Less Is More! Some guys don't know when to quick. Save some ideas for the next one. Been thinking about if I could only build one, what would it be? I'm really not sure,what about you guys?
That sedan is amazing! The mechanical brakes kinda scare me, but that'd be the only thing I'd change. The horn doesn't even bother me. I feel like I came into the theater about 20 minutes in--where is this car from, and is it a new build?
Great perception Ryan. I tend to feel the same way. I always gravitate to hot rods that could fool the general masses that they came from the factory that way. Mike
<LEGEND>Attached Thumbnails</LEGEND> I believe this is the 'sinister' car that Ryan was referring to in his initial post today. And to top it off, the owner is only 24. More on the car here... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=379651&highlight=sinister and here... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308741&showall=1
That sedan is beautiful. I like cars that are modified tastefully and still keep their original character.
Man I could use a little of that "re-straint", I always gotta cram all sorts of gee gaws on em. I am humbled!! ~Sololobo~
Nice right up ryan. Egoless, or less ego, should be a new theme on car builds. I for one have been guilty in the past of using my ego on builds for what ever reason, but thankfully have pulled myself back in before it has gone too far. On my 28 chevy delivery that I am building now. I started with a simple plan and have stuck with it. If it turns out anything like that ford sedan in stance, and simplicity, I will be extremely happy with it. and I guarantee I will cruise the wheels off of it...John
I can't add too much to what everyone has already said, but you're dead on. I love the flashy show rods of the early '60s, but when you look at a lot of the hot rods that were built in late 40's and early 50's you see a reflection of this sedan. It seems like nobody really had anything to "prove" then, other than how fast their mill could push them down a strip, dry lake, or salt flat.
Fantastic post and an equally brilliant tudor. Man, I sure can relate, As the builder of one of the aforementioned heavily chopped, tires above the fender relief sedans I can say I'm green with envy of the owner that tudor. I love my hot rod but hanging out with guys who have simple, traditional cars made me want to tone down the next build. So I'm going from 6" chop and channel, no stance ground scraper with six carbs to a very simple, flathead powered A roadster on a stock chassis. Knowing the attention my sedan garners I'm curious to see how much people notice my little AV8 roadster. Here they are to compare.
Thanks Ryan. I think this picture gets at what I'm talking about. My sedan is parked ahead of fab32's tudor and behind fuelpump's 32 5 window. Those cars are hot rods pure and simple, mine kind of looks like a freakshow when its compared to more traditionally styled cars. Like I said, I love my freakshow, its my first build but now I want something a little more subtle, but no question its a hot rod.
Ryan, which one do you like...I have also seen the "clean and simple" sedan at autorama and loved it.
Love that "freakshow"...I hope mine will turn out as "freaky" as yours...(I thinks it's more subtle than alot of builds...to me a "Hot Rod" is more than a "stock" factory build. Ya got to do something to it...here is a pic of my 1st build. Some Harley, some custom catalog pieces and some custom hand fabricating...I still call it a Harley, since motor & trans (heart & lungs) are Harley
You (Ryan) perfectly worded the feeling Im trying achieve with my poor man's roadster. Dark, mean, and simple.
My high school buddy and friend of 40 years now has a car that makes me break the tenth commandment every time I see it. Black '40 coupe with 2 chrome tips out the back, a very slight rake, and 1955 "lady luck" decals in the quarter windows. Perfection.
I too subscribe to the "sinister intent" aspect of hotrods and customs.. My approach to designing/building a car or bike or whatever is pretty simple: the final result should be something that has an aire of danger, while still having a feeling of class doing it. If a car or bike is truley bad ass, Everyone will just know it...it has nothing to prove. If you gotta go as far as tons of skulls and iron crosses and way too much pinstripe work all over the car, then you stick with the car equivelent of the chiuaua that thinks it's a Rottweiler.. The Rott KNOWS who he is, and he doesn't need to tell you.
It's a bitchin car but not sure about the sinister term. A 1.5"- 2" chop would get the top proportions right, than I think it would be sinister. TP
Well said. I sometimes think a lot of people miss the point that 40's & 50's cars were simple because, in most cases, they were also daily drivers and so needed to be kept easy to use without all the frilly add ons. Good words Ryan and an opportunity for us all to re-think our approach to future projects. I know I am doing this right now with my roadster. Ahh, the power of the written word......
Awesome post this should be in the rodders bible some where. I think there is a lesson here too about people not just cars. The many people these days get tattoos or walk around with a frown on their face to prove to everyone how tough they are. These people are the ones most vulnerable. Be yourself and let the car be itself too! What a cool car. I really get a sort of early muscle car vibe from it. I think a GTO could pull off the same look of this car. There is definitely something mysterious about it.
It needs courage to build a car like that. The courage to step back and say: I must leave it like that. It's perfect. Great car, great blog.
It's what i'd call a sleeper, Kinda standard looking to the untrained eye. If you know what your looking at then you'd geddit otherwise it'd pass you by....Till you got to the lights.
This 29 has always looked very cool to me for the same reason as the sedan. Simple changes to highlight that beautiful Henry design. chuck
I think many rodders from the old days subscribed to the "less is more" mantra, mostly due to their financial situation too. To me the best hot rods are/were built to a vision or an idea of what would increase the performance of the car at the drags or on the salt. They did & always will take on many different shapes & forms. And yes, some of them were "over the top" then too.