Were there Rats "back in the day"?

[Sam_Fear]

I think that hits the nail on the head right there, and it is where a lot of newbies lose their way. The goal was to always do the best you could, not to INTENTIONALLY make your car look shoddy or half-assed....

That bugs me too. I've seen a couple nice looking or great potential rods turned into rats. Kind of a waste too me. Kinda like guys grinding off paint to bare metal so it'll rust (I'll give a little to those that need to match patina to the rest of the car).

On the other hand, some of the comical rats are like the 'far out' show cars of years past.

 

[Gasser300]

Kruuzin said "This is such a cool Hobby untill ya get JUDGEMENTAL"

Ive faced some judgemental attitudes with my hotrod im building. When I figured out what kinda *****s frequent some of the other boards, I deleted them from my bookmarks.

 

[speedwagen]

This was my first Rod, and it was built from what ever could be scrounged up. A high school kid couldn't aford much. A 36 Ford Cab with a 36 passenger dog house and a Mopar Bed. A 265 with a open drive into a 55 chevy rear.
55 Chevy bumpers on the back. 57 t bird seats, and rattle can flat black from Guarantee Auto for .99 a can. It was just called a Rod back then.
Most everybody had dislike for rodders then, so we stuck together.
Thats how the car club thing started--before we turned into whinning old men that sit in lawn chairs at car shows.

The little boy on the roof is now 47 yrs old.
( I was a lousy baby sitter)

 

[CR55]

I just logged off permanantly from a RatRodHating site. Was told they're unsafe and a waste of good sheetmetal! I don't think some people realize the amount of "sheetmetal" that's left when some of these Rats are built. Usually not good for much else and I surely can appreciate the work that went into these builds![cl I suppose maybe I hurt some feelings when I called them Barcolounger builders! Of coarse, everyone has built hundreds of cars and there isn't much they don't know about the automobile![S.........CR

 

[Cadman]

I drove this 31 ish model A with 40 ford rear end and front brakes. I made it out of left over parts.. Total cost to build in 1975 was $465.

Last year I was at a meet and overherd someone calling my rat rod an "Abomination"

Scarey People!


Cadman

 

[shoveled71]

Back in the day we called em beaters, just what you could afford, in high school I had a 55 Chevy I bought for 25.00, built a 327 I got out of a junk yard with a 4 speed, todays standard it would be a rat but it was a rod back then, I was working at a gas station for 1.25 an hour so all my money went to go fast goodies, also had a 52 Chevy truck I bought for 100.00 to drive when the 55 was apart, THAT was the good old days. Spike

 

[LarryH]

There was but i would get banned if i told you what we called 'em.

 

[nefareous]

My cars have always been ratty looking, and I`ve been messing with junk for a 1/2 century. I always did a rattle can paint job. I always had a push button start (no worry about loosing your keys)..and never had one stolen, cause they looked like a POS. Its been a hoot watching this automotive sport evolve to the point that something is deliberately constructed to look ratty...I love it!

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

Funny. When I was growing up my dad was a "rat rodder" by todays standards. Here I thought we were just poor. He would spend a so much time at the salvage yard that I called the owner "uncle Russel." He really wasn't about making them go fast, just about keeping them going. Funny thing about Dad though was if a head for the stock I-6 was close in price to a v8, his car had a v-8 the next week.

 

[schine]

I've seen pics/articles on the 'Net of one from the Canadian Prairies that sounds alot like this one...But maybe a little better finished?[S Can't remember who built it, "think" he was the owner/operator of a Texaco station "way beck when." Most recent photos I've seen of it were on Alan Gingles' website...The car I'm thinking of is bright red with black fenders.

Maybe we should call rats "necessity rods." Who can afford fiberglas?

Regards,
Shea

everybody! fiberglass is cheap, though i know most of us car maniacs like sheet metal the most... or WHOT?

 

[billy]

I drove this 31 ish model A with 40 ford rear end and front brakes. I made it out of left over parts.. Total cost to build in 1975 was $465.

Last year I was at a meet and overherd someone calling my rat rod an "Abomination"

Scarey People!


Cadman

i want that one RIGHT NOW!

 

[schine]

I drove this 31 ish model A with 40 ford rear end and front brakes. I made it out of left over parts.. Total cost to build in 1975 was $465.

Last year I was at a meet and overherd someone calling my rat rod an "Abomination"

Scarey People!


Cadman

i'd like people to look at my car ans say Abomination, that way, you don't have to think of a name for the car, i assure, your car is sweeeeet, i mean... for us

 

[ChopperDave]

Back in highschool I drove a ratty lookin chopped and channeled duece 3-window, (bought for $250) flat black with a rattle can as all my funds went to speed parts, tires & gas. Come to think of it not much has changed...