis under my truck. But...slightly modified for aesthetics. I don't want huge ass frame horns hanging off the front, or the stock 4x4 stance its giving off. However, it was almost free and is mostly assembled. I don't think anyone will notice, since the frame is pretty much rails, with paralell leaf springs. And my body is some abandoned and horribly ravaged '37 Chevy I saved from the crusher. Is it a Rat Rod? No...not in my opinon. I'm trying to build something that looks atleast...somewhat well assembled.

However, do the same thing with an AD-Chevy on an S-10 chassis, throw some Skulls and maltese crosses on it. Thats a Rat Rod.

Or, a little more classy, some radically chopped (and wasted) 30's coupe with a thrown together chassis and much more "touches" to make it look "period" with whatever garbage they could throw in it to make some piece of functional yard art.

Regardless, the idea is to build something with what you've got or can get your hands on, but is still appealling. Not some piece of shit on purpose.

 

Of all the Fifties I can remember, I like the Fifties of the Eighties the best.

Sure, the Grafitti-style Fifties in the Seventies were pretty cool, with the Fonz and Potsie and Leather Tuscadero and whatnot, and I'll alway have nostalgia for the hardcore tattoo psychobilly Fifties of the Nineties and the early Zero-ies. But to me, nothing says authentic Fifties like those good old rockin' Doc Martens MTV Fifties of the Eighties.
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Stop calling me a rat rodder... I'm a Jalopier

He summed it all up right there.

 

Rodding Chevy Chevettes will be the next trend....

 

Digging up old threads is the newest trend...or so I hear.

 

WTF!!!!!Or better yet why????

 

I'm with Frank - getting it back on the road your way is cool...as long as my way is cool too...

 

yup!

 

dig em up , i agree with 1 foot , but ill go back a little (ya i know american graffitti has many posts) but the 2 decades (70-80,s) were fairley close on the representation of the 50,s but AG got the feeling corrcect and mood of the nation correct . so whats the next generation gonna watch , 2 fast and 2 furious xxl , i must be gettin old !!! i hope all the kids can enjoy a little of what we went through , im going to do my part , the 55 f100 my grandson and i are doing is gonna be an old style "hot rod" and i think he is into it , love the hot rods and the lifestyle mopar210

 

Yep

 

I will be happy when the term rat rod dies off.
I am waiting to put paint on my car and every ass hole walks up and tells me what a nice rat rod I have.
They start the conversation with a insult and I have to smile and answer all the dumb ass questions that follow.
Rat rods are poorly built and thrown together (parts donors in the end)