Rat Rod Custom, Yea right???

Question

One of the most overused selling points on any old hunk of iron is "Would make a great Rat Rod Custom"!!!! Do these people pushing this iron have a clue what a "Rat Rod" is. I don't either, but I imagine it as somewhat of a custom. Or does it have something to do with the Rat Fink cars. Or is it have to be one of the ugliest cars on the planet, just to make it uglier? Oh its a 4 door sedan nobdy wanted when it was new,It'll make a great rat rod. If you are looking for selling points, might I point out some.

Does it run?

2.Can it move under its own power?
3.Can it stop?

Pretty good questions. Malcom

zoombot · Accepted Answer

Malcom - a "rat rod" is pretty much any old-looking rod that seemsunfinished, unpainted, purposely ugly or outrageous looking, andsometimes even unsafe. Personally, I haven't seen many "customs" thatmet this criteria, but the latest buzzwords are often overused.The real head scratcher for me is, the people who seem to be living inthis "lifestyle" that corresponds to the rat rod culture. What gives?Ed Roth didn't do anything similar, and when asked about the culturehis response was "it's nuts!".It will soon be supplanted by another fad, and we'll be seeing more ofthose words that define that concept. Don't sweat it!

Tex · Answer

LOL.....here Malcom...check this out...hey ,did you ever here the old saying, ''if I have to explain ,you wouldn't understand''.. ebay...... 170010165899 oh yeah, it runs, moves under its own power and stops...and doesn't appear to be too ugly, LOL

Malcom Gillette wrote:

itraseecab · Answer

When I was at Bonneville a few years ago there were several rodsrunning around that were termed "rat rods." This was a new term to me,so I asked a guy who was driving a flat black '33 Ford coupe. Now thisthing was chopped so much that its windows were only  few inches high.It had no insert in the roof. Bare bones.  I pleaded ingnorance andasked the owner/driver about his car and the term rat rod.  He smiledand said that his car was not a rat rod, but that it would be one nextyear. I asked what change would make it a rat rod.  "Next year it willhave a straight eight Buick engine not this small block Chevy."   Theessence I think is being different. True rat rods are driven, homebuilt (by the owner and friends not by a fancy shop that turns out showcars), usually flat color (manytimes but not always black), steelbodies (original seems to be preferable.) with something unusualpowering them.  Lots that I saw used minimal interior and upholstry.It is a rebellious trend that has recently...

John Poulos · Answer

Those are the last items I worry about. My list would be:1. How's the body, chrome ?2. How's the paint?3. How about the interior ?Malcom Gillette wrote:

Jeff Rice · Answer

'Rat Rod' has become a used car term...Sort of like 'Needs restored'..WTH is that?The minute a label gets created for a fad, I tend to lose interest.Now the vehicle itself is another thing.It's the label that gets used to sell that turns me off.

Kenneth Robinson · Answer

My list is1) Body2) interior3) mechanicalI need a good two out of the three to make it a project.

Rat Rod Custom, Yea right???

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