I used to love the look until I did one.Primered grey with matt black decklid and bonnet slammed [heat exchanger scrapping]some rare accesories.Looked sweet.But it was a band aid job things went wrong on that old 100 dollar 64 as I knew they would and eager to get a daily runner that looked mean I skipped the some little things which came back to bite me.So fingerprints keep popping up on the primer the flat look doesnt do the wicked lines on a dub credit.I had fun doing it and I will show it as a ratty bucket at The jamboree then it pan off resto the real way no half stepping.I still believe if I find a sunburnt barndoor or a ratty split beetle I will consider ratting it out for the Nostalgia factor .But Im over the ratlook for my own car ive done it I will document it show it once then it pan off complete resto custom...{The only way}i will end this post with this Im cruisin in a slammed primered bucket and someones cruising in a 2pak resto-custom that had the full treatment.{Which car would you prefer to cruise in?

"You are feeling sleepy. Veeeeery sleepy"

"Come to the shiny side"

Which looks better?

or the shinny side..

It is all in the eye of the beholder. I like people liking their car.

I am only leaning towards the shiny side because I am like my cat. I like shiny things with bells.

its not just the paint its the whole mechanics.VW being a rather basic car makes it alot easier to do a complete resto.I cant stand old rubbers split scrappers dirty and grimey beams gear boxes etc etc.Working on a dirty car is a nightmare and no matter how much ou clean and scrub the grime will remain.
I guess its just a natural progression for me to do a full resto custom showstopper.
I still love the ratlook Im just personly over it.
And the most appealing thing about Airkooled scene is it revolves around a certain look.i:e resto custom look callook etc etc blah blah..and Ratlook.Ratlook is a huge part of the scene.But Im getting out the surgical gloves and my litttle bagies..

Nyeh. rats are by far the minority, and as such will always be spesh. plus, well done, a rat has more attitude than a hot pink dragster with chromed windows and blue flames. lotta shiny cars puttin around out there.... and more and more stencils goin up every day. welcome to the postmodern graffiti production line bucko.
shiny = wildstyle
rat = evil broken flip

each to my own

I gotta admit that grey bug is damm hot.

You better be rollin tha bucket for the Jamboree!!!!

We gots to do it twin bucket dripper style!

show us ur rat

yeah but itthink the trick is to find an original, not try and convert one. frensix is the best example. i was trying so much to get me hands on that one. wouldve been perfect, just to preserve the way it was for ever. and would be sure it would refelct in its value over time.

to me this is the rat...

Mate, you can't say they are comparable. A glossed up, 3/4 finished project, slammed on 17" BRMs, hardly compares to a rat looker..

You know I've got ya back man, but part of the rat look is to have the underneath or 'behind the scenes' looking and working fine and like new.. It is just the outside that should look 'ratty'.. So the theory is, it should work like a restored car, but look unrestored.. Thats my definition anyway.

Dont get me wrong I love a ratlook that is mechanicly sound and that has a thumpin motor,But personly Im moving on to full resto custom.But bring on the ratlookers we do need more at our shows.

I think you carn`t make a rat you just find em.
Get em back on the road and cruise!

I agree.

are both those bad bugs in primer ??

if so did you guys clear over the top ? ive seen them primered b4 but they were satin finished over the top to protect the primer a lil