Tracing the evolution from the sleek, innovative hot rods of the 30s and 40s to the gritty rat rod counterculture is a fool's errand. And trying to pinpoint exactly when the scene was hijacked by trust-fund amateurs hacking up perfectly good metal just to stroke their own egos is even harder. Whatever the history, one thing is certain: this beast is so raw, it comes with a damp towel as standard equipment.