What exactly is a custom rat rod?

A rat rod is a type of custom vehicle in which older model cars and trucks are rebuilt and embellished to resemble early hot rods. Rat rods are not meant to be accurate recreations of classic hot rods but rather to serve as an exaggerated or embellished version of them.

Many rat rods appear in an unfinished state, lacking fenders, hoods and other body parts. They may include only the bare essential parts that are needed to make the vehicle drivable. In general, rat rods are not meant to be driven extensively and are only used during car shows or other special events.