The Illustrated History of the Rat Rod
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Defined by author and Rat Rod Magazine editor Steve Thaemert, Jr. as the “blue-collar hot rod,” a the term “rat rod” refers to a custom car built with creativity, ingenuity, and individuality. Less of a classic-car replica and more of an expression of the builder’s personality, “rat rodding” encompasses not just the vehicles but also the scene and the lifestyle ignited by this automotive hobby that’s catching on like wildfire. By the editor and senior writer of Rat Rod Magazine, the comprehensive publication for all things rat rod, The Illustrated History of Rat Rod takes you inside the culture to explore the beginnings, evolution, and rising popularity of the hobby.INSIDE THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF RAT ROD:•The beginnings of the rat-rod scene and early enthusiasts.•A look at the hot rods that spawned the rat-rod hobby and how the term “rat rod” was coined.•Rat Rod Magazine and its importance in defining and documenting the hobby as well as other media exposure that helped bring rat rodding into the public eye.•How rat rodding overcame opposition by detractors while gaining acceptance and supporters.•The annual Rat Rod Tour, including event results and anecdotes from attendees.•The clothes, attitudes, music, and styles that shape the rat rod culture.•A discussion of parts, building techniques, and safety practices typical of rat rodding.•A glossary of terminology unique to the rat rod hobby.
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There’s no question that rat rod culture is surrounded by a lot of “gray area.” For every fact, there seems to be a million opinions—opinions often formed through misperception or even bad information. And while this gray area sometimes creates confusion about what a rat rod is or where the term came from, it’s also part of the rat rod scene’s charm. Rat rods and the rat rod culture leave a lot of things open to interpretation. Some elements of the culture simply can’t be defined, while others are so subjective that they are entirely different for each person.
In this book, we’ll try to sort through the myths and get to the facts of what a rat rod is, what rat rod culture truly represents, and where this movement came from. I’ve written many articles in response to the question “what is a rat rod?” and I’ll probably write many more. It’s the question I’ve been asked most often throughout my tenure as editor of Rat Rod Magazine, and it’s the popular “pot-stirrer” in online forums. Want to get people talking? Ask them what a rat rod is. People naturally love to share their opinions, and their opinions are flavored by their own needs, ideas, and experiences.
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The use of the term “kustom kulture” was born of Southern California roots sometime in the ‘60s and was generally used to describe the hot rod lifestyle as a whole. Although kustom kulture has evolved over the decades, it has always had an artistic and rebellious undertone. The term (and improper spelling) is still used today to describe the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s hot-rod lifestyle.
Building these cars wasn’t cheap, and much of it was financed with the airbrushed T-shirts that Ed sold at car shows. Images of his grotesque monsters, often shown piloting equally wacky custom cars, were selling just as fast as he could create them. His most popular monster was Rat Fink, which was intended to be a direct jab at the wholesome, clean-cut Mickey Mouse. Rat Fink was everything that Mickey Mouse wasn’t: bloated, dirty, smelly, and just plain ugly. The word “fink” in the character’s name was a slightly less vulgar derivation of another term used to describe someone of, let’s say, less than altruistic values. The outrage that these shirts caused only served to exponentially broaden their—and Ed’s—popularity. Model-car kits based on his creations sold by the millions at the zenith of their popularity.
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