Building a rat rod made me question our obsession with perfect paint

I've been putting together a rat rod in my spare time. Most mechanics I know laugh at the rust and rough finish. But I used salvaged parts to keep costs down, and it drives like a dream. The fact is, a car that runs well is better than one that just looks good. Not every project needs a showroom shine.

4 comments

4 Comments

casey2681mo ago

Love seeing someone else get it. I've always been more into how something works than how it shines. Those perfect paint jobs hide a thousand sins, but a rat rod tells you exactly what it is. The character in those dents and that patina has more soul than any trailer queen. You're driving the machine, not the mirror finish.

gavins481mo ago

Exactly! What's the best rat you've seen, @casey268?

julia_king1mo ago

Totally, the rust tells the real story.

richards981mo ago

Remember when shiny paint was all that mattered?

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