of the history of rat rod culture, we will emphatically declare that the term “rat rod” has its own unique meaning today and that wherever it originated is irrelevant. Because the term is so polarizing, and because what exactly a rat rod is or isn’t has been such a hot topic, let’s delve into a couple of previously published articles from Rat Rod Magazine.
Spectators enjoy the rat rods on display at the annual Lonestar Roundup event in Austin, Texas.
An Open Letter from the Editor
Published in Rat Rod in January 2011, this article was the magazine’s first official response to the question of “what is a rat rod?”
What Is a Rat Rod?
Before I dig into this question, let me start off with a little disclaimer: I appreciate all cars. I’m not a hater. If you’re into shiny restorations or European sports cars, so be it. I don’t understand why people get so bent out of shape about someone else’s tastes … I mean, a little harmless chiding is no big deal, but I’ve seen some pretty aggressive arguments over what kind of car scene someone is into. I myself grew up in a racing family. My dad was racing stock cars from the day I was born, so I grew accustomed to watching him slave away in the garage, trying to get the car ready for the weekends. I’ve always had a love for the classics, especially American muscle, and an appreciation for anything that looks cool or goes fast. But, yes, I do like rat rods the most, and I’ve developed a healthy respect for them and their builders. If you hate rats, you probably shouldn’t be reading a copy of Rat Rod Magazine. As a rat rod guy, and the editor of this magazine, I feel obligated to at least share my opinion with you about what I personally feel that a rat rod is. The truth of the matter is, you can ask ten different people, and they will all give you a different answer. There are a lot of people out there who will tell you matter-of-factly that a rat rod is (whatever they think it is), and some will even tell you exactly where the term originated … some folks have even tried to take credit for creating the term. Internet research will ultimately bring you to a couple of different common definitions. From Wikipedia: “A 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 recreation or period-correct restoration of a hot rod from the same era.”
Rat rods have been aptly described as “rough around the edges.”
Or how ‘bout this definition from Fat Tony at RatRodStuff.com: “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 an ‘unfinished’ street rod that is intentionally left a bit rough around the edges.” Here’s one from streetrods-online.com: “A rat rod is a newly developed name for the original hot rod style of the early 1950s. A rat rod is usually a vehicle that has had many of its non-critical parts removed. They are usually finished in primer or paints that are often period-correct. They are very often a conglomeration of parts and pieces of different makes, models, and aftermarket parts. The term ‘rat rod’ was first used by the high-dollar, show-car guys to describe the low-buck, home-built drivers. Don’t forget the roots of the hobby (street rods); it was the little guy in a garage on a budget (with help from his friends) that started it all.” Then there’s the squidoo.com definition: “A rat rod is an older car or truck that’s still roadworthy but has been stripped down to basics and then rebuilt (usually) with accessories and parts that date approximately from the same period as the original car.”
Using old truck bodies for builds is popular among rat rod enthusiasts.
Rat rodders believe in displaying the artwork of time and nature.
You get the idea. There are definitely some points that just about everyone agrees on, and then we have this massive gray area full of opinions and ideas that can range from traditional thinking to overly creative conceptualism. For the record: this magazine is a product of the entire rat rod scene, from every angle, covering all personalities, ideals, and components. What it really comes down to is the fact that a rat rod can be whatever you want it to be. You might be laughed at for building something goofy or praised for stretching the boundaries. There is a fine line between ridicule and respect, at least in the world of hot rods. The rat rod scene seems to be more accepting, more free-spirited, more rebellious, and more open to individual interpretation. My observation is this—if someone says, “Hey, you can’t do that!,” someone’s gonna do it.
The rat rod culture is more than just building Frankenstein’s ride or a flat black hot rod—it is about that rebellious blue-collar attitude that counteracts the sparkly high-dollar hot rod scene. Where the term “rat rod” really came from is up for debate, but the rat rod mentality has been around since people started modifying, piecing together, and showcasing cars. Wherever there is a high-dollar hobby or movement, you can bet your butt that there will be a counterculture movement representing “the other folks.” So, let me get to the point here and try to explain what I think a rat rod is and isn’t. Flat black paint alone does not make it a rat rod. I know popular belief would say that if it’s flat black, it’s a rat rod … but I beg to differ. Sure, many rats are flat black or painted in primer. I do believe that a rat rod can also be shiny. A rat can have a nice coat of paint, clear coat, some chrome—fine. Having those things doesn’t immediately rule it out in my eyes. You have to look at the whole picture. Your rat rod doesn’t have to have a rat drawing, the words “rat rod” airbrushed on it, or a toy rat zip-tied to the dip stick to be a rat rod. I know, if you’ve got one, you want people to understand that yes, this is a rat rod. But there’s a point where it can become too much, and, in my opinion, if you have to tell people that it’s a rat, it might not be one. Now, I have seen some cool rats with toy rats on them and the words “rat rod” stuck all over, and they looked good, but I am more and more turned off by the blatant “look at me” rat decoration. Trust me, if your rat is cool, there is no need for decoration. Patina is awesome. I love rust, decay, age, and distressed steel. Patina is a beautiful, natural part of decay. A natural rusty patina is like war paint over battle scars and the remnants of a storied past. Patina is something that can’t be reproduced (or reproduced well). Time-worn parts paired with cool road-warriorish modern machinery is mixing past and present for a new level of cool. This is the essence of rat rod creativity.
Rat rods wear their rust with pride.
Mechanical creativity can be downright diabolical. A rat rod in my eyes should be a mixture of mechanical things. Different makes and models, parts from different eras, junkyard collectibles. Part of the rat rodder’s credo is the “use what you got” mentality. Rat rod creativity should never just be on the surface—it should be internal, as a whole. Show me an engine in a car that it was never meant to be in; show me a car built from scavenged parts; show me what you can do with a pile of rusty steel that’s been rotting away in a farmer’s field for fifty years; show me a car that looks like a monster but drives like a cheetah. Build it, don’t buy it. Look, I’ve got nothing against the guy who buys cool stuff for his rat, but anybody with some cash can do that. Get your hands dirty! I’m always amazed by the amount of work that can go into a car, and oftentimes I’m blown away by what people can do, especially with limited resources. I have a ton of respect for a guy who locks himself in the garage for a winter and comes out in the spring with something that’ll kick some serious butt and look cool doing it. Most
