Folks Of Interest So, how traditional are you?

I have 10+ old cars and trucks. None of them are "traditional". They all have something modern....like 80's modern....but modern. My 36 Chevy Truck (avatar) certainly has the look but we won't discuss the suspension and drivetrain.

I'm in the process of planning my 53 BelAir.......it will be in same boat......

 

""CT drivers are dangerous in the best of times"" Lol.

 

Except my wheels, no way in paying stupid money for them!

 

I have to say I'm inspired. Running a SBF, Chevy alternator, 8" Ford rear, Saginaw power steering box, late model GM steering column, things you might see on a street rod. Outside, the body is stock, so no indication anything is other than that. It will have AC one of these days also.

I don't understand the hate for street rods. I don't care for some of the crazy paint jobs, tweed interiors, or excessive polished billet aluminum. I also don't care for over chopped or over channeled or excessive body mods on most rods. I do like a smooth custom though, but no canted quad headlights, LOL!

 

Really? Which one is seeing road duty right now? They still making bias ply snow tires?

 

Part of me loves period cars and I think they should be preserved for the history and reference. Another part me recognizes that an integral part of the hobby is making upgrades for more performance. Many cars evolve over time because of this pursuit for performance. This is the essence or "tradition" of Hot Rodding.

I too hate billet, Easter egg colors, and tweed interiors (puke!) and prefer late fifties, all sixties, and dare I say early seventies but not much later drag style hot rods and race cars. Power robbing accessories like P/S, P/B, P/W, A/C are out, but I see parts like dual master cylinders, disc brakes, Vega steering, coil-overs or drag race 4 link as upgrades for more performance and/or safety and part of a hot rods evolution.

Traditionally, I want to make my car as quick, as fast, and as safe as possible. One that hooks, goes somewhat straight, and stops but, one that pays some homage to the past. I'll never get the performance or safety I want out of this flat head, banjo axle, and Model A brakes so... I think I'll hot rod it.

 

Traditional as in built with a cutting torch, a borrowed Sears and Roebuck buzz box and junkyard parts? Yeah, that's me. That's also why I don't build rods any more. I refuse to pay more for a repro part than I used to invest in a complete car.

 

Sounds like we need a HAMB II website but I'm too old to start it.

 

If you polled the original hot rodders of yesteryear... and gave them the option to run some modern parts... what do you think that poll would look like?

I don't loose sleep over some of my more modern parts that make my cars much more drivable, or faster.. within reason, but if i can get away with them not being an eyesore or 100% out of place, i will not even think twice about it. People also get their panties in a bunch over things they don't know enough about... what many people think are "modern" advancements have been around much longer than most would think, but were just on higher end cars of the time or all out race cars. Disc brakes for example... first came out it....drumrolll please... 1902... so get over it you hipster hot rod nazi wanna-be's.

 

I’m traditional
I shop at scrap yards

 

Just for perspective ... so far 77 votes cast.

Out of a something like few hundred thousand members.

 

I Am So Traditional That I Don't Take Surveys About Traditional....

 

No modern parts ever in my traditional hot rods. 6 volt, bias ply, no modern trans. Zero concessions. But at the same time my cars are bullshit. Not really traditional.
Like the car I just sold. 34 Ford coupe with everything hole sawed and drilled for weight. Chopped with all early Ford parts including 3 speed and flathead. I loved it but the car is bullshit. By the time guys were running chopped coupe s and drilling the shit out of evertthing the flathead was obsolete. So while my car had no part newer than 1950 on it, its fake traditional.
Now were down that rabbit hole haha.

 

I build mine to please myself! 327 3x2s T-5 Radials Disc brakes and AC. Everything else is old school.

 

I'm in the same boat as KJSR with my 36 Chevy, dont ask dont tell. It looks like an old Hot Rod truck and I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THAT!! . Although I've always wanted a truley traditionally built Hot Rod Ford but really never seemed to get there. Mitch.

 

Main interests are 55 through mid 70s Chevys that can safely run down the interstate or take to the drag strip once in a while. Recently sold my 48 Ford coupe and OT drag car to finance a current 56 gasser project.
Had alot of fun with my triditioanl 48 Ford coupe and like hanging around and learning from you hoodlums

 

I just like cars, man. I'm here for the stimulating discourse.

 

Most of my old performance stuff was made in 2017 or newer. Does that count?

 

I lean pretty hard traditional I suppose. I haven’t ever had an issue with no a/c, drum brakes, bias tires, points, carburetors, etc. My 56 isn’t 100% traditional, but pretty sure the only parts that are newer than 1964 are the tires and carburetor. I got a good deal on the bias look radials that are on it, but when they are worn out, the next set will be bias. And, I did have an old Edelbrock 3x2 intake with three Holley 94’s until I got tired of fighting old 94’s. So, I swapped to a 57 4-barrel intake and it currently has a newer Edelbrock carburetor. I suppose I could get rid of the newer carburetor and it would be dang near 100% traditional once the tires get swapped. I’m not necessarily anal about it being traditional, I just don’t see the need to update an old car. If I wanted new stuff on a car, I would have a newer car. I like driving these old cars because they are old cars and drive like old cars.

 

My '48 is sort of traditional; it goes forward, backward, turns left and right...
but I have horseshoe taps on my engineer boots.

 

My T coupe is about as traditional as it can be. My Austin. on the other hand, I can't find much traditional stuff that actually fits, so I will be bending the rules considerably.

 

I overheard a guy at a swap meet say that the wood in his first car was from the Mayflower

 

I’m not very traditional when working with my son in the shop I don’t yell or cuss.
We just work on old stuff.
I’ll probably get banned for this

 

My daddy told me never have stimulating discourse with another man. I should mention that I am really hard of hearing.

 

I just bought a record player last week.

 

Can I borrow it? My sister gave me some records for my birthday, so others apparently think I'm traditional...

 

I have a couple, so might be able to loan you one Dan.

 

We spin vinyl at least once a week