I was just reading the thread about what a car's colour says about its owner. It reminded me of a thought I had today while I was cutting the grass. The mind wanders. What gives a car a certain style? I know some of you will say it's all wheels and tyres. Some will say stance. Maybe colour. There has to be more. Some cars are just bad looking. For me the baddest looking car would be an A coupe on 32 rails, big chop, big rake, blackwalls on steelies with caps. It would probably be black. But there are cars that should look "bad" that don't. I saw the Neikamp roadster in another thread recently. It is all business but looks kind of friendly. The Bishop Tardel roadster that so many of us aspired to in some way during construction is a great hot rod but has a touch of cuteness. I don't know why. I am so close to my own car I have no idea what it's personality is. I know I like it but it sure isn't "nasty"...I don't think it's cute. What do you all think? Pete
It say "I'm a machine and I want to run!" Classy and mechanical are two words that pop up. Probably the chrome, the std-looking wheels, the mechanical look on the engine and the "machine looking paint". That's my 5/Christoffer
For me , and i mean this as a compliment . I think your rod looks minimalist . ( The Business as opposed to business like ).
JMO, I think the car takes on some of the traits of the builder, and their mood at the time they were building it or painting it or making the decision about wheels/tires/trim to reinstall/or leave off as the case may be/or the stance......it is the sum of all the details that show the character.
When we build them many times they take on what becomes an extension of our own personality. Sometimes its a fluff and no guts. Sometimes its all guts and no fluff. Sometimes it's WTF is this guy thinking. Your car looks in many ways like mine. Mostly business.
See, this is the thing. Your car looks kind of tuff. But not evil. Maybe the white walls soften it a bit. I'm thinking maybe coupes look more evil than roadsters. I think you are right about the extension of the builder's personality. But what about the cars themselves. What's the thing that makes a car friendly looking or like it's about to run you down?
im a believer that stance helps gives cars their personality, but little things like headlight placement and amount of factory stuff like handles/exposed hinges/chrome etc all add to said character. marks coupe = bad mofo jeff's roadster = classy/elegant almost?
two cars can be built up with the same gear , one has the look the other looks way off the mark. Personally i think it comes down to the owners sence of style, and if he/she has a sound understanding of the era and how to pull it off sucessfully.
Stiper I have a set of chromies with the same tires, but black walls, as are on my car now. You put those on and pull the top and hood sides and it is a totally different car!!! Sorry I got no pictures that way
I hate it when people say my car is "cute". I want it to be sinister. I guess I need to change it's vibe.
This is exactly my point. Just like Scratchbuilt said. It can have all the same parts but a different vibe. I'm not calling your car cute, just making the point that there seems to be some ingredient that tips the scale. I kinda agree on the purple Bad Mofo comment too. That coupe sure looks like the business but it doesn't look like a child killer. A little bit further in the direction of that car and it's a whole different look...kind of cartoony.
I definitely believe it reflects the builders personality. That's what gives it it's style, either good or bad. When I built my '32 Coupe, it was my first pre '50 rod so I had a vision on how it should look. Now, after finding the HAMB, there are things I would change if I still owned the car.
Two very cool hot rods. This one won't knock down your grandma as she crosses the street But this one might Pics by Anderson
Your car says to me that you are serious, demand perfection, want to be viewed as someone who takes no bullshit and express that through the things you own, you have an appreciation for the ability to over whelm through the effect of sheer absence. You are also open minded and willing to express your own view despite the opinions of others. You feel that you can shut up all doubters by displaying perfection which they can not hope to achieve. If you follow a pack, you are at the edge of it, looking for the opportunity to go in your own direction yet returning to the pack to show the spoils of your recent foray. An automobile can help its owner to separate the intelligent from the non, a wise man should think twice before commenting on a quality built automobile, a fool would not, thus you have a machine in your possession that can determine IQ. Cool ride enjoy it.
To me it's the whole package, as even the slightest thing can change a car's personality and either make or ruin the look. I've seen cars that were nice but had something missing, and a simple 2" change in stance made the car.
I dig your car, but the color says to me, "I let my girl pick out the color". Further, if my back was turned when you rolled up, I then turned around, I would never expect it to be that color. Weirder still, I dig the color, just not on your car. Stance, wheels, engine, windshield, all perfect.
What do you all think? Pete[/QUOTE] I really like just about everything about this car. The color would not be my personal first choice but I like it here. The color is different, unexpected, and kind of makes a good contrast with the other aspects of the car. The side steering is particularly cool, as is the windshield, the proportions, and the stance. My only critical comment is that the front tires look a little tractor-like, but overall, the car is one of my favorite modifieds....not "cute", just cool, including the color.
I LOVE the color. If it was black...YAWN. Its also obvious you spent a LOT of time looking at the car as you built it, and really THINKING about the porportions, and really thinking about what is and isnt period-correct. Nothing on it jarrs or looks out of place, or makes me think "oh, yea, a modern car trying to look period". you car is actually a great example for this thread. So many guys throw parts at thier car randomly, because they think the parts in question are cool, no thought as to the whole picture.
i think the pic of that purple coupe posted earlier screams look at me im a BADASS stance / flow are everything in a cars personallity all the right parts in the world wont make the car flow if the stance is wrong for the build style the owner was going for for me all cars need at least a little rear to front "rake" and some air under them im not into the whole air bag layin frame scene i guess that comes from growing up in the 70's early 80's in hamilton ohio (not exactly a lowrider mecca) the car would spend more time in the frame shop because of our streets then it would on the street but i love to see the paint jobs done on REAL lowriders (so-cal?)
Good discussion fellas. I even like the criticism of my colour choice. That's why I picked it. I wanted it to be different. But in the vain of this thread, is the colour the thing that stops my car from nailing the look? It sure could be. (Not that it bothers me). I am so close to it I can't tell. My front tyres are a bit chunky and that pic highlights it more than most. Again, I don't usually notice it but when it's pointed out, it's obvious. I used what I had. BTW this wasn't supposed to be about MY car. It's about every car. The comment about the Oprah ad breaks is appropriate too. If you look at my first post it says I thought of it while cutting my grass and I posted it while bored on night shift at work. Good pick up. And Fuzzy. I agree 100% that both of those coupes scream "Hotrod". But one looks more sinister than the other. I'd take either in a heartbeat. Francisco Plumbero, I had no idea my car said all that. Have you been reading my horoscope?
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