"Rat Rods"

[HEMI]

O.K.,I'll be right up front and say I don't like the rusty,ground scraping look, but some are down right dangerous.A wreck looking for a place to happen.Nothing wrong with a well built car that is safe.I saw a pic of one that had a broomsick for a steering shaft.My A is what used to be called a "Beater",or used and in primer if you prefer.Your opinions?

[Stoneshrink]

Re: "Rat Rods"

Crap is still crap whether painted flat black or color shifting pearl.
However, I see many opportunities for the hot rodder to build a car that is exempt from most safety laws, and super light.

[AFFORDILLAC]

Re: "Rat Rods"

I personally love rat rods...or apparently the look of rat rods.
I cant say I've seen the broom stick trick, or anything resembling it, but well thought out drivers that look ratty are way kool on many levels.
Anything that looks like it will fall apart in two blocks, yet can travel cross country safely and reliably any day is the $hiT.

[slightlywickedchick]

Re: "Rat Rods"

We have a "rusty ground scraping" car that we have driven from coast to coast (and is also a daily driver) and I feel safer with the kids in that car than I do with them in our new cars. As far as using a broomstick for a steering shaft..that's taking it a little too far. But as they say...to each his own. ;)

[purplecobra]

Re: "Rat Rods"

Rusty is not your typical rat, Chad built it!!! I look forward to the return of paint!

[JoshB]

Re: "Rat Rods"

I love them.
Anything can be built unsafe and look pretty or ugly.
How is this not cool...

[Rendid]

Re: "Rat Rods"

Some of the cars are rusty in a way that puts function ahead of form.
That is cool.

There are others that seem to intentionally make the car unuseable (or at least unsafe) to give it a cobbled together look.
Not cool.

[Monster]

Re: "Rat Rods"

Rendid
Some of the cars are rusty in a way that puts function ahead of form.
That is cool.

There are others that seem to intentionally make the car unuseable (or at least unsafe) to give it a cobbled together look.
Not cool.

AMEN to that !!!

[FEF100]

Re: "Rat Rods"

The one that got me thinking about beaters was the Eastwood & Barakat '32. A rough body on a perfect chassis. A nice drive anywhere car that ran 11's. Nothing at all wrong with that.

[himmelberg]

Re: "Rat Rods"

It's sure hard to opine with wisdom or judgement when something as vague as "ratrod" is tossed out there. Casting aspersions on whatever "ratrod" means seems a hard target to hit. It is interesting to hear what folks do like and why they like it. It is even more interesting to see what new ideas can be applied to automotive art.

I'm not a big fan of joining on someone's efforts. If a guy builds a pile of junk... well... so what? Some rides have great appeal and little or no paint (patina), even rust. Give me something different or cool or radical or even odd. The fun seems to span a wide variety of effort and tastes. It's like art. You might even know alot about it and still know what you like.

himmelberg

[dand38s]

Re: "Rat Rods"

I hate rat rods at car shows, especially when I am a judge. The owners get all upset when they dont get high scores. Most of the time we have very high dollar cars at the show. When you compare a $250,000 car to a junk yard pile, what do they expect.

[AFFORDILLAC]

Re: "Rat Rods"

Thats probably the first I've heard of a "rat rodder" complaining about not getting high scores or any score at all!
It's all about jus showing up and parkin it for me. A few laps around the joint and some food and me and the family are outta there...screw the awards, whether I bring the cars with paint or without.

[Monster]

Re: "Rat Rods"

I think they should be gratefull that they were allowed to enter ...

[falconizer_62]

Re: "Rat Rods"

I love them.
Anything can be built unsafe and look pretty or ugly.
How is this not cool...

that ain't no rat rod in my book. that is sweeeet. to me, rat rodders are those with no delay of gratification. they want to be in the 'scene' right now and don't want to wait to build a car right or really learn how to weld. the welds look like gum stuck on the metal in globs under the flat black rattle can paint. in their haste they destroy perfectly buildable cars so they can hang with their friends, and play dress up.
i'm even cool with that (except for the trashing good cars part, if it's already rusty and trashed no harm) it's the lack of knowledge in the suspension set ups that scare me. they can loose control easily and injure others...not cool.
they remind me of the dudes that were always screwing around in class saying...when am i ever going to use this geometry crap.
that is what the term rat rod conjurs up in my head...seems that there are many definitions
peace

[Dynoroom]

Re: "Rat Rods"

Now this.... this is a rat rod....