Rat Rods

I love to photograph Rat Rods because there are little or no reflections found in the surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age or use.  There is also the never ending surprise of what the owner chose to build with the found parts of his creation.

"Midnight Cruz 1"

  • 2017
  • Front view of 1955 Buick Rat Rod, with it's heavy massive bumper almost dragging, cruising at night down a brick paved road.  The blue glow of city lights glow low on the horizon in the background.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

rat rod is a style of hot rod or custom car that, in most cases, imitates (or exaggerates) the early hot rods of the 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s. The style is not to be confused with the somewhat closely related "traditional" hot rod, which is an accurate re-creation or period-correct restoration of a hot rod from the same era.

Most rat rods appear "unfinished", regardless of their status, as only the vehicle's bare essentials are driven. These are built to drive, not exclusively for show.

"Midnight Cruz 2"

  • 2017
  • Rear view of 1955 Buick Rat Rod cruising at night down a brick paved road.  The blue glow of city lights glow low on the horizon in the background.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

"1955 Buick Rat Rod"

  • 2017
  • Front and rear view of bagged 1955 Buick Rat Rod parked and dropped to the pavement with heavy fog bank in the background.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

"The Bridge"

  • 2017
  • Front view of 1955 Buick Rat Rod, with it's heavy massive bumper parked and dropped to the bridge deck in dead of night.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

"Buick Moon"

  • 2016
  • Front view of 1955 Buick Rat Rod with it's heavy massive bumper parked and dropped to the cobblestone pavement in front of a massive full moon.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

Longtime rodding scribe Pat Ganahl took a broad look at the rat rod trend and had this to say:

"I see what are referred to as Rat Rods today comprising three elements: First are the traditional rods and customs. Those are cars built the way rods were built in the '30s, '40s, and early '50s, with a primary emphasis on low buck and home built, using period correct components ranging from flathead to nailhead engines, wide whitewall tires to skinny blackwall bias-plies, and black primer to hand-rubbed paint.

"Second are what I personally call Rat Rods, as a positive term... They're artistic, fun, and sensational reinterpretations of late '40s/early '50s hot rodding as a culture that includes music, clothing, hairstyles, and tattoos. The cars are low, loud, chopped...with giant rear tires, lots of carburetors, open pipes, and tall gearshifts.

"Third are... what I derisively call Crap Rods today. They've always been part of the mix, unavoidably. I take exception to those who think that shoddy construction is somehow cool, or worse, those who know they can throw a bunch of junk parts together and peddle it as a cool rat rod to some inexperienced buyer who doesn't know the difference." 

"The Rat"

  • 2016
  • Ford Model A Rat Rod on white background with fading blue sky.  The rat seen under the car near the left rear tire.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

Chassis

Frames from older cars or light trucks are sometimes preferred for rat rod conversions due to the chassis that is used for these types of vehicles, the chassis type provides a sturdy base for subsequent alterations. Older cars in poor condition are often advertised as candidates for rat rod conversions and, in some cases, the owner will purchase a custom frame, or design and build it himself/herself. In other cases, a rat rodder may use a small pick-up chassis, such as a Chevy S-10 or Dodge Dakota, to insert into an older car body, in order to create a vehicle that features the look of a classic rat rod, while also maintaining the reliability of a modern vehicle.

Paint and finish

Rat rods often appear unfinished and, at most, primer-only paint jobs are applied; satin, or matte, black and other flat colors are also common. “Natural patina” (the original paint job, with rust, blemishes, and sometimes bullet holes, left intact); a patchwork of original paint and primer; or bare metal, in rusty or oiled varieties, with no finish at all are some of the other finishes that may be used.  Such finishes honor the anti-restoration slogan that "it's only original once".  Contrary to the aesthetic of many car builders, rust is often acceptable and appreciated by rat rod owners. Owners with a pinstriping brush will often apply free-hand pinstriping to their rat rods.

Early low-budget hot rods were often long term "works in progress" and as such final finishing treatments (such as metal prep, paint, and trim) remained in the future, and the Rat Rod imitates this aesthetic.

Interior

Interiors of rat rods can range from spartan to fully finished, though this is typically the final phase of construction. Mexican blankets and bomber seats form the basis of many rat rod interiors, and most are designed to be functional without many comforts; although, this will vary in accordance with the owner’s taste.

Drive train

Though a variety of engines may be used, the most common engine type that is used in rat rods are: Flathead V8 engines, early Chrysler Hemi engines, or more modern small block V8 engines from any manufacturer (Chevrolet is a common choice of small block engine). Straight 8's, straight 6's, straight 4's, and V6's are also fairly commonly used in the construction of rat rods.  These engines may exhibit varying displacements and modifications. While diesel engines are occasionally used, these engines are rarely fitted with emission controls, as such a feature was not part of the original construction, or the feature was not required under special license.

Most rat rods are rear-wheel drive, with an open driveline. The rear-ends and the transmissions are typically passenger vehicle pieces.

Suspension

A beam axle is the most commonly used type of front suspension, due to its appearance when exposed without fenders on a vehicle with open front suspension. Independent front suspension is rarely used and most rat rods use a 1928-1948 Ford I-beam axle, with a transverse leaf spring. Although any rear axle can be used in a rat rod, the Ford rear end has been preferred for years due to the availability of spare parts.  Ford 9-inchers are the most used rear ends in nearly every form of racing and most high-performance street vehicles.

Spring types in the front and rear can be transverse, parallel or coil setups.  Parallel is not used as frequently as the more common single-spring transverse setup and coil springs are still occasionally seen even though this spring type is less popular for aesthetic reasons.  Rat rods will often be built with airbag suspension, thereby allowing the driver to raise and lower the car; this can be a useful feature due to the extremely low ground clearance of many rat rods.

In many cases, the front suspension is mounted a considerable distance forward of the radiator, a practice that may be derived from the construction of early drag racing cars.

"Surf Rat"

  • 2017
  • Model A Ford Rat at waters edge. Surfside, Texas
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

"Looking For Trouble"

  • 2017
  • Rusty International prowling the warehouse district after dark.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

"Wide 31"

  • 2017
  • 1931 Ford hot rod with wide rear tires headed across the sand.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

"Texas Two Ton Rat"

  • 2017
  • Rat Truck at the Kemah Boardwalk.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

"Sunday Drive"

  • 2017
  • Rusty International outside former Texas Junk Company.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing

"Kemah Boardwalk"

  • 2017
  • Blck Rat Rod Truck at Kemah Boardwalk.
  • Print Sizes: 24" x 36", 15" x 21", and 8" x 10" (including Title Border)
  • Paper Type: Acid Free Fuji Pearl Photographic Paper 
  • Limited Edition of 160.
  • Available                                                                                       Contact Me For Pricing
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