Thread: My definition of a ratrod

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i had to trailor mine a few times because of lic. plate issue got that all solved now anyway it wasnt because it broke down. I could care less if anybody trailors there cars its there choice lve never been on here and made a bad comment about trailoring your cars. in june when i go to Back to the fifties im towing my 27 ratod with 36 dodge ratrod on a rattrailor

my definition of a rat rod..................who gives a rats a##. In my opinion the rod is in the eye of the beholder (or builder.) We all like different things in our hotrods and we shouldn't inflict our opinions of how great or how bad each creation is. The only testament that I have read in the building of hotrods or rat rods is the safety factor. If they are built well......I say variety is the spice of life. Could you imagine going to a car show an seeing 300 (same make and year) cars, with the same wheels and paint. I am not personally into rat rods, but I do like to look at them at car shows. Some of these rat rod builders do have a creative spark. So anywho lets leave this rat rod debunkle for people who don't have anything else to talk about.

Originally posted by FMXhellraiser
Talking about trailor queens.... What is up with these so called Rat Rods being trailored to shows? I thought these people DRIVE them and abuse em? I like to take care of my car though. I don't mind the flat colored paints like the flat metallic greens and blues but I gotta say, that isn't how they built them back then. That still bugs me when rat rod guys say this and they also catagorize traditional rods with rat rods.
Anyways, my main reason to post this was to say, where are all the rat rod pics? Am I missing another thread here or something? I'd like to see some of your own rat rods. Oh and no I am not being a smart ass or sarcastic, I don't mind looking at some of these cars. To tell you the truth, I have seen a few good looking ones that I would not catagorize as rat rod but as traditional rods and their nice shiney flake jobs. Man I love flake and pearls.

dont worry there will be more once they figure out that they wont be bashed no more

hmm..what does rat rod mean to me?

Means, it can be driven anywhere you like....without having to worry about polish and paint. means you CAN eat and drink in it...without having to cry over the expensive upholstery......means you have a rod and didnt have to spend a million bucks,,,and you still own your house....., means its still safe ...brakes well, complies with all stuff...except of course stuff sticking out of motors etc......and....and its your rod. AND......money is spent on making it go hard more than making it look pretty.....

i unno....i think a rat rod should have lots of definitions, but thats what it is to me.

(waiting to be shot down )

Gasser, I think the problem here is a miscommunication of what a rat rod is, You are calling a low budget car a rat rod, where others are calling death trap cars rat rods.
To me a rat rod is a car that the owner has done no repairs to the body, they throw a sloppy primer job on it from a rattle car, most times not even the same color over the whole car, the floor pans are all rusted out, the wheel wells are rusted out, the fenders are held on with bailing wire. the doors are barely held on by the hinges because of the rust. The car smokes when driven. The brakes wouldn't stop your kids go cart. ETC.
From the sounds of your posts you car is not what I would call a ratrod, but a low budget build, backyard build or even a junkyard build. It may not be the high dollar check written car in most car shows, but it was built by your 2 hands, the body was worked on and its safe.

when it started down here it was just a fad gasser. old farts started putting some of the old stuff hanging in the garage together. some have owned the car since the 50's. i know one who did a glass 32, even i cant tell it's glass except it's too straight. he's an artist and did the rusted look and all. i had no problem with them until they were taken over by foul mouth punks who constenly try to tell everyone else they dont have a real hotrod. i was hotrodding when they were pooping yellar. [ i'm not including you in this] i know more about ratrods than any of them because i was there as were a lot of these guys. we had old ratty cars because we had no money and very little exsperence. but we have progressed and built better and more comfotable cars. try roading your t 500 miles when your 55 you have chosen to join into something that has a bad rep among streetrodders. it's guilt by assotiation. defend your car , your ideas and taste. but dont try to defend those that started this war, they drew first blood. there are other sites that i absolutly wont visit anymore because of them. no respect...........no class. we're old, bull headed,and set in our ways. this post is not meant to offend but maybe clear the air a little.
make ya a deal ........... dont bash my bling....... i wont rag your rust

i agree whole heartedly with "shine". See, its our first rod too...so were doin trial n error with this. maybe 10 or so years down the track she will get a rebuild...who knows......in the mean time....we should all just enjoy all rods....ya gotta love em all dont ya......

i agree with all of you on this , like i said hundred times a rat rod is whatever you want it to be

too me a ratrod, its a unfinished safely driven vehicle, mexican blankets whitewalls, baby moons.

Originally posted by 55ranchwagon
too me a ratrod, its a unfinished safely driven vehicle, mexican blankets whitewalls, baby moons, and whitewalls

i think you are right and i like that whitewall on whitewalls.

good thing you pointed that out.

Originally posted by 55ranchwagon
good thing you pointed that out.

hope you dont mind, couldnt help myself.

Geez, I thought they locked this thread down. Let the flippin' thing die, ok?????

if it was locked down, we wouldn't be able to post. now i got somebody telling me what and when i can post

150mph. straight axel drum brakes 4spd. ps blk.primer welds smooth and filled and can drive on the road no tlr. needed