In the USA there is a growing popularity of rat rods, these are barnyard finds with newer drivetrains. They clear coat the rust or "patina" with a matte finish. simple interiors, with salvaged seats. Lets just call them recycled. Saw this one at a gas station.
Hey that looks cool, but wouldn't be allowed on UK roads as wheels need to have some form of mudguards to comply with construction and use regulations
Being over 40 years old it probably does not want an MOT and I agree there are many cops who would turn a blind eye but there are as many 'job's worth' who take great pleasure in writing tickets
There are "rat" bikes also - we call them HD for short. short on power short on brakes short on suspension short on owner helmets
I'm not in to the "rat rod" thing myself. In days gone by we used to have what we called "sleepers". They were built to decieve. Mild and even run down on the outside, with some real suprises under the hood. Real fun at traffic lights. Mine was a 1954 VW. 3-4 different color body parts, no bumpers. A little terror between stop lights. It was my go to work car for a while when I was young and working in VW garages. ...J.D.