The phrase is a spin-off of "rat bike," which was in reference to custom motorcycles built on the cheap. The late Gray Baskerville, venerated hot rod writer, is said to have been the first to apply ...

In the world of custom builds, rat rods are a special breed. Ugly enough to be unstoppable head turners, these machines are if you like the ultimate sleepers, sending all the wrong messages to the ...

Anyone who is at least passingly familiar with custom cars has probably at least heard of the concept of a hot rod. A hot rod is, of course, a custom car designed with the express purpose of going as ...

One of the most controversial issues in the world of automotive is rat rods. They are provocative and polarizing, dividing ...

If so, your opinion on rat rods—and by extension, diesel rat rods—may be informed by whether you are already invested in traditional hot rod building (pre-1949 hot rods) and the long history of ...

They say life is an experience, each one of which makes us bigger. Ford Motors' legacy is a true testament to this quote. With a history that dates back 119 years, only a handful of competitors enjoy ...

Joe Kozuszek of Belleville admires the interior of an entry in Saturday’s Rat Rod Show in Grafton. Six-year-old Ethan Hosto of Worden gets a closer look at a “rat” on a rat rod at Saturday’s show in ...

A 1948 Ford Rat Rod Fusion... Jay Leno, renowned for his extensive automobile collection and vast driving experiences, is no stranger to rare and unique vehicles. Yet, even he was left astounded by ...

It may surprise you, as it did me, that there is actually a car collector category called rat rods. One might compare a rat rod to some modern art sculpture that not everyone can appreciate the ...

Wikipedia defines a rat rod as "a custom car with a deliberately worn-down, unfinished appearance, typically lacking paint, showing rust, and made from cheap or cast-off parts. These parts can include ...

T.J. Lutkins, 46, of St. Clair Shores, said his 1950 Ford Custom, “affectionately known as a Shoebox by car afficionados,” ...