Rat Rod Crossover?

[ivanogburn]

Years after the term Rat Rod started being used in popular venues there seems to be some confusion about what differentiates a Rat Rod from a Hot Rod .

I have to admit some of the rides I have seen that are called Rat Rods look very much like old school Hot Rods (billet and all) and then some look like experimental Art Car Parade entries.

IMHO if the car/truck can’t be driven down the road without fear of falling apart or being pulled over every block by the police solely because of its looks then maybe it not a vehicle at all. And in that case it becomes rolling “art”. That does not imply that the thing is still not cool and a great work of craftsmanship but it’s not a vehicle and therefore not a Rod.

And again in my stupid opinion if the final ride cost more than a new car or was assembled by a team of professional car builders then it probably should not be considered a Rat. I am not positive what makes a Rat a Rat but I am sure its time for the haters to stop slamming Rat Rods.

So when in your opinion does a Rat Rod crossover over the line to Hot Rod or Art Project?

 

[21willys]

When a guy starts using all kinds of non automobile parts on his car it becomes a crap rod IMO. IMO a Ratrod is a barebones hot rod built out of what car parts you have at hand.

 

[GJunktionMike]

Oh Brother, not again [P

 

[Sam_Fear]

Low buck
Home built
Driven

 

[YBeNormal]

Oh Brother, not again [P

LOL. I say Watson, what is a RatRod?!

 

[jmlcolorado]

Low buck
Home built
Driven

Perfectly sums it up.

This is gonna get fun isn't it [P

 

[YBeNormal]

This is gonna get fun isn't it [P

Always does!

 

[billy]

i think the term is so flexible as to be almost meaningless.

does
what is art?
ring a bell?

 

[GJunktionMike]

If your floor boards can hold water you are automaticly out of the ratrod class

 

[Bonehead]

i think the term is so flexible as to be almost meaningless.

does
what is art?
ring a bell?

Yep. Every couple of months we hit this topic. Who cares at this point. Post up your ride, and you will get an idea pretty quick if it is perceived as a Rat. Lucky for all of us. This site offers a wide variety of hot rods, muscle cars, drag cars, traditional hot rods, kool looking cars, interesting cars, collector cars, fun cars, and a few others too.

 

[UncleDonnie]

I am in total agreement with 21willys no non automotive junk on my ride. I did find using barbed fence wire for spark plug leads entertaining. There was an example at the Rat *******s show at the XXX you could not get near the thing when it was running.

Don

 

[Snake Farm]

Hey Ivan, did you build that 4X4 Rat that you were thinking about a year or so ago? Now that would be a 'Rat Rod Crossover'

 

[maverickmk]

Oh Brother, not again [P

 

[billy]

Yep. Every couple of months we hit this topic. Who cares at this point. Post up your ride, and you will get an idea pretty quick if it is perceived as a Rat. Lucky for all of us. This site offers a wide variety of hot rods, muscle cars, drag cars, traditional hot rods, kool looking cars, interesting cars, collector cars, fun cars, and a few others too.

we should have a WHAT IS MY CAR ? thread.
i see some cars you guys hve and no way would i consider them rats.
really well made,clean,good lookin cars that just happen to not have shiny paint.

personally
when i think rat.
i think something that i have to wash up after touching.

 

[soltz]

X2 [S
I do think the name my ride game interesting

 

[Neverdone]

Yup where I stand too. This argument comes up once every 6 months or so. Half of my thinks it is just PORK members trying to light a fire over here.

 

[Snake Farm]

...... This argument comes up once every 6 months or so. Half of my thinks it is just PORK members trying to light a fire over here.

Sometimes a newbie comes on and starts up and makes one think it's a "Porker" but check out Ivan's join date.....June 2007, he's been here pretty much since the beginning so maybe it's just an "identity crisis" [S

Don't sweat the labels Ivan, tell us what you been working on or what you'd like to build.......I think the majority of us are here for the fun of it, so just have fun with it.

 

[Willowbilly3]

I don't consider mine a rat rod, just an old hotrod that needs paint. And I actually don't even like many of them, seems like it's what people with no sense of proportion or stance always want to build. I just like being here, kind of like getting to set at the cool table.

 

[UncleDonnie]

Cool table?

I figured out early on that I didn't fit with with P.O.R.K. but I don't want to be shunned because I'm not using a blender for a shift knob. Well maybe a coffee maker?

 

[echnidna]

Here in Australia in the 50's I was told you could only build a hotrod out of a ford. Also mudguards (or fenders) could not be used on a hotrod)

So logically if hotrods are all fords then Chevvy's and Dodges must be rats [ddd