May I add. Non carborundum illegitimi. One of my old co workers favorite phrases.. Worked in a plant with 60 other dudes...all with opinions that were “shared” freely. Sometimes the drama was overwhelming!
It's a very well written piece Ryan and I fully agree. The cars are both an expression of their creator and the timeframe they were created. "America was stuffing itself with everything grandiose it could get its hands on and guys like Barris and Roth was intravenously feeding the masses their representation of this grand vision." This quote from you explains the Aztek in my opinion... in a time where the cars off the assembly line were approaching one-year-only and extravagant as they were, the customs had to be more. More grandiose than GM or Ford, or why even get the tools out. I assume they also were commissioned in some cases and influenced by the owners, and we all know the show scene had an influence. I also agree that arguing about vintage customs is ridiculous, and I'm glad I missed it. They're old cars... lighten up Francis!
Contrary to what has been written about me on HAMB, I do get into Customs, appreciating them as much as any Hot Rod/Streetrod ,reviewing the Costom pages as much as anything else here. There are hundreds I'd like to own. Are there Customs that I'm not a fan of, of course there is, just as there is in anything dealt with in life. My likes, dislikes are "felt" with in my being, not initially "thought about or of, generating within me a deep appreciation and want to have. Its kind of like what was said about porno, I don't know what pornography is, but I know it when I see it. Let the berating stop.
I designate this the #1 BEST post on the subject. I stand ashamed feeling small enough to walk under a closed door and will never again utter a negative comment concerning any thing here.
Enough already. Ryan this thread should be closed. The debate has been held, positions taken, and everybody has had the chance to respond. It is over!
Wait just a dog gone minute. People actually get upset here and post stuff about it elsewhere? I’m not sitting by them meanies at lunch tomorrow
Then why are you reading it and posting on it? Time to move on? When the thread is no longer posted on, it will move down the list with the other inactive threads.
I’m a pretty good thread killer, let’s see if I can end this one. I’ve met plenty of guys who exhibit the “I know everything, you don’t know sh!t” attitude and we have our fair share on here. But it would be a mighty dull website if everyone just gushed praises and patted each other on the back just for buying an old car. I say let’s put away the knives and guns and keep it down to a traditional rumble, you know, chains, tire irons and brass knuckles. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I skipped most of the threads, but are WE still arguing Rods vs Customs?! How about East vs West?! Print media dropping like flies and this still happening? I think Roth said, Hot Rods to scare the girl, Customs to win her!
Well, if the woodchuck had any common sense, he'd replace that 90 year old wood with a quality system of square steel tubing.
Craft says this whole thing to me, more than art; craft noun UK /krɑːft/ US /kræft/ craft noun (SKILL) [ C or U ] plural crafts skill and experience, especially in relation to making objects; a job or activity that needs skill and experience, or something produced using skill and experience: the craft of furniture making/sewing/glassblowing political/literary craft rural/ancient/traditional crafts craft workers (= skilled workers) I like AZTEC I like customs. Even the wierdies.
Damn I need a stiff beverage! Sure do appreciate that we have such a level headed grownup at the helm.
I am a member of the fast disappearing generation. I like anything with wheels. (well almost anything) but my niche is traditional rods and customs. Mostly customs. Neither new rods, or new customs with flush fitting glass, power everything, belly button motors, (cheap easy and quick to do) just don't turn me on, but that's my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions. It's been said way too many times "there's room in this hobby for all of us" still holds true. If you have to stop to criticize someones efforts, you are at the wrong show, or place, or maybe you picked the wrong hobby.
Barris did create some cars were really beyond the realm of baroque, like the Grecian for example, but the Aztec was/is a really well done car.
To each his own. You like it, fine. You don't, fine. I don't give a damn either way. But please keep these furrin' language shit to yourselves, OK? I have a hard enough time trying to decipher some of the supposed English posts what with the run on sentences, no punctuation whatsoever, improper spelling and other goofs to try and decipher some other language!
I had to go back to read the original post, that possibly started all of the controversy about the AZTEC. If you look at the original post, it was just announcing that the AZTEC was going to be sold at a MECUM auction. That's it, plain and simple, the original post did not invite any opinions of, if the car was ugly or beautiful. I just wanted to point that out since this element, while a small one, is an important one ! I also thought it was interesting that the person that posted the information about the MECUM auction, didn't give any opinions about the car either. I doubt the original post was designed to start a firestorm of opinions, but it quickly flared up into a conflagration of emotion's, that have prompted the use of an ancient language. I would assume that this will increase the sales of Theasaurus's ! The picture below is a perfect example, do you see a boat that is upside down ? Or do you see a CUSTOM made light fixture ? Love it or hate it, you have to respect and appreciate the effort it required to be artistically different!
English at the time of Shakespeare: Thou art nev'r too fusty to learneth something new. Thee distemperate blinking idiot. There's also this thing called Google Translate???
A lot of this reminds me of the old cartoons with the Road Runner and Wile E Coyote. The little sub titles they used to use to explain how fast he was !,,,,,,LoL. Tommy
When I was in my teens living in California, I got to see many Barris creations. I said then and I say now, You don't have to like the finished product, but you should appreciate the time, effort, and quality workmanship that went into the finished product.
The Jalopy Journal
