What’s a rat rod? Technically it’s a hot rod modified to look old and rusty, like a retro Frankenstein monster that's come to life, only on four wheels. And in spite of how cool that may sound, rat rods are a niche kind of car that not everybody likes or even gets.
Those who do love rat rods find pleasure in the rusted and welded patinas that bear the passing of time with pride. Those who don’t would call a rat rod an unpainted hot rod belonging to someone who prefers the ugly over the beautiful.
That said; you have to admit that each rat rod is a piece of art that allows the owner to modify it without the constraints of conventional car design. They come steeped in the individuality of the owner and mean something far more than just a vehicle. It's a car culture and it's here to stay.
On that note, here are 10 rat rods that are so sick, even the haters may end up looking at them with respect, if not love.
10 This Rat Rod ‘Rolls’
No one in their right mind would take a Rolls Royce and modify it, let alone chop it up into a rat rod that’s so shiny, it can make people cry because of all that glare. But Britisher Sam Hard did just that, and he did it on a classic Rolls that once belonged to a man (Lord Tredegar) who carried a parrot in his fly, and no, we are not kidding.
All shiny aluminum and under 2000 pounds, this Rolls Rod flies with a Chevelle LS6 engine and gives off enough glare to rival the sun. Insane, sure, but there’s beauty in insanity too.
9 A Stanced 90-Year-Old
This rat rod does not look like a geriatric, does it? But it is, considering the original car beneath all that framework, is a 1931-Ford Model A. Now, it wears a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine, enough for 600 horses.
It has been transformed by Mike Burroughs and has a somewhat deadly look to it, considering it weighs only 2,200 pounds and is ready to roll at the hint of the pedal. You cannot get better at a rat rod than this, with its very in-your-face styling.
8 A Rolling Coal Rod
At first glance, all you see is that hand-battered aluminum, shaped to look like a car. Look closely and you may spot another ‘30s Ford Model A underneath all that chopping and mixing.
This monster comes powered by a 5.9-liter 12-valve Cummins Diesel engine that gives out as good as it gets and makes this rat rod peel off the drag strip with white tire smoke for good measure.
7 Cheap & Chic Ford Pick-Me-Up Rod
Bold and very macho, the base of this rat rod is a 1934 Ford pickup that was coincidentally the last year for the four-cylinder truck. The engine bay is now open and the exhaust sticks out pretty far out, sending a clear message of “stay away, or else...!”
The finish is dull and unfinished on purpose to look as close to what a rat rod is, and this one has also been made cheaply to show that it doesn’t cost an arm and leg to indulge in your kind of car culture.
6 The Scariest ‘Cat’ Rod Of Them All
We do not want to meet this car on a deserted road at night. In fact, we do not want to meet it even in full traffic at night because it scares the bejesus out of us. The custom headers make it look like a snarling jungle cat, and that exposed supercharger belt has flame emblems running on it.
We get it. This is one mean cat rod because calling it a rat rod just doesn’t fit with its I’m-going-to-eat-you-for-breakfast-looks. And the size of the engine tells us it can catch anything it wants to, and then run right over it as well.
5 A Dually Diesel Welded Rod
This is from WelderUp’s shop, the same guys who are on Vegas Rat Rods, and is as post-apocalyptic as they come, considering it is called the ‘Prius Repellant’. This is all diesel and unashamedly so, with a welded and scorched patina that makes it look like Terminator’s car on Judgement Day.
You cannot get rawer or more thematic than this when it comes to rat rods. Those studded steel plates and dual knobbly tires, make this rat rod look like one very capable vehicle that could chew and spit out even the most gnarly of terrains.
4 McMullen’s Famous Ford Roadster
In the ‘70s, Tom McMullen was known to be one colorful if a rebellious character who not only ran a motorcycle chopper catalog business but also founded Street Rodder magazine. Later, McMullen tragically passed away in an airplane crash because of an ice storm in the ‘90s. During his heydays though, his rat rods won rave reviews.
McMullen's rat rod was a 1932 Ford called the ‘Deuce Roadster’ and one that could run 138mph, even if it earned him a ticket, which it did. He built it in 1976 and the Deuce became one of the most known rat rods of its times, worth at least $1 million if not more.
3 The 30 Day Built Ford Model-A Rod
Ricky Brown, so named after the Talladega Night’s character played by Will Ferrell had his destiny chosen for him with his name. He runs a rat rod shop called Ricky Bobby’s Rod Shop and in it, he built this very cool 1929 Ford Model A rat rod that we would love to call foxy.
What’s even cooler than the fake diamond gear grip in the rat rod, is that it was built in 33 days flat out, with a roof that bears timber slats rather than an actual covering. We are in genuine awe because this lady blows us away with utterly unexpected beauty, and power.
2 The Baddest Rod Of All
Owned by Kaysey Weasel, this is not a rod you want to take head-on or take on for that matter. Once a 1930 Ford, the top has been chopped and the chassis stretched to kingdom come. The open hood carried a massive 7.6-liter Chevy big-block V8 with a Mutha Thumper Cam and Dyers Supercharger.
Do not miss that Death Proof duck ornament and if you do end up on the wrong end of this mean-as-heck rat rod, we guarantee its not death-proof for you. More like proof of death.
1 Jeep Wrangler + Harley-Davidson Monstrosity
This is giving us Mad Max visions, like a soldier gone bad. While this may upset Jeep purists, for the rat rod lovers this is pretty cool, even if the patina is all painted with military insignia along with stuff from Harley-Davidson.
The chassis has been elongated and the engine compartment is open, carrying a 5.2-liter Hemi V8, with a chrome-plated air intake on top. And yet, despite the strange dimensions of the rat rod, it still boasts a pretty decent ground clearance, keeping the Jeepness in it intact a little.