The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Rat Rod?

I am embarrased to ask But wat is a Rat rod?

You will know one when you see one.

lol.. i looked it up just a few minutes ago. THey look awesome but now my question is wat is the difference between a rat rod and a hot rod?

A rat rod is ususlly done on a low budget, and is more of a vintage style hot rod. There is an excellent thread about this on the Inliner's site. www.inliners.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=000384

Folks have different opinions as to what the definition of a Rat Rod is. I tend to think Rat Rods follow “Old School” rules surrounding a Hot Rod. They are built from other car parts. Many are primered. Many Hot Rods built today use custom parts. That’s not to say a Rat Rod can’t have new parts too. I think “Old School” is kind of the rule. Some folks categorize Rat Rods as not being safe. I think any car/truck can be built safe or unsafe. Some folks are proud to call their rigs “Rat Rod” others would not be caught dead in something tagged as a Rat Rod.

It’s all in the “Eye of the beholder”.

Just my $.02

Rick

check out www.BilletProof.com for some "prime" examples.

Now I have some more question about these rods. Are they mostly fords or are there chevy rat rods too? and can a 60s truck be a rat rod? Thank you for all your replys. I am only 20 will be 21 on the 24 of this month. So you will have to accuse my annoyin questions

Ya Chevy trucks are can also be "rat rodded". Go to my website to see pics of my previous 64 C10. Now workin to do the same to my C20 Crew Cab.

Also do a search for Kustom Car Culture to get an idea of some the vehicles used in this art form.

Not all of it is low buck. Just depends on what you are doin and if doin it yourself.

Here are a few more links to check out:
http://classictrucksweb.com/tech/0402cl_oldsc/
http://www.marthaberriman.com/thumbs.html

One last note bout "Rat Rod's" - NO BILLET!

wat does billet mean?

billet refers to metal, i think its the process of how its made like cast/forged when refering to crankshafts, but not for certain. Billet steel parts are supposed to be strong and shiney, but also expensive.

My question of the day is what is a rat motor? I hear people refer to some chevy engines as rat motors? what does this mean is it refering to budget like ratrod? Or does it have something to do with the stroke of the motor? like de-stroking for more RPM's or something? help me out guys(gals).

We used to call them jalopies. People who had fun with their cars/trucks and weren't worried about getting them dirty. Almost all are built by guys without "big cubic wallets"!

Billit in most cases as far as I know refers to items cut from one piece of alluminum. All of those shiny trinkets you see attached to cars that are called billet are cut from one piece of alluminum. Rims, trim, shift knobs whatever.

Boy I sure hope so. If not, I've wasted about a year's work...and a coupla bux:

[img]http://www.chevyasylum.com/bsf2004/sw/0813/040813_05r4.jpg[/img]

This is my 64 C10. It doesn't have a 350 V8 like so many others. It has a 292 I6 with a Carter 4-barrel, split exhaust headers and Cherry Bomb glasspack mufflers. It's also got gen-u-wine Dean Moon Moon discs for hubcaps...and some pinstriping from "Coop"...one of the relatively big names in the striping world. I got lucky and ran into him at the Rat Fink Reunion last year....I'll be goin back again this year...maybe I can talk him into stripin my bass guitar.

Anyway, this is just what I decided to do with my truck. I didn't wanna spend huge chunks of cash makin it into something that I was afraid to drive in the winter...so I'm just havin a good time with it. I already drove one neighbor outta the neighborhood. (Long story...he was sellin his house anyway, but he hated seein my truck parked anywhere near his place, just in case it might scare off potential buyers. Btw, the new neighbors love my truck. <g>)

I've got a lot more to do on it. I had kinda hoped to get something done about the "ratty" (if you'll pardon the expression) wood in the bed. But a wee bit of heart surgery kinda slowed me down.

If yer interested in what I did to transform my truck from a rusty ol thing into my interpretation of a rat rod, check out my web site.

I've got a buncha pics and some narrative there about what I did to it...and some stuff about our other Chevys, too. Ohh...I think you may have been there...right?

Anyway, have fun with yours...I think that's what they're there for.

A 'billet' is the name given to a solid chunk of aluminum, which is then machined down to make 'billet' parts - ie meaning they are derived from a solid piece, as opposed to being cast in a mould.

Any more links to satin black C10's appreciated, Limey

Brian Stormer, a Chevy Rat motor is the big block series, 396-502,as compared to the small block mouse motor.
Some guys spend tons of money to make a rod look "Ratty".
The original "rat" term was for beat up unwashed Harleys.

I suppose it only figures that guys set out specifically to build a rat rod. I have always viewed tham as something that just kind of grew. Found a wrecked truck with a hemi? Cool, stuff it in the old DeSoto. Can't afford bodywork? Sand it all down and give it a rattle-can paint job.

ChevyAsylum's truck is kewl. I dig it.

CA - don't ya have an audio file of the engine running on the site somewhere? I always thought that was a nice touch.

This man here is building a 'rat rod the old way' as he puts it - he started with a '81 or so ford truck with 351 - kept the driveline and front end - a few other bits - torched off the rest - then started bending and cutting metal - made his own frame - he has lots of pics - I find it all very fascinating:

http://hotrodders.com/forums/journa...3c48&journalid=17166&action=view

good viewin' and readin'.

-W

Thank you all so much for your replys. This is the first time that so many of you all replied.THank you!! Oh and Ray yes i have seen your website. WE had a great chat before. And your truck is awesome. God bless all.

Thanks, Woogeroo. I appreciate the compliments. I'm gonna be takin the truck for a 150 (or so) mile drive this weekend, so I guess I better strap on my kidney belt. It rides a wee bit rough. But it's fun. Here's the page that has the sound bites on it.

The sound is a little bit different now. I've got longet tail pipes on it goin out each side of the truck, right in front of the rear wheels. I'm gettin to like the sound more and more. As soon as it warms up a bit, I'll update things with pics and another sound clip.

That step-by-step story of buildin the pickup and rat rod is really kool. I'm gonna have to keep following that one. Thanks for the link.

Have a good one.

Well chevyasylum,was kinda like it happened. Wife said buy a truck with automatic so I can drive it as you repair my chevy caviller. So I bought a 88 chevy 1500. traded s10 like 91 5 speed for it. Two weeks later I had a broken flywheel or flex plate . It ran with a high idle, 4.3 v6 automatic. No power, and hard shift 2 to 3. Was reading the stovebolt and decided to rat truck it.
Took 2.8 from chevy S10 andtrans automatic rebuilt engine placed in truck, So no 2.3.4 shift. trans cooked , no metal left on bands.. Pulled engine trans and got 200r4 from camaro. Bad idea 3 inches short on drive shaft end. What to do . 2.8 with trans will be new power for isuzu trooper 1989 vintage. Pulled 4.3 down found 30 thousands on bore rods and mains. OK so rering and power hone cylinder 4.3 come up nice,rebuild before not done by someone to with skill. Number six intake sawed off about 3/16 on end so was runing on 5 cylinders stead six. Long story short.

Rat Truck got
4.3 chevy v6 30 thousand bore mains and rods
rebuilt 700r4 from truck That was fun
install mustang buckets in cab
make jump seat between buckets with storage
weld motor mounts- hack on 2.8 convert
redo gauages with decal. lectric speedo
edelbrock intake and carb like 4 barrel
hei ignition.
right dash got switches. fuel ignition start.
just below heat air switch.
So what happening here?
RAT ROD.
Chevyasylum done a nice job and after looking at it a few times I said that's ole time hot rodding.
$1000 bucks I got a nock around truck, dialy driver with a little wump. figure end febuary I'm back on the rode.
So ratrod is fix it so ya got a runner at resonable cost and it goes fast. Or something like that.

Jbennett
40 burb

ONe word to describes chevyasylum's truck is hhmmm "SWEET" and cool. SO that is two words. GEez there are so many awesome things to say about his awesome truck. I could just stare at it all day.