33 replies to this topic

[pimpedmini]

anybody heard of the "rat look" some car scenes are currently going through? the VW scene are into their rat look cars in a big way. What do you guys think of it? I thought about trying get the same sort of look onto a mini.

[TJenkos]

Ooo explain..

Whats the "rat look"?

[mulejones]

I work with a guy who is as big into beetles as we are minis. Hes got a camper and a bug and both are going down the ratty look road, but it doesnt do anything for me!

[Lt-SilverDragon]

Wouldn't look good on a mini, I've thought about it aswell but just can't see it working.

[TJenkos]

Share with us! Is it when they look scraggy?

[pimpedmini]

think it may work on a mini van if done right but i can't see how you'd get it to work right on a mini wihout it looking stupid

[mulejones]

From what i can gather from my mate at work, the cars are mechanically sound but they prefer rust on the paint work rather than a shine

[1984mini25]

Rat rod

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rat rod is a newly developed name for the original hot rod style of the early 1950s. A rat rod is usually a vehicle that has had many of its non-critical parts removed. They are usually finished in primer-like paints and are often period correct. They are very often the conglomeration of parts and pieces of different makes and models.

A typical rat rod is an early 1930s through 1950s coupe or roadster with the body set low on the frame, fenders removed, whitewall tires, big-little tire combos, exposed engine bay, home-made upholstery, and lots of power. A Rat Rod is considered to differ from a Hot Rod in a number of key terms. A Rat Rod is generally considered to be a home built, low budget, one off custom that is still often driven and has many flaws and/or imperfections. In popular usage a Hot Rod is now considered to be a high end, high budget show car that emulates the early Hot Rods in style but sports flashy paint high end upholstery and generally rarely see much in the way of road time. (See Boyd Coddington as an example of new-age Hot Rods) In many ways Hot Rod is now synonymous with Trailer Queen (a car that is never actually driven but is purely for display and trailered from show to show). Rat Rods are also sometimes called Custom cars, Kustoms, Leadsleds or Sleds.

Most Rat Rods were usually not originally high performance vehicles, but usually a large 2-door sedan with a chopped down roofline, lowered suspension, and most of the trim work removed. They often sport a mixed parts from other cars, i.e. its not uncommon to see a Mercury running a Chevy motor with Dodge rear end.
The term Rat Rod came from an article written in Hot Rod Magazine by Gray Baskerville about cars that were painted in primer. A lot of rat rodders do not consider their cars rat rods but hot rods. The first rat rod was owned by Robert Williams who had a 32 Ford Roadster that was painted primer.

[TJenkos]

Oh like this you mean?



Twin engined

[pimpedmini]

something like that, there are a couple of old vw vans that go around town and they have had thousands spent on them making them look old and not looked after. they have both been air brushed to make them look like that. neither van actually has any rust on them but at a first glance you'd think it was just an old scabby van. it's a hard thing to explain unless you actually seen something thats been done to this style

[Jammy]

Just leave a mini out on a drive for a few years, one inexpensive rat looking mini!

[mulejones]

or wrap it round a tree, crack the paintwork on the front left wing, scratch 3 sides of your car and leave for 2 weeks, the rust soon shines through

[Lt-SilverDragon]

Oh and I think he means more towards the hoodride side of things not ratty

ie

[1984mini25]

Found some picks of Rat rods, Basically cars made from left over/scrap car parts (big fan of the American hot series)

Rat rod 1


Rat rod 2

[Jammy]

I think rat look and rat rod are two slightly different things?