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What came first, the Rat Rod or the Hot Rod, the chicken or the egg? Does it really matter? In one instance we have eggs, loved by some and not eaten by others, the other, chicken, roasted, fried, crispy, glazed. The same goes for the flavors of cars, like the chicken or egg debate there will never be a correct answer. Regardless, to not at least sample this world of custom cars known as Rat Rods, is to deny yourself an experience that will expose you to yet another art form.

I’m not sure that birth of� “Rat Rods” as they are known as today, can ever be tagged to any particular date, time or event. You can spend days looking into old issues of car mags and find all kinds of examples of cars in primer with front ends from one car and a rear from another. You can go back even further, post war, when budding young mechanics without a lot of options for car parts were adapting whatever they could find and make it work. You can even go further back to the 30’s and the depression years, where necessity warranted making anything work as long as it got you places. If you put these cars side by side you would have a car that sure looks a lot like what we now call a Rat Rod.

I view these cars, trucks and even vans, as an inventive utilization of parts, and with a few other trinkets, form some pretty darn fine automobiles that are every bit as inventive and creative as any high dollar car built.

If you are a die hard Rat-rodder or just curious here are some great examples of some fun to drive rods.



Who says that a Rat Rod can't be something other than a car or truck. The grill art is definitely a one of a kind.


4, 6 or 8 pistons...there are no rules.


Chevy trucks with Chevy motors, who would have thought.


Now a Ford with a Hemi. It's running a generator! Someone may scoop this one up, put some King Bee's on a head light bar add wide whites and paint it red.



Chopped, channeled, steelies, wide whites and some modern buckets...whats that I see, twist tie door locks.


Independent suspension, rack and pinion steering, a go fast v8 and looks like all the lighting in place front and back.


What's cruzzin without a sunroof?


I often wonder what was the inspiration behind something like this.


Sure would like a set of those vented and finned rotors.


I am surprised that there still is some tread left on those rear tires, I sure like those real small mufflers.


Here is one for debate...a work in progress hot rod, someday to be painted, or black suede painted Rat Rod.


The heat coming off this stove exits through the many bullet holes in the doors, they are real, not those fake decal ones.



If this one ever gets a roof, the shifter plans will have to change.



I don't imagine the owner of this low ride is much over 5'10".


What can you say about this ride, aside from looking closer at the clothing worn in the background this photo could be 40 years old, how could you tell. Timeless!


Hot, Hot, Hot


There should be no question as to what you have to do when the brakes go on, now that's a brake light.


A vintage truck and a vintage bike, oh what to drive! some days the choice must be difficult

Just walking around these, and the careless could knock the lens off, that would be a shame.


I never did get to hear this one run, it would have been worth it.


Going Green.



What should I do with that spare truck cab? I don't know what to call it except Creative!


The vanity plate says it all


These pipes assure its owner of a higher scrub line, bet no one has ever got a leg burn off those pipes.