Any east coast hamb'ers?

[Jake H.]

Seattle is turning into a friggin' high-priced rat race. I'm thinkin' of pulling up stakes and moving somewhere around Boston. My wife is originally from Mass. and we wanna raise our lil' baby boy away from some of this mamby-pamby latte sippin' action. What I wanna know is are there any good ol' roddin' and customizin' types around there so I can be in good company with my primered bomb? By the way, it's wicked low.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Don't do it stay on the west side of the states...i can't wait to get back out there. but if you have your mind set on it boston is a nice place to land...pretty chilly though. "Truth" on this board runs choppahead.com he'd prob be better to talk to about boston....

[safariknut]

So you want to move from a high priced west coast rat race with lots of rain to a high priced east coast rat race with lots of snow?Makes perfect sense to me!
Seriously there is a lot going on in the Boston area;traffic,astronomical water rates,traffic,stratospheric real estate prices,did I mention traffic?
There's a few Boston area HAMBers on here;Pete Flaven,Skip Readio,Dennis O'Brien to name a few.
If I sound a little cynical it's because I grew up in a town about 10 miles north of Boston,moved out about 10 years ago and couldn't be happier.Still go back once a year for the Ty-Rods thing and dread every minute of driving around there.It's a perpetual traffic jam.What part of Mass is your wife from?Curious cause the last time I was there I met a striper who had just moved there from San Diego because his wife was originally from Mass.Turned out I went to school with her!
Ray

[Spike!]

Pick up a copy of "Cool Cars, Square Roll Bars". All the cars in there are from that area. Theres also the Road Agents show in Hartford Conn. One of the best shows on this coast. Upon moving, however, you may have to install a '38 Ford truck grille. I think its a law there or something...

Spike

[zman]

[ QUOTE ]
and we wanna raise our lil' baby boy away from some of this mamby-pamby latte sippin' action.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't worry they've got it in Boston too. Damn shit is everywhere...

I don't know what Boston is like but there are plenty of great people,shows and swaps around here. Like Spike said the Road Agents show is a must. We have the best swap meet in the world right here in Hershey PA.
Check with PackRat about upstate New York. Might be a good place. Fairly close to the inlaws but not too close.
Clark

[truth]

Hey man, I'm in Boston. Shoot me an e-mail or PM if you want any specifics. It's true - the winters are cold and miserable - rain, snow, etc... BUT, in a way that's good to me - more time to build! If it was sunny and warm all the time I'd be riding 24/7 and not getting anything done!

There's a few good shows that happen out this way every summer:
Road Agents (CT)
Rumblers (Brooklyn,NYC)
ALter Boys (Worcester, MA)
Blacktop Butchers (Hayfield, MA)
And the Stumblin Idles have some kickass drags...

And yeah, there's the latte crowd out here. The college frat crowd, too. But Boston has enough dirtbag dive bars in every neighborhood where you can avoid all that - no problem!

Oh yeah - real estate in Boston is off the friggin chain! You probably want to look at least 20 miles outside of Boston for an affordable house... the only reason I still live in the city is because I moved in when my hood was a super ghetto and my landlord hasnt raised rent in 6 years!!!!!

[Action Girl]

I'm in the NE suburbs of Baltimore. You drive 5 minutes north of my house and it's a state park, country roads, cows and scenery. If you go 20 minutes the other way you're in downtown Baltimore.

We chose this area specifically because it's quiet, close to just about everything we like to do and has good schools.

Stacey

[Petejoe]

Now if you really want good living conditions. Go to the country. Mideast or Midwest. I can't see how Boston would be any different than any densely populated metropolis.

[2tall2beahotrodder]

What about the PackRats,, located all over PA, and NYC...

Theirs tons of cool car clubs around here... But ill give you advice,,,,, dont move to New jersey....

[Jake H.]

Thanks for the feedback,everyone. If y'all think you might scare me with the snow factor, I should tell you I was raised in Minnesota. Don't know if that means it toughened me up or I'm just too stupid to learn to stay outta the cold, though. Seattle can get chilly, right now it's 29 degrees out and our oil heater rolled a pair of sixes. We can see our breath in the house and our generous landlord tried to leave a couple tiny, ghetto space heaters with us for two days before he could schedule a service call(he can't pay those weekend rates, y'know). What a dick, he knows we have a five month-old, too. That and the insane traffic and wussification culture out here is why we are talking move. Plus our family is in Mass. and Connecticut. By the way, my wife grew up in Northampton and went to U of Mass. I just might have to find a '29 roadster to channel, z the hell outta the frame, and find a '38 truck grill.

[El Caballo]

Move to Manchestah, New Hampsha.

[286merc]

Hey ElC, I didnt make fun about your trip down to the land of oil and tar paper shacks so leave Manchesta' alone!

All kidding aside, the smart ones work in MA and live in NH unless you are one of them bleeding heart liberals. (or on welfare)

Prices in this border town are $250K and up for a nice home on a minimum of 1 acre. Other towns are a lot higher and if you go up around Manchester they start getting down quite a bit.
Inside of I-495 in MA is mostly out of sight for prices, even rentals.

Season starts in April and there are small shows just about every weekend with some big ones thrown in. One of the best swap meets in the country is in Amherst, NH last Sunday of the month, April thru Oct. If you cant find it there it doesnt exist. Typically 5-600 parts vendors.

Many stock car tracks as well as the NE Dragway all easy driving distance.

Nothing wrong with snow, gives you a chance to play bumper tag in a rusted out "winter beater" commuter special.

[El Caballo]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey ElC, I didnt make fun about your trip down to the land of oil and tar paper shacks so leave Manchesta' alone!


[/ QUOTE ]

I just would have asked what the difference was... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

One of my brothers in law was the terminal manager there for the old St.Johnsbury terminal, he grew up there and his dad was mayor at one time (Vallee).

[SomethinWicked]

Hi hammy,

I live on the seacoast of NH... about 1 hour north of Boston. I've lived here my whole life and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

We have all four glorious seasons here... fall is my favorite with all the brilliant colors. The beach is 5 minutes away, the big cities of Boston and Portland, ME are an hour away, and the White Mountains of NH are 2 hours away.

Yes, the housing prices are unbelievably high right now and I don't see them coming down anytime soon. By the way, the seacoast NH area was voted the one best place to live in the USA recently.

Some of the other guys already listed most of the best rodding-related events/places in the NE area.

If you want to know more, ask away.

Chris

[Tony]

well, we do have a couple members in PA..Spike for one.
The rest of us are in upstate NY, Rochester to be exact..nobody in NYC as of yet..
There are a few cool clubs up here, but not that many into the old style stuff. There is a few good groups in NYC, Rumblers and Beatniks come to mind right away.
Along with the other clubs mentioned. I have had the pleasure of meeting a few of the Alter Boy's this past year, great group of guy's.
It's not bad up here really. there's some nice gatherings we go to throughout the year. Panel jams, charity rumble's, etc...
I think no matter where you decide to 'land', there will be some cool guy's to hang with and equally cool things to do.You just may have to drive a bit to get there.
the more i pay attention, the more i'm finding right here in the upper east coast!!
The biggest problem up here right now is a lot of the major companies are laying off, as with the rest of the world i'm sure. It just seems a little scary at times to see so many get the axe like i've been seeing.
Although, if you have a skilled trade, they seem to be still hiring.
it's a real life crap shoot.

Good luck man whatever you do.

Rat...

[Jimv]

Hammy, good area thats not as expesive as Boston is Providence, its a good ,safe city with lots to do & if you do get bored ite 40 mins to Boston or 2 hrs to NYC.
I live right outside Boston & I drive my T downtown all the time.
jimV

[KnuckleBuster]

Amen to that Pack Rat. You're right - the cool stuff doesn't jump right out at you, you gotta go looking for it, but when you find it, it's well worth it. Gotta love those NY taxes though, huh?

[BigJim394]

I live just south of Boston and the rest of the guys are right: The real estate prices are just plain scary. The cities and towns find ways to bump up your real estate property taxes each year and our auto insurance rates are nearly the highest in the country. They tax everything (we have an excise tax on cars, trucks, and boats that we have to pay each year....just for owning them..it was a "temporary" tax that went into effect during WWII, but the politicos just cant let that revenue stream go. Buy a new car and the first year excise tax will be a few hundred dollars or more, which is in addition to the 5 percent sales tax on a new car/truck purchase).
Unless you are making mucho money it gets harder and harder to find the bucks to build old cars with all the taxes continually going up, and the traffic is just brutal. 10 years ago the highways near me sorta flowed most of the time, but now in almost every morning and afternoon commute someone (usually a new arrival to our fair country) finds a way to roll their car over into a median strip or onto an offramp, or causes a multiple car accident, making a less than one hour commute into a 2 plus hour commute. There used to be side road shortcuts around highway traffic problems, but almost everyone knows them now and the side roads get locked up too.

[Jake H.]

Thanks for all the advice. The wife and I are still listing pros and cons for the big move. We would be moving us, an infant, a boxer, 2 cats, and 3 cars, including my '65 pickup and my tbird. Huge friggin' undertaking. But if we can buy a house on a decent chunk of land and I can trandsfer within Comcast and she can find an event production job, it might be worth it.

[safariknut]

[ QUOTE ]
But if we can buy a house on a decent chunk of land and I can trandsfer within Comcast and she can find an event production job, it might be worth it.

[/ QUOTE ]

You might want to consider the Midwest(South East Michigan area).The real estate aound Lenawee County isn't outrageous like the other counties nearer to Detroit(we're about 55 miles SW of Detroit)and there is plenty of land and hot rodding going on.About 35 miles north of Toledo Ohio too.If I can assist in any way LMK.
Ray

[Just Gary]

When considering a move, check out "Best Places"
http://www.bestplaces.net/
You can enter two zip codes and do a direct comparison of apples .vs. apples, based on a variety of topics (cost of living, crime, schools, etc).
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[dixiedog]

[Prices in this border town are $250K and up for a nice home on a minimum of 1 acre.

[/ QUOTE ]

About 250K can get you the same in Fla. depends on where you want to go, the more remote areas will put you on the water for that money or even less. My wife is from Westwood outside Boston and she cant stand the snow and cold.
The only problem with Jacksonville is it is the epicenter for non cool rides (unless you like NOS).

[CruZer]

Northampton is a nice and relatively inexpensive area of Mass. I live about 40 miles west near the NY and Vermont borders. Out this way it's all country living.There are about 15 car clubs in the area but none that are strictly for traditionalists.
Actually if I was moving this way,I'd pick New Hampshire. Seems to be more jobs and more things happening but the prices remain lower AND no sales tax!!!!!!
The other thing to remember about New England is that everything is closer together. I can get to NYC or Boston in 3 hours. Good luck, and look me up if you head this way.

[Action Girl]

Hey...

My Husband works from Comcast and his office is about 10 minutes away, suburbs of Baltimore...

He works in MIS, what do you do?

Stacey

[Jake H.]

Damn, you guys are good. I didn't expect so much response, being a newbie and all. We really do like the beautiful country out here but my wife claims there is plenty of that in new england. We would probably stay with family in Thompson, Conn. until we found a house to buy. I am a service tech for Comcast so I could find work easy enough.

[2tall2beahotrodder]

[ QUOTE ]
well, we do have a couple members in PA..Spike for one.
The rest of us are in upstate NY, Rochester to be exact..nobody in NYC as of yet..

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe a possible NJ chapter in the future?

[Pete]

Lay off the '39 truck grills!

Pete-
Alter boys

[delaware george]

lots of country down in delaware and beaches and low taxes...not much action though

[Thirtycoup]

hammy....come on out man, your welcome here anytime, i'm about 30 miles south of boston and we have tons of rods around so bring it on....maybe see ya at the road agents show.......how about posting a pic or two of your ride? by the way, we have comcast here in north attleboro too. mike

[Jake H.]

Here is the only picture I have loaded so far of my ride. It's my daily driver '60 squarebird parked next to my buddy's big-block '57 Chev 210. I'm in a conundrum over a set of wheels for it, though. I just cracked my left front ET five-spoke for the second time last night and am thinking of changing wheels altogether. I don't like the fronts as 14's anyway. The wife and I are talking Rhode Island, now. Saw some quality stuff at the Road Agents show coverage in the new CCD issue. Funny, I just saw a '39 flatbed in a field with a cherry grille during my route.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df24b3127cce85cd2ac433cc0000000610