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

[MarPar]

Meh, i don't get bogged down with "labels." if it's cool, it's cool no matter what you call it.

 

[moparstuart]

love the bomber seats and the steering wheel in that one

 

[rev.ronnie]

99% of the "rat rods" today are nothing more than "purposely unfinished appearing" street rods. Most have paid more for "faded old primer" looks that actual paint jobs. Many have junkyard smog engines.....lame ***.

A true "rat rod" is a car, purpose built for racing, with the emphasis of the money spent on speed, forsaking safety or appearance.

If someone has a car that they think is a "rat rod" and it isn't fast as hell for what it is, it's a lame attempt at the copying an old counterculture.

In short: rat rod= fast beater
Anything else that is a beater and not fast=just a failed copy or just a beater.


These dudes and gals that dress up like old 50s greasers are humorous though. Especially the ones that live like that in day to day life...

 

[Ron 73]

Back in my day we called them rat rods because of the way they looked, ratty as heck at least starting out. Rusted, dented, all of it but ran like a raped ape. Then some would improve on them and start fixing them up fixing the dents ridding the car of rust and adding paint, nice rims, More now looking like what we called a Hotrod. I don't know the correct definition but generally speaking this what we called them right or wrong. Either way there cool as can be and depending on what you wanted, a ratty looking sleeper or a great looking hotrod.

 

[moparstuart]

i have an old timer call it a Jalopy the other day

 

[Budnicks]

i have an old timer call it a Jalopy the other day

Jalopy, yep that's what my Pops calls them too, he's a product of the 50's kind of old guy...