Rat rod trucks
5th Wheeling
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: North Vancouver
I was under the impression that a Rat Rod is a car or truck that is not finished yet. The objective is to get it on the road and drive it. The finishing touches come later when finances, time or both come together. I thought this derived from a bunch of guys who started taking there unfinished Rods to shows. Has anybody else heard this explanation?
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,231
Likes: 1
From: Near Fresno, California
53fatfndr, I can understand you being upset if someone called your truck a rat rod - it is first class. I think rat rods came about because it is much easier to do mechanical things rather than body work.
I also stole a copy of your mouse - it is great!
I also stole a copy of your mouse - it is great!
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 863
Likes: 2
From: Grain Valley Mo.
I sold my last "Rat Rod" (all steel '32 Ford) for $25000. Some guys called it a rat rod because it was primered, one Corvette guy even called it a "bomb". The real car guy's looked it over and said "wow".
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ibleedblue
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
rat rod
pics are now in my "after paint" gallery.can't post them here for some reason!
thinking of painting the wheels red and still trying to figure out an affordable
way to slam it and still leave room for the 20's
thinking of painting the wheels red and still trying to figure out an affordable
way to slam it and still leave room for the 20's
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: Canton,Oh
"The real car guy's looked it over and said "wow"."
Couldn't agree more.
I'd rather mine be call a Hot Rod than a Rat Rod but it doesn't hurt my feelings. I wouldn't call my truck exactly thrown together. It was put together with a bunch of 60s nostalgia era peices. I just decided that I wasn't doing bodywork or painting. That freshly pulled from the farm field look is what I call it.
Later,Bill
Couldn't agree more.
I'd rather mine be call a Hot Rod than a Rat Rod but it doesn't hurt my feelings. I wouldn't call my truck exactly thrown together. It was put together with a bunch of 60s nostalgia era peices. I just decided that I wasn't doing bodywork or painting. That freshly pulled from the farm field look is what I call it.
Later,Bill
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
From: Mt. Washington, Ky.
I may not be right on this, but I think the term "Rat Rod" was started by some car magazine for cars and trucks that were either barn fresh bodies or ones that were thrown together from spare parts laying around. They can be painted, primered, or patina(weathered). I think it is a throw back to the old term used back in the 50's "Hot Rod". Any car or truck put together in the owners garage by the owner, with what he can afford and still safely drive it on the street. I know many people get offended by the term Rat Rod. I'm just glad that a lot of the old grass roots hot rods are coming back. You know the ones before Boyd Coddington. Don't get me wrong, I like those too, but I really dig hearing someone say, "I did all the work myself in my garage with what I had laying around" Just one man's opinion.Xhotrodder
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,674
Likes: 2
From: Rowland Heights
I talked to Steve Stillwell about his truck and he doesn't consider his truck a rat rod. He wanted to capture more of the 70's look with the flat black paint. His option a Rat Rod is something rusted made to run for the street. Not custom or fab'd out. But there are different version's of Rat Rod. The debate continues. He does have a cool truck.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,674
Likes: 2
From: Rowland Heights
OK. Here we go. Found this web site that might help us out.
Rat rod is a newly developed name for the original hot rod style of the early 1950's. A rat rod is usually a vehicle that has had many of its non-critical parts removed. They are usually finished in primer-like paints and are often period correct. They are very often the conglomeration of parts and pieces of different makes and models.
A typical rat rod is an early 1930's coupe or roadster with the body set low on the frame, fenders removed, whitewall tires, big-little tire combos, exposed engine bay, home-made upholstery, and lots of power.
http://www.streetrods-online.com/RAT%20RODS/rat_rods.htm
Some nice pics.
Rat rod is a newly developed name for the original hot rod style of the early 1950's. A rat rod is usually a vehicle that has had many of its non-critical parts removed. They are usually finished in primer-like paints and are often period correct. They are very often the conglomeration of parts and pieces of different makes and models.
A typical rat rod is an early 1930's coupe or roadster with the body set low on the frame, fenders removed, whitewall tires, big-little tire combos, exposed engine bay, home-made upholstery, and lots of power.
http://www.streetrods-online.com/RAT%20RODS/rat_rods.htm
Some nice pics.
Postmaster
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,958
Likes: 1
Nice link.
I saw them build a "rat rod" on TV a while back. It was some car club and they used what they had laying around the shop. It was cut up and stripped (no roof, fenders, etc.).
It was made from random parts of many, many vehicles. The steering wheel was a huge "ships wheel". They listed what they scrounged each part from as they welded it all together. They didn't even prime anything.
When they got done they fired it up and drove it to a car show. It ran, but looked pretty bad. Cool though in its own right.
I saw them build a "rat rod" on TV a while back. It was some car club and they used what they had laying around the shop. It was cut up and stripped (no roof, fenders, etc.).
It was made from random parts of many, many vehicles. The steering wheel was a huge "ships wheel". They listed what they scrounged each part from as they welded it all together. They didn't even prime anything.
When they got done they fired it up and drove it to a car show. It ran, but looked pretty bad. Cool though in its own right.
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 701
Likes: 0
From: colorado
"I thought that it would look good on my effie with the diamond plate. To me, it is the finished paint job. However, if I keep hearing it reffered to as a "rat rod" I'm going to paint it something else" Don't do it man! The truck looks AWESOME! Are the running boards diamond plate also? I was thinking of replacing the rusted out centers of my boards with some diamond plate.(at $400.0 - $500.00 for reproductions it seems like a good choice for me)
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