Rat Rod Trucks - Australia

Our business, Rat Rod Trucks, has a range of vintage trucks and parts for Australian rat rod enthusiasts. We deliver or collect anywhere within Australia.

Our trucks have been selected for their potential as donor trucks to provide various parts for rat rod, hot rod or vehicle restoration projects. Often, the chassis of a vintage car, light truck or utility is preferred for the base of a rat rod because it provides a robust frame to work with.

We are constantly on the lookout for suitable donor trucks for rat rodding. We think it will be a great waste of many wonderful old vehicles if they are left to rust completely away in paddocks around Australia. We believe there are many out there waiting to be discovered. If you know of any vintage trucks, please contact us.

If you imagine some old auto scrap that has been cut up and welded together to form a fully functional vehicle, without any attempt at hiding the original junkiness, the picture you’ll have in your mind will probably come some way close to what a rat rod actually is. Although, some newer mechanical parts are used to get the vehicle to work reliably, a rat rod is basically a vehicle that has been put together from old truck and car scrap and they look the part.

The style of a rat rod is one that suggests the vehicle has had just enough work to put it together and get it working. Concerns for looks might be considered secondary; however, this characteristic of a battered and dingy appearance is desired. Many rat rodders enthusiastically strive for the rough unfinished look, which is the essential characteristic of what distinguishes rat rods from authentically restored vehicles or fancy hot rods.

Paintwork is often a single coat of matte primer and sometimes nothing but the badly weathered original paint from the original vehicle parts from which the vehicle has been created. Some rat rodders even go to the trouble of artificially creating the impression of rust bubbles and surface rust through various ingenious techniques.

While the charm of vintage vehicle parts is appreciated, the overall appearance of a rat rod can demonstrate little regard for the authenticity of the original vehicles. In fact features that often characterise a rat rod are different wheels, a low riding body, exposed engine and a modified body shape. Often sections of the body are removed or inserted to create a bizarrely lower profile or a strangely longer body.

Rat rod trucks are usually powered by brand new V8 or diesel engines. These are generally imported as crate motors from the USA. Favourites include the 350 and 455 Chevy motors and the 351 and 460 Hemi Ford engines. We can help supply you with imported crate engines.

If you like to grind and weld metal and have general mechanical abilities, you can become a rat rodder. Rat rods are generally owner built although they can be purchased from others as working items.

Basically a hot rod is everything a rat rod is but with a more professionally produced appearance. They typically feature perfectly restored chrome plated parts along with perfect paintwork, which often including artwork such as stylised flames.

From time to time, we may come across a very well preserved truck or other vehicle. As a member of the Motorlife Museum, we are sensitive to the need to look after these historic automotive treasures.

In recent years, an event known as Rat Day or Rat Rod Day has been held on Father’s Day at Taren Point in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Details for the 2014 event are available here.

When considering rat rods generally, we think those with the most character are the trucks. Perhaps when we say this we reveal our bias, yet we feel that rat rod tow trucks, delivery utes, fire engines, tanker trucks have it over the cars. For a great collection of images, please see: Classic Rat Rod Trucks

Wayne Rogers of Rat Rod Trucks has a great deal of knowledge and many contacts to help him to source exactly what you need. Wayne can help with donor trucks, cabs, chassis, engines and other materials.

He can even help you to put together a giant 'Rat Rod Hamper' with all the major parts you are likely to need for your project and have it delivered to your door.