I've never understood going to the trouble of getting your car straight, painting it a flat or satin color and then putting a nice gloss pinstripe job on it. There's a nice '68 Chevy truck that runs around my town that has sweet pinstriping and this dull paint. Not my cup of tea...but it's what you want..not what I want.
WOW according to these definitions my Comet is already a rat rot! Recently, the term "Rat Rod" has been used to describe almost any vehicle that appears unfinished or is built simply to be driven, whether or not the vehicle would have been customized or even existed during the 50s. Paint and Finish Typical "rough" finish of Rat Rods. Many Rat Rods appear unfinished with primer paint jobs being common. Other finishes may include “natural patina” (the original paint with rust and blemishes intact), a patchwork of original paint and primer, or bare metal with no finish at all in rusty or oiled varieties. Contrary to tastes of many car builders, rust is often acceptable and appreciated by a Rat Rodder. HMMM what it really should be called is a "Broke Rod" Interior Interiors of rat rods vary from fully finished to a spartan, bare bones form. Mexican blankets and bomber seats form the basis of many rat rod interiors. Most are designed to be functional without many comforts although this will vary with the owner’s taste. heck this describes the most of the interiors of Mav's/Comets LOL
Come on, you can't tell me that dosen't look bad ass. I love the dude thumbing his nose to the world on the cowl. I would drive the hell out of a car like that. I have ideas for a rat rod Maverick in my head which would require chopping the roof and putting the car on a full frame, but I just don't think they are the right car to build one out of. That may change in the future though. I keep trying to figure out something to do with my wrecked '74 Grabber body and some other assorted parts I have laying around... I think the Grabber was somewhat of a rat rod in it's own right, before it got wrecked, certainly fits the description, "built to drive" to hell would looks. :evilsmile
I'm hoping that my Dad's willys wagon goes that road to a degree, but it will have paint. I want to see that thing on the ground with some babymoons and the stripe round the hubcap contrasting what color we end up painting it, but then once again, will that be a traditional rod? 1952 willys wagon, w/ stock buggyleaf IFS I just don't get it. I have people call my car a Rat, but it's the wrong era, I think it's a hot rod, but the cars portrayed in mags are almost always big $$ cars, that's not how the hobby/culture started.
right, big $$ cars are what we now refer to as "hot rods", but the original "hot rod" is what is now a "Rat Rod", which is as far as I'm concerned a traditional hot rod (i.e. 20's-50's, maybe early 60's) without all the chrome and fancy paint and such, thus making a rat rod, in my book. The bottom line i guess, rats are low buck hot rods that are built to be driven, and not be trailered, I think :confused: My real question I guess is where do the cars from the muscle era, that are not muscle cars fit in? If we build them on a shoestring, leave them in primer b/c we drive them, and don't get all that guady chrome junk, it's not a hot rod, rat rod, or muscle car by definition. What the hell, they're Mavericks
yea thats what i'd think back yard mechanics to the fullest. i know my car's a little too young to ever be a true rat rod, but i'd hope that it includes most of the other themes
To me, a rat rod is just a style of a car, no different then say a pro street, street rod, resto mod, or pro touring car. They are all hot rods, just different styles. I don't see how just because hot rodding started out as low buck cars, means they have to be now days.
no offence but this definitly isnt true, ive seen plenty of rat rods with completely redone frames, suspension and drive train, but they drop the original body and interior over it ive seen those called rat rods many many times in magazines i know im paintin mine a flat black of sorts, but im gonna go for more of a satin, like a semi gloss, we will see how it comes out i guess
if you spend $100,000 building a custom roadster and hen just paint it flat black its not a rat rod. back in the day the guys who were building rat rods were just throwing together stuff from the junkyard in their own back yards or whatever. it definatly wasnt boyd cottingtion, chip foose magazine material. it was back yard mechanics having a completly redone car, top to bottom contridicts being a rat rod
haha im just sayin ive definitly seen cars like that, fully rusted body, torn interior, and a suspension you could eat off of... and they were listed as rat rods
