Hoodride/Rat style - Stylish or bad taste?

[Len]

It's also because Len enjoys a (mass)debate.

For once I wasnt tyring to provoke a debate - I was expressing my view.
I then went on to explain the origins of the Rat Look.
On some of those cars it just about looks right. To me it doesnt work on any other type of vehicle, or maybe a Tank or some other Military or ulitarian vehicle.

[...joe]

good topic tom! well my opinion has been expressed by gibby!

its not that i don't like some of the rat/hoodride cars i just think at shows its a shame for those who have plowed hours of time and effort into making their car a nice example, are easily overlooked by someone with a crappy car and a roll or two of fablon!
i also think that alot of the people with these 'different' cars aeemt o have the attitude that they're doing something wacky and that makes them special and those that "don't get it" are missing the point.
i "get" that its a novelty thing, i get that its fun, i get that not everyone can afford to make a uber bling show winner etc etc etc i just don't see how bolting a load of kitsch crap to your car makes it rat look or hoodride because you put some stencils on it.

[Stu.750]

 I can see both sides of it

 We all modify (the majority of us here dont have a totaly stadered car) to suit what we as people are like , what we interperet how we would have had VW build one for us if we were in charge

 this goes for the RAT/Hoodride owners too , manybo they are a bit off the wall of just like kitch temselves

 many time ive been asked why i change al the cars i own , and i try and put it in the kinda perspective of , we dont all live in identical houses with identical furnature or eat identical food , some people like minimalist some people like the place filled with crap . Come on even mobile phone had different ringtones so you can pick one that you like
 
 As for weather they are stylish or not ? well if people are happy to run round in rusty (or sometimes faux rust) cars with orniments and stickers all over them so be it , ill apreciate that work wil lhave gone into it and there owner enjoys it and the attention it gets , peronally i love the OEM look really well built quite understated with mods that you dont see until you start looking . But then again i also like a balls out stripped racer

 I dunno , Each to there own , who am i to judge someone

[Adam_C]

Personally i like all different types of dubs. but i agree with what joe said for instance, at E38 last year i dunno if any of you can remember this car,



it got loads of attention for being a sketchy camo polo but there was stunning clean rides going up and down that ramp and people where just turning a blind eye because they have seen it all befour. I think thats kinda why people go for the hoodride/rat look because they want to be noticed and they know they will be by adding bits and bobs to the cars. good on them if thats what they want to do but i know personally i would love my car looking pristine and pimped but thats just me.

[Organisys]

I see Rat as a bit of fun, that's all. Some of them do look good/make ya chuckle.
They look a bit rubbish when the look is too forced though.
I don't see them as 'proper' show cars though.

[gibby]

I see Rat as a bit of fun, that's all. Some of them do look good/make ya chuckle.
They look a bit rubbish when the look is too forced though.
I don't see them as 'proper' show cars though.

Succinctly put ! Some of them do put a smile on my face, but for about 10 seconds and then I'm bored. It will all be over when a rat watercooled car is on the front of one of the big mags.

[Len]

Did a bit of checking and remembered a bit I missed.

One of the essential parts of the Rat Look is channelling. This is where the body is cut and lowered below the chassis. As this cant be done to any modern monocoque construction cars there is no way they can be considered rat look.

Sorry to bore everyone with facts!

So any so called ratlook modern car just makes me laugh and why I called it sheeplike as it for those of low intelligence.

[golfpro]

Il igree with Gibby here, partially coz he is much bigger than me, but mainly coz he has summed it up totally. I like the rat look on some cars, but only to look at and think, ok that looks different, but Id never drive it! If we do eventually see a rat look car on the cover of one of the mags then there are problems. I can think of nothing better than an old mk1 or 2 cleaned right up and made to look new again. Subtle and smooth is the way to go.

[Martz]

****Martz is of to build Roland! *****

And no, its not the Rallye - But that would be different eh?

[Coog]

Must admit I love the rat look, but thats not to say I'd ever buy/own/drive one Probably goes back to my younger days watching a really badly beat up nova skin the arse off my mates calibra turbo...

I think its interesting to note a few comments made about the air-cooled brigade getting annoyed at the rats grabbing all the attention. Who cares? Do some people really think that when they go to shows  others will be blowing sunshine up their back-sides because of how their car looks? How sad IMO...