The big news has me all sideways. Almost as sideways as my stoopid compooter.
We’re celebrating a couple of little milestones here at SGE
World Headquarters this week. I just got word that my Rat Rods book (written for Cartech Inc.) is going into its second
printing. This is a first for me and quite a surprise. But the rat rods’
popularity (driven by controversy and affordability) is for real. If you
haven’t read the book, here’s Tim Bernsau’s Foreword, to give you an idea of how
the subject was approached. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, rat rods have earned their
declaration as The People’s Hot Rods – a milestone in itself that we can all
learn from.
RAT IS IN
THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
A number of years ago, somebody (nobody knows who) coined a
term for stripped down, hopped up traditional American iron – homebuilt and
homely cars, rough but tough, built with more attention to performance than to
style or creature comforts. The term used to describe them was reviled by many
of the guys who built and drove those cars, but it caught on fast and never
went away. The term is ‘hot rod’.
An editorial in a 1947 issue of the SCTA Racing News
insisted, “We’re not hot rods” and discouraged the use of the ignoble term. A
few months later, Racing News editor Wally Parks helped establish a new
magazine actually called Hot Rod. A few
years after that, Parks founded the National Hot Rod Association. Today, many
enthusiasts insist on being called hot rodders and have directed their scorn
toward a newer term. That term is ‘rat rod’.
What is a rat rod, anyway? I get different answers from
everybody I ask, but most of the answers run along the lines of, “I know one
when I see one”. A poorly built, rust devoured hulk with a 4” windshield, no
top, no floor, no paint and an overturned wire milk crate for a seat seems to
fit most people’s definition of a rat rod, but I’ve heard the term used to
describe well built, traditionally styled cars, too. One knowledgeable friend
of mine applied the term to the Eastwood & Barakat ’32 sedan – the
homebuilt-in-a-hurry budget bomber from 1982, honored a few years ago as one of
the “75 Most Significant ’32 Fords of All Time”. A prominent magazine used the
phrase “rat rod proportions” when describing an immaculate,
six-years-in-the-making Model A roadster pickup that was an America’s Most
Beautiful Roadster contender in 2009. Is there anything “rat” about either of
these cars? The answer is no... or yes. It depends on who you ask.
Some rodders hate the term. Tell a guy who worked hard to
replicate the authentic look of a pre-WWII dry lakes racer that he drives a rat
rod and you might get a finger in your chest and an ear full of choice words to
tell you, “We’re not rat rods”. Other rodders embrace the rat rod label, even
promoting it with rodent themed graphics and accessories, not to mention
mechanical and style modifications made in an effort to out-rat the next guy.
Like ‘em or not, rat rods caught on fast and show no sign of
disappearing – which raises some questions. If the goal is to look ratty, is
there such a thing as a well-done rat rod? As the aftermarket embraces them,
could we see a rat rod built entirely from aftermarket parts? Will a rat rod
ever win America’s Most Beautiful Roadster?
We’ll find out, I guess. For now, I’m going back to my original
question: What is a rat rod, anyway? I’m looking forward to learning how Scotty
Gosson answers that one.
- Tim Bernsau
Tim's Foreword is followed by my Introduction in the book, where I answered his questions as best I could. Alas, that file was sacrificed to the computer gods. You'll have to read the book to learn how that played out.
Tim's Foreword is followed by my Introduction in the book, where I answered his questions as best I could. Alas, that file was sacrificed to the computer gods. You'll have to read the book to learn how that played out.
In other news, I’ve just returned from a week on the road,
shooting tech stories for Hot Rod Deluxe. While I can’t reveal the subjects
yet, I can share some funky snapshots of the adventure with you. Can you guess
where these pix were snapped? While you’re snooping, find Waldo…
Behind-the-scenes peek at my portable McGeyver photo studio in action. We do what we gotta do...
With photos in the bag, I headed back home in the Bi-Polar Bear wagon. Road conditions were just interesting enough to keep me awake at the wheel. Love going, love getting back. Win/win.
Oh yeah, I said ‘Milestones’, as in plural, didn’t I? The
other one is recording my first solo album since 1991. We’re only about halfway
into recording the tracks in a buddy’s garage right now, but it’s going
well. Once we mix the songs down, I might post a teaser on here (if I can figure
out how – I’m digitally challenged). This music and the way it’s marketed might
surprise you.
