Esteemed hot rod journalist, author, and historian Pat Ganahl looks at the rat rod trend positively, sharing withHOT RODin 2010, "These are rods and customs built the way Ed Roth painted them on ...

First we had tot rods—you know, the red, raked and big-weenied wagons that dad pulled. Now, Bob Throndsen (The Wagon Works, Inc., Dept. HRO9, 425-148th St. N.E., Arlington, WA 98223, 206/652 ...

Thus, the rat rod was born. The term "rat rod" is believed to have been coined by Hot Rod Magazine Editor Gary Baskerville, who used it to refer to a junked-up hot rod owned by artist Robert Williams.