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How would this not be considered a Rat rod?


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The description they give sounds more like a description of a rat rod to me:"It packs a 400 hp diesel out of a Ford F-350, a Dana 80 rear-end, and a look and feel that would make Max Rockatansky feel right at home. This is Mitch Allread's custom fabricated creation and it is, without a doubt, one of the coolest things on the road today. This is a machine that transcends the traditional hot rod formula by breaking down borders and setting its own stage.

Whereas most hot-rods are built by custom shops utilizing parts from mail order catalogs, Mitch took a different approach and fabricated just about everything on his ride by hand. Calling this a rat-rod would be an insult - a work of art however... that'd be just fine."

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It's just semantics, and one man's definition of "rat" is another mans "badass machine / grunge rod". In a lot of peoples minds, the rat-rod term has come to be synonomous with poor engineering, erratic function, questionable craftsmanship, and appearance calculated to shock rather than achieve any kind of aesthetic harmony.

My guess is that the owner dislikes the rat-rod label because he has and has applied some knowledge of vehicle dynamics, suspension engineering and skill.

It's definitely a cool car, whatever you call it.

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Looks like a rat rod to me. But like Bill said, "your definition may vary."

We've gone through the "What is a rat rod?" thing here before. Same with the "What is a muscle car?" thing. And we all know the answer to both: there is no one single answer that everyone agrees on. Never was, never will be.

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Perhaps there is an emerging awareness that the "rat rod" term is played out. Perhaps the provocateurs of the term have resorted to denying what is obvious to everyone else.

I like it. But to deny the "ratty" aspect, that's just ridiculous.

Just my 2¢ worth.

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I think if the goofy rollbar, web seats, and the skull were removed, it might defer the "rat" label. That being said, I really dig this. I love the overall look, and it goes to show that just because a rod had "rat-rod" like dimensions, it can still show off incredible engineering talent.

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Like others said, it's all about how one defines "rat rod". I once saw an early 1930s Tudor Sedan that was lowered so far that the fuel tank wouldn't fit in its normal spot...so it was directly behind the driver's head. I read about a similar car; 4 seats with 4 guys who went to the rod show. It was radically lowered but had no transmission tunnel. The spinning driveshaft was exposed. You can see examples of this kind of thing on hot rod websites in threads about junkers that shouldn't be on the road. The pickup in the OP doesn't meet my definition of "rat rod"; I wouldn't be afraid to ride in it or feel the need to get a tetanus shot before approaching it.

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That's a cool ride, not sure about the ford Dzl though. But if he doesn't like the "rat rod" tag, he went the wrong way about building it. As everyone has said, it's all a personal definition. But build quality aside, it would blend right in at a show parked next to the real rats. Myself, I think that truck is what a rat rod should be "ratical" not "junk", the current trend of open floors and solid mounted axles, well it's just poor craftsman ship, but that's been covered here several times.

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I think as has been mentioned that the term "Rat Rod" has been overused to death. It's time for this whole style of rods to evolve a new terminology to define the different styles within their own culture just like "Hot Rod" really is not a good description.

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Flat paint does not a rat rod make. This thing looks like it's pretty well built and safe and I wouldn't call it a rat rod. I wouldn't call it cool or neat or anything else either and I wouldn't build one like it. But it being butt ugly aside, it ain't no rat! :lol:

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the guy is on an ego trip but its obvious from the write up anyway.

personally i wouldnt call it a rat rod, i would call it something much more to the point...but it would get censored out. basically, i think the guy has more money than sense.

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I think as has been mentioned that the term "Rat Rod" has been overused to death. It's time for this whole style of rods to evolve a new terminology to define the different styles within their own culture just like "Hot Rod" really is not a good description.

X2, why not just call them Shiny and Not Shiny Rods. If the description says "Rat" i don't even look any more. That whole term needs to disappear!

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