Thread: Real Rat Rods versus Made to look like

Tweet

All right guys, I am going to say that I think there is a big difference between a true rat rod and a car a guy purposely makes look like it was a basket case even if it started out as more.

The truck I am working on was a true rat rod, the guy put in engine, trans, brakes and rear end, did what he had to for it all to work. And didn't touch ANYTHING extra. no joke, never even pressure washed the damn thing. It had legit body cancer in a couple of places, crud cakes all over underneath it, he never took anything off that wasn't in the way of what he was putting in. when I got it he had a towel taped down with duct tape covering the opening he had cut for the C6.

I can understand this, on the one hand money and time are a consideration and priority for this guy was to run. he also liked people not suspecting what the truck had going for it. I even think this is cool (although not my bag).

I don't appreciate (taste wise) the guys that take a car and go frame up THEN turn it into a rat rod. just doesn't seem to make the same sense to me.

anwyays, was just thinking about that, what do all the rest of you think? cool if it is a basket case turned into a runner? cool if it is a runner turned into a basket case?

Red

Since you asked, I don't see either one as cool. However, a ratrod is just uncool. A faux ratrod (Horsepower TV) is plain stupid.

I personally like real stuff regardless of if it is a rat rod or show car. Never cared for things like fake quickchange rear ends or Olds valve covers on SBC's. To me the height of deceipt was that poser rat rod roadster they built on Hot Rod TV. What a joke......to make it "authentic" they drilled holes through the top of the cowl and bolted on the msd ignition box and covered a perfectly made floor with stop signs.

Sort of like the guys who intall a rusty panel into a fiberglass car to make people think it is all steel. Reminds me of those fake floorshifts they sold in the '50's and '60's. You bolted them to the floor, but they didn't do anything, you still had to shift with the column shifter.


Don

I personally think ratrods are entertaining to look at, but not very functional.
The one they built on Horsepower was a joke!

I think a vehicle needs to be functional and dependable,[something you could drive everyday and anywhere], otherwise it's just a showpiece.

Myself, I've always preferred a Sleeper instead!

How about some conceptual thinking................

Is it fake to put a high quality, shiny paint job on a car that was painted with a brush at the factory?

Is it fake to put a leather interior in a car that originally came with mohair?

Is it fake to lower a pick up to enhance it's appearance (in your view) at the expense of the utility it was originally designed for?

Is it fake to put a mega-watt stereo system in a car that originally came with four tiny speakers?

I think you get the point. Modifying cars to the owners taste has a long and storied history. Fashion trends come and go. Often, one styling statement leads to another. Does it pay homage to the predecessor or mock it? From time to time probably both. There's nothing new nor unique about this sort of variation on a theme.............it's very likely been going on since the time of Og and Grog in their caves trying to "outdo" one another in styling saber tooth tiger hides.

I just don't see the need to fake things Oh, sorry wrong photo.

To me the term 'rat rod' was coined as a new way of talking about a 'beater' - the rod that was built right for safe driving, but nothing extra just for appearance including, in many cases, paint & custom upholstery. Today there is a trend to make the 'rat rod' scary or unsafe, at least in appearance, and shock value is the rule. As others said, a 'faux rat rod' is, IMO, just a joke.

Ken, do you know if that tree was standing straight before she leaned on it?

I never cared for these things much but after working on one I see the attraction. Most guys in the 50's probably couldn't afford to whip open a performance parts book and buy the cool stuff. So using a combo of junkyard parts and what you have laying around from other projects presents a challange in itself. For example, I cant tell you how long it's been since I had to rebuild a master cylinder but I spent 3 hours this week getting that rusted piece of crap apart and cleaned up. There's a unique challenge in building a car like this using a whole different spectrum of resources, and I really dont think it's any less of an art form than building something really nice. I'm finding that there is a lot to learn from either method, even though my preference is shiny paint, A/C, modern drivetrain, and cushy interior. Think of it as a big go-kart.

Although I like to look at some of the more tasteful ones, I sometimes wonder why if the person has the ability and tools to build framerails, chop a top, channel a body, etc, etc why can't they bust out a DA and sand the rust down? Wouldn't you want to take a little more pride in your hard work than that.

Ken, do you know if that tree was standing straight before she leaned on it?

Bob, looks to me that if it weren't for that tree, she would be prone supported by two large muscles, but definitely not standing.

I Usually only give rat rods a quick glance especially if they lack paint. They just are not that appealing unless of course they have some highly desirable features. Not sure that this vehicle can be classified as a "ratrod" but it certainly has appeal.

Bob, I heard her act is crawling on stage and trying to stand up

Originally Posted by Ken Thurm

I just don't see the need to fake things Oh, sorry wrong photo.

i dont hate on wemon but her nose and booooooooobies look fake as shit. lmao sorry got off subject

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Ken, do you know if that tree was standing straight before she leaned on it?

And they say you can't get too much of a good thing...........there goes another myth down the drain.


Don