The fact that I love Rat Rods, and almost bought one a couple of years back, is surprising even to myself. I guess driving a car stripped of all excess, like cutting off the fat from a 12 oz. steak, is getting back to the essence of what we all search for in a Saturday afternoon drive; exhilaration and raw power.
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This great looking example was parked
in front of the NHRA Museum, Pomona |
The Rat Rod underground movement began as a counter-reaction to the higher priced, sleek, typical and "custom" hot rods that were often stored and only shown at events. The Rat Rod went back to the early days of hot rodding which meant building the car to the best of the owners abilities, and above all, was meant to be driven.
A typical Rat Rod is a late 1920's through late 1950s coupe or roadster, my favorite being a 1946 chevy pickup truck, with the windshield cracking open at the base. The bodies are often channeled over the frame while the tops are chopped as well. The cars have often their fenders, hoods, running boards, and bumpers removed. Its is quite normal to swap body parts in order to create your own style and save on the build.
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This is an example of a typical paint
job found on Rat Rods. |
A Rat Rod is often recognizable because of its paint and finish that looks unfinished, with primer-only paint jobs at the most. Another popular finish is the "natural patina", which is the original paint with rust and any blemishes. Its interior is most often bare bones form, with Mexican blankets and bomber seats as starting point. The drive train may vary, but the most common are the flathead V8s, the straight-8s or the straight-6s. They are rear wheel driven, with an open drive line. When it comes to front suspension, the most commonly accepted type is the beam axle which will look right when exposed without fenders. The coolest type has the front suspension mounted well forward of the radiator, which is derived from the early drag racing cars.
The video below shows a large variety of Rat Rods. I have yet to see one on Curacao, but our sister island of Aruba has a couple.
The first publicized Rat Rod can be found in the December 1972 issue of Rod & Custom magazine.
Provided that all goes as planned, meaning I win the lotto, I intend to embark on my own Rat Rod build sometime in the future. The name will be Pete and I'll keep you posted!
Thanks for reading.
Source: Wikipedia, Salcooldude1's video
Photo credit: own library
