Page 73 - Issue 50

Rats on Parade

Part of the fun of the Rat Rod Tours was participating in the impromptu car
shows that would materialize at gas or food stops along the way. (something
we fondly call a Rat Bomb) People would stop what they were doing to come
over and look and chat with us. Some would even get on their phones and tell
others to stop what THEY were doing to see what was going on. But the best
part was grabbing a video camera, driving a few miles ahead and parking next
to the highway in anticipation of the tour participants driving past. First, you’d
hear the engines. Not the wimpy drone of tires and wind resistance, but rather
the glorious burble and roar of dozens of V8 engines. And then one after
another in all their rusty glory, one rat rod after another in a seemingly endless
string of blood, sweat, and hydrocarbons. PHOTO CHARLIE PACHECO

SHOP TRUCK
The very fi rst magazine vehicle
wasn’t a rat rod at all… it was a
pickup. When we say we started
selling magazines out the back of
a pickup – we mean it.
JERRY’S PANTS
Jerry Ripley is not one to stand on the sidelines
It’s the Police!
and snap photos… he’s all about getting
dirty and being right in the middle of the action.
In a gesture usually reserved
Case in point, his smoldering pants. After shooting
for heads of state, the Illinois
the burnouts at Steelfest a couple years back Jerry
and Missouri State Police
returned to the Rat Rod tent with his pants
forces combined forces
full of rubber – some of it still smoking.
to provide Rat Rod Tour
participants police escorts
from Grafton, IL to St. Louis,
MO. It was easy enough for
all of us to do the easy part
and lean on the gas pedal and
THE EPIC SHOOT
THE EPIC SHOOT virtually ignore the brakes
One year we had this crazy idea to assemble a bunch of rat rodders
One year we had this crazy idea to assemble a bunch of rat rodders between the two states, but
and do this huge, artsy photoshoot up in Mahtowa MN after the Rat
and do this huge, artsy photoshoot up in Mahtowa MN after the Rat you’ll never appreciate the
Rod Rendezvous event. Well, as it played out, the beer was plentiful
Rod Rendezvous event. Well, as it played out, the beer was plentiful teamwork and skill needed by
and the shoot was disjointed and pure chaos. But we did get these guys until you are in a
and the shoot was disjointed and pure chaos. But we did get
gems like – Chucky driving motorcade yourself. Big thanks
gems like – Chucky driving
a truck with Hannibal to the police
a truck with Hannibal
Lecter strapped on the for all that they do.
Lecter strapped on the
back. You can’t make this PHOTO CHAD TRUSS PHOTO JERRY RIPLEY
back. You can’t make this
stu up!
stu up!
bRAT
dog?
Yeah, we did that. One
of the local SpeedDog
locations made us our PAWN STARS
own Rat Rod brat, which Rat Rod Magazine has made appearances on all sorts of
Rick shamelessly devoured TV shows, but one night during a small magazine get-together we had Pawn Stars
for the camera. (they were on in the background – when one of us looked up and said “Hey! They mentioned
actually quite good) the magazine!” And sure enough – they did. It was a cool little 3 second surprise.
RATRODMAGAZINE.COM RAT ROD MAGAZINE 73

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