FMSPEED49 Posted February 14, 2009 Report Posted February 14, 2009 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. Quote
BobT-47P15 Posted February 14, 2009 Report Posted February 14, 2009 This is a local "rat rod" built by a fellow I know. He bought the cab portion out of an ancient salvage yard, then used the engine from a Chevy he had. Has an old International grille. Is registered as a '36 International. Another guy I know is building this one......purposely leaving it ratty, while making it reasonably safe to operate. Quote
Fireball Posted February 14, 2009 Report Posted February 14, 2009 ...the rat rod willhave such things as rusted panel, chairs from out back the bowling alley, beer can tail light housings, spiders and stuff like that pasted/welded all over..fred flintstone floor pans..and the need to have tetnus shot pretty much before looking it over close...if by chance you must park next to one take precautions to have the area sprayed for tin worms so as not to infect your car... I just fell over with my chair:D :D your fault Tim! Yup... the whole ratrod "scene" has gone inflation. Traditional rods are awesome, but they are not ratrods, nor doesn't a flat paint create one Quote
Merle Coggins Posted February 14, 2009 Report Posted February 14, 2009 Here's one for you... Bob (rearview) can fill you in on the details of it. It is parked right in front if his Dodge at the World of Wheels show this weekend. As he explained to me, it's mostly non-functional. Quote
Olddaddy Posted February 14, 2009 Report Posted February 14, 2009 I will show my age here..........when I was coming up my Dad and Uncles built and raced old Fords. (they were common, and more importantly cheap) The ones they built were referred to by them as soup jobs, as in souped up. This meant mainly removing the air filter, cutting the exhausts off short and removing any unnecessary body work, fenders, interior, glass etc. In those days cheap speed meant removing weight. I am building my 29 DeSoto roadster along those lines, low bucks, nothing fancy, safe, solid, but homemade, nothing you would ever see at an NSRA event. Hotrod, streetrod, ratrod, soup job.......it's all the same in the end, something that makes you happy. Quote
55 Fargo Posted February 14, 2009 Report Posted February 14, 2009 I will show my age here..........when I was coming up my Dad and Uncles built and raced old Fords. (they were common, and more importantly cheap) The ones they built were referred to by them as soup jobs, as in souped up. This meant mainly removing the air filter, cutting the exhausts off short and removing any unnecessary body work, fenders, interior, glass etc. In those days cheap speed meant removing weight. I am building my 29 DeSoto roadster along those lines, low bucks, nothing fancy, safe, solid, but homemade, nothing you would ever see at an NSRA event. Hotrod, streetrod, ratrod, soup job.......it's all the same in the end, something that makes you happy. Charlie, when I was kid in the late 60s, I certainly remember cars as you have described as being "souped up". I think we are getting to hung-up on semantics these days. Everyone wants there reide to be prefect like what you see in the Rod magazines. I say fix-em up, make them safe for street use, drive em and be happy with it. We all have different skill levels, money etc, so a lot of cars fall short of the magazine cover for detail, paint jobs , engine etc. I could drive myself crazy comparing my Coupe to a lot of cars on here, my car is what it is, and what it was, was 1 trip away from the scrap yard when I got her, so everything is an improvement. I knwo guys up here that have state of the art home shops, one guy I know has a shop that is so clean, he sometimes wears his slippers in there, it has floor heating, everyhting is mint,no street driven vehicles go insed, just his Cobra project. My shop has my daily drivers in it,that means snow melting, mixed with gravel and salt on the floors, I just clean it the best I can, and get on with it. One mans junk is another mans treasure, we all have different ideas, of the end result..........Fred Quote
Young Ed Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 Fred I got you beat my car came out of the scrap yard HA. And almost went there again last fall. Quote
Don Coatney Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Posted February 15, 2009 Don C, that blue coupe seems a little above rat rod level. That was my point in posting the picture. The magazine editor does not drive a rat rod. Quote
billwillard Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 Charlie and rockwood have it right on. I like em all. Quote
Aussie D25 Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 "Rat rod" also seems to be a tag on eBay for any part that a hot-rodder doesn't want. But might, with the "rat rod" in the title draw a little more money selling it to someone who hasn't got a clue. Like, for example:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1934-Plymouth-w-s-wiper-motors-rat-rod_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a0Q7c293Q3a2Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem110349417300QQitemZ110349417300QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_500wt_1059 I agree, the term rat rod (especially on eBay)is driving up the prices of what would normally be a cheap second hand part. People are cashing in on this fad and I think its sucks the round ones ! Don't get me wrong I think they look awesome and if it wasn't for stringent road laws in Australia NSW being the wost state of (oh lucky me ) I would certainly have a second project waiting in the wings. For Australia , this old banger is cheap as chips and just waiting for a resto ... problem is, I doubt there would be too many around for parts. So in my opinion this would be a great basis for a "safe" rat rod. finishing it off with whatever parts you could find on the cheap to get it road worthy. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/DODGE-1924_W0QQitemZ290294220277QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Cars?hash=item290294220277&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A1|39%3A1|240%3A1318#ebayphotohosting We would never see anything like this one below on our roads , they would be a novelty that you would see at shows etc, its my favorite pic that I could find so far .... so sweet http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g80/byclark/Rat%20Rods/ratrod1.jpg What I cant understand is that if done right I see no reason why people in Australia and other parts of the world cant drive these "rat rod" style customs around ... to me they are no different than a Clubman 7 or Elfin roadster. the only real difference I can think of is things like decent seats, safety belts/harness, roll bar, visible indicators/break lights from all angles, lol a floor in many cases, and other things like I know that hot rods in Australia have to have covered fans ... even if the engine bay is open the fan must have a guard around it. http://www.mmsport.com.au/_images/image681.jpg I guess if you use your scrounged parts correctly and fit them to your rod in a manor that obeys state laws and have the vehicle passed by an engineer then there shouldn't be that much of a safety issue involved with these "registered go-karts" Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 I call them rat rods..and like others here I do make a point to look at them..the things they come up with just flat out floor me in their imagination and creativity..but these cars are still in my opinion a tad less than desirable for drivabilitly and safety...sorry if this ruffles a feather but next time look a bit closer at some of the welding and such...I do know this is not representative of all these cars but there are so many just trying to get on board that slinging something together is sometimes just that...slung together...and to think they would command a high price..that thought in itself is just "priceless" Quote
BloodyKnuckles Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 Don knows everything! He calls this one a Rat Rod; Myself, I dislike the term but have learned to not let it bother me. Everyone wants to build a RR because they think it's "cool". It seems to cover any vehicle with paint that's not perfect and wide whites. It really becomes annoying after a while. I kind of think it's fading in popularity though. Rest in piece. BloodyKnuckles Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 I place your car in the CUSTOM class... Quote
Flatie46 Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 I like old cars and trucks very much, so much that I hate to see them rot down, crushed and discarded. I think a car thats too rough to restore and somebody takes it and makes somthing out of it that they have fun with and learn with is a good thing.My son has taken a car that I bought for parts and spent hours on end workin on it tryin' to fix it on the cheap with yard mowin money.I see him truely enjoyin himself havin good clean fun. He can't afford to restore it.It's rough as night in jail.When his papaw died he poured hisself into this rat rod.It kept him busy and was a way to help him through the pain. I think people tend to classify too much, like what a hot rod is or a street rod.What difference does any of it make,like it love it hate it it's all an opinion. In the 50's if you drove a flat black 30's coupe that was thrown together with what you had it was called FUN.... 2009 beleive it or not it's still FUN! Quote
Aussie D25 Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 I place your car in the CUSTOM class... I second that .... IMO if it was to be a Rat Rod I would have expect something a little less refined like this. http://www.streetrods-online.com/RAT%20RODS/RAT%20ROD%20PICS%205/DodgeWayfarer3wcouperat-w.jpg Quote
Don Coatney Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Posted February 15, 2009 Don knows everything! He calls this one a Rat Rod; Myself, I dislike the term but have learned to not let it bother me. Everyone wants to build a RR because they think it's "cool". It seems to cover any vehicle with paint that's not perfect and wide whites. It really becomes annoying after a while. I kind of think it's fading in popularity though. Rest in piece. BloodyKnuckles Ron; As you know I call your car a rat rod only to jerk your chain:cool: However I will now call it a custom rat rod:D Quote
Don Coatney Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Posted February 15, 2009 Here are some rat rod examples in my opinion. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 those above pictured cars fill the bill in my opinion to be classes rat rods..however as I said before lots of imigination going on there..the interiors are so lacking in conforts it is agonizing to even think about a long trip in one of these cars. The one with the what appears to be 41 Chev truck lights, skeleton, crossed wrenches and piston..that is the decorative trim that really tweaks these cars up and gives them what little social redeeming qualties they have...one of these would be a fun and cheap to build for sure..as as long as the chassis was correctly welded and the rest of the safety features are in good order..and a little padding in the seat..maybe..just maybe tooling around in one of them could be a bit of a blast if not but to hear the OMG comments it would gather... Quote
BloodyKnuckles Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 Ron;As you know I call your car a rat rod only to jerk your chain:cool: However I will now call it a custom rat rod:D I know buddy! I'm just jerkin' yours. Custom Rat Rod...You're getting closer..... BloodyKnuckles Quote
greg g Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 Whatever you call it your chop came out exceedingly well. Whoda thunk a plain jane Plymouth would clean up so good. Quote
Rodney Bullock Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 We don't have any art rods around here, most of these guy's have street rods, I like the term Greg (check book car) I buil;d cars from my past. I don't really know what a rat rod is, I do know what a hot rod is and one day hope to own one. I love the look of a 32 highboy or a 1934 three window coupe. i understand those cars with satin finishes on them and some are very tastful. I can't get into cars that are not painted and no interior. I tried that once and ended up restoring the whole car. I spend so much time in aquiring parts and fixing,grinding and priming a car I could no just let that stand. The beauty of the automobile is such that if I can't improve it I'll just leave it alone. I like customs, lake pipes dummy lights and moon items, that as far as I want to go:D Quote
blueskies Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 The longer I own my '53 Chebby pickemup, the more it qualifys... Or maybe it's just 56 years of hard earned patina... I'm not sure... Pete Quote
BloodyKnuckles Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 The longer I own my '53 Chebby pickemup, the more it qualifys... Or maybe it's just 56 years of hard earned patina... I'm not sure...Pete Pete, You know better! That will never be a RR but others will want to call it one. I think it's a great work truck with nice wheels. Perfect! BloodyKnuckles Quote
billwillard Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 NO you aren't Bloodyknuckles Quote
blueskies Posted February 15, 2009 Report Posted February 15, 2009 Pete, You know better! That will never be a RR but others will want to call it one.I think it's a great work truck with nice wheels. Perfect! BloodyKnuckles One of these days it will get a makeover... I've been joking since I was in highschool that it would get a new paint job when my kids graduate from college... Little did I know that would actually turn out to be true... The paint was 10 years old when I bought the truck 27 years ago, there's not much of it left now. I think I probably rubbed half of it off trying to make it shine... from 1982: Pete Quote
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