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A few pieces of sheet metal, some panes of glass, and all the mechanical components you can think of can turn into just about any kind of vehicle imaginable, but building a rat rod is different than concocting just any kind of car. It’s about a raw uniqueness that can only be found in the barebones foundation of what makes a vehicle what it is. As such, rat rods are more of an extension of an owner’s personality, right down to the nitty gritty details, than any other hot rod, muscle machine or pro-touring beast out there. Built for use and pleasure without all that stress that comes from a fancy paint job or a chromed out motor, rat rods are for those truly in touch with the raw edge of the hot rod culture.
Evocative of an implement on old farm equipment, the rat rod's grille is one of the truck's most defining features, as are the bright green wheels.
Dan Dolan of Fort Collins, Colorado fits that mold precisely. A proud shop owner of two of the city’s trusted tattoo shops – Covenant and Freakshow Tattoo – Dolan is an eclectic artist that has the tattoos, and of course, the rat rod to prove it. Lucky for us, we got to spend a rainy afternoon with Dolan and his masterpiece of a 1950 GMC pickup truck recently, and dove even deeper into the rat rod culture of Colorado.
Built as a promotional vehicle for Dolan’s tattoo shop, the rat rod pickup was initially put in the works for the 2007 Viva Las Vegas show after Dolan found the truck cab sitting in a field outside of Longmont, Colorado.
But rather than having the truck trimmed to the nines and painted for the show, Dolan wanted to represent the rat rod community with the truck and had it built in such a fashion by Danny and Julia Long of Danny Boy Auto in Longmont, Colorado. What wasn’t planned for the Viva Las Vegas reveal, however, was the bed not being finished and the roof left unpainted, leaving the chop seams visible. What was even more unexpected was the reaction the nearly finished presentation got at the event.
“People enjoyed looking at the welds from the chop and the six-link suspension,” Dolan told us. “Ultimately, we chose to not paint the roof or finish the box/bed.”
It's not everyday that you'll find a chopped rod with its weld seams still visible, but with Dolan's truck, they add even more aesthetic value to the build.
Have a question about the build? Just refer to this custom sign that accompanies the truck. It'll tell you everything you need to know!
Most noticeably, the truck sports a one-of-a-kind grille reminiscent of a deep water fish with a mouth full of teeth. This unique feature “was inspired by a lack of sleep and Corona beer,” Dolan told us, and created by cutting and bending square tubing until the face of the truck was born.
Also prominent on the truck are the bright green Coker Smoothie wheels with V-8 hub caps and Firestone wide whitewall tires. When asked the reason behind the green wheels, Dolan replied, “Every vehicle needs that one defining point.”
He also added, “Like Skittles, everyone paints them (hot rods) all these bright colors. I didn’t want to do that.” So instead, he chose a very candy-esque color for the truck’s hoops. Not a bad way to add a splash of color to a crazy unique rat rod.
The truck also features some unique aesthetic assets, including the vintage looking writing on the doors.
Done by Scot Kohler, the Freakshow Tattoo designs were incorporated into the truck’s natural patina so well that even the truck’s previous mishap with a barbed wire fence is reflected through the white paint added much later in its life. Aside from that, the only other finish you’ll find on the truck is “Rusty as hell,” according to Dolan.
Soaked or not, Dolan's rat truck has some unique features that draw attention everywhere it goes.
Adding to the rod’s uniqueness is the barebones interior. Nine times out of 10, you’ll find rods, even of the rat variety, filled with gauges and features of all kinds. Dolan’s truck, however, only sports two gauges and a couple switches for the truck’s air ride suspension system. But he has everything he needs in the interior, including a chain link steering wheel and a rainbow blanket-covered bench seat for his perch, which once lived its life as a third-row bench seat in a Ford Van.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the Aunt Jemima air freshener, because everything’s better with the queen of syrup represented on your review mirror.
The engine and suspension are about the only modern features found on Dolan's truck, but with a rat rod, who needs more than that?
You won’t find much chrome, stainless, billet, or even trim for that matter, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in the character department. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. But we should point out that there is at least one billet accessory included on the Freakshow Tattoo truck. It’s tucked under the hood in the form of an overflow for the radiator and seconds as a flippant tribute to the more billet-minded rodders.
Dolan’s rat rod truck is true to its breed in every sense of the definition. Pieced together from a few makes and models and about as barebones as you can get, this truck was an awesome rainy day piece and we couldn’t have asked for a better sport than Dolan. Of course, it can’t be left without saying – thanks for driving in the rain without windshield wipers and a lack of glass in the back windows. Now that’s what being a true rat rod fan is all about.
Check out the exclusive RA (Rod Authority) photo GALLERY below:
