Rat Rods - Anyone have a Rat Rod Corvette?
03-03-2011, 01:07 PM
#21
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
meh.....I'd call that one a hot rod(cause that's what it is, albeit a grubby example), and I doubt it would ever have been called a rat rod before ten years ago. The "rat" thing was never a mainstream term except in the case of motorcycles, and I only remember that term being used not before the early 70s
Oh yeah, I know what you mean.....not tryin' to start a urinating contest
Maybe I'm trying to(in vain) stop people from calling everything that's not pristeen a 'rat' whatever. I had a guy come in my shop and call my period-correct mid 60's custom car a ratrod 
Oh yeah, I know what you mean.....not tryin' to start a urinating contest
Maybe I'm trying to(in vain) stop people from calling everything that's not pristeen a 'rat' whatever. I had a guy come in my shop and call my period-correct mid 60's custom car a ratrod I can't remember when I saw the first of the "shock" rods, maybe about 6 or 7 years ago. Half of them were death traps in a wreck at anything over 5 mph. Most probably required you to get a tetanus shot due to injuries in a normal ride, from all the sharp edges, pointed objects, and so on.
And I agree, "rat rod" is too freely thrown out for everything. I think it is because 1.) too many want to jump on the bandwagon and be cool with the terminology when they have no clue to the hobby and 2.) many simply don't know what to call this direction some have taken.
For example, this is a rat rod.
This is not. But many would try to equate them. They are both hot rods, but they are both not rat rods.
03-03-2011, 01:11 PM
#22
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
I'm working on a project now, and the urge to just drive it is great. It has that street warrior look, battle-scarred sort of. Front clip is different color, the interior isn't in, some bodywork still needs to be done, but chassis wise, it is all new or fresh.
03-03-2011, 01:14 PM
#23
Race Director
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Well, I hate to say it, but this one is the MOST RELIABLE car I have. Once the 383 is up and running, it will also be fun to drive.
No need to worry about door dings, scratches, getting keyed, salt on the roads or a computer glitch!
It is 100% basic Chevy, I can fix ANYTHING and it will never need to go to the dealership to be connected for a computer diagnosis. No converter, no emissions equipment, no check engine light (it has all the necessary GAUGES-----------no idiot lights) and the speedometer is on the money. Turn signals work, lights work, horns work, wipers work, good brakes, both heaters work and the air cond blows cold R12.
And who the hell is going to steal it?
What more could you ask for?
Tom Parsons
No need to worry about door dings, scratches, getting keyed, salt on the roads or a computer glitch!
It is 100% basic Chevy, I can fix ANYTHING and it will never need to go to the dealership to be connected for a computer diagnosis. No converter, no emissions equipment, no check engine light (it has all the necessary GAUGES-----------no idiot lights) and the speedometer is on the money. Turn signals work, lights work, horns work, wipers work, good brakes, both heaters work and the air cond blows cold R12.
And who the hell is going to steal it?
What more could you ask for?
Tom Parsons
03-03-2011, 01:27 PM
#24
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03-03-2011, 02:59 PM
#25
Team Owner
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Tom, before someone from the C5/C6 forum sees it and jumps in, I'll add, "ZAINO will fix it right up"
That forward fuel pump bolt looks like fun 
. That's definitely the "sleeper of the week".
03-03-2011, 03:19 PM
#26
Melting Slicks
I may be a bit younger (45) than most of you who experienced "back in the day" in person but I thought rat rod were low-budget, purpose-built for speed, not looks, open vehicles with a rat (ie. BBC) engine.
I have noticed somewhat of a resurgence of a wide variety of loosely-termed rat-rods at car shows and they seem to pull a lot of attention. Hey, even a counter culture needs a counter-counter culture.
So long as it both moves and stops safely, it's all fun. Life's too short for boring!
I have noticed somewhat of a resurgence of a wide variety of loosely-termed rat-rods at car shows and they seem to pull a lot of attention. Hey, even a counter culture needs a counter-counter culture.
So long as it both moves and stops safely, it's all fun. Life's too short for boring!
03-03-2011, 03:21 PM
#27
Team Owner
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Well, I hate to say it, but this one is the MOST RELIABLE car I have. Once the 383 is up and running, it will also be fun to drive.
No need to worry about door dings, scratches, getting keyed, salt on the roads or a computer glitch!
It is 100% basic Chevy, I can fix ANYTHING and it will never need to go to the dealership to be connected for a computer diagnosis. No converter, no emissions equipment, no check engine light (it has all the necessary GAUGES-----------no idiot lights) and the speedometer is on the money. Turn signals work, lights work, horns work, wipers work, good brakes, both heaters work and the air cond blows cold R12.
And who the hell is going to steal it?
What more could you ask for?
Tom Parsons
No need to worry about door dings, scratches, getting keyed, salt on the roads or a computer glitch!
It is 100% basic Chevy, I can fix ANYTHING and it will never need to go to the dealership to be connected for a computer diagnosis. No converter, no emissions equipment, no check engine light (it has all the necessary GAUGES-----------no idiot lights) and the speedometer is on the money. Turn signals work, lights work, horns work, wipers work, good brakes, both heaters work and the air cond blows cold R12.
And who the hell is going to steal it?
What more could you ask for?
Tom Parsons
Seriously, it is way too cool, and exactly the right idea for rat rod.
Last edited by emccomas; 03-03-2011 at 03:26 PM.
03-03-2011, 03:25 PM
#28
Team Owner
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Direct from the Internet.....
Rat Rod definition: A Rat Rod is a newly developed name for the original hot rod style of the early 1950's. A Rat Rod is usually a vehicle that has had many of it't non-critical parts removed. They are usually finished in primer or paints that are often period correct. They are very often a conglomeration of parts and pieces of different makes, models and after market parts. The term "rat rod" was first used by the high dollar, show cars guys to describe the low-buck, home built drivers.
Rat Rod definition: A Rat Rod is a newly developed name for the original hot rod style of the early 1950's. A Rat Rod is usually a vehicle that has had many of it't non-critical parts removed. They are usually finished in primer or paints that are often period correct. They are very often a conglomeration of parts and pieces of different makes, models and after market parts. The term "rat rod" was first used by the high dollar, show cars guys to describe the low-buck, home built drivers.
03-03-2011, 03:36 PM
#29
Instructor
Member Since: Dec 2009
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Mine needs paint pretty bad, just not as bad as many here. It has a rat motor, at least that's what I called them when I was a kid. Small blocks I called a mouse. Never raced bikes, boats or airplanes so I don't know the lingo.
03-03-2011, 05:50 PM
#31
Instructor
My 66 is an orgional car,abet,new tires,belts ,hoses,top,carpet and freshened engine,the paint,scratched and faded,interior ,glass all in good shape,some friends ask when I am going to paint it and call it rat vette.My feeling is I drive it everywere,Canada,Calif. ,twice,and all over Texas,the paint would just get chipped! So for now it stays on the road.
03-03-2011, 06:07 PM
#34
Safety Car
This is a friend of mine. John, who owns Corvette Conspiracy. He loves this car. It gets more looks then the fully restored 57's
He just put a custom fuel injection in it.
He just put a custom fuel injection in it.
03-03-2011, 06:19 PM
#35
Melting Slicks
Well, I hate to say it, but this one is the MOST RELIABLE car I have. Once the 383 is up and running, it will also be fun to drive.
No need to worry about door dings, scratches, getting keyed, salt on the roads or a computer glitch!
It is 100% basic Chevy, I can fix ANYTHING and it will never need to go to the dealership to be connected for a computer diagnosis. No converter, no emissions equipment, no check engine light (it has all the necessary GAUGES-----------no idiot lights) and the speedometer is on the money. Turn signals work, lights work, horns work, wipers work, good brakes, both heaters work and the air cond blows cold R12.
And who the hell is going to steal it?
What more could you ask for?
Tom Parsons
No need to worry about door dings, scratches, getting keyed, salt on the roads or a computer glitch!
It is 100% basic Chevy, I can fix ANYTHING and it will never need to go to the dealership to be connected for a computer diagnosis. No converter, no emissions equipment, no check engine light (it has all the necessary GAUGES-----------no idiot lights) and the speedometer is on the money. Turn signals work, lights work, horns work, wipers work, good brakes, both heaters work and the air cond blows cold R12.
And who the hell is going to steal it?
What more could you ask for?
Tom Parsons
03-03-2011, 06:48 PM
#37
Burning Brakes
03-03-2011, 07:43 PM
#38
Race Director
i drove mine around pretty much like this for 3 years from late '74 until 1977 when i got it painted.
I did add a headlight set shortly after the first two pics were taken.
Doug
I did add a headlight set shortly after the first two pics were taken.
Doug
Last edited by AZDoug; 03-03-2011 at 07:51 PM.
03-04-2011, 01:04 AM
#40
Yep, got one. Here it is. This is the way I drive it.
The driver's door doesn't have a window or any of the window parts. Also doesn't have the inside door handle, so I just reach out and open the door using the outside handle.
Car has a soft top, but the top material is so old and hard that the top won't stretch to fit, so I don't bother with it.
The seat bottom springs are so worn and rusted out that I have to use kitchen chair cushions in each seat. The cushion is pictured, but I do have seats and seat belts installed now. The cushion sits on top of the seat bottom.
None of the original instruments in the dash work (and they have never been removed from the dash, as best I can tell), so I hung a 3 gauge underdash instrument cluster that I got at the local parts store.
Car was sandblasted decades ago, except for the deck lid and dash area, which still has some sort of paint on them.
One of these days I am going to spray some black primer on the car to make it all one color and protect the fiberglass, but for now, this is the way I drive it.
Of course, like all of us, I am worried that someone will scratch it...
In the garage, prior to engine install
First drive in almost 20 years
Sitting in the parking lot at work, view is from my office window
Interior with kitchen chair seat cushion
The driver's door doesn't have a window or any of the window parts. Also doesn't have the inside door handle, so I just reach out and open the door using the outside handle.
Car has a soft top, but the top material is so old and hard that the top won't stretch to fit, so I don't bother with it.
The seat bottom springs are so worn and rusted out that I have to use kitchen chair cushions in each seat. The cushion is pictured, but I do have seats and seat belts installed now. The cushion sits on top of the seat bottom.
None of the original instruments in the dash work (and they have never been removed from the dash, as best I can tell), so I hung a 3 gauge underdash instrument cluster that I got at the local parts store.
Car was sandblasted decades ago, except for the deck lid and dash area, which still has some sort of paint on them.
One of these days I am going to spray some black primer on the car to make it all one color and protect the fiberglass, but for now, this is the way I drive it.
Of course, like all of us, I am worried that someone will scratch it...
In the garage, prior to engine install
First drive in almost 20 years
Sitting in the parking lot at work, view is from my office window
Interior with kitchen chair seat cushion
Do you park your rat in the driveway or at the curb? The neighbor housewives must have tizzy fits if they're expecting company!