Rat Rod?
Jul 28, 2022 23:14:48 #
Spotted this interesting set of wheels today. Could this be considered a rat rod?
It had plates so its street legal (I assume)
It had plates so its street legal (I assume)
Jul 29, 2022 04:27:50 #
An old buddy of mine was a pretty fair cartoonist/artist who borrowed much from "Big Daddy" Ed Roth who was the creator of "Rat Fink". He was a monster rat character pictured on an endless number of air brushed T-shirts who drove outrageous hot rods that all had two things in common... they were unsanitary or less than pristine and they had big engines. I don't think anybody else does, but I give "Big Daddy" Ed Roth the credit for inventing the Rat Rod and by that standard I'd speculate that the answer is no because it still has some chrome and there're no holes in the hood. I'd say more likely an unfinished restoration? Also, don't fall into the trap of arguing about whether "Big Daddy" is Garlits or Roth because I don't think there's a known answer. Brings back memories.
Jul 29, 2022 05:45:18 #
mr spock wrote:
Spotted this interesting set of wheels today. Could this be considered a rat rod?
It had plates so its street legal (I assume)
It had plates so its street legal (I assume)
A 1940 Ford Delux
I would say it's an unfinished hot rod
Jul 29, 2022 07:35:35 #
Jul 29, 2022 08:01:12 #
niteman3d wrote:
An old buddy of mine was a pretty fair cartoonist/... (show quote)
I'm fairly certain it's "Big Daddy" Don Garlits and Don "The Snake" Prudhomme. I followed drag racing extensively through the 60's and 70's. The Harley Davidson museum in Milwaukee has a new rotating display in a building across the street from the main museum. We went there several years ago and the entire building was drag racing. They had a Garlits car there as well as original artwork of Ed Roth. Very cool.
Jul 29, 2022 08:59:01 #
[quote=Mr. B]I'm fairly certain it's "Big Daddy" Don Garlits and Don "The Snake" Prudhomme. I followed drag racing extensively through the 60's and 70's. The Harley Davidson museum in Milwaukee has a new rotating display in a building across the street from the main museum. We went there several years ago and the entire building was drag racing. They had a Garlits car there as well as original artwork of Ed Roth. Very cool.
[/https://www.hotcars.com/25-rat-rods-that-make-no-sense/
Look here for some crazy rat rods.
[/https://www.hotcars.com/25-rat-rods-that-make-no-sense/
Look here for some crazy rat rods.
Jul 29, 2022 09:11:23 #
[quote=Jack47][quote=Mr. B]I'm fairly certain it's "Big Daddy" Don Garlits and Don "The Snake" Prudhomme. I followed drag racing extensively through the 60's and 70's. The Harley Davidson museum in Milwaukee has a new rotating display in a building across the street from the main museum. We went there several years ago and the entire building was drag racing. They had a Garlits car there as well as original artwork of Ed Roth. Very cool.
[/https://www.hotcars.com/25-rat-rods-that-make-no-sense/
Look here for some crazy rat rods.[/quote]
Wow. Crazy indeed!
[/https://www.hotcars.com/25-rat-rods-that-make-no-sense/
Look here for some crazy rat rods.[/quote]
Wow. Crazy indeed!
Jul 29, 2022 09:28:02 #
Jul 29, 2022 09:48:36 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
mr spock wrote:
Spotted this interesting set of wheels today. Could this be considered a rat rod?
It had plates so its street legal (I assume)
It had plates so its street legal (I assume)
It’s just an unrestored original in my view.
Stan
Jul 29, 2022 09:58:30 #
StanMac wrote:
It’s just an unrestored original in my view.
Stan
Stan
With a crappy attempt at customizingJul 29, 2022 10:04:33 #
Thanks for the comments everyone.
Garlitz, Roth, Prudhomme, boy do those names bring back memories!
Garlitz, Roth, Prudhomme, boy do those names bring back memories!
Jul 29, 2022 12:50:39 #
No, not a rat rod. Either a restoration or beginning of a hot rod project.
Jul 29, 2022 15:41:43 #
Manglesphoto wrote:
A 1940 Ford Delux
I would say it's an unfinished hot rod
I would say it's an unfinished hot rod
I agree, it is an unfinished restoration or hot rod.
Jul 29, 2022 19:02:22 #
Mr. B wrote:
Wow. Crazy indeed!
I can't find any reference to support either Garlits or Roth being the first to use or be known by that monicker, but they both were apparently referred to by that after 1963. While looking, I discovered a movie called "Snake & Mongoose" that's available on Tubi if you have access to it. No oscar material, but entertaining. We spent many Saturday nights at York US 30 Dragway and even more Sundays at Hagerstown's Mason Dixon Dragway. I think I saw all of these guys run at least once along with many local favorites. Sixty years ago?? OMG!
Jul 30, 2022 07:09:56 #
I never got to see Garlits or Prudomme race in person. We had a smaller strip here called Connecticut Dragway out in the woods of Colchester, CT. It's now the motor test track area for Consumer Reports. I did, however, see the Green Monster run there. The only run I personally made on the track was in 1973. I had just completed a delivery of beer barrels working at my summer job, and the manager asked me if I wanted to run the track in my beer truck. Being a kid I said hell yes! I don't remember my time but I sure left a cloud of diesel smoke over the track. LOL! Oh, to be young again.
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