Shark Week

You my friend have fallen victim to the sky is falling, when I was in my early twenty's the pessimist who were predicting the demise of hot rods & customs, I have heard that for more than 50 years, granted it's not quiet what it once was as far as the type of cars that the younger guys wanted but the younger guys are still involved with the hobby, their cars seem to be made across the ocean and more than likely have 4 doors and 4 cylinder engines.

When I stop and think about it, they are doing basically what I did at their age, I bought a second or third hand car, it usually had a small engine and I proceeded to turn it into my vision, they are doing that today, just not as many subscribe to the traditional styles.

A demise of hot rods as we know them very well be on the distant horizon but regardless of organized events, cruise-ins or clubs there will also be a group of individuals that will subscribe to the traditional hot rods & customs.

BTW, Ryan you are the same age as my twin girls and at times they act older than me, At 69 I consider myself a geriatric delinquent and I still get excited when a see any hot rod or custom built using their knowledge from the past!

I proudly display the Old Farts Club plaque. HRP

 

Old guys don't care. They've done it and gotten where they want to be. They probably have all the future project materials they need stashed back in the garage, and the knowledge of what to do with them stashed in their noggin. They know what's cool and how to build it.

Sometimes young guys stir the pot, either by coming up with new styles, or by acting fools. They think they have it all under control, but this is an old mans' game.

Either one of them can get the sweats when they see a cool car. And hopefully we have more young guys feeling that way, cause eventually they will become old guys.

 

I think about selling off my cars and junk every once in a while. In my life time I will not see the end of the traditional hot rod / custom thing. Ryan, you may. Besides young people not getting it, we have government working against us, maybe not directly, but we will get thrown into the legislative mix/mess. Right now I am just taking it one day at a time. Dodging health bullets and time. I think I will go burn some rubber. Crazy teenagers.

 

My cousins coupe and my roadster. We are both 23 years old and did everything on these cars with the help of our grandpa and his dad. Some of us care.

 

I look at hot rods as investment in time. That time invested with my son, nieces, nephews and friends. I educate them about Hot Rods and Kustoms. Whoever you can influence about our greater interest in our "old cars" the better. One thing is for sure and I witnessed it last week end at Goodguys in Puyallup is a lot of people will pay 25.00 each to get in and have a look. That "look" that kid gets from going to show is all it takes to infect them. I know I was infected by finding a some old hot rod mags my foster dad had in the shop, that was in the early 90's I haven't been the same since...And I'm okay with that, want to know where to find me look in my shop.....Want to find future people who have the same interest, they are looking over your shoulder trying to figure out what your doing....

 

When my grandson came home from school in Florida he told me he had fallen into a group of younger guys that were into 60's American cars & truck and was asking me about my old 65 Ford truck in the barn, while he is in school he can't afford to build a hot rod but I told him upon graduation I would give him the truck that I have owned for almost 50 years.

There is still some that have had the good fortune to be around us old farts and hd our passion rub off on them. HRP

 

Don't you mean, " you would love to shoot this pair together?" HRP

 

Rad hotrods!

I agree, I see tons of younger guys getting cars on the road. I also think as morose as it is the older guys passing away is going to flood the market with two doors over the next decade or so and that’s going to change the price dynamic I think.


Maybe not.

I think you need to get your 38 back on the road and go stab the throttle. I think there’s probably a shark in that car.

 

I love the slogan, "Take a kid to a car show." Most of us don't have young, impressionable kids anymore, but the Grand kids or the young guy at work may be one of the new generation if given the chance. You just never what will start the fire. I did get the youngest Grandson, Reese to draw a hot rod using Bomber's tutorial last week, so there is Hope. I Challenge others to do the same!

 

Message me if you ever find yourself in Columbus, OH

 

"With the diving? That’s easy… I want to swim with a White Shark. And that will happen as soon as I can financially make it happen."
There are some youngsters (20 to 30 yo) that make it to the weekly cruise in and their situation is identical....
'with the Hot Rodding? That's easy...I want to drive and hang with the old farts and their hot rods. And that will happen as soon as I can financially make it happen'

 

No photos of the shark or the rod?

 

You've already done a whole LOT for hot rodding, Ryan. And I'm confident that the Hamb will continue to have a great legacy be a great influence long after we're gone.

What are the rest of us going to do about it?

I'm trying.
9 year old Zander visits here on the farm often. He likes "Mr. Rick"... LOL... and I like him.
He already helps during haying season... drives his dad's truck, pulling the hay wagon.
I'm building him a custom bicycle.
We talk.
He said to me...
"I want something with an engine!"
LOL... Yes!
Coming up, Zander. We've got a mini bike and a couple of other projects in the wings.
He says he wants to help me work on my Chrysler. I was teasing him, saying he's gonna do so much sanding, his name won't be Zander anymore... it'll be Sander.
He knows about the Hamb. We'll see how things go and if maybe he wants to join us one of these days.

Zander says hello.



Sent from my VS835 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I do not think there is too much to be concerned about. Nothing is forever but this hobby still has a long way to go yet. Just enjoy!

 

My grandkids like to ride in my '48 and go to the HAMB drags. Hell the other day I was working on the wifes minivan, drilling out a lug stud because someone cross threaded the nut onto it, and my youngest who's 2-1/2 and favors his grandmas company comes right over, sits down beside me, watches and starts asking questions.

The seeds are planted, it's up to me to help them grow.

 

Grand kids and Hot Wheels...it's like planting seeds!

 

You brought it up with the title, "Shark Week", so.............................. Whatever you or anyone else does, don't get some washed up actor/comedian/sports figure to be "the voice" of this hobby (like Shark Week is turning into); well maybe Paul Le Mat would work, but basically guys who really don't care, just sign the check! I tried to get my nephew into this "car thing", much like I did with him and the guitar, but he ultimately went the Cadillac CTSV route. At least it has 4 wheels. My daughter wants my Delivery and "stuff", but there's no way; she just does't take care of anything. The nephew would get it all before her. The problem as I see it, is no one really wants to do it for themselves anymore. How many are in the business of building cars for someone else? I think it's getting more and more that way; why build the car when you can buy it? Like Dentists, Drs., and Lawyers on Harley's; the real bikers know what I mean. And, since this is really about getting "new blood" into the hobby, this sort of thing happened AGAIN today. Rather than try to help the new person, who just joined out, he gets hit with the unfriendly, "Do an intro first" or "criticized" for misplacing a decimal point, when it was obvious to all what he was saying (had to do with piston/bore oversize). Put the rocks down guys, help them out, point out their errors if that's what's going to actually help, but stop the attacks for crying out loud. This is't high school and you're not a bunch of "Mean Girls". Nuff said, as my Mother would say. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

This one just turned 14, and spent that whole day helping me split a car at the frame, and do other shop related awesomeness. He has a Square Body Chevy truck on the build, because that is what he can afford, and is stricken with the open wheel hot rod bug.

Not dead yet.

 

Let kids sit in your car, no matter how nice or how rough it may be. Take them for a ride.
It just might change their lives.

 

I'm not quite sure I'm responding to any particular part of your post Boss except....................as to the whole shark thing, you must carry your balls in a wheelbarrow!

As to that one hot rod experience that is still fresh in your mind, I had one too.
I will freely admit that it was at the GG West Coast Nationals in Pleasanton, Ca. many moons ago, I was no kid but it was my first time at that event, and for the unknowing (maybe uncaring) it was Mecca and not just for me either, this was a big deal affair.
Granted, those days had a lot of tweed, pastel, and billet but there were also many "real" hot rods too, maybe not flathead/red steelie type hot rods but ones of the high hp genre.
Long story short, I heard the commotion long before I could get across the fairgrounds to the scene of the hoodlum activity, get there and there are two 33/34 coupes nose to nose in what looked and sounded like two mechanical bulls snorting at each other, a 392 hemi and a BBC, blowers, carbs, and injectors at full song, the air was full of smoke and testosterone, man it was something to witness.

 

I wouldn't get in that water even if those sharks were stuffed!

 

Thanks, COOL Ryan, I don't know about the future of Hot Rodding? I do know that I was born a Hot Rodder, and I will die a Hot Rodder. I grew up in the best of years, the 1950's and 60's. I've always LOVE doing burnouts. If I ever get to old to do them. I'll have my grandson stuff me in the U.F.O. and do them for me! As for Sharks, I like them too, but at the aquarium. Ron.....

 

I hate water stuff and anything that lives in it but I do like the 34. Oh! And your not Old- YET

 

Old guy my ass. This year at BTT50s I was pleasantly surprised to see the amount of younger folks tooling around. Sure they may have been in 4 door beaters but they were having cubic shit tons more fun than the average lawn chair sitter.