Topic: What makes a RAT ROD a rat rod?

[tattoodaddy1967]

I am starting an article for Grease Incorporated and need some input from everyone in this group. Tell me what makes a rat rod a rat rod? Is it the building of a car/bike from miscellaneous parts found around the shop? Is it rusted bodies? Is it the artistic vision of building a car/bike into a work of art?

[obama]

Yes, no , maybe.
Think it's almost "creative recycling" for fun, safety, and speed.

[tattoodaddy1967]

Yes, no , maybe.
Think it's almost "creative recycling" for fun, safety, and speed.

GOOD way to put it Obama

[RaTaTat]

"creative recycling" is perfect Obama.  I think a rat should be what you want it to be.  Rusty, chrome, antique, horsepower.  There are so many different ways you can go about building your car, and I dint think there should be any rules about what makes a rat a rat either.  Other than safety concerns, they need to be structurally sound at least and not a death trap on wheels. Building a car is an art in itself and some people are good artists and some have unique perspectives and concepts....
 Either way I love seeing new ingenuitive ideas.

so apperantly ingenuitive isnt a word huh?  oh well my word now LOL 

[hotwheels]

The ability to be different. As most know, i own 5 mustangs and i really enjoyed taking them to the tracks and to car shows. After a while, i started noticing that even though my mustangs are beautiful, all mustangs look the same. Yea they are different colors and have a few items added to them to make em different, but in the end they are mustangs. Hence, me jumping into building rat rods. I wanted the ability to build something different and something of my own taste. With a rat rod, you take take a body style of your choosing, a drive-train of your choosing and add your touches to it. As you build a rat rod, you are able to use your own artistic touches and make something that nobody else has. I have yet to see any rat rod that looks the same, every one of them are different. To that end, i too have noticed that the people whom build rat rods are some of the friendliest people i have met. When another rat rodder see's a rat rod at a car show or Kmart parking lot, you can just start chatting and showing all the little things you have done to your ride and they can fully appreciate what you have done.

I recon building a rat rod just allows you to be different, use your own artistic touches and meet some pretty damn cool people. You don't have to be the same as everyone else when building your rat, you can spend a ton of money, or spend a little money. What you end up with is yours, and a little piece of your persona..

[Grumpyoldman]

I stole this from : http://ratrodstuff.com/what-is-a-rat-rod

Many people have asked me, what is a rat rod? A rat rod is simply a custom car that is made for driving and hanging out with friends. Rat rods aren't ultra glossy show cars. Instead a rat rod is a "unfinished" street rod that is intentionally left a bit rough around the edges.

You might be able to recognize most rat rods by their flat black or gray paint but there are no set rules as to what makes a rat rod, a rat rod. I can't exactly define a rat rod, but I know one when I see one.

[Hodad]

Rat Rod is a descriptive term for a hot rod, a term that sure seems to piss a lot of folks off.

[RustyNCA]

The ability to be different. As most know, i own 5 mustangs and i really enjoyed taking them to the tracks and to car shows. After a while, i started noticing that even though my mustangs are beautiful, all mustangs look the same. Yea they are different colors and have a few items added to them to make em different, but in the end they are mustangs. Hence, me jumping into building rat rods. I wanted the ability to build something different and something of my own taste. With a rat rod, you take take a body style of your choosing, a drive-train of your choosing and add your touches to it. As you build a rat rod, you are able to use your own artistic touches and make something that nobody else has. I have yet to see any rat rod that looks the same, every one of them are different. To that end, i too have noticed that the people whom build rat rods are some of the friendliest people i have met. When another rat rodder see's a rat rod at a car show or Kmart parking lot, you can just start chatting and showing all the little things you have done to your ride and they can fully appreciate what you have done.

I recon building a rat rod just allows you to be different, use your own artistic touches and meet some pretty damn cool people. You don't have to be the same as everyone else when building your rat, you can spend a ton of money, or spend a little money. What you end up with is yours, and a little piece of your persona..

Cheers.... That is a good way to describe one.   

What is hurting the term, it is popular (extremely) and everything in flat paint or rust and slapped together is being called a rat rod now hence some people are starting to equate rat rod with a poorly built unsafe junk car.  The other trend I don't care for..... just cuase it is a "rat rod" does not mean it has to be covered in rats or spider webs....

I agree that it is an artistic build of a hot rod with mostly vintage performance parts, that is not finished up with a high dollar paint job or interior so you aren't afraid to drive the @#$^ out of it, let kids crawl over it, leave it at the grocery store parking lot, etc.  But it performs well while looking really cool and you can enjoy using without the stress of a high dollar hot rod.

RustyNCA

These are good examples....

[ezrat]

I like the phrase, "creative recycling"
Still there is a large gray area between Rat Rod and Traditional Rods...

[Dustin Arnett]

rat rod is all what you make of it. It's an opinionated word..... It's probably easier to describe what isn't a "rat rod"..... Hahaha .......good luck with the article, I'm lookin forward to reading it.....

[brett93304]

I believe in the no rules mind set...except foe safety
For me Rat rod has to have some artistry, some creativity, with out those it it just a ruty pile of junk that may or may not be on wheels.

[oldskool49]

Creative recycleing fits. After all we are the first recyclers. Just do it safely.

[Hodad]

Considering all the recycling going on.......it kinda looks like we've have gone "Green"!

 

[tattoodaddy1967]

Thank you all for your input. If you have a shop or business that is associated with the hobby let me know I will give you a plug in the articles. ...all you guys and GALS ANA, have been great inspiration for what I am embarking on.