I'm with Aaron. My gut reaction is leave it alone, but then I don't have vision. You, on the other hand, have more vision in your little finger than me and ten friends could muster all combined...
I could see a set of blackwalls and mags really changing the tone of the car. Keep the steelies and whites to play a bit as the mood suits you. Change the steering column and wheel and have Fat Lucky (since you're lucky enough to have his talent in your neighborhood) whip up something tasty for the rest of the interior. A few small changes and you've got a bad ass hot rod with the comfort of a long hauler.
My friend Paul Beck has a saying that applies perfectly to people like us in situations such as that. It goes simply: "A mind is a terrible thing."
Ryan,I have been there and done that,, I had a super nice 40 Ford 2 Door sedan,,that had the original style upholstry,steering wheel,column switches and push button starter. I had to have a sbc,automatic transmission,hooked up to the original shifter and a open drive rear axle,,to the untrained eye everything looked right,,then after driving it several years I thought independent suspension would improve the car and make it better. Then a tilt column,nice radio to replace the original and air conditioner,,and guess what,,I fell outta love with my old friend and sold it! Now 30 years later I miss that car,,I did nothing that could not be fixed,,,sleep on it,,a nice old dependable ride that has never let you down is hard to find. HRP
I have two lives... one I live, the other I dream of. Sometimes they coincide with each other. When I was a kid I used to dream of driving go-karts on the street, as I grew I started and never stopped dreaming about cars. My cars, your cars, all cars... when I come out of the haze, I catch myself with this Elvisish, whiplash smile on my face and it makes me laugh! I drive a 28 roadster and love it, but I dream of a 37-40 Ford coupe with original interior and a nasty flatty, std shift, and steelies... it don't get no better!!! LOOSERS C.G. FOREVER!!!
I understand where you're coming from Ryan. I do disagree with you and most others on one thing. I don't think traditional has much to do with parts. You're car as is, is traditional, built traditionally as far as I know. It may not be cohesive, and it is definitely not period correct, but it is traditional. I would love to know more about the ahem race car too.
Don't touch a thing on the '38. All the components you listed is what makes the car it is; a reliable driver that has some bullets under the hood and an owner who understands the soul of the car. Throw some blackwalls on it, leave the hood closed and call it a hot rod. My '36 was a near perfect original car when I bought it. The thought of a gutless flattie under the hood wasn't for me. I left it virtually original on the outside but beefed up the frame and powerplant. It's not traditional but will hold its own against any so-called traditional car.
Well... I guess that's why you're a writer. You put into words what I have been pondering on one of my own "family" for some time now. I have a Big Window 1956 Ford F-100 that I have owned since I was twelve years old. I finished it in it's current form back in 1996, but have lost alot of interest in it over the years. I even bought another one, thinking I'd have one Custom street rod and one more traditional. You may have inspired me to tear my truck down again and create the new vision I have for it... THANKS!
The eternal conflict-function vs. form. Cars only change when we change them, sometimes for good reason, sometimes not. You've changed and the car has stayed the same, so change the specific items that you don't like (form) and continue on (function). A friend of mine completely rebuilt his 35 convert after driving it for 20 years. New color, suspension, upholstery, etc. Everything he had always wanted. It look great, drove perfectly, and he sold it. It just wasn't "his car" any more, so be careful about big changes-you may loose the soul that makes it yours.
I'm kinda in the same boat with my 38 Chevy Coupe. When I got it in 74 I guess you could say it was as traditional as it could get. 283, 55 chev rear end, stock front end, no heater. I drove that thing all over the country. Never had the money to do anything fancy with it, just enjoyed the shit out of it. After I got older and the kids grew up I decided to tear it down and do all the things I dreamed about with the intentions of taking on the Hot Rod Power Tour. So here comes four wheel power disc brakes, GM tilt, Mustang II, power steering, 9 inch rear, 700R4 elect windows, AC, hell I even put cruise control in it. Took it on the 2001 Power Tour a month after finishing it. Had a blast. Been on two more since. Still enjoy driving it anywhere and everywhere. Think some times if I run across a stock frame I might go more trad with it but It probably wont happen. Damn thing is to comfy and easy to drive and I'm not getting any younger.
Open your heart Ryan, Do what feels right for it and you'll always be happy with it. It's Bitchin' how you want it to be for you. I'm a sentimental fool for some of my stuff too. But Plowboys onto something, variety is great. PS Halibrands are a great start IMHO Tim
Put some tires on the damn thing and find out what it'll really do. (you knew I'd say that, didn't you?) Would you rather a 16 yr old Miller, or Presley, drive that fire breather with buick drums, or 4 wheel power discs? With tilt steering so that it fits them perfectly? You think you were rough on cars when you were a teenager, how do you think the next generation will beat on it? I'm biased because I love that car. I'm also not really one to let a detail or two spoil the whole vide of a car. I know I may be in the minority on that, but I don't think of air bags or discs when I see the '38. I think it's a cool car.
Inspiration? www.jalopyjournal.com/BurnOneDown/kcsp.mov http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz95xaMMZhA&feature=player_embedded
I wouldn't change much, if anything. Great car, and if it's safe, fast, dependable, comfortable and paid for..... I'd also suggest you take it out and drive it around some before you make any big decisions. My '35 (383" SBC, 700R4, TPI, Mustang II type suspension, ps, pb) sat and sat, and I was about ready to just sell it. Then I drove it, and, well, it's not for sale. It's not a traditional hot rod, but all the really non-traditional stuff is out of sight, so I consider it a tastefully done street rod. It's gloss black. It looks and sounds great. It hauls ass. Save your bucks for the next one (and maybe a bigger garage), and build it to suit yourself. Good luck.
You mentioned something in the post that didnt sit well with me. You said that by throwing the frame out and replacing it you would throw the experiences out too. I, like all of us I'm sure, have made mistakes such as welded poorly, screwed up body work, blown up engines etc.. etc.. I have always been able to put these mistakes behind me while I learn from them ... but never forget them. Heck some of them aren't even mistakes.. just a decision that has outdated itself in my mind. Anyhow, the coupe is nice... and as some other posts have mentioned, it is the chassis that has made it such a reliable car. Doane it up! I'd be willing to bet he'd run whatever he wanted be it period correct or not if it worked well and got the result he wanted.
I personally see nothing wrong with the '38 but I have no doubt that if you change it it is going to be killer. Roadsters are so killer I'd leave the '38 be and build one of those if I had the resources. The sinister coupe has earned its keep.
Ryan, just cover it up in the barn and save it for a future barn find. Only half joking. I feel very similar about my 1994 Impala SS as you do about your '38. I built my Impala into a some-what respectable road racing machine over a couple of year period. I put so much research, fabrication, wrench-turning, money, and time on the road course that it is hard for me to ever think about getting rid of it. It does feel like part of the family. I have several other cars now and car interests that don't include 1994 Impala builds. The Impala gets overlooked and sits in the garage mostly. It is a one of a kind car that I built and am not now enjoying. But I can't help but think that there will be a day in the future, maybe even 20 years out, that I will want my car back - that keeps me from selling it. My wife thinks I am crazy.
I think it's a great idea. I personally don't see any of the planned changes taking away from what that car is. It's just the next step.
While i understand this forum is all about traditional hot rods/customs/trucks etc. it is hard to deny the impact of street rods and the like on the hot rod world. While your 38 may no longer fit your criteria for how a hot rod should be built....... 15 years ago it did. If you leave it as is in 30 years your grand-kids will be calling your airbagged 38 a traditional hot rod! While i absolutely love this forum and love Traditional hot rods, there has, and always will be a place for those O/T cars in my heart.... i think thats part of being a car guy. Definitely don't sell the coupe, perhaps make a few moderate changes and let it be. I'm sure it will grow on you again, not necessarily because its the "right" style of car, but perhaps for the memories it has created.....
You should respect the fact that you were a competent and skilled builder when you built this car. You may look at this car with a certain amount of disdain because certain parts of it do not live up to who you identify yourself with today. The fact is that you built a hell of a nice car regardless of how it may be classified, if it is indeed what some would call a street rod it is a fantastic example of one, it has all of the pedigree that a car of legend requires. If you want to make it more hot rod how could you do that? You will have to be very careful with your parts selection, you would be unhappy to lessen the power or performance, safety or reliability. That car is not wrong, if all street rods were built to that standard there would be no scorn at them, I think you should realize that you hit magic. If a street rod is done right and has the magic it is in itself an art form, from what I have seen of it this is an art form street rod. As an artist I think you will sadden yourself to redo her, you will reflect in 5 years and wish for certain aspects to have remained. I've seen the trend wagon come and go a bit, prostreet that's not coming back, these tuners god please make that fad away, oh and RR's, just no. The two that do seem to be time less are the hot and street rods. I would not want to have to make your sentimental decision.
I am not singling you for any fact other than you are new here this year. Ryan has always stayed true to what he preaches here. Go peruse some of his Journal entries about his cars. Read his threads about them and you will see he is just like all of us get at times, in a funk over an old friend. That is one reason why I re-linked his infamous burnout. Years ago, that video link and a few others like it helped many of us stay inspried.
I know T Man, I looked at a bunch of his entries, and viewed a bunch of your videos. Thanks for putting them back up. They are inspiring. That is a very respectable car, and that's a heck of an understatement, just reinforcing to him that it is. Funks can really mess a guy up sometimes. He has good vision, to our eyes what ever he does will be kickin. It's his eyes that he is gonna have trouble pleasing. Some times it's good to have a good think before direction is chosen. A car like that deserves a think before action is taken, wouldn't you agree?
I agree. And my statement was also aimed at many others. Ryan took a full zoot drag engine and tamed it over the years and dressed it up to look pretty damn vintage. Right after that infamouse burnout we all hit the local gas station and he was dumping Octane booster into the car like a junkie on crack. At one time I think he said it was 14-1? at that moment it may have been less. Anyway, for those of us there it was a special moment/day. And the reason I built my last car WAY TOO HOT for everyday driving!
Sounds like you've already got it pretty much figured out in your head. Leave the chassis, it works great, lot's of your hard work in it, and no one can see it anyway under that fat fender! Wheels, tires, little stuff..... That car's bitchin man, doesn't need much!
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