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Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. | "Rat Rod" is a style of Hot Rod or Custom car that, in most cases, imitates (or exaggerates) the early hot rods of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. It is not to be confused with the somewhat closely related "Traditional" Hot Rod, which is an accurate re-creation or period-correct restoration of a Hot Rod from the same era. T-Bucket hot rod Hot rods are older, often historical, cars. ...
A custom 1974 Ford Taunus 2000 GXL. The car has had a roof chop, been shaved of all trim, with vents cut into the rear quarter panels and an all steel body kit moulded into the body. ...
Most Rat Rods appear "unfinished" (whether they actually are or are not), with just the bare essentials to be driven.
The Rat Rod is the visualization of the idea of function over form. Rat Rods are meant to be driven, not shown off. Sometimes the customization will include using spare parts, or parts from another car altogether.
Definition of Rat Rod The best definition of a rat rod for now is one by Fat Tony
Many people have asked me, what is a rat rod? A rat rod is simply a custom car that is made for driving and hanging out with friends. Rat rods aren't ultra glossy show cars. Instead a rat rod is a "unfinished" street rod that is intentionally left a bit rough around the edges.
You might be able to recognize most rat rods by their flat black or gray paint but there are no set rules as to what makes a rat rod, a rat rod. I can't exactly define a rat rod, but I know one when I see one.
The most important thing about a rat rod is they aren't for wimps. You aren't going to see very many tree huggin' wimps driving these babies. Some of the rat rods I have owned have been down right hard to drive, no power steering, no opening doors, brakes that just barely stopped the car (you get the picture).
Back in the 50's just about all street rods would be called rat rods in modern times, but nowadays the street rod has become a bit "stuffy". Street Rods and Hot Rods are more of a "garage dweller" too afraid to come out at night because it's multi million dollar paint might get scratched. Hence.... the rat rod! A rat rod ain't afraid of a few scratches, heck scratches only add more character. These buckets of bolts are loud, smoky, and ready to burn up the streets. So roll up your sleeves, toss on your shades (yes even at night) and lets go for a ride.
- Fat Tony
The typical rat rod (an early 1920s through 1950s coupe or roadster): Early (pre-World War II) vehicles often have their fenders, hoods, running boards, and bumpers removed. The bodies are frequently channeled over the frame, and sectioned, or the roofs chopped for a lower profile. Later post-war vehicles are rarely constructed without fenders and are often customized in the fashion of Kustoms, leadsleds, and low-riders. Maltese crosses, skulls, and other accessories are often added. Chopped tops, shaved trim, grills, tail lights, and other miscellaneous body parts are swapped between makes and models. Most, if not all of the work and engineering is done by the owner of the vehicle. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually when speaking about the United States. ...
The 1950s decade refers to the years 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ...
1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupé (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ...
1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster This article is about the car body style. ...
Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...
A leadsled is a car from the 1950s or early 1960s that has had extensive customization done to the body of it. ...
Recently, the term "Rat Rod" has been used to describe almost any vehicle that appears unfinished or is built simply to be driven, whether or not the vehicle would have been customized or even existed during the 50s.
General
Paint and Finish
 Typical finish of Rat Rods. Many Rat Rods appear unfinished with primer paint jobs being common. Other finishes may include “natural patina” (the original paint with rust and blemishes intact), a patchwork of original paint and primer, or bare metal with no finish at all in rusty or oiled varieties. Many rat rods also have free handpinstriping done by the owners with a pinstriping brush.Contrary to tastes of many car builders, rust is often acceptable and appreciated by a Rat Rodder. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 3. ...
Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 3. ...
Pin striping on a motorcycle fuel tank. ...
Interior Interiors of rat rods vary from fully finished to a spartan, bare bones form. Mexican blankets and bomber seats form the basis of many rat rod interiors. Most are designed to be functional without many comforts although this will vary with the owner’s taste.
Drive Train Though a variety of engines may be used, the most common are to be found in a Rat Rod are Flathead V8's, early Chrysler Hemi engines, or more modern Small Block V8's from any manufacturer, especially Chevrolet. It is not uncommon to see straight-8s straight-6s, straight-4s, V6s or even diesel engines. These engines may exhibit varying displacements and modifications. The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ...
Early Hemi in a 1957 Chrysler 300C. A Chrysler Hemi engine is one of three different internal combustion engine families from Chrysler that are Hemi engines; in other words, they utilize a hemispherical combustion chamber. ...
For other uses of the term, see Small block (disambiguation). ...
Chevrolet (IPA: - French origin) (also known as Chevy) is a brand of automobile, produced by General Motors (GM). ...
1933 Bugatti DOHC straight-8 in a Type 59 Grand Prix racer 1940s Oldsmobile Straight-8 engine A Straight-8 is a straight engine with eight cylinders. ...
The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ...
The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ...
The Ford Essex V6 engine V6 and V-6 redirect here. ...
The diesel engine is a type of internal combustion engine; more specifically, a compression ignition engine, in which the fuel is ignited by the high temperature of a compressed gas, rather than a separate source of energy (such as a spark plug). ...
Most Rat Rods are rear wheel drive, with an open driveline. The rear-ends are typically passenger vehicle pieces, as are the transmissions. The Ford Banjo rear-end is popular, as is the "Quickchange" type as used in many early hot rods. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
Gearbox redirects here. ...
Ford may mean a number of things: A ford is a river crossing. ...
Suspension A beam axle is commonly accepted as the only type of front suspension that will look right when exposed without fenders on a vehicle with open front suspension. Independent front suspension is discouraged, Most Rat Rods use a 1928-1948 Ford I beam axle with a transverse leaf spring. Although any solid axle is acceptable, the Ford axle is preferred due to the availability of spare parts. Solid axle and Panhard rod on a 2002 Mazda MPV A beam axle is a suspension system, also called a solid axle, in which one set of wheels is connected laterally by a single beam or shaft. ...
Springs vary from transverse, parallel and coil setups in the front and rear. Parallel is not seen as frequently as the more common single-spring transverse setup, though both are used commonly. Coil springs are often deemed unsightly without fenders, but are still occasionally seen. A compression coil spring A tension coil spring A selection of conical coil springs A Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces. ...
Origins The December 1972 issue of Rod & Custom Magazine was dedicated to the beater, a low-budget alternative to the over-polished, slickly-painted, customized early car. The beater could easily be considered a progenitor of the rat rod. However, owners of these beaters often had a high-dollar machine sitting in their garage: no expensive upholstery, primered if painted at all, no chromed and polished Corvette/Jaguar rear ends. Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
French steam corvette Dupleix (1856-1887) Canadian corvettes on antisubmarine convoy escort duty during World War II. A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft. ...
Jaguar Cars Limited is a luxury car manufacturer, originally with headquarters in Browns Lane, Coventry, England but now at Whitley, Coventry. ...
As with many cultural terms, there are disputes over the origin of the term "rat rod". Some say it first appeared in an article written in Hot Rod Magazine by Gray Baskerville about cars that still sported a coat of primer. Some claim that the first rat rod was owned by artist Robert Williams who had a '32 Ford Roadster that was painted in primer. Although the term likely started out as derogatory or pejorative (and is still used in this way by many), members of the subcultures that build and enjoy these cars have adopted the term in a positive light. Cover of Hot Rod magazine, featuring Don Garlits dragster Hot Rod magazine is the oldest magazines devoted to the hobby of hot rodding, modifying automobiles for performance and appearance, having been published since 1948. ...
For other persons named Robert Williams, see Robert Williams (disambiguation). ...
Ford may mean a number of things: A ford is a river crossing. ...
1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster This article is about the car body style. ...
References is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...
See also Rat bikes are motorcycles that, over time, have fallen apart but been kept on the road and maintained for next to nothing[1]. Survival bikes look similar to, but are different in purpose from rat bikes--they are modified for stylistic reasons. ...
A custom 1974 Ford Taunus 2000 GXL. The car has had a roof chop, been shaved of all trim, with vents cut into the rear quarter panels and an all steel body kit moulded into the body. ...
T-Bucket hot rod Hot rods are older, often historical, cars. ...
Rat Finks dad, Rat Funk, as rendered by Steve Fiorilla for a Roth catalog cover. ...
Pin striping on a motorcycle fuel tank. ...
External Links http://ratrodstuff.com/what-is-a-rat-rod |
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