Dave,

I can point to one vehicle(32 Ford Sedan) with rust, swirls in the orange paint (clear coated) and rats on the dash board, no door panels on the inside. Rats on the dash and the RatFink Sign. It is not primered but painted Obnoxious Orange. He considers it a Rat Rod.

I can show you unfinished 80s minitrucks that are WANTABE ratrods. Their owners take pride in that.

One of the neatest decals I have seen says:

"It's not a F***ING Ratrod, Its Just Not Finished.

The Billetproof Crowd (www.billetproof.com) has a requirement for participation that the vehicle not have any visible billet of any kind....No digital guages, NO IFS on fenderless cars.

While primer may play a part this thread shows it takes a lot more to make a rat rod.

Len Trimlett