OK, I'm going to ask this question ONE more time.  
      What is a Hood Ride here in the U.S. ? Is there a difference between a "Rat Rod" and a "Hood Ride" in the U.S.?
      I Googled "Hood Ride" last night and found out that "Hood Ride" in Europe is where a bunch of idiots jump on somebodys car hood and hangs on for dear life while racing around the streets. There is a vidio clip showing some Klutz being slung off and bouncing along the ground.
     This makes just about as much sense as NOPI Tunervision and watch another group of "Intellectual Midgets" destroy their cars , Standing still burning the tires to the ground, blowing engines, hitting walls during something like a auto-cross but at 45 degrees. One Dude was real happy that he only blew out 5 tires before the engine exploded in his BMW. It was a great night for him because all the" Little Pit Chicklets" were jumping around showing their wares ( the best part) screaming " This is SOOOOOO COOOOOOOOL !!!!!!!
     And some people say that NASCAR is so "Red Neck" ??
     This is going to to be intresting if someone jumps in here. :lol:  :lol:

I would think these were all "Rat Rods"  . They better check the "Hood Ride" term in the rest of the world before they get a bad rap. Check Google.

My 60 would be considered hoodride. Just missing all the extras.  (roofrack, foglights, random junk).  Theres some pics in the SHOW US YOUR VW THREAD under my 60.

Hoodride: Lowered "survivors", in a way. Original paint and everything, only lowered to the ground, only the suspension seems to be custom.
Ratrod: Primer black, ralley wheels, no fenders, special lights, roadsters or chopped tops, very custom.

I think t's the difference. We had a hoodride at the last BAP, the bus with the Sunkist logo on it. I think there was a sunbug with it that had the same logo, also hoodride. Whereas at the same show there were two ratrods, one of which had metal spikes in the hood. The other is now owned by a friend of Kevin's and it has a chopped windshield and no roof. It was extremely custom, so custom it broke four or five traffic laws and got the guy a few tickets. The only thing a hoodride could possibly get you pulled over for would be the fact it'd be lowered.

But I don't believe that "hoodride" is the offical name for such a vehicle. Searching a bit, I've found that hoodride is just the name of that one website\club. I haven't found a name for it yet... is this what we're calling these? All I find, constantly, is that same hoodride logo. This logo seems to be in the US and in europe and a lot of people are wearing the logo on shirts and stuff on non VW related websites. And only one video of any idiots jumping on car hoods. So I dunno...

The reason I ask is because ratrods aren't just bugs. The whole ratrod thing started with 40s sleds, lowered with fat racing slicks and primer black paint jobs shooting flames out the tailpipes, being driven with one arm out the window and your slick back greasy hair slicing through the wind. Would then an old unrestored rusty Edsel that's lowered down be considered hoodride? I'm just wondering. I see that name more applying to just VWs. I dunno. It's something that certainlly requires more discussion from more people, specificly the enthusiasts of these vehicles and I don't mean just us. I mean anyone who drives this stuff.

Comming from someone who has driven\ridden in rust buckets... it's nice to see them being viewed as beautiful!

HoodRides and Rat Rods are diff.,   Any car can be a hoodride also, last months "In the Wind" mag. has a killer Hoodride harley.

Here's a link to my Hoodride..which some say has more of the Rat "Look"... I don't know ....just thought they were cool and built one...I can't go anywhere without folks talking (or laughing)about it....

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=359516

from the way I see it,and apparently many others from the "hoodride community", A hoodride(in the context of a VW) isn't just about having a ton fo awesome rust/patina and a beam that drags dead kittens off the street.

it's about attitude,as the originator says.it's about not being afraid to drive your car the way it is and enjoy the holy hell out of it,rusty bullet holes  and all.


then of course you have to add that some just really love to see a nice patina or any car,bike etc that has had mother natures handicraft put into it.this category i fall under.



what I'd like to think about Hoodride,and I'm sure most others within the "community" like to think as well,is that it/there not like all these modern 'scene invasion" car genres like "ratrod" and whatever else i cant think of right now.

Hoodride is more of a Mindset..so to speak..