Photo: Barrett-Jackson
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 people around.
Defined as a bunch of deliberately worn-down, unfinished, and at times even repulsive cars, rat rods have been around since times immemorial, and even if the genre originally targeted 1920s American car platforms, over time it grew to encompass more recent vehicles, and from more automakers - hell, we’ve even had Volkswagen-inspired rat rods.
American-made pickup trucks have become rat rod material as well, and one of the greatest examples of the niche is the Chevrolet C10 we have here. Recently sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction for $11,000 (not at all impressive, but that’s rat rods for you), it is a fine example of what this type of custom build is all about.
Although titled as a C10 (more likely this is the AK Series), there are little elements left of the original pickup to be recognized on this build. Sure, one might say there’s a certain AK feel up front, where the grille is present, but that’s about it. The side profile shows a very long hood, much longer than on the base truck, a roundish cabin that’s a tad closer to the rear axle than the front one, and a very short bed out back. The entire build rides on open wheels.
We’re being told the rat rod features power steering, disc brakes, a custom chassis with air ride suspension, and all the lights, turn signals and custom gauges it needs to properly operate on the road.
Behind the aluminum radiator the builders of the rat rod fitted a 350ci (5.7-liter) V8 engine of undisclosed power, controlled by means of a four-speed automatic transmission.
Even if it didn’t break any records during the Barrett-Jackson fall auction, the rat rod is more likely to pop up on a similar sale event rather than on the road or at some auto show.
American-made pickup trucks have become rat rod material as well, and one of the greatest examples of the niche is the Chevrolet C10 we have here. Recently sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction for $11,000 (not at all impressive, but that’s rat rods for you), it is a fine example of what this type of custom build is all about.
Although titled as a C10 (more likely this is the AK Series), there are little elements left of the original pickup to be recognized on this build. Sure, one might say there’s a certain AK feel up front, where the grille is present, but that’s about it. The side profile shows a very long hood, much longer than on the base truck, a roundish cabin that’s a tad closer to the rear axle than the front one, and a very short bed out back. The entire build rides on open wheels.
We’re being told the rat rod features power steering, disc brakes, a custom chassis with air ride suspension, and all the lights, turn signals and custom gauges it needs to properly operate on the road.
Behind the aluminum radiator the builders of the rat rod fitted a 350ci (5.7-liter) V8 engine of undisclosed power, controlled by means of a four-speed automatic transmission.
Even if it didn’t break any records during the Barrett-Jackson fall auction, the rat rod is more likely to pop up on a similar sale event rather than on the road or at some auto show.
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