Rat Rod Pickups – Several Great Tips

by Max Suther Platinum Quality Author

Hot rods were all the rage in the 1950s and they are still popular today, the most current incarnation of these vehicles being known now as Rat Rods. Built from scratch, these cars test their owner’s ability in auto mechanics, auto body, and upholstery. They are made to be driven and shown off, and they are not supposed to be parked somewhere and simply forgotten. These tributes to their predecessors are supposed to perform in the same way with a similar style and flair. Anything that is rockabilly, biker, or even greaser in the style of the ‘Fonz’ are part of the rat rod culture and they have all had their hand in helping modernize the hot rod icon.

Surprisingly enough, rat rods were being built as early as the 1920s. Most of those hot rods were missing their fenders, running boards, bumpers, and hoods. Instead, they sported different body parts and decorations. The Maltese cross can still be seen today as part of the entire hot rod and biker culture. Today, any hot rod that has an unfinished look to it is referred to as a rat rod. It doesn’t matter if the vehicle existed during the heyday of the hot rod either.

Some of the most unique customizations of these modern hot rods have been of pickup trucks. Rat rod pickups range from 1920s models to modern day, and they include every brand name from Chevrolet to Desoto. As a matter of fat, most rat rod builders do not have a preference. If it’s an old truck that they can use, no matter how rusty it is, they’ll use it. Anyone who owns one of these hulls could turn a bit of profit if they were to sell it to the right rat rod builder. Besides, once all the customizations are made and the truck is fixed up, no one would ever know it had been sitting in some cornfield abandoned for a few decades.

If you are looking for designs for your own rat road pickup, there are plenty of websites and communities online that can help you build it. You can find patterns and layouts that will help walk you through the building process for the frame to the last stick of upholstery. It will take time and patience to build this unique vehicle and how you finish it off is entirely up to you. Make sure you devote yourself to the project when you start it. And when you have finished it, make sure you take it for a drive and show off your labour of love.