Rat Rod Art

I'm just a guy that loves cool cars - and Rat Rods are about as cool as you can get.

The problem with being a car enthusiast is that you can't just "collect" cars the way you might collect stamps! Fortunately, you can collect great looking Car Artwork.

It Might Not be What You Think

Originally, Rat Rods were custom Hot Rods built on-the-cheap. The classic primer-grey or flat-black Rat Rod was a 1920s-1950s car built to go fast. By the time the builder had finished making his car go fast, he'd have no money left for a fancy paint job.

In the 1970s, Car Shows came to main-stream in America - attracting tens-of-thousands of spectators to indoor arenas rather than the local drag strip. These high-dollar shows were won by Chrome and Lacquer Paint. Some builders made show cars that didn't even have working engines - they were pushed into position. This was when the term "Trailer-Queen" originated - very un-rat like.

There were also lots of street cars built during this period. These 70s Muscle Cars weren't over-the-top customs like the arena cars, but they had their share of Candy Paint and Chrome and usually had some "get up and go," too. With use, chrome turns blue, paint fades and interiors wear - thus came the second generation Rat Rod - the past-its-prime street Hot Rod.

Rat Rods today are usually planned projects - built with the intention of looking ratty. These Rats are meant to mimic and exaggerate the look of those early Rat Hot Rods. Paint jobs are often layers of different colors - rusty brown on the bottom with different colors of flat paint on top. These layers are sanded through until the rust-colored layer shows. Accessories are intentionally assembled from mismatched parts (some Ford, some Dodge, maybe a little John Deere) with an emphasis on that hand-made, hand-assembled look.

In order to avoid being too wordy, I've used cars to explain the history of Rat Rods. You can substitute "Truck" or "Bike" for "Car" in any of the above sentences to suit your tastes.

Nothing says "Rat" better than a Matte-Black body and brightly colored Wheels. White Wall Tires add the finishing touch.