A little while ago I decided to ask a few car enthusiasts at a local rod run what, exactly, is a rat rod. What makes them…{"id":7753,"date":"2015-09-28T14:12:51","date_gmt":"2015-09-28T21:12:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=7753"},"modified":"2015-10-26T14:53:43","modified_gmt":"2015-10-26T21:53:43","slug":"the-rat-rod-just-an-unfinished-hot-rod","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/28\/the-rat-rod-just-an-unfinished-hot-rod\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rat Rod: Just an Unfinished Hot Rod?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A little while ago I decided\u00a0to ask a few car enthusiasts at a local rod run what, exactly, is a rat rod. What makes them so different from traditional hot rods? I was shocked and amused by some of the answers that I received so I thought I’d share them with our readers (people who might understand my reaction).<\/span><\/p>\n

“Rat rods are just unfinished hot rods.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, my fellow rat rodders, I actually got this answer. I was so amazed that I couldn’t even reply to this astounding statement. I simply\u00a0nodded and walked away. What exactly do you say to this when it is said with such confidence? I just don’t know. Any owners out there who think their rat rod is a project on the way to becoming a full fledged hot rod?<\/span><\/p>\n

“Rat rods have rats on them!”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I’m fairly sure that the lovely young lady that gave me this answer was more interested in showing off her new bikini than she was in cars, but I didn’t know that before I asked my question (she started stripping down as I was talking to her). But yes, apparently, rat rods are the ones that have rats on them. That’s it. I didn’t have the heart to ask what the others were because not all of them have rats. And, to be fair, I’m sure she was thinking of<\/span> Ed Roth’s infamous Rat Fink<\/a><\/strong> character… so at least she’s in the right ballpark.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well… what do you know about beaters?”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Got a beater? Nope, you’ve got a rat rod, apparently! This answer actually made me laugh. To say a rat rod is a beater is just, well, insulting. Beaters are usually beaters because they’re neglected. Although rust (or “patina” – as we like to call it), is a rat rod’s friend, rust does not make a rat rod. And in my book, the term “beater” can apply to any make or model of car, no matter how old. Rat rods are rat rods by choice, nay, by design. Rat rods are not neglected. Rather, they’re works of individual freedom and expression. Dare I say it? Rat rods are works of art! Well, they can be, anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s not all bad news, though. I did find several people that were able to give me a rundown on the<\/span> history of rat rods<\/a><\/strong>, what was and wasn’t a rat rod and, of course, loads of personal biases both for and against rat rods.<\/span><\/p>\n

I am left to wonder, however, are we letting the glorious history of the rat rod – good, bad, or ugly – slowly die to the “to each his own” convention? Is the rat rod culture getting lost along the way?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether\u00a0you’re building (or have built) a rat rod, whether you like rat rods or not, you’ll find some at every<\/span> Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show<\/a><\/strong>, along with thousands of other classic cars and miles of parts, accessories, and automobilia. Come see us soon, or check out our official<\/span> Facebook<\/a><\/strong>,<\/span> Twitter<\/a><\/strong>, and\u00a0<\/span>Instagram<\/a><\/strong> feeds for all the latest happenings!<\/span><\/p>\n