by D Grammer

Rat Rods are typically interpreted to be the Hot Rods kids build during the 1930s - 1950s, using modern parts, and originality. Rat Rod designs and styles take quirky shapes from any era of car and use these shapes to hopefully build a radically designed car. Rat rods are an existence, it's a way to go overboard, but not be caught in keeping your car pretty. In most cases the uglier the better. Rat rods are big, traditional street rods are bigger, and muscle cars are ridiculously out of sight. But there's still the '33 Ford roadster, the essence of a hot rod and a car that has been done every which way including Sunday.

Rat rods are for individuals who want to experiment with engine performance and other features while keeping costs to the bare minimum. Rat Rods are one of the most popular concepts going these days. Rat rods are for fun! Rat rods come in many flavors: coupes, t-buckets, pickups and even newer vehicles are being converted into "unfinished" rat rod style cars.

There's no concern for original or authentic parts or trim, and they're often dotted and splotched with patches of primer -- because hey, a car doesn't need paint to be driven, right? Rat Rods are meant to loosely imitate in form and function, the "Traditional" Hot Rods of the era. Biker, Greaser, Rockabilly, and punk culture is often credited as influence that shapes of Rat Rodding. Rat rods are inexpensive cars put together by street rodders who don't want to spend a fortune on fancy design. Rat rodders spend little money, but their cars turn many heads.

Rat rods are a throw back to the days when most of us couldn't afford to have a really nice car, so instead of spending money on the appearance, the drive train (motor, tranie, rear end) received the attention. I think maybe wistfulness is the driving force behind the old car craze. Rat rods are hot-rods that looks unfinished and/or old and/or abused and they are often painted only with primer instead of glossy paint like hot-rods usually are. I feel these cars are like punk-rock was/is for the music industry. Rat rods are often powered by flatheads, straight sixes, straight fours and other relatively uncommon engines such as those made by Cadillac and Studebaker.