Thread: Who took the "hot" out of hot rod?

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Hey Bob
That second pic reminds me of a car at a recent show- the guy had used a can of spray-on Christmas tree snow to mimic salt on the car!

Sounds like you just need to take a step back and look further for creativity. I spent some time in Nepal and saw some real funky stuff, bet you never seen wheels like this:

http://photography.nationalgeographi...pod_image.html

Some custom accessories:

http://www.catnaps.org/islamic/islamimages/flagcar.jpg

Sean

Originally Posted by Steves32

Hey Bob
That second pic reminds me of a car at a recent show- the guy had used a can of spray-on Christmas tree snow to mimic salt on the car!

Can angel hair be far behind?

I don't want anyone to think I am against people building what they like. I was just questioning why I personally was found the "old skool"-"vintage"-"Rat Rod" so boring.

I have to admit that I also found "more of the same" rods boring. I see so many possibilites for rods, that have not been done...or done much...that some people don't see.

I guess it has always been true, that most people will copy something they've seen....do what they think everyone else will like.....do what will keep the value of their cars value strong...or they just don't have any imagination. That means that most cars will follow a general "blueprint" that has developed over the decades. That does not mean that unusual things cannot be done....they just aren't going to happen very often.

I guess I see these "vintage" cars the same way......just built to an earlier "blueprint". There is one thing I like about them. That is the fact that many makes and body styles are built.....but it still doesn't overcome the generic traits, for me.

That`s ok, i can say i had the first merc with a spiderweb hood! It may never be done again, but i had it.

Originally Posted by hotroddaddy

That`s ok, i can say i had the first merc with a spiderweb hood! It may never be done again, but i had it.

I'd like to see that. I think of rods and customs as rolling art. Metal sculpture is a part of that thinking.

Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT

I'd like to see that. I think of rods and customs as rolling art. Metal sculpture is a part of that thinking.

You never saw pics of the spider car? Denny did a nice photoshop of it with a huge spider on it, luckily i printed it before it got lost in a crash.

No Uncle Bob--you're mistaken.... They're not cookie cutter cars--they all have different kinds or colors of wheels!!!!!

As for flatheads, been there, done that, ain't going back.

I don't even want to look at a project for me or a customer anymore if it isn't full of body mods, and a super killer double throw down, pounder of an engine in it.... Preferably a big block with an obscene amount of cubic inches. Pat started it with 700 and change ci chebbie. I know have to save my pennies for the Blue Oval version of it at 800 + cubes.... Means I have to do some extra work and sell some toys to come up with the bucks, but it's what I'm excited about now.....

The 'maro has a few mods, the Rancero a few more, and the one after that might be radical---or it might be a plane jane bracket car with a big block and green paint... Totally depends on what mood strikes me. I never have been one to follow any kind of trend or fad.

I guess my only point is, as usual, I hate catagories and copycats. Use a little imagination, ALLOW yourself to be creative, pick up an idea here, a concept there change them around a bit and go out in the garage and start building something!!!!! In the end it doesn't really matter who likes it or doesn't like it as long as your honest enough with yourself that you build something you want, and not something that will be a candidate for the most fashion trend conscious mutt in the show!!!!!

Just be yourself and don't waste your time, money, and talent building something that everyone else likes. I rate political correctness in Hot Rodding way down there with yuppies in Volvo's!!!!!

i do not go to many car shows any more when i do go i like to look at paint and look at the build work more then the make of the car or truck the engine how things like wire work mounts steering headers and how all looks .i had done some cars were alot of time went in to some things that less you done it you will never know .i like to make stuff that you can not buy so i look at fab up parts .this has allways been hot rodding to me .the group that go to car shows alot of them do not know how much work and time go in to a build or do not know what there looking at... if i go to a show with the car i get group in with the muscle cars and have to hear some jack ass say why did you do that to a GTO ?why why not build it back to stocki love them guys drill me about the size or make of the engine have to put me down it easier for them then to see the work that it took i like to take a engine or do some thing that alot say can not be done and they may be right but it more fun of building all the parts and making them work for me .i do not have deep pockets so i make alot of parts myself(hot rodding)?? and the 734 build i will have about the same as someone building a 555or 565 with good parts well i never want to fit in and that could be hot rodding toif not i in the wrong place

I like all cars. Right now I'm trying to squeeze pennies out of my retirement checks to build my first streetrod. I couldn't care less about having the biggest big block,my concern right now is having a block period. Yes, I plan to use a ho hum,everybody has one, w hy did you ruin it with that sbc. It's what I can afford. I intend to repair all the dents and rust, prime and paint. No ,I don't need lessons on how to age,patina or other wise totally screw up my own hard work. I don't care to impress anyone or win trophy after trophy,I've never figured out how to cook them anyway. I figure 300 horses in a 2000 lb car to be enough snot to be called hot. Maybe not everybodies cup of tea, but it's my cup,and that's all I want. Hank

If I might add something interesting I just thought of... You hear these guys talking of "rat rods" and that they are built to drive and not "showcars"... Then why are they all "cleaned up" and at CARSHOWS??!!! Why did they "create" carshows (Billitproof for example) for cars that were never meant to be "shown" in the first place??? So what, now we have shows for "non-show cars" so that they can compete in car shows??? Its all backwards if you ask me. I don't really have a problem with them so much as I have the problem with the reason they used to be called rats and why they are that now. Old looking cars that were built with high dollar budgets to look like old cars???? Personally, if I could come up with an early 50's chevy, I would drop in a v-8, add air, brakes (NOT airbrakes... I knew somebody would say it!!! ) a stereo and use it for my driver. If I wanted a showcar, then thats what I would build. NOT something crappy looking then have to make up with a show for crappy looking cars... Maybe thats why they have done away with the "under construction" class at most shows now...they would have 300 cars in it and 25 finished ones!!! jmo Donny

Originally Posted by halftanked

I like all cars. Right now I'm trying to squeeze pennies out of my retirement checks to build my first streetrod. I couldn't care less about having the biggest big block,my concern right now is having a block period. Yes, I plan to use a ho hum,everybody has one, w hy did you ruin it with that sbc. It's what I can afford. I intend to repair all the dents and rust, prime and paint. No ,I don't need lessons on how to age,patina or other wise totally screw up my own hard work. I don't care to impress anyone or win trophy after trophy,I've never figured out how to cook them anyway. I figure 300 horses in a 2000 lb car to be enough snot to be called hot. Maybe not everybodies cup of tea, but it's my cup,and that's all I want. Hank

There ya go!!!!! It's still all about horsepower to weight!!!! Still amazes me how some people put a 400 horse engine in a 4000 pound car, then add 6 amps, 15 speakers, 250 pounds of junk in the trunk then wonder why their 400 hp engine won't pull the hat off your head!!!! Many seem to think performance is all about horsepower when it actually is about the entire car.....

i quess im one of the lucky ones , i still love all things hot rod and im sure it helps that im not in the hot rod bussiness and dont have to look and work on them everyday ..... at least for now i dont see them as boring and i hope i never do..

Originally Posted by flh4speed

i quess im one of the lucky ones , i still love all things hot rod and im sure it helps that im not in the hot rod bussiness and dont have to look and work on them everyday ..... at least for now i dont see them as boring and i hope i never do..

Good point. I think that plays a big part in it. I know when I worked at the bodyshop the last thing I wanted to do was look at or work on my car at night. And when I worked at the marina, the last thing I wanted to own was another boat. Maybe playing with our own cars too much makes us not as excited when we see a bunch more at a show.

Don

Originally Posted by flh4speed

i quess im one of the lucky ones , i still love all things hot rod and im sure it helps that im not in the hot rod bussiness and dont have to look and work on them everyday ..... at least for now i dont see them as boring and i hope i never do..

I still like them all----just takes a bit more to get my "excitement level" up these days....