Rat Rods - Should You Build One Or Buy One?
I’ve got to be up front and honest with everyone - I’m not a big fan of rat rods. That shouldn’t suggest I don’t appreciate them or understand the cool factor that goes with the genre, but I view rat rods as art cars; each one is a unique expression of the person - or ‘artist’ - who built it. I can totally dig them in that sense, but when it comes to motoring, I appreciate elegant lines and stout performance over the mad-scientist-meets-redneck presence of a rat rod. Nothing personal to those who love them; I’m just not a fan.
I think it’s because the original rat rods in the ‘40s and ‘50s were genuine motorised Frankensteins. They weren’t designed to look like barely-there barnyard projects, they were barely-there barnyard projects. Builders didn’t have parts or cash to make them better, whereas modern rat rods generally have a fair amount of cash invested to make them look like they don’t have a fair amount of cash invested. Like I said, I get the concept. It just doesn’t really click with me.
And now I’ll contradict myself completely, because this 1929 Ford Model A rat rod for sale in Louisiana does click with me. I’m not falling in love or anything, but I swear the computer actually growled as I came upon this while browsing the U.S. listings on eBay. As I type this article it’s selling for a reserve-not-met price of $8100, with three days left on the auction. Coming from someone who’s not really into rat rods, I’d say that’s a fair price given what little info I have on this particular car.
Those details include a 383 cubic-inch (6.2-litre) V8 with a Turbo 350 three-speed automatic transmission. The tranny is listed as having a 3000 stall torque converter so I suspect it’s pretty quick off the line. It’s got a bagged rear suspension which certainly gives this rod a properly slammed look, and the seller says it has new wheels and tyres. But since they’re supposed to look old and busted, not really sure that matters much.
Unfortunately, that’s all we know about this obviously custom-built car. It wouldn’t be a Christopher Smith found in the classifieds if I didn’t complain about the listing, so this time I’ll be complaining about the ALL CAPS font used to convey that little bit of info. I suppose it’s informative enough to grab people’s interest, and there is a phone number to call for folks who are serious buyers, but it wouldn’t hurt to share a bit more info. How about the frame? Rear end? A few tidbits on the build perhaps? After all, it’s the build that makes these cars interesting.
I haven’t followed the market for rat rods too closely, but I do know they can be all over the place price-wise. I’ve seen plenty go for under $10,000, while others with a bit more effort beneath the rusty facade nab $50,000 or more. I’m not sure I see this particular rod going past $10,000, and I tell you what, for that price I think this could be all hell kinds of fun. I’d actually smooth up the body some and throw a legitimate coat of paint on it, maybe semi-gloss black or a deep blue. Paint the wheels to match and find a better looking grille. Now we’re talking.
Yeah, that kind of work isn’t what rat rods are about. But you know what? Maybe Frankenstein would’ve been a nicer guy if he’d had a nice suit to wear. The question is, should rat rod enthusiasts forego the temptation to just buy one like this and build their own instead?
Comments
Americans complaining about VW but building these…
Most car enthusiasts in America couldn’t care less about what happened with VW.
I guarantee anyone who builds one of these couldn’t give a rat’s a$$ about VW.
Built not bought
best thing would be building one. putting the time in making something that unik. and the pride of driving it.
These cars are all about the build.
Here is my beef with Rat Rods.
Rat Rods used to just be known as HotRods. There were the 1960s teenagers cars that were built for little to no money for the sole purpose of being fast and cool. The reason they were rust or flat black was because they couldn’t afford to get nice body work done or even paint them. They were built with found parts off of cars that were literally going to be used to stop erosion on river bottoms. Not scrapped and recycled, just literally thrown out!
There is now a culture that is trying to recreate that look… I get it, sort of… But when I go to a car show and your fibreglass kit model A is being towed by your Cadilac Escalade in a trailer that costs more than my fully restored 1956 Pontiac, it should look like a nice car, not a rusty peice is crap. There are literally people who show up to meets and “dust” their fiberglass kits with red dust so that their painted on rust leaves rust coloured dust on your hand…
These people have totally ruined that scene for me.
However, if one were to go through the experience himself and, say, instead of limiting it by money, limit it to his toolkit and a scrapyard for the experience, wouldn’t it be worthy of being a great creation? I do agree with the trailer part though, if you’re going to build a rough machine, drive it to the meet and treat it roughly. Nothing worse than having a brand-new 440 sitting under the hood and using it only to crawl into a parking spot to get gawked at by spectators.
Not sure what’s the point in faking a rat rod. Part of the charm from rat rods is that they were made with parts lying around somewhere so I would say build is the only way.
I’ll end up rebuilding the viking for myself :)
for me… neither, i really don’t like this style
Build. Buying a rat rod is like buying “pre-stressed” jeans.
This article could have easily been written without all the personal opinions. It made the whole thing negative. I personally love the concept of RatRods; not all look great but it’s about the owner expressing themselves by building a vehicle they’ll love.
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