For those not born in the usa.....

how did you "discover" hot rods and or customs and the American way

I liked cars before I even knew what they were.coming to the states just re-enforced my love and desire to own and learn more about them.their influence on culture, society and the ripple effect to the rest of the world.

I'd like to hear from the rest of you guys.born here or not.

thanks!

 

I was born in australia and my father was obssessed with american iron,He had alot of books on cars and i read and loved how they looked.when i was older i made the decison to move to the states to be more in touch and invoved with the whole deal.Australia is to expensive to partake in the hobby,and nothing is availiable like it is in the states.Thats my story..i am here for good!

 

My parents were born and raised in Ireland. They emigrated here after the war. Da had no interest in hot rods or drag racing. When I was a child my Dad liked to go to Corona Del Mar. That involved passing Santa Ana airport. I would see cool cars I knew nothing about. Now and then he would stop for a half hour or so. Then one evening he took me over to Colton drag strip. From that point on I was hooked.

 

I along with my folks were born in Italy.. We moved to Australia in '61.. Then we moved to the "States" in '71.. That's when I became a gearhead.. Came home from Metro to grandma's in a gold '65 GTO convertible that my uncle Joe had back then.. From then on, I was hooked!

 

I was born & raised in The Netherlands. got into punkrock which got me into American cars. Porsche 911 used to be my dream car, now it'd be a 1931 Indy racer. Dad took me to vintage motorcycle races, to the wall of death at the fair, ice speedway etc. got myself a van
like this. Now I'm in the US and I have an old truck and a sort-of muscle car and am builing a speedster. still into small 4 cylinders but 6 and 8 are telling me bigger is better

 

Here in North Wales, where road and stage rallies were the only form of motorsport, not that my family had any interest. I remember being given a Hot Wheels Toy Car, it was American, Chopped, sectioned,partly exposed engine, ( The metalic green Ford F100 1970?). I was hooked I had no idea what it was and neither had anybody else as these toys were scarce and not sold locally. Several visits later to the local Library (no internet then) I found something similar in one of the "Observers book of vehicles" or similar a wrecker that had a similar glasshouse but really no wiser. Some time later a friend of mine whose father ran a garage was an avid reader of "Hot Car, Custom Car" the later when he decided to cut down an old Ford Zephyr into a pick up, Trucking Magazine turned up and the F100 mystery solved.

As the were from Manchester I remember being taken to one of the 70's Manchester Custom car shows, and being blown away by the cars on show , mainly British cars, mostly painjobs and slot mags, a few hot rods and mostly standard American carsand of course Nik Butler's Model Ts, Revenge C Cab in particular, see the link for a representative sample.http://www.uk-hotrods.co.uk/v2/old_photos/

On holiday with my parents very late 70's either in Hastings or St Leonards I'm not too sure which,I stumbled accross the Saturday Night cruise I practically had to be dragged back to the Hotel. I particulary remember a late 60's Mustang / Cobra? done up as a drag car, 10" wide Mags, Jacked up rear,wheelie bars, open side pipes the name "Super Snake"rings a bell, partnered by a Ford Capri in matching livery, a black and flamed car can't remember what it was and the obligatory Graffiiti Clone, and a Gasser Fordson. I assume it was Simon Lane's Speed Freak, I still have a list of the cars I saw that night with the appropriate Hot Car Mag in storage. I have attended all sorts of Motorsports events over the years, helped out friends building Competition Cars, attending shows etc, took a sabatical from work attended university, started a new career, then as middle age hit, no I didn't buy a Sports car, I took the plunge and purchased a 51 Chevrolet 3100 project. Who knows what will happen next

 

Well my rents are Polish they went to Denmark to get away from the comunism in Poland back in them days... Then there comes along me. Dad was always a bit of a gear head but nothing performance wise or anything like that, he just mechanically knows his way around a car. I still got a picture of me at 2 years old or so with my head stuck under the fender of my dads car with a big grin on my face... I think it started there? Then we moved to the states when I was about 3 and I always bitched about getting play-doh instead of screwdrivers and wrenches for Christmas. Before HighSchool even came around there was no stopping the gears in my head...

I got stuck commin back to Poland... Now I'm back in Denmark, and want nothing more than to go back to the states. I do not care if it's back to the Mid West, or Colorado, Cali, whatever... just back home... FML!!!

 

I don't honestly know what got me into cars. Speed Racer cartoons, Hot Wheels, hell I don't know....

 

Combination of Hot Wheels toys, American Graffiti, a book I had about Brooklands and a cousin with a '32 roadster.

 

There was always a strong car culture here (Canada) as well, and my dad used to fawn over his cars, which taught me to look after mine when I got them. Of course there were magazines and T.V. shows like 77 Sunset Strip and Route 66 which were a big influence, but the one that converted me to "rods" was this one which used to stop next door when I was a kid:


-Dave

 

I didn't discover it, it discovered me. I didn't wake up one morning and go"from now on I am going to dig only hot rods and rock 'n' roll!" I have been drawn to 50s and early 60s Americana since I was a child in the early 70s. In fact, I cannot remember ever being drawn to anything else. There are others out there who will know what I mean, it's just a way of life to me. It's probably the oldest cliche in the book but the truth is "if I got to explain, you wouldn't understand.
Paul

 

In '60 to '65 My cousin raced stock cars[dirt track] with '32 and '36 Fords.From '67 to '74 my brother sold Mopars[new]and taught me to drive in some of the best.While fighting cancer during the '70's,I read Hot Rod,Car Craft and Rod and Custom steady.Built '36 Ford p.u. while in school while driving a '52 Ford p.u. with 327/4spd and never quit till now having two '38 Willys and a '58 Chev p.u. I'm amazzzed when we go state side how many folks still are shocked that I DRIVE A HOT ROD IN CANADA !!!

 

My dad had a big suitcase with Swedish version of Popular Mechanic's in the cellar that i looked into before i could read , some hot rod in those.

When i was seven back in 1962 i got a paperbag with Hot Rod magazine , from an older relative (had to learn to read english fast then ;.) ), Also got some numbers of the magazine MAD but thats another story.
The last nail in the coffin was American Grafitti 1973 , then i had to have Hot Rod.
So i bought my first American Ford in 1977,

 

I didn't come from a car loving family, my dad was into electronics, photographing naked ladies and model railways. I really should have taken up photography. As long as I can remember I have liked stuff for no apparent reason. As a kid, around 7-8 years I would modify my little toy cars, not to any real style, some cars I would like and others not, but even those not liked usually had some redeeming features, which were used to better other cars. Didn't know anything about hot rods or customs, long before the internet was about and living in a small town no books of any interest in the libraries. Just did my own thing till in 1974 I found a magazine called Custom Car. My dad let me buy it, it had naked ladies on the cars and I was 11. My mates gawked at the girls (to be fair I did too) but I was taken with the cars. Never thought that what I was doing with my toys was happening to real cars. Ok this was the 70's in England and the fashion and taste weren't the best, but it was the start of a life into hot rod cars and bikes.

Still don't know why I'm into this stuff, but really glad it's this and not rice racers or knitting.

Pete

 

Hey! One outa three ain't bad!!

 

seeyz, whats the connection between punk rock and US hot rods???? None I hope.

 

Well said Cymro, although we have individual identities most everything is American world wide. Truth , isn't it?

 

Born in Pakistan moved to the England in 1963 when I was just a toddler, saw Batman on TV in 66, and Thunderbirds, mind destroyed, saw Bollywood films with my folks, all therich folk drove Yank Tanks in those films, fell in love.
Used to go to Karachi in the summer holidays sometimes, saw Yanks driven on the filthy streets by local bigwigs with chauffers.
Some of the local bus drivers in Burnley drove Yanks too, one had a 67 Toronado, another a 64 Chevy, me and my brother were shocked by the 120 mph speedos when our VW had one that only went to 80.
Went to the 76 Belle Vue Custom Car show and was dazzled by the metalflake and chrome.
Built the ugliest Austin Healey Sprite in the world in 1979.

Came to the US in 1981 and went buck apeshit.

It's been a right trip.

 

born in Germany in '72...
First encounter with a hot rod...a matchbox '41 ford coupe in purple metallic...age 4-5
...fast forward ZZ Tops' Eliminator on MTV in the early eighties...
...fast forward the Stray Cats Ran't & Rave LP cover and me being into rockabilly age 14...
...fast forward buying my 1st American Rodder mag in '87 and stil into rockabillly (Earl Bruce's Ford coupe was in there)
...fast forward the 90s - rockabilly and cars get together (mags like Continental Restyling, Hembsy beach party etc..)

2005 finally buying a fat fender 41 Plymouth coupe and get going...

2010...me into all kinds of music and sometimes rockabilly...and heavily into cars






...

 

If done right...both are loud, counter culture and dangerously attractive...and leave you with an impact that you never get out of your head for the rest of your life.

 

very well said!!!!!

 

thanks slider's house of kustoms.

 

Ditto!

Long story short:
Almost born in the backseat of my fathers 53 chevy, grew up in the backsaet of his 64 Chevelle. Started collecting 50`s Rock`n Roll records when i was about 10 years old. Had a brother who came in the rebel year`s (my idol), he bought a 1950 Ford Pilot, almost a 1935 American Ford, painted it bright yellow mounted the largest wisor i have ever seen, max tilt, wam choped top! HOT ROD!?
You see, dad had a chevy, son bought the opposite, a Ford!
DAD got mad, perfect!
Seven year later, i had to be as BAD as my brother, so i got a 49 Ford Cupe.
Course i had to paint it yellow, but added som brigt green scallops!
Not popular, perfect again. Did not get popular either, when the two Stromberg`s got stuck, but desided to fire it up anyway, a friend pored gas in the carbs, then it backfired, ignited the gascan, threw it, big mistake, my dad`s pride an joy pine caught fire, gone!
Well, as said in the above thread, when you have stared on this path, it never ends. And when you have really good freinds with this strange and perverted lifestyle, destroying old classics, you can never stop.
Oh! Course the HAMB makes it even more fun!
Thanks for all the inspiration

...................................
Taildragger&fenderless

 

When I was a 14 y/o kid in France , I loved to play with 50cc bikes ( Motobecane , Peugeot ) I ve be lucky to have an old neighbor school me about mechanics on old 1950 bikes .
Later I played with bigger old bikes ( example a 250cc 1932 , a 175cc 1925 , etc )
So when I moved to Canada , switching from 2 old wheels to 4 old wheels was quite logical

 

Grew up in England.

Been a into cars since I was a kid.

Progressed from die cast toys to the real thing. Never liked "stock" cars I always (modified usually with paint) all the cars I 've had.

Then saw American Graffiti and Ford Anglia rods and the rest is history

 

Hope you have the patience to read all this, I've pondered the question before. I've thought alot on my experiences growing up and why I became such a motor head. Here's part of the why.

1. Dad’s photo album - Dad took pride in keeping his cars clean and occasionally took them out to photograph them. Years later as a curious youngster I noticed some of these photos in the family album. Queries into the make model and year was part of the learning process, identifying years and so forth. It’s funny; when you’re a kid you never think of anything wrong with age or ever think of things wearing out. Isn’t ignorance bliss?



2. A friend of my Grandmother’s - Mr. Al had a son into cars and I remember the day Rich dragged a $50 find from Saskatchewan home. It was a Deuce four door sedan. Dad got a chance to take us over to see it shortly after it arrived. Occasionally we’d get to see the car being built as we got to see its progress over the years. Last time I saw this man he still had the car. Maybe that is where I learned how to see the finished product before dragging something home myself.

3. Family travels - During holidays and on trips to and fro we’d come across “cool” cars. Dad pointed them out to us and we’d learn to appreciate them. I can distinctly recall a 55 Chev 210 sedan. It was metallic maroon, had capless big and little chromies and the panels striped off in white pin-striping 70’s style. The front end was bumperless and may even have been raised, gasser like, but the way the streetlights reflected off the buffed chrome and paint stands out in my mind like I just saw it yesterday. This was a T bucket we saw on a picnic at the beach. My aunt took the picture and gave it to me.



4. Toys and models - Learning to car spot by looking for the kinds of cars we had in our toy collection or models we’d built. Some families spotted Punch Buggies ours was Sting Ray’s the one who spotted it first and said “Stingray mine” supposedly got to keep it. There’s the blissful thinking again. This came about, because my brother and I both had Tonka’s and there were some plastic Corvettes that came with my car hauler and his camper set. Still don’t know what the prize was or who won, but a kid learns pretty quick, what makes one car look different from another that way. And those Hot Wheels. I don’t know a current genuine car freak that never had a Hot Wheels car in his toy box.

5. Nostalgia - Dad had a tale or two to tell about tricks they did to their rides to make them their own. He got a ticket for blue dots once. He spoke of split manifolds and moving the three on the tree shifter to the left side of the wheel to free the right arm for putting around the gal. Once in a while we heard a tale when we saw a car like so and so used to have. Tales of practical jokes like moving the shift leaver into neutral on the driver as he put the clutch in to make a turn or start from a traffic light. One time they drove my uncle to tears they did it so often.

6. Frequent trips to A&W - Oh yeah, that was the coolest place on earth. Where I grew up there was also a place called Dog&Suds, they were the same set-up as A&W. Car hops, sit in the car and eat or at the picnic tables and watch the happenings, that sort of fun stuff. Even the buildings were the same. Cars always cruised from one to the other, because they were a few blocks away from each other, about a mile.



7. Genetics - This one is a fairly new concept to me. I found out about this while recording a conversation I had with my Grandmother before she passed away. Years ago we sat down for talk because I wanted to document the story about her leaving Russia as a child. One thing led to another and the old photos came out. I was totally surprised to see a picture of my Grandfather sitting in a car he hammered out a body for. It was somewhat fashioned after an Indy car of the day, and built on what looks like a model T chassis. It was rough but the pride of accomplishment was still obvious. Among the photos were pictures of cars my Grandfather owned and other relative’s rides. Many of the photos involved the hoods opened up and someone’s head poking under it. The shock was mostly because I never met my Grandfather. He passed away eight years before I was born.


8. Friends of the family - I remember a man from church that had a 28 or 29 Model A sport coupe he got when he was a teenager. He saved it from a family business after the service station they owned burnt down. The A was inside the shop when the fire happened. He got that thing going again; brush painted it green and brought it to church one Sunday. I guess my Dad already knew of my sickness by then and arranged for a ride in the rumble seat. That was no cure that is for sure. Later in life I helped tune that car and got to drive it. Tragic what some of us have to endure. I also went to a collector car auction with another family acquaintance when I was fourteen. That is where I saw my first six figure car, a black Deusenberg town car.

9. Car shows - Dad took us to see The World of Wheels car show the first time in 1966. Some of the memorable vehicles from that show was a Willys Jeep in Olive drab, but totally chromed up. Anything not green was chrome, shovels, gas cans bumpers, nuts, bolts engine parts etc. We saw a custom Corvette with TV, record player, metal flake blue paint and full of angel hair. (Years later I met the owner of this car and hung around his striping shop on my lunch breaks. The photos and trophies from this car were all over the shop, among other photos and trophies from cars he’d owned or painted.) Another memorable “vehicle” was a purple Allison engined trike motorcycle. And later I got to see the Zingers, Pink Panther car, Batmobile and Greesed Lightning. Among other famous and semi-famous cars and people.


10. School library. At first it was the school's subscription to Hot Rod Magazine. I'd be looking on the shelf every chance I got to see if I could get it read, before other kids got their hands on it, drew moustaches on everyone or dog eared all the pages. I even managed to be there when the old magazines were about to be trashed and saved most of the mags I'd been reading the last couple years. I even have remnants of the same mags to this very day, although in Junior High I'd cut the colour photos out and taped them to the closet door in my bedroom, which I also still have. The pictures I mean, not the closet door. In pursuit of more stuff about cars I discovered the series of books by Henry Gregor Felson. Through his words I learned about bobbed fenders, chopped tops and highboys. I learned what four wheel drifts were and that the law was not always on your side, or that you may have to prove yourself. Some things are worth standing up for. Not long after that I was given my first car which is a completely different story.

 

Born and raised in Holland where most people still never heard of hotrods (a what ?)
Bought Chrome & Flames magazines since 1982 when i was 14 years old and fell in love with the ZZtop 33 coupe in 1983.
Later in the 80's the English Streetmagazine was a great inspiration for me (don't exist anymore if i'm correct)
Bought my first American car in 1990 (at 21 years old) a 1951 Buick hardtop coupe because i couldn't find a 49-51 Mercury coupe in Holland/Belgium.
Still have the Buick and 5 other 30's Fords and a 39 Mercury.
Went to the US 7 times and visited 30 states and many, many junk/salvage yards and plan to go next year or a little later.

Hennie, the Netherlands

 

I'm a third generation Hot Rodder, I never knew anything else. Although the Hobby is credited to the US it developed independently here as well.

Doc.

 

In many other countries , just swapping an engine is quite illegal .
In Europe , WW2 made many damages .
Not the same pattern ... For example , in France in 1935 there was about 200 different brands of bikes . Not so much cars .
Who need a car when you have trails and no roads ?

 

well im a frijolero " mexican" that is jaja i grew up in it since jr,high till now still greasing it, and into kustoms,,, well i got a 51 shoebox tudor. thanx to all my boyz @ starlite rod & kustoms in torrance ca,