Thread: What's A RatRod

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Originally Posted by 53 Willys

The best trophy at any show or for that matter any place is " Can I take a picture? "

If you see the cameras coming out....You've hit a home run!

I always loved to stand around and listen to people's comments. If I also got a trophy, that was "icing on the cake"! :-)

53 Willys -- You are right on with the best trophy is "Can I take a picture?" When I was pulling out of a gas station one person said nice mustang. That meant more to me than any award.

Bonehead -- You are right on with "Fun To Build and Drive". This is at the core of the hobby.

Hot Rod Paint -- You are right on with "The vehicle is a Personal Expression/Statement" of the owner. The choice of vehicle is the statement

It is clear that there are no rules that everyone will agree on. And as posted way back when that the term is sometimes Grossly Misused. If you like what you got that is all that matters. You gotta like it to drive it cause you may spend a lot of time in it. Otherwise choose something else.

Len Trimlett

I agree with the last five post. It's all about having fun with cars.
Hodrodpaint said "I don't remember a single show ever being judged on the total of their cash receipts!" It's funny you say this because I have seen many try to win a show by dropping names and the $$$$$$$$ they spent.
I have judged the Detroit Autorama since the 80s and it's amazing that the level of craftsmanship and dollars spent keeps going up.
As Dave said there's much more expectation from the owners and more pressure on the judges when the guy spends 350,000.00 trying to win a trophy.
Check this out for what I would consider some fine Ratrods and other Hotrods.
http://www.cruisin-usa.com/det07/index.html

Side Draft,

What I see in the Pictures Referenced is something which sort brings out my feeling. There are 2 there that are close to ratrod....The Truck(Metal Finish) and the Army Hotrod with the side armor.

But what I see more of is the unique rides (modifieds) where peoples expression of individuality comes out in their cars. I like to see that creativity that expressives individuality such as dram010,011,029 and 031.

"Think Outside The Box"

Len Trimlett -- smogrfg

Originally Posted by smogrfg

Bonehead -- You are right on with "Fun To Build and Drive". This is at the core of the hobby.


It is clear that there are no rules that everyone will agree on. And as posted way back when that the term is sometimes Grossly Misused. If you like what you got that is all that matters. You gotta like it to drive it cause you may spend a lot of time in it. Otherwise choose something else.

Len Trimlett

Well, now another point of disagreement. Not every Hot Rod gets driven daily.... Some of us choose to not have our cars pounded on by all the ding bat drivers out on the road, or ran into in some parking lot. A lot of shows I attend our far enough away, or 2 to 3 day shows. Most of the time it works out far better for me (and I would imagine a lot of others) to put it in the trailer and tow it. Yes, I've done the long road trips, too. It's very nice to have the car in the trailer while traveling, prevents a lot of damage from road trash and lots of room to carry all the other "essentials" such as lawn chairs, coolers, barbeque grilles, canopies, parts, etc, etc...... I also don't like the idea of having my pride in joy sitting in the parking lot and at the mercy of all the vandals and thieves who seem to take great pleasure in messing with a guys ride while I'm in the motel room at night..... I can usually find a light pole, fence, or other obstruction to back the trailer up to that makes getting the car out of there a time consuming and noisy task that will (hopefully) draw enough attention to get the cops to show up.

As for agreeing on what everything is called and classified as I think all that is a bunch of trivial BS bet left for those who think it's important to "belong" to some certain faction of hot rodding. My opinion has always been that if I like it on the car, then it must be "correct" and doesn't really matter what anyone thinks of the car.... "Tribute" cars I doubt really express the owner's personal ideas of what a car should look like. I guess around here we call them copy-cats!!!!!

Originally Posted by smogrfg

Side Draft,

What I see in the Pictures Referenced is something which sort brings out my feeling. There are 2 there that are close to ratrod....The Truck(Metal Finish) and the Army Hotrod with the side armor.

But what I see more of is the unique rides (modifieds) where peoples expression of individuality comes out in their cars. I like to see that creativity that expressives individuality such as dram010,011,029 and 031.

"Think Outside The Box"

Len Trimlett -- smogrfg

Len those are just some random pics that are webmaster took at the show.
If you go to the bottom of the page and click the Icon that will take you back to cruisin. Then click on car clubs. Then MHRA there's a lot more pics of the show. I think we had around 50-75 cars in the Ratrod class.

Ok, here's a bit more accurate showing of what we drove in the 50's and 60's....Enjoy the viewing......

http://objflicks.com/CarsWeDrove.htm

Originally Posted by DennyW

Hey Dave ?? I didn't see none of them there rat rod things people are talking about today !!!!

Well, geez!!!! Now that you mention it Denny, I guess I didn't notice any either!!!!!! How could that be????????

Man, that brings it back.

I lived about four miles from Route 66 (now I-55) in Illinois, just south of Springfield. Our cruise was the North Grand Icy Root Beer in Springfield, or the local Tastee-Freeze. There were some "gatherings" on old Route 4 where the new road bypassed it. The gatherings involved a few cars and a flagman.

Gotta tell you - I NEVER saw anything I could classify as a rat rod until late 2003 when I was in Gibbon's shop in Darlington. They were building one. Welded rusty old rails over a new P&J chassis to make it look ratty. I think it was glass with a faux patina. I raised the WTF flag, and Kyle told me it was the newest fad.

A rat rod may be a rat rod, but it wasn't what we drove back in the day.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Ok, here's a bit more accurate showing of what we drove in the 50's and 60's....Enjoy the viewing......

http://objflicks.com/CarsWeDrove.htm

I like the site, cool cars, lots of good old memories.

Why is it the term Rat Rod brings out the worst in people? Rats are not traditional hot rods, Rat rods are not trying to be something that happened 50 years ago. They are happening now, today, they are different from the cars back when, and they are different from each other. I am really not trying to start anything here, I'll keep my truck the way it is because I like it, and I won't get rid of it because someone else doesn't like it.

Originally Posted by Bonehead

I like the site, cool cars, lots of good old memories.

Why is it the term Rat Rod brings out the worst in people? Rats are not traditional hot rods, Rat rods are not trying to be something that happened 50 years ago. They are happening now, today, they are different from the cars back when, and they are different from each other. I am really not trying to start anything here, I'll keep my truck the way it is because I like it, and I won't get rid of it because someone else doesn't like it.

Really good to hear from a guy who has it right!!!!! Rat rods are something new and not, as some would have you believe, the rebirth of hot rods... I can only speak for me. I have nothing against the Rat Rods. The part I have a problem with is the one's who believe that's how it used to be.... Those of us who were there know better. Good to hear that there's some people who actually understand the whole rat rod thing!!!!!

Rat Rods, Street Rods , Customs, Restored or if it has tires and an engine. I'll look and maybe I like it or maybe not. I will respect someone because their interrest is the same even if their taste is not. The whole thing accually started when someone took the first car and tried to make it faster

i belong to a few other forums that i will not mention but
it appears to me some folks have never seen a thread they will ever agree with that being wrong opinon or wrong make , wrong model , wrong engine , wrong paint , wrong taste , wrong age , you are either a young punk or and old fart everything is wrong ALL the time except for their own opinion.
as i see it , it breaks down like this

the rat rod dudes dont like the billet dudes
the billet dudes dont like the rat rod dudes
the hot rod guys dont like anybody
the lowrider people dont like the hot rod guys ..
and on and on .. do i have a point ?? NOPE
cant we all just get along , it is all about the ride and to me it does not matter about the taste but the enjoyment of the cookin

if im wrong i can live with it

Originally Posted by DennyW

((City:
Smart Azz White Boy In ))

Ok, It's all clear now, and, I see where your coming from now !!

denny if i am vague it has a tendency to piss people off less

wouldnt milners piss yellow coupe be considered a rat rod for that day and time? ford body-chebbie engine