So you want to build a rat rod, but don’t know exactly where to start? Let’s start at the beginning, with the definition of a rat rod.

Rat rods are somewhat of an anti-traditional version of the so-called hot rods of the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. Rat rod purists believe a true rat rod should be built not as a show car, but as a daily driver with emphasis on function rather than show quality. This doesn’t mean that all rat rods are unpainted bare bones cars with no fenders or flashy paint jobs.

Building a rat rodis purely a matter of personal tastes and preferences. There is no “typical” rat rod blueprint. Sometimes a rat rod is built solely on what is available to the builder. Know of an old Jeep pickup in someone’s barn wasting away? A perfect candidate for a rat rod project.

Many rat rods are built on a relatively small budget. Small block Ford and Chevrolet engines are plentiful and won’t cost a small fortune to bring back to running condition. There are also many V-6 engines available that are just as serviceable and easily available. Auto salvage yards are full of engines and transmissions available to get your rat rod project off to a fast start.

If you’re building a rat rod with the intention of having no fenders, early Ford pickups with an I beam front axle are ideal for this. If you have your heart set on a rat rod built from a 1930’s coupe, you will need a much larger budget and probably a lot of patience. It will be extremely time consuming and expensive to find models from this era. There is a much broader selection and availability of other cars and trucks that will make a great rat rod project. Old Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, and International pickups will all make outstanding rat rods. Building a rat rod is a great way to have fun and in the process end up with a great ride.

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