= new reply since forum marked as read
It's a rat rod.
In this genre of auto enthusiasm, owners work hard to present an image of spartan nostalgia. I've seen some examples with carefully placed bullet holes and surface rust preserved in a state of suspended animation by clearcoat. Rat trucks are especially utilitarian.
The rods reflect a era when teens scavenged junk yards for improvised speed parts and had no money left over for fancy paint or chrome. Many remain unfinished in dull primer. True to the day, tires and wheels are usually brand new for high speed safety reasons. That's how juvenile delinquents of the '50s obtained the reputation for stealing tires.
The rat culture has spawned a subset of fashion and art that includes retro mechanic or bowling shirts festooned with skulls and crossbones. The rise of the rat movement coincides with the demise of the drive-in movie theater, and a longing for a simpler time.
http://ratrodstuff.com/
Though I'm sure the owner started with a well patina'd hulk, the gas can thoughtfully placed on the running board and the suspiciously crude rivets securing the visor are clues. Paint overruns and mismatches help define a first class rat.
Much of the genre represents a revolt away from the '80s over the top customs that reached a ridiculous pinnacle during the prosperous Clinton era, when tangerines and neon green were mandatory hues. Customs built after the recession are more likely painted in subdued colors like pale yellow or baby blue.
Rat rods are a statement unto themselves, but still a reflection of the times. I remember seeing bumper stickers at car shows several years ago with a ban symbol over the word "billet" because machined aluminum became epidemic on the pristine street rods of the past.
Rats are built in themes limited only by one's artistic imagination. The only rule seems to be JC Whitney over Summit Racing:
I tend to follow car show circuits with my trusty Olympus:
Rats are especially photogenic to my eye;
like an old truck I drove x-country when I was a youngster 
great photos!!!
my dad bought a 1964 Ford Falcon Squire station wagon. Now you'd think well a station wagon how powerful could it be. That sucker had a big V8 in it and was probably overpowered for its size. One day when we were on vacation in upstate New York dad and I were coming back from a bakery and he said something like " Hey John lets see how fast this thing can go" so he floored it. In very short order that sucker was doing 100mph and dad took his foot off the peddle damn fast 
Great little car.
