who gives a shit what he says? he's obviously just ignorant. it's funny, i always run into older (than me) dudes and they'll be talking to me about my car or whatever and they'll pop off with "oh yeah, i've got a 69 camaro ss, 57 chevy, 32 roadster (or whatever the case is) and, i've got a model a i'm building a RAT ROD out of" and give me the "right?right?" look like i'm so excited about his rat rod, whatever that is.. it's funny, rat rod seems to be a term used by the young and ignorant, as in to young to know any better, or the older dudes with more money than sense that just want to get "in" with the next thing. (by the way aren't rat rods like 5 years ago by now?) whatever, no matter what hobby you have there's bound to be a good portion of people involved in it that have no clue.
Bro, that's what you get for trying to be nice and complimenting his car, which I doubt you really care about. Anyway, you have a really cool car, and you should know it by now. That hoodscoop would not be my choice for it, however.
sucks. build yours and blow his doors off. at the top end of the track you can ask him how he likes gettin beat by a rat rod.
Because it still happens every day! I have a couple of Farmall grill shells in my garage, along with a '32, and at least 5 A models. Every less informed dickhead that walks in the door says... "Oh, so your building some of those Rat Rods huh?" I always politely say different, but they just don't know the difference. Outside of a Muscle Car, or a restore, the rest of the world thinks they are Rat Rods. Thats what they call them on the Speed Channel, so thats all they know. Less informed idividuals, thats what I call them. Kevin Ooltewah Speed Shop
Mac, That '55 ra ro, I mean GASSER is looking GOOD. As for chevelle boy, humor him for he does not know. Keep us posted on the progress.
I don't care what they call it, it's still polka Piątka! <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QBwHSEkEy9A&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QBwHSEkEy9A&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
I am just thankful that you are not driving this thing around. There is definately a difference between Rat Rod and Traditional Rod, but the new craze seems to be CLOWN RODS. The uneducated will always assume that they know what they are talking about. Maybe next time ask him if his Chevelle has a 235 in it?[/QUOTE] Thanks for reminding me. Tomorrow is trash pickup day....
just let it go.....the 55 looks just fine, in fact a Hell of a lot better than the pile of scrap metal I drive. And worth more than the Chevelle. I know this aint school...but Camaro has no E
just roll with it..next time you see him call his car a ford Torus or something like that (off brand , off model) after a few times (unless hes as dense as a rock) he might get it.
The Speed Channel...oh I hate that channel..must be because my last boss watched it all day at the shop, It's the Car and Driver of TV. And I don't care how the new mini van from Dodge stacks up aginst the new one from Nissan.
You're not the Lone Ranger. In the past week I had 2 people ask me if my '36 wasn't "...one of them Prowlers?", and one guy, looking in the interior, said "Aluminum bomber seats, it's a Rat Rod alright..." It's like people asking if it's a "Dune Buggy", or a "Kit Car". They like it, they think they're complimenting you, they just don't know any better.
There was a time when some thought every field car was the perfect canidate for a rat rod. 55 or 40 coupe, it is too bad. Try to forget about it
I am just thankful that you are not driving this thing around. There is definately a difference between Rat Rod and Traditional Rod, but the new craze seems to be CLOWN RODS. The uneducated will always assume that they know what they are talking about. Maybe next time ask him if his Chevelle has a 235 in it?[/QUOTE] WTF is that and why... ?
When people say stuff i figure there just jellous that they cant figure something out like building there own car. Its a simple fact, people dont like to see other people succeed, and when they do they try and put you down just so they feel good about spending 40k on there junk. P.S. im envoius of the ride!!
My wife is quick to remind me....when you built your car you knew it would be either "Love it or Hate it". She tells me to have thicker skin and take a look around. She reminds me of the tons of nice poeple that have asked questions about the truck. I hate to say that she is right. Thats a cool 55 you have there. Hope you have lots of fun with it. Gary
Dude, don't take it personal. Just because he has a Chevelle, that doesn't make him a Car Guy. The "R" word has become so widespread, maybe he thought it was a compliment. I have a friend who calls my 51 Merc a "buggy", like "How's your buggy running these days?". I cringe, but I let him slide because he's clueless and means no harm. Like Ron White says, you can't fix stupid.
As you can see from my avitar I get it all the time and my response is " It's not a RatRod it's a Fucking HotRod" Period !!!
If you were looking to do some education, I think your initial urge to call his car an import tuner was probably reasonable. It might have made him stop and think. As long as you followed it with an explanation, he would have probably remembered it. Education is the only solution to ignorance (that, or gunfire).
hey i would take your car any day over a chevelle. he must have not known what he was trying to say. But your car is badass. Always wanted one
I don't think most people off the street mean it as a slight or an insult. If they know the term 'rat rod', they think either unfinished car on it's way to greatness, or a great old beater to run around town in. I think I'd be more offended if he'd asked how my 'jalopy' was coming along, even though that's more accurate.
the general public doesnt know the difference..its not their fault,, so we just have to educate them if we feel we have the time, or think it will sink in
The problem is that "ratrod" has become the general term that Non Hambers use for any car that currently doesn't have slick shiny paint on it. We know a ratrod when we see one. Misused items in the place of parts (wrenches, mailboxes and what not) over the top engine components ( such as a blower case on top of a tunnel ram). A designed in unsafe look. It goes back to the old duck theory. If it looks like a duck and goes quack most people assume it is a duck. I had a bit of a laugh at the local (in the town where I live) car show a while back. This car was built in the past couple of years by a rodder that I would say many PNW rodders know as he is in a long time hotrodding family and has been hitting rodding events since he was a rugrat. Serious card carrying ratrod with all the proper ratrod crap hanging off it. If you take a good look at it though, the car under the crap is pretty well built and not the normal junk box. This little coupe looks to be someone's attempt at building a somewhat traditional rod with references to old hotrod art. this is a pretty nice car that could clean up and be a great car real easy. It got their award for ratrod at the show. Not my idea of a ratrod but just a little hotrod that someone overdid and tried to make too cute and needs to clean up a bit. Back to the 55, It looks like his comment may be justification for going ahead and putting a good paint job on the car before hitting the streets or strip with it. With that interior, shiny jet black or in your face red would be killer. <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
I could see how he could misconstrue it as a rat because he only saw the unpainted portion of your car. People see primer they think rat. If he pulled his mullet head out of his ass and acually looked at your car I am sure he would see much more. I bet he bought that chevelle off ebay anyways and doesn't know anything about cars.
i agree with you. he probably did buy it from ebay thinking he was gonna be cool and join in the crowd. I have more respect for people that build there own cars there is more pride in it.
The Jalopy Journal
