Rat Rod Revolution: Is Rust the new Red on Hot Rods?

• collector cars
• auto show
• DIY

Through ranks of cars painted matte black or primer gray rolls a pearlescent white ’51 Ford, gleaming and glowing, turning heads. When it pulls into its spot, the owner hops out and slaps a “For Sale” sign under the windshield wiper. Onlookers shudder in shock: You don’t sell your baby at an event like this—at least not so openly.

Here, at the Kustom Kills & Hot Rod Thrills car show, sponsored by the local Rumblers Car Club, more than 200 vintage hot rods, customized cars and beaters are on display under the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in New York City—and they’re mostly ragged and rough rides, ranging from ancient highboy Fords to bulbous ’50s Buicks and Kool Kustom Mercs with flames and pinstripes. Rainbow-hued ­Mexican blankets cover old upholstery. Gearshift knobs end in black eight balls or scorpions frozen in clear acrylic. Motors are exposed, painted and capped with old tin cans.

Why the primer? Why the raw look? The answer is on one owner’s T-shirt: “Yes, it is cool, and no, I’m not going to paint it.”

That puts the ’51 Ford out of sync with the BQE crowd. These rodders would never consider hanging a “For Sale” shingle on their baby. Most of the cars here are perpetual works in progress, with every part bolted, welded or hammered together by the owners—not by professionals in high-dollar shops.

Call them retro rods or rust rods or rat rods. Or call them root rods, because they carry their owners back to the rebellious early days of racing in the streets and customizing in the garage. These enthusiasts disdain expensive creations done up on TV by celebrities like Chip Foose or the late Boyd Coddington. The multiple layers of paint, the gleaming CNC-machined aluminum parts—it leaves them cold. “We are poor-boy rodders with attitude,” says one member of the Road Devils’ New Jersey chapter.

CLICK FOR MORE Top 10 Rat Rods @ the Kustom Kills & Hot Rod Thrills Show

7. RE: Rat Rod Revolution: Is Rust the new Red on Hot Rods?
Website: http://www.ratrodrags.com
I think rat rods are becoming much more mainstream but I hope to see many more locally.

6. RE: Rat Rod Revolution: Is Rust the new Red on Hot Rods?
i like the rat rods more than those fancy custom cars they are raw and genuine imagine to have a car that you dont need to lock because noone dares to touch it

5. RE: Rat Rod Revolution: Is Rust the new Red on Hot Rods?
57ford500 convertable. So rusty that the body tore lose from the frame.buddy stood up at local drivein and fell thru the floor.rdiused the rear wheel well for bigger tires with a jigsaw. Rebuil the 312 and was a running3-speed stick.Finally junked it out as frame rotted thru. the good old days?

4. RE: Rat Rod Revolution: Is Rust the new Red on Hot Rods?
Website: www.myspace.com/efiltakcusouy
I OWN/BUILT A 1928 DODGE IN MAY OF 2006 AND THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS ITS NICE TO SEE PPL SMILE AGAIN!!! CHECK IT OUT UNDER MYSPACE AT : www.myspace.com/efiltakcusouy

3. RE: Rat Rod Revolution: Is Rust the new Red on Hot Rods?
A good friend of mine owns a shop down here in the South Bay, and most of the cars to leave his shop come out looking something like these. Sometimes the owner then gets it painted, other times they just throw a coat of primer on it and call it a day. This also reminds me of when I was working at a 76 station in Redondo Beach that sold 100 octane (110 and 118 too!) fuel, and some of the most bada$$ cars to drive in on Friday nights for the Ruby's hot rod night were primer-black or gray sporting old rusty steel wheels. I'm glad to see that this kind of rodding is getting more attention.

2. RE: Rat Rod Revolution: Is Rust the new Red on Hot Rods?
man, i would hate to be riding my bike, or walking, and get hit by car in pic #6. or sideswiped? other than that, i've always liked the rat look. old rat-rod vw's are my favorite.

1. RE: Rat Rod Revolution: Is Rust the new Red on Hot Rods?
Y'know, in the 50's & 60's cars were a young guys passion -- and most of us didn't have much money. I, along with many, never built a rod, but almost everybody was in love with cars. Those who could manage it would do whatever they could to get a little perfomance -- and it generally was a 'payday' deal. Other guys focused on appearance -- 'customs' "If it won't go, chrome it!" Again, they'd do what they could when they could. Now, a lot of rods are built/bought by folks with money--and they're generally older.So, they're really nice.Rat rods are a different kind of statement -- but, I don't think that it's really about the money. And I don't think it's about the youth either. The 50's are gone, and the car fads today just aren't the same mainstram activity.

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