While I wouldn’t call myself that, it seems like everyone makes me out to be one. Some people have given me their opinions on what I’m building, referring to my 1928 Model A Coupster as a “Rat Rod.” That’s right. You know who you are. One of my challenges is holding true to my vision although few in Amarillo would understand why I would rather get an original Model A frame than use a tube steel frame.
So, I decided to make a blog post on my thoughts and opinions about the term “Rat Rod” which is thrown around too loosely and the differences between a hot rod and a street rod as well. While I could go into details about the other aspects of classic cars such as pro street, pro touring, kustom, mild custom, lowriders, taildraggers, et cetera, I want to stick with the aforementioned three topics; hot rods, street rods, and rat rods because these oftentimes refer to the 20’s through early 50’s. My car, in question, falls within the 20’s-early 30’s category, so let’s stick with that for today.
First and foremost, I want to explain the build of my Model A Coupster. The term Coupster is a modern term coined which defines a coupe that has had its top cut off. This was a popular method used back in the day when kids couldn’t afford to buy a real roadster, so they would buy a coupe and simply cut the roof off, which explains the combination of the two terms; Coupe and Roadster to make Coupster. My Model A started its life as a 1928 Model A Sports Coupe which is pretty much a coupe with its window frames around the door and door frames that runs from behind the door up and then horizontally to the front windshield post, or A-pillar as it’s known. The difference between a real Coupe and a Sports Coupe is the Sports Coupe does not have a hard top. Rather, it has a soft top. I have provided two examples of each so you can identify the differences.
Now, my Coupster is a 1928 model because it has bolt hole provisions in the rear driver side of the subrail for a single taillight. The 1929 model had the taillight moved to the driver’s side rear fender and there were no bolt holes in the rear subrail for a taillight. My cowl is not original to the 1928 model because the date stamped on the firewall of the cowl says that the car that the cowl originally came on was built, or at least stamped out in the fall of 1929. Nonetheless, my Coupster will be a fully traditional build that features parts used that are as new as 1957, in other words, any parts that I use has to be from 1957 or earlier than that. The Model A body is an original Henry Ford product and not a reproduction body, the Model A frame is original as well. The motor is a 1957 Chevy 283, and a Ford 3-speed is planned, along with a Banjo rear axle and probably a closed driveshaft. Split wishbones, ’46 Ford I-beam axle that will get dropped, juice brakes, Ford steel wheels, bias ply tires, ’53 Mercury dash, Stewart Warner gauges, bench seat, mild channel, Z in the rear frame, leaf springs, the whole nine yards. This car will be more likely to get compliments from your grandparents or parents than from you. Why? Your elders grew up around these cars and I hate to say it, but the older cars that you have grown up around are nothing like what they built back in the day. Now, the average person will think to themselves, “That cannot be safe! He’s using only old parts?” I should remind you that they did that back in 1957 and it was perfectly acceptable. There are plenty of cars like that out there but they just aren’t in Amarillo. My car fits into the hot rod category.
My definition of a hot rod is a traditional build. That means, to me, a hot rod is a completely old school built using old parts. The term “hot rod” is thrown around as loosely as the term “rat rod” which bothers me a lot. Unfortunately, other people in Amarillo do not commonly share my beliefs. I can only count on one hand the number of people that would most likely agree with me. In other words, it’s me versus Amarillo. Will I be the one to say that my car is better than all the other cars? No. I’m not that strong an elitist. I will admit though, I believe mine will have better proportions, overall choices, aesthetically pleasing and will be much better thought-out. But to say my hot rod will be better is something I don’t believe in. It all comes down to whose opinion you’ll be asking.
My definition of a street rod is they are one of the most common forms of old cars you see today, driving down the road. They might be the most reliable but they don’t have much taste. They don’t have a lot of style. They don’t have soul like a traditional hot rod. They might look nice to most people but I’m too much of a perfectionist to be content with what a car looks like. Especially when it’s one I’m building which is why I absolutely will not accept compromises with my build. Street rods oftentimes have crazy paint schemes, two-tone, airbrushing, independent suspension on the front or/and back, billet wheels, and usually follows the latest trend. Fiberglass bodies are the norm here too which I loathe. The ugliest street rods are usually from the 80’s featuring pastel colors with some really funky wheel designs. The 90’s cleaned up a little more but were still ugly. Modern street rods are not as ugly as before but normally have some distasteful choices. Most modern street rods have radial tires, crate motors (usually small block Chevrolets) automatic transmissions, 4 wheel disc brakes, aftermarket wheels, or have tried to combine modern body parts with an old body which never, never works out. Street rods do not bother me as much as rat rods do. They're safe and can drive. Sure they're ugly, but not everyone has good taste.
My definition of a rat rod is blunt. They suck. You want a simple formula for building a rat rod? Get a car regardless of the year, take the fenders off, Z the front and back of the frame enough to get the body within an inch of the ground, and get it running. They are a mix of mismatched parts which aim to deliver an overdose of shock factor and are dangerous. I have seen rat rods that don’t have any suspension travel, that scrap the ground as they drive, that their families probably have obituary forms prepared in case a tire blows out, that have barely half a body to sit in that has been eaten by rust, and pretty much isn’t impressive to me at all. They usually consist of tube steel frames if they don’t already have the original frame with them. There have been so many nice original bodies that have been ruined over the years because of this latest trend. I cannot wait for the day that this trend dies. I would rather there be more street rods versus rat rods although I dislike either. I have never seen a rat rod that I liked nor will I ever. Rat rods to me are the bottom of the food chain when it comes to building a car because for one, they have no aesthetic value, for two, they normally pass as dangerous but are still registered just because it’s an antique, and for three, it’s a rat rod. The DMV should be stricter on what passes as register-able. Just like they should make the driver’s license tests harder to pass. Just like there are moron drivers, there will be moron cars. The only reason I would buy a rat rod would be to save the body that I want off of it and scrap the rest. I would never sell a rat rod frame which would make for one less rat rod on the road. Rat rods tend to give hot rods a bad rap because the average person struggles to tell the difference between hot rods and rat rods. To me, it's as clear as black and white but for the average person, it's grey, unfortunately.
One of the car forums responsible for spreading the idea of building a perfectly traditional hot rod, as well as period correct kustoms, mild customs, gassers, altereds, front engine dragsters, and cruisers is the HAMB, or Hokey Ass Message Board. Here are some links to some of the builds that I follow online that you could check out and get ideas as to what I’m building. I’ll warn you right now that some of the builders have very strong languages and might offend you. If you’re easily offended, don’t look. It’s that simple. Read at your own risk.
The term “hot rod” to me is defined in a paragraph above, so if you go back and read it again, you may understand it a little more. I don’t believe a Camaro or a Buick Grand National can be a hot rod because to me, these are muscle cars. It can be pro touring, pro street, cruiser, but they will never be hot rods to me. I have a very particular definition of a hot rod and it’s very difficult to prove to me that a specific car is a hot rod. I’ve come to terms that the only way that I will be able to prove to them that my Coupster is a hot rod is to build it and show them.
All in all; I don’t build rat rods or street rods. My Model A is a hot rod. Simple as that.
