Every time I take my car out somebody has to say "cool rat rod".
It's a term made up by people who don't have a clue. It's all interpretation.
To me a '65 mustang with a 6 cyl isn't a muscle car, but hey who cares. nether is a pt cruiser, but they show up to the car shows don't they?
Last year my neighbors award winning, magazine cover, 40' ford (insured at 70k) had 3 problems found by the nsra judges,1 of them was a brake problem, 1 was a electrical. My car is a year too new, but for fun I had them "safety inspect it" They found 1 thing, a 2" crack in one windshield. But his is considered a top quality car, and mine an "unsafe rat rod"
I love people who ask when I will paint it. The paint is a ppg custom mix, it was actually gloss black for all of about an hour. It took the sinister look away, so it went back in the booth, got scrubbed, and reshot.