Ex G/F's son spent about a year there,2007.His biggest impression was the air pollution.He told me he'd go into a gym to work out,and you could see the shitty air by looking up towards the ceiling..He enjoyed the culture and the people,though,just not breathing the air..
wow, that will be a blast. watch out for tall guys in pink shirts!! lol. looks like you should take a few rod mags to educate the locals. enjoy yourself, take pics and post em up.
Im with you Stude Trucks - Hell it caught on huge in Japan, China could be the next stop for Hot Rod world domination! Someone said it earlier, if you could bring your hot rod there to visit that would be way cool, but a huge pain in the ass too, haha.
Just for fun it would be interesting to view the factory where Pro-Comp is made,it is said they are improving quality a bunch,one has to remember Chinese CEO's that screw up don't get bonuses and severence pay like here in the U.S. they can loose more than just their job.
Henry Ford made Model T's in Shanghai in the 20's and these days Shanghai is one hell of a place to have a holiday. I went there with a mate recently and we had an incredible time - I only came back because I'm married ;-) It is jumpin' like it did back in the day and the recession has hardly slowed it down. If you go there try the Cotton Club and JZ - both jazz clubs in the French Concession with a young, hip and wealthy (and I mean wealthy) Chinese crowd. There are more Ferrari, Lambo, Bentley and Rolls Royce dealers there than in London - and they pay a 100% import duty on any western luxury goods. Those guys can afford to buy any hot rod that appears at Pebble Beach - they just don't know they want them yet. You could get ANYTHING made in Shanghai, it's the engineering capital of China - don't listen to crap about poor standards. That's just the excuse the western buyers make. They will make anything to whatever standard you are prepared to pay for.
Didn't see any HAMB style of vehicles in China. If you like bicycles -- there's a lot. Here are a couple of interesting trucks I saw when I was in China last year. There is such a vast number of things of interest, you will forget about cars. People were friendly and easy to get along with. It is a chance of a life time to see the culture you read about in school. enjoy, TwoChops ps - another reason they won't know about HAMBers is that when I tried to get on the internet in Guilin --Ryan wouldn't let me on. He never did explain why, I was typing in English.
Got back from there 3 weeks ago, going again in 10 days. Last trip was business but this one is to spend Xmas and NY with the girlfriend, she was not happy I was working all the time I was there. It will be my 14th trip there and I love the place, the people and especially the culture. They are learning about Hot rods, well the folk I know there are, here's a hint, the girls love the 'Limeworks' T shirt. As far as I know the Chinese gov. is the only one actively encouraging car modification. but registering a Rod or even (gonna curse now) a kit car, ain't easy, have looked into it briefly, but the crap economy put that on the back burner. Old motors are rare to the point of none, Ive never seen any on the road, though a brit did take his Rod over there a year or so back as part of a classic car rally. As and when the economy pics up, you may see a rod over there sometime in the future, but I'll be driving it.
In 68 I went to Hong Kong on R&R it was then a british holding but still China.. I purchased 2 Triumph motor cycles while there. TT120 export Bikes. Then drop shipped to USA If you catch a cab { automobile}} hold on tight as those cabies drive fast and hard.. I taught one how to down shift. The food was very good but watch out for the street vendors not the cleanest. .A few words I recall were and watch the spelling No was Bola. Thank You was sha sah ne, but benjo {restroom or waste product} was the same in many asia countrys and the fun words were Massage Parlor.. One other thing is the Taylors I bought 2 suits and some other clothes. Very reasonable on price and they worked to fit my schedule. Bobby..
A friend of mine used to work for a man named Don Williams and took me on a tour one day up to this mans location up in a private residential neighborhood...he is the President of Blackhawk Collection, Inc. Here is a little piece from their website http://www.blackhawkcollection.com/index.cfm?action=main&tab=main "Today Williams continues to focus his efforts in two areas: ongoing private sales through the Blackhawk Collection in Danville, CA and the Auto Collection in Las Vegas, NV, and the development of the Blackhawk Pavilion at the Shanghai Auto Museum. The first dedicated auto museum in China, located in the Auto Expo Park of Shanghai International Automobile City, the Shanghai Museum was founded to showcase the culture of the automobile. The joint venture with The Blackhawk Collection provided cars for the Classic Car Hall, presenting visitors the glamour of cars from different ages." He is a super nice man and is willing to talk your ear off. He told me one of his sons is working in the Shanghai location. Have fun!! Scott
I went to Hong Kong and up into Guangzhou (3rd largest city in China behind Beijing and Shanghai) back in 2006. It was interesting, if nothing else. I saw some slight "suggestions" of what might be "tuner" cars in GZ, but HK had some pretty hot looking Mercedes late models. There was a pretty cool little black RHD Morris Mini (the older kind, but modernized and, yes, hot rodded) that was parked outside our hotel. You pay vehicle tax according to engine displacement, so you don't see many big blocks. China has an emerging middle class going on right now (which is one of many things contributing to the recent downturn in the American economy), so they would be fertile soil for planting some hot rod seeds.
I'm a rail-fan myself. I'd go searching for some of the recently retired steam locomotives since it doesn't sound like you'd find many rods, but thats just me. I don't know what i'd do with only ten days in China. Hell, i'm don't think a year would be enough to experience it. Seems like the boys are soming through with some good suggestions already, so btt because I believe its about time for the Sun to rise in the Far East. You're gonna have a blast and I wanna see some pictures!
Cool, maybe we could pay off our national debt with hot rods. That way China's happy, the greenies here are happy, and we fat Americans can get back in shape by riding bicycles, everyone's a winner. Hope that wasn't too "racist". Have a nice trip, sounds like fun.
panhead_pete<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_4653442", true); </SCRIPT> - Glad to see that your thread hasn't turn into an anti-oriental thread. There are some low life's on the HAMB who live to slam everything not make in the USA. When the hot rod scene started in Japan I posted a thread on a hot rod shop and hot rod show in Japan. I was slammed by all the bigots that lurk around here at times. A friend pointed out that most of the hate posts came out of the Mid West for some reason. The hot rod scene is going real strong now, I'm in Japan every year and it's a ball. Have a great time on your trip to China, the Chinese are some of the best cooks in the world. CRUISER
Trust me china has enough hot rods built into bridges already lets keep them stateside or at least in "free" countries. I saw alot of good old tin go away forever out here during the scrap boom the last few years. I mean ALOT of old tin I had looked at for years as a young kid is now in china or has been resold to us in other steel and aluminum products made in china.-Weeks
If you click on "Community" at the top of the page, then "Members", then "Search Members", then "Advanced Search" you can type in the location as China and then click on "Search". Some for China come up but I don't know if they are for real or not! It's also a neat way to search for other members in your area---or anywhere.
There's a guy from China who goes by "Done". He posted once on a home made tools thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=320079&page=10&highlight=tools
My cousin toured China back in the late '70s, when that country was hardcore Communist, rather than the Fascist state it is today. He and his group were under surveillance continuously, and that applies today, as well. You still can not go wherever your heart desires, regardless of how "free" it is over there today versus the Seventies. It IS still a society that employs slave labor, and kids as young as six, for industry and farm labor. With that said (geez, am I a "jingoistic hater" for mentioning the above???), China is quite a unique and beautiful place. Enjoy! They do not have the "hot rod culture" that we do - that is as foreign to them as their culture is to us. Lots to see and learn there!
My brother in law spent some time there and didn't see much in the way of cars but obviously the western influence is spreading...make sure you have health insurance that covers you when you travel there...my brother in law caught a weird virus and spent 3 weeks in the hospital and they wouldn't let him leave the country until he paid his medical bills...his insurance here didn't cover him
Funny mate I'll oblige ya... I had a buddy on here from Phuckett In Thailand had a yellow T bucket He drove all over asia. A form of displaysia I can't find him I so I just said F...rambledegrabbits
Thanks guys some really great info and really do appreciate that its stayed on topic. I'll be taking some Aussie hot rod mags with me to give away if/when I meet car people. If I was to take/get the job might have to ship a car over and on my 2 weeks off after each 4 week stretch start heading west and drive across the continent but thats a LONG way off happening if at all. At this stage Im in Bejing 6 days, Xi'an for the Terracotta soldiers, then a cruise to see the 3 gorges dam. Cant wait as leave on Wednesday!!!
Excellent tip, thanks!!!! 2pages of members from China and I have PM'd the guys that have actually posted.
Very, very difficult for a Westerner to get permission to drive a car over there - I don't know whether it is a legal thing or whether they want you to employ a driver. My friends who have been out there for nearly 4 years now have never driven themselves in China. They have a Chinese made Buick and a driver - costs buttons. When we go out we get driven everywhere and because the driver is employed by Westerners he can park anywhere - we go in to shops bars etc and he just waits right outside until we're done. Just like being one of those Hollywood movie stars!! Most ex-pats who want their own transport end up with a Chiang Jiang combination - they're very cheap.
Hi, this is Done from China, actually, there is no such a thing called custom car and hot rod in China, China legislation does not allow classic cars to run on road and custom build car is abandaned. Damn!
Hi, Blackjack, yes, that bike is popular in some people in China. it is hard to find the original type, the new one is just rubbish. As for drive in China, I have some customer here in China and they have got permit to drive. not that hard.
My son went over there earlier this year...absolutley loved it.....he kept an eye out for any vintage tin, but I suspect it has all been melted down and turned into consumables..the price of scrap metal over here earlier this year was rediculous....people were lifting grids and manhole covers to weigh in... As somebody mentioned earlier...take a few disposable masks for the cities...the air is rank....my lad looked like he had real bad flu when he got home, he said the pollution is unbelievable over there.
Thanks guys, well Im here and its bloody cold -30C. Im up 50km from the Nth Korean border and have had the day at the gold mine where I may work if they offer me the role and we can agree on the package. The mine itself is amazing with environmental standards well above those generally found in Australia and the US and is a real credit to all those involved. I was as surprised as anyone. I havent found any old tin yet but keep asking around. They have taken the 3 wheel thing up a nothch or 5 and there are trucks which appear to be about 4-5 ton that are trikes. Crazy stuff, especially on iced up roads. Im off back to Beijing tomorrow for nearly a week then a few days touring so who knows what might pop up. But what I do know is that if I get/take this job I gotta look into getting a rod here and cruising in it, Im sure it would blow some minds
Have fun in China. I was there for 2 weeks during november. We were in Shanghai, Up north by Beijing and Then over in Chengdu where they had the big earthquake a couple years ago. I've only been there for work. It wasn't at all what I expected. People there are very nice. The food can be OK, but sometimes is a little rough. The freshness of the food compared to the US is great, but there are some crazy dishes there. The factory's we toured were better than we thought they'd be. I'd put them up against US factories any day. I've got all sorts of pictures of crazy trucks and vehicles over there. I never did see anything old though. My favorite vehicle is the little crewcab vans with a pickup box. We call them Vancheros. I actually found one for sale in the US and test drove it not too bad, but would have no resale. Craziest thing we ever saw was a 6' acetelyne bottle being carried on the foot board of a scooter. With no cap on the valve ofcourse. It was hilarious to see this scooter with 2' of bottle sticking out each side. I'm also impressed with how this thread went. I almost posted a similar thread before I went, but figured it would get shutdown. <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">
Keep us posted with some pics if you can. Would love to see what cool is in China from the perspective of similar mind. Doesn't have to be old cars or hot rods specifically, maybe just remotely related. How about some roadside images, food vendors, cool old bikes, old buildings or graphics? Have fun and good luck with the job part.
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