50 Cool Rat Rods Everyone Has to See

The Crucifier

The great Joe Cruces finally retired in 2002 after decades as one of a highly praised and legendary car customizers in California, including cars such as his own Crucifier shown above. The Crucifier got him on the cover of Hot Rod magazine.

He moved to Chico sometime after that – hired by a private collector to restore his massive collection in 1974, restoring everything from motorcycles to airplanes to a 1910 horse-drawn fire engine. The Crucifier looked like a piece of menacing equipment aimed straight at someone when it came roaring down the track.