I am a baby boomer, born in '48, and discovered models and car magazines by '58.

While I have always heard a wide "generalization" of the term "hot rod" to describe a car modified for performance ....I grew up with the magazines and hot rod organizations clearly defining it as a '48 or older model.

Newer cars, like '50s models and up, looked far different, and were consistantly referred to as "street machines". If it had giant rear tires, it was a "pro street", and if it was a bigblock detroit performance car, it was a "muscle car".

I would have backed this opinion up with my magazine collection of 6,000 mags, dating back to the late '40s, but I sold most of them. I am proud to say I read them all cover to cover!

These guidelines were consistant up to about the '90s, when younger guys started using some of the terms more widely, and dropping others.

I guess you could say that each person has their own perception of what the term means. However, when it evolved, and was used one way, from about 1965 to 1995, it rubs me the wrong way when young guys are telling me that they know the "truth" of it.

I guess it is up to the majority of a group how they want to define something, and they can also change it when they want, but I will probably use the old terminology that has been with me so long.

I guess I will have to be tolerant of the younger "peeps" sending "tweets" to each other, discussing the new meanings of car hobby terms. :-)