Art & Inspiration How do you Spread the Traditional Hot Rod Gospel?

Well I tried doing it on the HAMB but that really didn't work out.

I just do my thing, if someone asks I just say this is the way I learned to do it, but I learned from the old guys. usually that brings up questions.

 

Burnouts in front of schools, I've got the excessive tire noise doubled in a school zone ticket to prove it. Really though, driving your car and talking to people about it will spread the gospel quicker than anything. Most of the time they don't even know what year or make the car is, they just know its cool and want to talk a little.

 

The latest thing that I have been involved with, to promote hot rods and kustoms, has been working on the series of reliability runs, to get people out of a lawn chair and behind the wheel. It's a novel concept, to some![/QUOTE]

As I write this I sit here in my Hot Rod Hundred T-shirt! Loved that run, and it will be a staple in my yearly deal from here on out. Having tried locally to re-launch our traditional cruising street, Central avenue, I can't believe how many people think of actually driving these cars as a foreign thought! I saw your '40 at L.A.R.S. and Early Ford store, but missed figuring out who you were to introduce myself. Maybe next time.

To answer the question, I drive my cars daily. That's a biggie!! But so is politely explaining that it's NOT a rat rod! Also, if kids around are accompanied by an adult and well behaved, they are welcome to sit in the 'Bucket and take a picture. I've always done this with my cars.

 

I just got back from the LARS...4400.3 miles from my driveway back to my driveway.....we had about a dozen cars at a time....mostly 8 or 9 on the trip.......I never had a single person that came up and wanted to look at all the cars ask if it were "REAL OR A KIT"........It's Tupperware, but I had just as much fun with it answering the questions and letting little kids sit in it while their Dad's took their picture and seeing the look in their eyes of..."When I get the family raised, this is what I want to build"......most everyone who likes cars at all, likes the Old Hot Rods......I can change my wheels and people call it traditional.....put my Salt Flats on it and it's a Street Rod......I could scuff it with a scotchbrite pad and it's Patina or paint it flat black and it's a rat rod.........I say, get over it...most people don't give a rats butt about what it's called...they like it for what it brings to them...Youth...young and old alike...they all remind us of our Youth or the Young guys, it reminds them of being set apart from his Buddies cars......."IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CARS AND DRIVING THEM".......IT NEVER WAS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF CLASSIFICATION WE PUT IT IN........."DRIVE THEM, TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THEM, ENJOY THEM AND MORE PEOPLE WILL WANT THEM"........Those of us who are Blessed enough to have more than one car...Steel and Plastic should be grateful that we are able to have them and should show others how much fun they are.....Life is Too Short not too..................

 

If I see someone with a ride that fits the guidelines, I'll ask if they're on the HAMB. If the answer is, "No.", I tell them about it and give a detailed explanation of what it's about.

Surprisingly, I find a LOT of people have no idea what the hell I'm talking about. "What the fu*k is a hokey ass and why would I want one?"

As far as promoting hot rods, I try and answer INTELLIGENT questions, when ever I can. I find quite a few people are like I used to be. They think it takes a right arm and first born son to have a hot rod. These are the folks, who spend all day watching car shows on TV. I educate them with my experiences and let them take it from there.

You'd be surprised, how many people actually think hot rodding is just about Coddingtonish cars and million dollar shops. I tell them about my hard work, frugal budget and lost evenings and weekends and invite them to the misery that I call, FUN.

I don't go into the "lifestyle" or "scene" bullshit. That's what TV is for and if they mention either of those two words, I figure they're just into what ever looks faddish. I politely leave those folks to their own devises.

 

I read some of the questions on the HAMB and wonder what the hell that person would do. if it weren't for the internet and the HAMB. Yes, the HAMB is good and I love it, but sometimes, it just takes working a problem out and not giving up, to find a solution. I try to do that as much as I can, before I take the easy way out and ask here. Google and the HAMB are usually my last resort. Some folks don't even try Google first. They just start a thread and wait for an answer they like.

 

I drive my jalopy around, when people ask about it, I preach the gospel. Some get it, some don't. Life goes on.

 

Models are great , this is the way me and my kids started.

 

Not sure if i spread the gospel or not. Frankly, I don't care to "explain it" to anyone. I have a Roth Tshirt that says "If I gotta explain you won't understand". Isn't that the real truth of it? How can I tell my client what's "wrong" with his billet street rod? He's been around all of it for decades and raced early sports cars in southern CA, yet I'm doing a car that's so OT here I won't bother to describe it. I'm doing a car for another client that has something that could be a poster child for the HAMB, yet he's never heard of TJJ or this board. If I try mention why 18" wheels fuck up the looks of an X frame GM car (insert your favorite) it quickly becomes a debate. If I had a Benji for everyone who told me I need em for my Belair bubble I could pay someone to do it for me. What we seem to cherish here rolls straight into the muscle cars of the bygone days. Those are also becoming infected with LS motors and 18-20in wheels. Add some Katskin puffy seats, big brakes, digital gauges, to my eyes it's just as fucked up as a chopped Merc rollin 20s, but the "day 2" thing works real well.

Then there's that red skinned horned bastard sitting on my left shoulder. With a voice that carries, I get told "...fuck em..." when it comes time to converse or "preach". He and I don't want everyone to like what I like or understand the genuine esteem that can only come from living it. I'll converse with most who can identify with what I might be doing, but at the same time I can't bring myself to "convert" others. Long ago one of the guys shagged an old T bucket. "Hey man, what you do with this thing?" I took him in the office and opened the topic here that was all traditional buckets. "Pictures are worth a thousands words bud. Have a seat and enjoy." That's about as far as I ever went with spreading the gospel. If all of this just means I'm a dick, I can live with that.

 

I spread the gospel one person or group at a time. People at work who ask, family, people at car shows.
There were a bunch of teens looking at the car below saying it was such a cool rat rod. I told them it wasn't a rat rod and they looked bewildered. I talked to them for about 10 minutes explaining the differences and what makes traditional hot rods so cool. I would like to believe that they are now much wiser. I hope our traditional passion lasts for generations to come. We need to spread the gospel.

 

When I drive up to O'reilly's on the weekends the young guys that work there go ape shit over my 54 Chevy or my 49 Buick. They think they are the coolest rides around and like to ask me questions about them and take pictures.

Sometimes, I get them to help me search for parts. They are not like the guys at Advance Auto, they are truly interested and like the challenge of identifying and finding the right part for me....and they get to learn something in the process.

Driving them is the way to spread the interest, for sure. The ones who are inspired, always stop you and ask questions.

 

I love traditional rods but I have no problem with my alternator and electric fan. I get more questions about what is it, what year is it or what is the HAMB? I tell them it's a bunch of crazy old farts set in their ways but they have a wealth of knowledge about old cars that can never be replaced. When they ask if it is real I tell them to reach out and touch it, that's as real as it gets but it is plastic. I try to explain about traditional hot rods and let everyone sit in it and take all the pictures they want. No one has ever asked me about the alternator and electric fan either. When I got it it was a street rod but now it's a HOT ROD! Built the traditional way in my garage.

 

This guy knew how to do it.

 

I love it when a newbie gets in here and brings up the term rat rod. Most members, especially mega posters , jump their shit and chase them off.
I get the dumb newbie questions are annoying, but that's it... They're new.
You guys that run your mouth only hurt Ryan and the Hamb.

 

That covers it nicely.

 

4378 miles driving my model A between February 15th 2013 to August 9th 2013. Daily driven. Almost back on the road....hopefully before the year mark. Many more miles to come after that.

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

I make it valuable to get involved... I pimp the Hamb on the home page of my web site and glad to do it. www.hotrodseats.com then click on the Hamb link.

 

I just park out front. Frees up garage space for the day and somebody usually stops.

Even better when a brother rodder stops. "......I thought there was just me......COOL!"

 

I spread a lot of things but Gospel ain't one of them... I do drive old cars though.

 

Neither do I.

 

X2, have a very hard time trying to get that glimpse of understanding, or even that sign that some give away when they dont condemn you for driving a 60 yr old car as much as you can. "They belong on the road and I dont mind if the chrome dont shine" I say, but its all useless. I live in Portugal. Period. With honourable exceptions, everybody prefers to have the latest Audi TDI model and even endanger theyr own survival by asking the bank for money to buy it!
I dont mind letting people taking pics of the Ford or letting them sit or even start the engine. Even last week I went out for a pizza with my wife and saw a couple of flashes near the car. Took a look and there was a boy taking pictures of a girl spreading across the hood and leaning over the car. Little did they know that I usually give her a bath of a thin layer of machine oil every time she gets washed...
Well, I do what I can because I also appreciate talking about the car, but I gave up trying to explain why it should be lowered to enhance the stance, or why it could have the badges removed, or why it would have its lines accentuated if I shaved the door handles.
I'm a continuously challenged proud owner!

 

I'm no missionary so I don't try to change anybody's mind (about anything!), I just drive the snot out of my cars and answer questions wherever I go ------ until they start telling me how their cousin's 58 Chevy pulled wheelies on bias plys, then I'm outta there.

 

Well 1st I've got my 2 kids to teach. My son is 10 and about to be 11 and my daughter is 7. He likes to help on our cars and watch the car stuff on TV. He also likes to go to events and cruises and his new favorite thing is the swap meet.

I am trying to teach him how to negotiate a deal so he can try to save money on whatever he buys. H e is getting pretty good at it. When we went to the annual "guy trip" in Bowling Green to the Hot Rod Reunion this year he made a couple of deals in the swap meet.

He bought a couple of Hurst T handle shift knobs for 15.00 the guy wanted 10.00 each for them. When the guy asked him what he was going to do with them he told him that he was going to sell one and make his money back and keep the other one. He got some Mothers polish from one of our buddies that was there and put about 30 minutes of work into polishing it up and sold it at the cruise in at the host hotel for 30.00. The next day he went back to the swap meet to try to buy the others the guy had but he was sold out of them. The guy asked him if he had sold the other one and he told him yes and told him how much and the guy just laughed and was aggravating him about beating him on that deal. My son ate that up.

My daughter just likes to ride but I believe she will be wanting to build one of her own at some point. She is always coming in the garage asking questions. I willdo whatever I can to help them if that is what they want to do.
There have been lots of the people that have been awfully good to my son when they see him. Some of the guys on here have given him rides in their cars and have answered lots of his questions and for that I truly am grateful.
I answer all of his friends as well as anybodies questions that want to ask. When I go to his school to have lunch with him or his sister and I am on my Shovelhead or in my wagon and their friends say that is a cool car or bike I am always gracious and tell them thank you and answer any questions.
Usuall when I get ready to go my son tells me to be sure I rev the motor when I start it. That evening he tells me that it was cool when I left and all his buddies thought it was awesome.

Well I am rambling so lets just say I like this shit but love spreading this sicknes to my kids and their friends.

Here is a link to our wagon.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...otten-myself-into-bowling-green-bound.688685/

here is a link to our guy trip this year
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...eunion-in-bowling-green-picture-heavy.928209/

ENJOY AND PREACH ON.

 

You can't spread what you don't believe.

Come walk in the glorious light, my brothers!

 

I will say this much. At 5, my daughter wants a pink Model A with "sparkles"(metalflake pink), she knows the difference between a T and an A, and she reads TRJ with me. So I guess I am spreading the gospel in spite of my grumpy old self.
As far as trying to "convert" goofballs in Audis, or asshats in ratrods, I'd rather herd cats...

 

I pimp the site to anybody who actually "gets" our thing.

 

I just drive my Roadster and let people decide. You know right away the ones that get it. I think traditional is something different for people depending on their age. I am happy with my ride and that is really all that matters. If someone wants to talk about it I am glad to bend an ear.

 

I was fortunate to be 'drafted' at 13, by some real hot rodders. Over the years, I've seen older guys just deflate young kids that come up, look at the 'neat hot rods', and ask a 'newby' question...just to get completely insulted by these ass hats, wishing they'd never walked up.

I drive my F100 every day, and there's always a kid (or grownup) that wants to know: "What year is it?"
Sometimes I quiz 'em..."Take a guess..." They usually get within 5 years, so I educate them on the body, grille, and other tidbits.
When the youngsters look inside, their eyes get big. Moon gas pedal always gets attention, the the S-W speedo..."Wow! 160? Will this go that fast???"
I have 'em sit in it, most LOVE the 3 spoke Bell. When they ask about the gauges, wheel, gas pedal, Sun tach...I tell them the roadster is the same way. "Familiar office," I add.
If a parent is there, I ask if I can take 'em for a ride. Moms always concede. "We won't go far, be right back..."
One kid's Mom looked nervous, when we got back said "I was praying he wouldn't ask you to try out that speedometer..." Much laughter. (nervous laughter on her part)

One day in front of the Catholic school, 3 boys about 12 were walking, one of 'em says, "Cool F100!"
He made a 'circling' gesture with his hands...I locked brakes and gassed it, lighting tires for just a couple of seconds...They hooped and gave me the thumbs up, "Right On!" I nervously looked for a cop...

Kids on my street like the truck, most have been over to come in the shop. They are all interested, I've welded bike stuff for them, showed 'em how to patch a tire, one of 'em has welded with my machine. They are wild about my '27 Hiboy and my tub.
Relax, Guys. There's hope.

 

In my 8 years of being here, I can only recall a couple of FNG's who left because they got shit for using the term "rat rod". It does NOT happen as often as a few people say it does. BUT, when it does, it's because that FNG Googled hot rod and out of all the shit that pops up, so does the HAMB. The FNG has probably been watching one of those TV shows that tosses "rat rod" out, like it's the greatest thing since scented toilet paper. His mind and knowledge are polluted. Then, he hops his happy ass on here and DOES NOT READ the home page. The page that explains EXACTLY what the hell is going on in here. Does he deserve to have his ass handed to him? Yup. Do people who don't read the rules deserve to be ridiculed? Well, in real life, shit like that can get you killed. They only got harassed a little.

You know what makes people call our cars "dune buggies" and mistake a Deuce a '40 Chevy? The fu*king television. One of the first things I tell people, that want some information, is "Stop watching that shit on the TV. Hot Rods are not built in 6 weeks ." Once they accept that, the education can begin, if they want it.

 

I really like "Show and Go's" answer to the debate - a picture of the Pope of Hot Rod Insanity, Big Daddy Ed Roth; builder,showman, comedian, kid trapped in a grownup's body, and I would guess a great guy to party with.I can't imagine how many people he influenced with his cars and hi-jinks. For me it's all about having FUN. If you ain't havin' fun,you doin' the wrong thing! And a big dose of not taking yourself too seriously helps. Mike from Mass. ( take a kid to a car show)