History Kids...

[dsiddons]

Not one Fat Guy in those photos!

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Bucket of T

Last winter...



Not to many kids I know really like hot rods.. Good read though, I liked seeing all the other photos.

What a wonderful photo... Really nice composition and exposure.

[Drewfus]

Some would ask are they all hot rodders? I believe so, and agree that the guy that owns the car is the guy sitting on the fender, however, I think the guy that does the core work on it is the 2nd guy in (who's own project sits in the corner as he rarely has time to git it sorted, and agree that he's the 'troubled one'), the 3rd guy is the 'all-rounder', although his parent's bought him a new 57 corvette (girls love him, guys are torn with jealousy and admiration in the same breath), the last dude, he's alway's been stuck in the shadows, but, the guys who 'have' it going on, all embrace him as a brother, as he's been there since the were 'kids' growing up.....(one of life's twists of irony)

"I'm a teenager, but with decades of experience...."

[tfeverfred]

Hot rodding. The only true time machine. Shut up, sit back and just enjoy the ride.

[bulletproof1]

great post,,,

[33-Chevy]

Originally Posted by jipp

that pictures great. i do have one question, i understand the grease.. but for the life of me in all these really old black and white hotrod pictures.. all the young lads have there Levis rolled up some.. WHY? was it to show off there penny loafers ( wing tips?) would love a answer from a old timer, no worries man you will always be young in my eyes if you decide to answer iv lived a hard life truth be told.. died for 2 mins.. artificial knee.. spine operation a few times.. etc etc my body is broken period. ill be 37 next month.. i hope i do not grow old and grumpy.. if i do would one of you guys slap the shit out of me and wake me up we still have cars to drool over.. thanks in advance.
chris.

They were still growing teen agers and their parents still had fresh memories of the Depression. The pants legs were left long so the jeans could still be used as the young men got taller. From the looks of the car I would guess the picture was taken in 1950 to 1954 and they would be in my age group. The car has a "California tilt".

[MisterMilko13]

Great article! As a past and present participant in punk rock, tattoos, and hot rods, I am watching myself no longer be 'the young guy'. With any culture that has it's roots in youth, it doesn't even take a full generation before people are angry that the young guys are 'doing it wrong'.

I think you summed it up perfectly, I have no interest in growing up! I can participate in what adult activities I need to while looking 'cool' and driving fast cars. So, while I'm far from old, the future is a lot less scary to imagine if I get to arrive there in a hot rod.

Oh, and to the Old Guys: Thanks! We wouldn't have much with out you... and I'll try and keep the music down.

[A Rodder]

Great read,

I am 31 and have had a ton of really great cars, But I feel like an idiot and a poser in converse and dickie shorts, just can't bring myself to wear 'em. I did buy a pair of Vans recently and love them, because they are comfortable. But I love my HOT RODS

[dvzdeathtrap]

Originally Posted by dsiddons

Not one Fat Guy in those photos!

no fat kids, because youth actually -physically did stuff (i.e. working on cars). not sitting in front of the x-box, eating cheetos, and having no personal interests other than texting and posting on face book. like someone said earlier. we ALL share something in common. cars. regardless how we look or dress. times will continue to change, passion shouldn't -DVZ

[DRUGASM]

The old guys I know just shake their head. It's too low, it's too loud, you don't need that much power.

One thing I have always noticed though, as they shake their heads they have a grin on their faces. I could never tell if they were laughing at me or remembering what it was like to be a 16 20 25 year old kid.

I had an old timer tell me one time the best days of his life were on a Friday night after a long work week when he had 1/2 a tank of gas to cruise, a six pack of beer, a fresh pack of smokes, his girlfriend, and a couple of bucks in his wallet.

I always laughed at that.... Tank of gas to cruise was the first thing he mentioned everytime. Then he would shake his head coz it was too low and too loud.

[firingorder1]

Originally Posted by jipp

that pictures great. i do have one question, all the young lads have there Levis rolled up some.. WHY?

The answer for me is quite simple but you have to be over 60 to understand. Back in the 50s when it came back to school time you were dragged out to the store and you got a new pair of jeans. You were still growing so the legs were always too long and you were supposed to grow into them. Most of them didn't last long enough. You also go a couple of new T shirts and if you were lucky a pair of U.S. Keds. If you look closely you'll see the turnup is very narrow. Thats a fashion statement of the late 50s. Look at early 50s photos and the turnup is much larger. If you look at the fashion of the mid 60s the turnup had disappeared. For me its a fabulous photo of a wonderful period of time. Too bad it didn't last.

[shoprat]

I'm from So Cal and never rolled my Levi's like that. I rolled them under if needed.
Those Guys don't resemble Greasers to me either.I think a lot of this stuff depends where you grew up. Actually they look like they're about old enough to join the svc.
Those were good times whether you rolled up your jeans or not. I was there in
So Cal all my life (so far) and had Customs and Hot Rods of all kinds as long as
they were Fords or Mercs.
All the Kids need is a little time in the Marines to get right

[striper]

I have to admit to not reading this whole thread. The sentiments seem pretty much the same in what I have read.

I just turned 45. I've been into this "stuff" for well over half my life, yet I only finished my first hot rod about 2 years ago. I wish I could have had it when I still had grease in my hair, or should I say, hair to put grease in. When I finished my car it all made sense. I knew why as a young fella all the cool cars were driven by old guys. I had become one of them and now I knew that only the old guys can actually afford them (in Australia rodding is expensive).

If I could I would still have grease in my hair, chasing girls and listening to rockabilly music. The hair is long gone, I have a family and I still like the rockabilly but don't have time to get out to bands much anymore. I guess that leaves cars. I could get all negative about the young guys not being committed to cars because they are out doing all that other "scene" stuff but in reality, they have it right. They are doing what I was doing 20+ years ago and would probably still like to (at least a little).

The cuffed Levis...that's easy. I get ribbed by workmates and others outside my circle of friends for wearing cuffed jeans. Truth is I am 5'9" and jeans seem to be made for guys 6'3". If I could wear them without cuffs, I would. It's a bi-product of my genes that I'll have to settle for looking cool well into old age.

The really strong message I got from "our hero" is that it is the young kids that are doing it. It's the older guys that are hanging on, pretending to still get it.

Pete

[MEDDLER1]

Great post Ryan. I have been thinking alot lately about how it all started for me and my friends and who is still around building and driving their cars. Funny thing is i had a nieghbor kid ask me how old I was recently and I said 36 why do you ask? He said I have more toys than all of the old people he knows. I told him that I will work on cars,ride motorcycles and skateboards until my body wont let me anymore and that he could do the same if he wanted. He was very suprised to find out how old I am and came by later and said, I should hurry up and do it alot because Im almost 40 and thats really old....... he is 9. Man Im with you, I dont ever wanna grow up. No matter how old my body is.

[Lotek_Racing]

Love this bit: I just appreciate that there are young guys around that share the same lack of sensibility that I did as a kid. It makes me think that this world of ours is gonna be just fine when I’m gone.

[stainlesssteelrat]

the point to it ALL is 2 things.

#1. women.. always has and always will be.

#2. when you get to that line (and we all do) when enough is enough and you punch the
gas and it smokes em and you fire off down the road like a rocket and it's just you and the car with not a damn care in the world.

[milwscruffy]

As far as i know,


1) pure hotrodding


2) cool


3) stupid


don't have an age limit !!!

[SamIyam]

I was thinking... from left to right:

1. Hot Rodder.

2. Hot Rodder.

3. Hot Rodder.

4. Hot Rodder.


Anything we try to put labels on is just a state of mind...

Sam

[Sledge]

Originally Posted by toby denham

here's my take on these guys ........




from l to r

1) chuck - he owns the car. That's why he can sit on the fender. Chuck bought the coupe off a neighbor for $150.00 and has been in the process of souping it up for about a year and a half. Chuck played football his junior year, but decided to not play his senior year. He had a steady girlfriend, debbie willdewya. However, debbie eventually got pissed because she felt chuck spent too much time with his friends and working on his car than he did with her. Chuck never got to feel anything with debbie, so they broke up.

2) phillip (phil for short) - phil is chuck's closest friend. They grew up in the same neighborhood and went through grammar school and woodrow wilson junior high together. Phil has a '39 ford coupe that is sitting in his backyard. It's not running and is in pieces, but he has big plans for it if he can just get enough dough together. He just doesn't make enough money bagging groceries down at johnson's grocery. Lately, phil has been troubled (as can be seen by his expression). When chuck and debbie broke it off, debbie, who was upset, ran to phil for sympathy and consoling. What ended up happening is she got her fill of phil. He's scared shitless that chuck may find out!

3) lynn - lynn rides a 1956 triumph trophy 650. He's renowned for being hell on wheels. He has an old '31 ford touring that he tinkers on, but he really prefers riding his bike and hanging out to drink beer. He's been known to get in a few fights. He's always had something of a chip on his shoulder. It may be because of his name. Lynn also banged debbie, but he doesn't really gives a shit whether chuck finds out or not.

4)tommy - tommy loves anything mechanical. He plans on attending mit and becoming an engineer. He likes hangin' out with hot rodder types, and they tolerate him because he's so damn goofy and funny. Plus, he is likeable. Tommy is smart, though. He is in the beta club and math club in high school. He gets straight "a"s, well ... Almost. He did get a "d" in p.e. For not dressing out. You can't blame him, though. The guys were always yankin' his p.e. Shorts down when they played basketball in the gym on rainy days. One time someone came up behind him and not only yanked his p.e. Shorts down, but also yanked his underwear too ... In front of the girls! Tommy swore he'd never dress out again. At any rate, when this photo was taken, tommy tried sitting on the rear fender. Chuck told him he had 2 seconds to get his ass off.

By the way ... Tommy has also done debbie, but only in his mind!

hahahahahahahahahahaha...........just spit my beer out all over the monitor!!!!! That's the funniest shit i've read in a while!!!

[firingorder1]

No.3 would never ride a bike. Triumph or otherwise. Hairstyle, jacket, white socks and loafers are all wrong. But he does have a smirk like he did Debbie.