IAM-LDS-2
Well-known member
After looking at all these show pics I have come to the conclusion that the folks who were saying ratrods were a fad and would soon die off were dead WRONG . Ladies and Gentlemen we are everywhere .
They were wrong !!
- Thread starter IAM-LDS-2
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Reign
Well-known member
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. good to know that the cars and trucks i have liked for over 20 years are not a fad. hopefully in the next couple of months i can finally start my rat project.
Gregster
Well-known member
sure makes me feel better to know that we're not "out" of style !
42chevy
Rustier Rat Rodder
I think it has been part of the hotrod scene since the 50's. I like the home built aspect the best.
Bonehead
Skull Master
Cars are just a fad.
Tripper
Older and more rusted every day!
I told you that new fangled shiny paint stuff was just a passing fad!!! 
BoB
BoB
NewIronRats
Well-known member
Now fellers keep your horses and wagons handy, these new fangled cars wont ever take off and them home computers are a passing fad too.[
donsrods
Well-known member
Absolutely correct. The cars I grew up seeing and trying to build myself were what we would call rats today. Some people say that all hot rods in the 50's and 60's were painted and finished nicely..........not in my neighborhood. Maybe we didn't have the money the guys in Southern California had, but we pretty much built them from whatever we could get cheap or free. When you are making 80 cents an hour it's hard to have an expensive hot rod and still manage to pay for dates, food, gas, etc.
The very first hot rod I saw in person was in about 1957 when our school band bus stopped at an ice cream place after a football game. While all the other kids were eating I was drooling over a 36 Ford coupe sitting there. It had no fenders or hood, a flathead with one carb and a chrome air cleaner, side exhaust made from bendable tubing and chrome motorcycle muffers, and red wheels and wide whites. The car was in gray primer and was far from the ones you saw in the little books, but to my eyes it was perfect.
Most of the cars that young guys were building back then were like that. There was one "older guy" (probably in his 30's
) who had a channeled, fenderless 32 roadster that was painted red and finished pretty well, but he was a machinist and had the skills and money to build one to that level.The names may have changed, some called them jalopies, but today they would be called rats for sure.
Don
Absolutely. For every nice shiney, upholstered car running around you would see a dozen that were either primed or primer spotted and had less than show quality upholstery. But they were always in good mechanical condition.
My dad and his friends called them jalopies (late 50's/early 60's) . Later we called them beaters. People seem to think primer is a new fad. My first car in high school was in black primer (1965). Lots of customs and hot rods ran around in primer. I think that's why i've always liked running my cars in primer. To me it just says "hot rod".
So yeah, it's just a fad. I give it another 20 years before it's considered passe.
CR55
It's just a little surface rust!
Plus you'll grow out of it soon! (famous words from my father's mouth, 45 years ago!).....CR
HOT40ROD
Well-known member
Rats were always around. Maybe they were not called rats but what ever name they were called they were still rats.
back during the Gasser Wars. You went out found the cheapest body you could find. Did the bare minimum to make tech and but the biggest motor that would fit in the body and went racing. Or you built a car from junk yard parts and did what you had to, to make it fit. Paint was the last thing on your mind.
I always loved the basic rod. That is want it was all about. Not the High dollar cars that have about $80,000.00. The WALLET car. And is only driven from the trailer to the show and In no way ever be caught in a rain storm. You now the cars. The owner brags about the $800.00 per quart paint he used on the frame. If he ever get a nick in the paint that would be the end of the world. Oh yea don't forget that big inch high dollar motor that will never see over 4,000 or go more then 70 MPH. That car is not a rod any more its just another show car.
Oh yea they till you how they built the car. By building the car they mean that they had a shop or couple of shops build it. But hey they bought the parts for the car. and have every catalog and know the page number of every part in that catalog.
Building a car you like and driving it is want it is all about.
You guy had to get me going.
But hey to each there own.
back during the Gasser Wars. You went out found the cheapest body you could find. Did the bare minimum to make tech and but the biggest motor that would fit in the body and went racing. Or you built a car from junk yard parts and did what you had to, to make it fit. Paint was the last thing on your mind.
I always loved the basic rod. That is want it was all about. Not the High dollar cars that have about $80,000.00. The WALLET car. And is only driven from the trailer to the show and In no way ever be caught in a rain storm. You now the cars. The owner brags about the $800.00 per quart paint he used on the frame. If he ever get a nick in the paint that would be the end of the world. Oh yea don't forget that big inch high dollar motor that will never see over 4,000 or go more then 70 MPH. That car is not a rod any more its just another show car.
Oh yea they till you how they built the car. By building the car they mean that they had a shop or couple of shops build it. But hey they bought the parts for the car. and have every catalog and know the page number of every part in that catalog.
Building a car you like and driving it is want it is all about.
You guy had to get me going.
But hey to each there own.
Davidhud29
Well-known member
Rats have been around since the first used car was hot rodded. The name changes, and over the years technology and publicity change things too. People become more aware of different things because of the internet, cable and magazines.
I agree that there has been a surge of popularity lately for low budget hot rods. And it will die down after some time. But you and I will still be building and enjoying our lifestyle.
And all the people who got into it because they thought it was new and hip and "in" will be selling off there projects and rides. Hopefully some good deals are soon to be had. I know there are some out there now. The economy has forced some to sell in a buyers market.
Unfortunately most of us don't have the green to go take advantage of all the good deals we want. I know I don't.
In a way it's a fad, and in a way it's not.
I agree that there has been a surge of popularity lately for low budget hot rods. And it will die down after some time. But you and I will still be building and enjoying our lifestyle.
And all the people who got into it because they thought it was new and hip and "in" will be selling off there projects and rides. Hopefully some good deals are soon to be had. I know there are some out there now. The economy has forced some to sell in a buyers market.
Unfortunately most of us don't have the green to go take advantage of all the good deals we want. I know I don't.
In a way it's a fad, and in a way it's not.
Skip
Well-known member
Sure its a fad. Its been one all my life.
Its a disease. I caught it over half a century ago, and haven't found a cure yet.
Its an addiction. Hi, my name is Skip, and I'm a gearhead. There is no program to fix it!
Its a disease. I caught it over half a century ago, and haven't found a cure yet.
Its an addiction. Hi, my name is Skip, and I'm a gearhead. There is no program to fix it!
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Corsair
Well-known member
I know its a matter of taste, and while taste (and art) are subjective, here is an equation that might provide some purchase:
Rats = Jalopies = Beaters = Hot rods in primer = worthy subjects.
Let "Rats" be equivalent to all terms discussed.
Rearranging for Rats:
Rats, etc. = (invention + thought)(unique functionality) - cookie cutter mentality.
or
creativity/function = Rats
Thus creativity and function are at the heart of the Rat movement, lending permanence while also conveying an aura of infinite variability. The knockout combo of both Art and Science (Engineering) in your garden Rat is irresistible to most.
And besides, the high dollar super shiney stuff is boredom incarnate.
Rats = Jalopies = Beaters = Hot rods in primer = worthy subjects.
Let "Rats" be equivalent to all terms discussed.
Rearranging for Rats:
Rats, etc. = (invention + thought)(unique functionality) - cookie cutter mentality.
or
creativity/function = Rats
Thus creativity and function are at the heart of the Rat movement, lending permanence while also conveying an aura of infinite variability. The knockout combo of both Art and Science (Engineering) in your garden Rat is irresistible to most.
And besides, the high dollar super shiney stuff is boredom incarnate.
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IAM-LDS-2
Well-known member
You sir have nailed it . Best description of our bent I have ever seen . While it's true that many rats have red or another color wheels and white walls ,that does not make them cookie cutters . Because between those wheels and tires are many many creative and functional goodies .
Corsair
Well-known member
I have repeatedly found the level of invention on this board is through the roof - what folks do to frames, steering wheels, etc to adapt to their needs, that is a forehead smacker at least, and jaw-dropping at its best.
Necessity is the mother of invention - because everyone has their own idea of what's cool, and because we don't all get to begin a project with perfect parts (far from it in my case).
Necessity is the mother of invention - because everyone has their own idea of what's cool, and because we don't all get to begin a project with perfect parts (far from it in my case).
PORTnPOLISH
Well-known member
Yeah I don't get caught up on fads to much but I like what I like and that's what I like. I'm trying to build my project on the cheap cheap and using what I have, or can find for free/cheap.
Iv'e always liked cars but didn't know about rat rods until a detroit auto show in'08. I stumbled down into the basement and my world exploded. Apparently they keep the best hidden in the basement . My minds been consumed with thoughts of rat rods ever since . I just want to thank all you guys for keeping this world alive . I think the mentallity of rat rodders is what created the automobile in the first place. Long live the rat rodder !
