What's a 'rat' rod....my def.

[Cranky]

I've had a problem with that term ever since it got coined. In the 50's, real 'rat' rods were junk rods but growing up in the 50's I remember seeing a few real hot rods around. They were usually done up to be mechanically sound but looked like crap because of the money was spent getting the thing together right and didn't 'waste' money on looks. They were real hot rods and most were fast. Yeah, there were the wanna bees that cobbed their cars together, didn't know much of what they were doing and they looked the part but they usually ran like crap not to mention for very long if at all. Those were the real rat rods and were pieces of crap and dangerous. There were a few really nice hot rods around and looked show quality but those belonged to the rich kids and were built by someone else for them....kinda like it is even today lol. Not sure what I might do if I were to build what I call an old school hot rod and someone called it a rat. Mine would be like the ones from the late 40's early 50's and done right, ran fast and hard but looked like it was built by someone who knew what they were doing but just didn't have the money for the fluff. A true hot rod and no rat about it!

 

[roadrunnerman]

We have a few of them around here. I've always liked the look of them. Don't see them out too much unless there is a car show or a special cruse somewhere.

 

[wannadrag]

Like the one Stu just bought.To me that is a hot rod.

 

[RustyRatRod]

To me, rat rods are supposed to be made from whatever you have layin around. In other words, not bought from Summit, fleaybay, Jegs or the like, but left over parts and pieces.

 

[99ss]

To me, rat rods are supposed to be made from whatever you have layin around. In other words, not bought from Summit, fleaybay, Jegs or the like, but left over parts and pieces.

x2

 

[moparstuart]

View attachment 89134

Like the one Stu just bought.To me that is a hot rod.

my brand new purchase not as ratty as some but made up of several different cars and trucks the guy had laying around and only painted in hot rod black

 

[b-star69]

today if your pre 1960's car is flat black with red rims it's a ratrod. otherwise a 30's that a want-a-be artest welded and beat together.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Sorry dude. That's more traditional than rat.

THIS to me is a rat rod.

 

[wannadrag]

Sorry dude. That's more traditional than rat.

THIS to me is a rat rod.

Yup

 

[Dennis H]

Must have heavily tatooed driver with deformaties due to metal body impalements. Shaved head. Goatie. Travel in gorups. Just an observation.

 

[63RedFury]

Now thats funny!

 

[Cranky]

Junk rods vs Hot Rods.......Rusty, is that a Rat Rod or a Hot Rod? I bet it's put together right and goes like hell! It looks like hell so maybe it's a Hell Rod? lol.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

This truck belongs to a friend of mine. Pretty much exemplifies "rat rod"

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/09/pat-mcneals-1942-gmc-coe-with-factory.html

 

[Diecastdeluxe]

 

[Cranky]

Looks like a 'Hell Rod' to me! Hey, maybe that could be a new term for a hot rod that's killer? How does it run? It's definitely different for sure!

 

[Budnicks]

3 different types

Not to Offend anyone at all... As I posted in Stuarts 31 Nash Rat Rod thread, there are 3 classifications to these era cars, to me anyway, 1st Rat Rod is a cobbled together, "rusty" red headed step child of a Hot Rod family {a newer Fad or sub-group}, meant to look like a Rusty Ratty Old Rod, on porpuse... #2 a Hot Rod, too me is a AFFORDABLE but clean & well built, usually home built, 20's -40's car, that has a big emphases on the performance oriented theme, with low stance fatties & skinnies, decent rims/tires, decent performance engine bay, decent well working suspension, decent/strong rear end, decent interior {minimal but functional}, decent paint &/or at least being worked on, to get rid of rust & dents to look decent eventually, not a bunch of electronics, not just cobbled together & the intensionally "Rusty Look" of the coined named "Rat Rod".... #3 is the Street Rodder, Mostly Much Older Wealthier Crowd, Great 8 or Riddler Award type show cars, all chrome, all billet, mostly all the Gary Medders, Boyd Coddington, Chip Foose, Goodguys etc. types, mostly someone else built by their checkbook {some aren't}, typical 20's-40's type show cars, minimum $10k Billet, minimum $10k paint jobs, $10k rims/tires, $10k leather interior or Tweed like it was just a few years ago, $5k-$10k+ electric everything, A/C, stereos etc., $15k prefabbed purchased chassis, $5k-$10k Chrome/Billet suspension, usually not very practical, but only going from trailer to show parking spots anyway, something a Rat Rod or Hot Rod wouldn't or couldn't/shouldn't have.... I like them all, I like seeing all the diversity in the builds, but I'm for sure allot closer to the Performance Oriented Driven HOT ROD type crowd, then the Tattooed/Pierced younger new fad Rat Rod crowds, or the more High Dollar Show Car, Billet/Chromed Everything mentality, of the Street Rodder crowds... But that's just me & to each their own...

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View attachment 89227

Diecastdeluxe, Very Cool Hemi Powered Old Dodge Pickem' up... That's a HOT ROD, not a Rat Rod... Budnicks likey

 

[RustyRatRod]

Junk rods vs Hot Rods.......Rusty, is that a Rat Rod or a Hot Rod? I bet it's put together right and goes like hell! It looks like hell so maybe it's a Hell Rod? lol.

It belongs to Charles. He's one of the owners at the shop. Yeah, it's built right alright. He made the entire box tube frame himself. His business partner Rodney, the other owner, built the 383 in it. Charles chopped the top himself. It was his first one. He also made it right hand drive "just because". He also has a 29 Model A we're fixin to snatch the Olds 403 outta it and replace it with a 392 Hemi. Wait till you see the intake manifold Charles made for it. I'll try to remember to take my camera in tomorrow and get a couple of pics. He uses industrial radiator hose for intake runners. lol

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Yeah I thought that looked like a 702. You know they are makin performance stuff for them now? As if 702 cubes needs any help.

This truck belongs to a friend of mine. Pretty much exemplifies "rat rod"

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/09/pat-mcneals-1942-gmc-coe-with-factory.html

 

[Cranky]

Didn't the High and Mighty Plymouth use hoses for the intake setup? IIRC, it did. But what was ya gonna do in those days!?

 

[RustyRatRod]

Didn't the High and Mighty Plymouth use hoses for the intake setup? IIRC, it did. But what was ya gonna do in those days!?

Yes! That's exactly where he got the idea.

 

[68sportsatelliteragtop]

Didn't the High and Mighty Plymouth use hoses for the intake setup? IIRC, it did. But what was ya gonna do in those days!?

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From what I have seen of "Rat Rods", they are like a lot of other Hot Rods/ Street Rods. Some are done with limited budget and a lot of imagination. Others are done on big budgets with newer parts made to look old and distressed. Some of them are wearing original patina paint. Others have been painted to look old. Some of these distressed looking paint jobs cost as much,or more, than a show quality finish. Some of these cars, upon close inspection, look as though a trip down a bumpy road would break them into many pieces. I guess what I am saying is the "Rat Rod" style can be done the same way as any other types of cars are done, on the cheap or skys the limit budget, well executed and safe, or poorly done and a death trap. With these cars you really have to look closely, and even then if they are well executed, they may look scary, do to the level some builders go to achieve the "Rat" look.