Art & Inspiration Who Drives a Beater Hotrod, Car or Truck and Likes it That Way

Okay who's Hotrod or car ir truck is a beater or a little on the rough side?
I was lookin at my 55 Fargo, and she is a beater sorta like a 3 dressed up as a 9...lol
I live on 3 miles of gravel from highway and could not see ever having a beautiful paintjob, under car all in great shape
Hell I can't afford real nice anyhoo.
Share your stories
Hoopties welcome, here is your chance to shine....lol

 

There's something to be said for driving a somewhat rough car that's beyond saving, until it bites the dust. Especially in winter.

I've done this with a "parts car" for a couple years before it is decommissioned.

 

beaters are the best. paint sux.
that being said, Im glad people like nice paint and body work cause thats how I made my living

 

My Fargo up on blocks just prior to 318 swap.

 

I have refereed to my old Deuce as a beater for more than 30 years, I see it as a driver but certainly far from being "Decommissioned" in my lifetime.

The paint is exactly the same as when I bought it as a original non running car and it had been off the road and inside for many years.

I think the term is applied to a car that has been kept up but the condition of the finish is far from being the most important thing, being able to drive the car daily and not worry about and park where ever you desire. HRP

 

My once nicely painted hot rod, 54 Stude wagon (Conestoga) got keyed (one long stroke) while I was in the store for a "quick" trip for something to eat one afternoon.
So...my driver Conestoga that I am building as a daily driver, will keep its 66 year old paint. Maybe some clear for metal protection, not sure.

In the meantime, I'm driving a rusty, marginal chrome, one tail light lens is a flat piece of clear plastic painted with a light coat of red, light grey primered 54, 4dr. Studebaker. I've already swapped some of the good parts over to the driver wagon, and put the lesser parts on the 4dr. One front fender, the bondo is starting to crack. Currently has three black wheels, one white and two different brands of tires. Three of the four leak..!
The engine is a flathead 6 that runs...sorta ok, with a GM/Carter carburetor of some sort that the previous owner adapted, with a three speed trans., with weak synchro rings. The trunk lock doesn't work, the right side door window is broken, with tape for support. The back seat is real trash as is the makeshift carpeting, frt. & rear. The headlights...the switch works...sometimes. No heater, other than the hole in the firewall around the steering column. There's an invisible leak in the brake system. I need to refill it once a year, at that time, the reservoir will be empty. No fluid on the ground, tires or backing plates or under the master cylinder, don't know where it goes. All four shocks are trash. Didn't come with a radio, has delete plate in the dash. The steering box has..."some" play. I do need to adjust that here soon. No door panels or arm rests on any doors.
The fuel pump died a few months back, I HAD to replace that, along with a baddd, leaking freeze plug. The cloth wiring is 66 years old, ripe for fire starting, but so far-so good.

There's probably other things I'm forgetting...

The front seat I replaced with one from one of my other cars, it's the best part of this car, no tears anywhere..! Oh yea, the windshield wipers actually do work.
I DON'T drive the above car on the freeway.
I have a 2005 mini rod for any real driving..!

Is THIS beater enough ?

Mike

P.s. - This 4dr. is (obviously) a running parts car for my two wagons. If I need something, I have my own rolling junk yard.
I use it for all of my short runs around town.

 

A reliable drive or ride is all I need, the old “chrome don’t get you home” comes to mind.

 

My F100 is the roughest thing I own by far. A total beater. For some reason people go ape shit over it whenever I drive it, which is often. The vette is the nicest thing I own, and most people pretty much just ignore it.


Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I bought a rust free and original paint o/t 68 C10 long bed to be a daily driver as it real "patina" but after 3 month of driving it and getting it reliable, I couldnt stand looking at the worn paint. So I tore the truck apart, cut it down to a short bed and I am currently cutting and buffing the new paint, I grew up spending alot of my time at indoor shows polishing and maintaining show cars so I have to have shiny paint.

 

My car is a beater because it is unfinished with a lot of potential, not because it’s junk. I put it together to debug it and then pull it apart to finish it. 22000 miles later and no time to do it right I am still driving it and loving it. My buddy who restores tri 5 Chevys for a living does not own a car with good paint, it makes him too nervous drive them.

 

Here's Ole Fargo, waitin to get back on road.
Just finishing 318 swap.

 

...I've always liked and driven beaters,...no hassles, no worries, just fun,...got one" nice" old car, that's enuf...everybody loves my F-1 for some reason...lol

 

My '51 Ford is my 'beater'. It looks like a 3-4 but the drive-train is up to date and fresh. I can park it in a parking lot and not worry about it and I know it will start when I come back.

Parking Lot by brokedownbiker posted Oct 17, 2018 at 5:42 PM

 

My '39 I consider an old beater Hot Rod, it has very old paint, complete with chips, pitted chrome, etc.. but works for my enjoyment/fulfillment of having one that is cool the way it is, without the stress of the inevitable decline of a "perfect" car that is driven.

 

I've had a lot of nice cars. I restore cars for a living. I bought this Buick because I wanted to drive it and not worry about paint. Yep I'm getting older and lazy. I have to save my energy for customer cars. It doesn't even bother me when someone says...Nice Ratrod!!! Lippy

 

This is my beater work truck. I drive it every day. It isnt much but i sure love the dam thing. I had a three window when i was a kid then i had a pretty nice 5 window that burned up in a barn, they were both 1950. This one is a 49 it was on the side of the road for sale i bought it on sight. I did a little fixing on it and been driving it now for 4 years. I love that that dumb truck

 

This is my beater. Once in a while I scrub it off and take it to a car event, but usually it's plastered with bugs from driving it back and forth to work, going to see friends or just going for rides to clear my head. My butt's been in the drivers seat for over 36,000 miles now.

Gary

 

I drove a 48 F1 for many many years and miles , I needed another 4x4 for farm duties , so I purchased a forestry truck an OT Power Wagon , swapped in a Cummins , and 5 speed , and driving it daily , brush painted it with Rustelum boat paint , more fun that truck load of bananas in a Monkey Whore House .

 

I drive "Rusty" almost every day. I might give him a coating of Gibbs oil to keep the rust in check but nothing more. Fully rebuilt 8ba, 12 volt conversion, and a comfortable Glide Engineering seat. I never have to worry about where I park. At the one car show I go to (its a total family church sponsored event) I tell all the little kids, "sure it's OK to touch or even sit in the driver's seat and pretend to drive". Always get thumbs up when I drive. I could probably sell him for as much as a fully restored truck, but no he's not for sale.

 

My avatar coupe is my beater. Built 30+ years ago and haven't done much to it since 'cept drive it.
Been to the salt flats many times, has rust, chips and cracks. A twenty footer at best.
A ton of fun though!

 

This is my daily driver beater in the '70s-early 80's, '37 Chevy that I swapped in a Chevy 250 six.
Gee, I was a young guy then....

 

Beaters are better ... life's better in a beater... seems like there was a lot of people saying that in the 70's

 

My 61 Belair is a true 20 footer. Not a lot of “serious” rust but some areas that will need some work soon. Never been off registration here in Oz in its whole life( I know cause I’m the son of the second owner). Tranny ( ci p/glide) leaks, what a surprise. Paint is only average cause I repainted it 10 years ago cause the paint was stuffed and the body was showing signs of rusting. Engine (283) goes awesome still and for a car this size does ok. Interior is good enough for the missus to sit in go places. In fact a friend asked me to drive his daughters bridesmaids to the wedding. Bride got driven in a 54 F1. I love this car. Get a big stupid grin on my face (so I’ve been told) whenever I drive it. So many memories in this car. Don’t know what I’ll do with it when either I can’t drive it or it’s undrivable. Go image not having it parked in the garage. She’s a roughie but I wouldn’t swap it for anything.


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

 

Honestly, I've had nothing but beaters as far as the old ones go. Nothing too ratty looking, but nothing very fancy for sure. There's a lot to be said for not worrying about getting a scratch... cuz you wouldn't see it anyway in the sea of other scratches LOL. Probably could've dragged a screwdriver across some of mine and not notice a difference. I always made them run good, though.

Don't get me wrong... I love a nice looking car, and mine weren't rough-looking by choice. I can do and enjoy doing some nice finish work... on rare occasion when all the necessary prerequisites come together simultaneously... tools, materials, time, energy, space... money.

 

It's more fun when people ask "you drove that here?

 

64 Chevy C-20 I bought about 10 years ago for $1,100.00. I keep it up mechanically but it's a bit rough around the edges. It has a 350 with an Edelbrock intake and carb, Headman headers and a powerglide. It is extremely reliable.

 

Man, I had a great beater! Then I went and painted it pretty over the winter. Now, its a pretty beater.

I had to paint it because water started running inside the car at the top of the rear window when it rained. The water ran in because the window frame had rusted away. So while I was welding in the rear window frame from a 37 Ford into my 48 Plymouth, there were a few other things I needed to do, so those got done as well.

Before this past winter's "upgrades" we drove the car 60,000 miles through 26 different states, in the last 8 summers. We put 158 miles on the car Thursday, and another 106 miles on it this afternoon. Needless to say, its currently covered with squished bugs, and they will still be there tomorrow unless it rains tonight and washes them off. The car was built to drive, and drive it I will. When the day comes that I'd be afraid to take it someplace, it will be gone, or back in the shop for more "upgrades"... Gene

 

Lol. The first day I drove my heap to auto shop class the teacher says "You gonna part it out?"

 

I have 2 beaters, & loving it.