History what are the differences

I think when the term is used or at least when I use the term it is directed toward the high tech billety trailer queens that should not be acceptable on this board.

I had never actually heard the term in general use until the very late '60s or early '70s but a couple of months back I did find an atrticle that had pictures from a SoCal car show and the show had a street rod section. The show was in 1958 so I guess the term was around back then and by default it should be an acceptable term.

But go back to my first paragraph that is what I usually mean when I am insulting someone.

Brizio build a fine car but to be honest he builds high zoot cars for the most part. That is not an affront to him or his building style what so ever he builds a beautiful car and I too would much rather scope out a brizio rod than most of what you see at a car show. His style of rod is pretty rare back here.

 

It all goes back to the American belief that anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.

Some guys had to have the BEST hot rod to the point where if you didn't have a $20,000 paint job, blown big block engine, etc etc you were nowhere.

Then there was a breakaway group who came to their senses and figured out you could have a lot of fun with a mild small block, brush paint and Mexican blanket upholstery. The beginning of this trend was the appearance of Jake Jacobs Model A on the cover of Rod & Custom in 1988.

http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_1011_rat_rod_history/photo_07.html

As usual, Americans had to go too far. If some cheapness and old parts is good, then maximum cheapness, junkiness and crappiness must be better which misses the whole point.

 

Not sure a "Low Slung" stance can be applicable just because it is popular with the Rat Rod crowd. I have a lot of poloroids back from the late 50-60's that that showed "slammed" rods at the Flats & at the track even though some here do not consider them "traditional". A couple Mag shots below.

 

Tommy,
That is why I said what I did in post #13.

no reason to define rat rod if one just learns what a traditional rod is. Once one knows what a traditional rod is then rat or junk or shock rod will be obvious.

Here is a real world example of my logic on this subject:

In the US treasury they have people that look at money with the job of spotting counterfit bills. When they train them they never show them a single counterfit bill only how to recognize the "real McCoy". When a counterfit passes in front of them they spot it right off because they know what it is supposed to look like.

 

This is great logic but with today's culture when someone is asked: " Why is this wrong?" the only answer most can give: "Because a lot of other guys say it is"

 

And the radials, disk brakes, big block, etc.

 

I've seen it a time or two in my 50's car mags as well. Nowdays, to me, it means pristine old(fake?)body with modern underpinnings/interior.

 

that first picture is a tank motor, exhaust goes out the top and carbs from the side. it also has hydrolics that lift both axles off the ground overtop of the main springs.

 

Yea but once it really becomes wrong to you then you can say because I say it is.

 

If the build quality sucks and it looks goofy, just call it a rat rod and drive it...

 

You just described a lot of today's production vehicles

 

Wow, this thread actually remained on topic and a lot of very good, logical points were brought out. That usually doesn't happen when this subject comes up............great job, everyone !

I agree, the original poster came on very respectfully and politely asked a question that he really wanted an answer for. From his bio he is in college and is trying to sort out this whole car hobby thing in his head. It is how we all learned and it feels good to see young people like him come into the hobby. This is why a lot of us do this forum thing, to pass the torch and help others.

Good job, guys.

Don

 

thanks for explaning that! i could'ent figure out what the hell was going on.i still don't care for it. someone here said he would rather look at rat rods, but would walk past street rods..i don't mind look at street rod, sometimes there's some very good workmanship and cleaver problem solving going on. sometimes to much bling, or modern wheels, but thats easly overlooked.

 

I love he first pic, you could call it a vintage Street Freak!

 

look up samiam's roach rod. You wont see any of that. It got called a rat, but it was probably the purest home built rod on the hamb.

 

I'm with you pork, you always find a way to say what my brain is thinkin, some see my truck as a R.R. others see it as I do.... a wip(work in progress) like has been said many times before...... do best ya can , and what makes ya happy

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Makes me smile

 

Soooo it has parts falling off and floors made out of stolen street signs?

 

Coined as one of the first "R.R.'s". Few years after this photo and a little fixin' up, Blackie won the Oakland Roadster Show in 1955, so in actuality, it was a work in progress (and no, it's not Jay Leno)

 

Good idea! never thought of that!

Seriously, many cars are obviously traditional hot rods, many are obviously rat rods, and some are in the middle, hard to define.


Many of the differences have already been explained, sometimes you can tell if its a rat rod or not by looking at the car's owner

 

I built the 34 high boy in my avatar back in the 70s and it was called a Street Rod, I took offense because I wanted to build a Hot Rod like I the 50s, well I guess I got stuck in the times when things were changing and repro. parts and the stuff we fabricated in our shops and garages were mass produced and you can build a car with all new parts. I am presently building a HOT ROD with ALL OLD PARTS AND DAM ANYBODY THAT CALLS IT A RAT ROD.

 

Personally I say build whay YOU want and like and not what someone else tells you what you should build. But most of all, learn while you build. Learn what you're building, what makes it tick, the history of the way you are building it, what makes it special and most of all learn how to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

 

boom! Hahahahaha!

 

If I ever see anything unsafe - welds, no floors, driveshaft encased in expanded metal, non car seats - it's a RR. If i see any trinkets - rats, cobwebs - rr. Can it travel 500 miles on its own power? If not -rr. My definition of RR. Everything built to go fast by owner - in models before 1964 -HOT ROD.

 

Huh? Whilst the above don't make it a traditional rod, they definately do not make it a RR...


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Thanks guys! You were all a huge help..... I think my first action will be to find as many old magazines from back in the day and start soaking it up. I am glad no one has really chewed me out. Like I said I do not respect things made to look like trash but most of my questions have been cleared up. I'm going to keep on Rodding and learning everything I can! Thanks guys!

 

H.A.M.B. proud
.
.

 

Onward and upward! You've got a good attitude about the situation and that goes a long way around here.

 

We need to revive a term that was popular 30-40 years ago, "beater." That's a hot rod that is well built, mechanically reliable, and safe, but it can have surface rust or a weathered paint job or be in primer, and it might have a junkyard seat or a Mexican blanket over the seat. What it will NOT have is 3/8" socket wrench universals in the steering linkage, rebar, an exposed driveshaft with a spinning U-joint that could catch your shirt sleeve, a body so severely chopped and channeled that a normal size person couldn't drive it more than 10 miles without being in pain from being folded up like an accordion, or a body so low to the ground that it can't go over a speed bump or a rough railroad crossing.