Why the cuts to "Gold Chainers"

First of all, what is this "gold chainer" business? Why is there so much animosity and ridicule? If a guy is sucessful in life, has a nice, well built car, somehow he is an asshole? I know men who have donated large sums of money to charities, local PAL's and other worthwhile causes while driving and showing their 100K cars. They don't sit in a lawn chair all day, scowl at people who get near their car, in fact, one of the richest guys in my area, he owns 6 32 fords, (all tradionally built to a high level), a bonneville car and a plane. His business employs mainly hispanics and he gives out 10 scholarships to his employees children every year. He will talk to anyone at shows, assist in helping a fellow rodder with no hesitation. There are many men like him who a lot of you would call a gold chainer and ridicule. I have been to too many car shows in my 66 yearts to know that assholes exist at all the levels of our hobby. I've seen groups that act like they are god's gift to rodding and snicker at a "dumb" question by an honest person. They hang together, wear their club jackets and generally act superior. I don't like trophy hunters, I build my cars for my own satifaction and feeling of accomplishment. A "nice car" comment makes my day. I have seen men (and women) with their cars, both big buck and low buck examples ridicule their own "class" of rodders cars when they are denied a trophy. Is the HAMB philosophy anti gold chain? I wouldn't want to think so. So that's my rant and feelings on this gold chain business.

 

Good post.

 

Amen to what Foxspeed said-I agree with his analogy 100%

 

i would say the majority of the people on this board build their own stuff. Live on Modest wages, and dont pay people to do much on their cars.

I dont think people that write checks for the stuff they drive have the same ammount of respect for it as the people that build their own. There are a few exceptions, the Bruce Meyers of the world, etc....


Do you think that these people with their fancy hot Rods, that have never built one from the ground up, show the same respect to the guy thats barely making it Drives an unfinished car for a long time?? Highly Doubtful.

its a 2 way street.

 

I agree, Ive met Assholes that were rich with 100k cars and Assholes that had ratrods. It all depends on the person.

 

Personally I don't think "Gold Chainer" has as much to do with money as it does attitude, same deal with "Yuppie". You can spot both right off the bat with their "Me,Me, Me" actions, cutting you off in traffic, grand entrance, working the room or crowd, no class in general. I've got working class friends, and ones with money as well, we all get along, nobody is showing off what they have or complaining about what they don't have. The people I do know with money were driven, focused, and worked hard at what they were good at. This allowed them to hire people, pay them, and keep the ecomomy going.

 

So have I see Asshole like that!!!

 

Well put.

 

I believe the comments about the "gold chainers'' and the "velvet ropers" was not so much about the people with high end cars,but more about the out of touch A holes in our hobby that may or may not have high end cars. It's about the attitude!!

 

I've bought expensive cars.
I've built expensive cars.
I've bought cheap cars.
I've built cheap cars.

This line in the sand anti-bought, anti-$ gets old.

When I have a little extra money, usually I don't have the time to build. I'm happy during these times to take my business to a great little rod shop. I hope the little I spend with him keeps him in business and building quality cars.

 

Hey, Foxspeed;

AFAIK, the "goldchainer" handle got started in the street-rod mags, in the late70's/early 80's. It was a slam against the dudes wearing... gold chains. Literally. However, the connotation used was, that the cats that had too much money for their brains, & mostly to top it off, didn't have any love/respect for the "hobby" of old cars. It really had nothing to do w/someones' wealth, or even display of it, via goldchains or cars, etc. Hi-buck/pro-built rods were always welcomed at some level by most folks, certainly for the lets-see-what-this-guy-did-now. Had everything to do w/the attitude. Meaning, most of these cats, were into boats, corvettes, bikes, stamps, goldchain-jewerly, or somesuch,but only where there was status attached, look-at-me-I'm-cool, or just the next-big-thing-to make-lots-of-money-by-flipping-this-thing. It degenerated into an envy thing, but that's not what it was/is really all about.

Marcus...

 

You got it.

 

Well put could't agree more

 

What answer are you looking for?

 

Who cares what people say,why let it get to you. This thread is lame!

 

FoxSpeed you'er a pretty smart guy. There's a couple of commenters on your thread who still didn't get it.

 

Dakota said it well but I also think that it has something to do with the types of shows that this applies to...such as a Good Guys show...we all attend and enjoy them (ive been to many) but you def get a vibe thats much different then some of the other events where the standard is not a high-end rodshop built cars. I wouldnt take it personal man, its more of a nick name then a insult....assholes are assholes no matter what color chain! I met a guy in AZ at GG that almost laughed at me when I told him I had a truck like his....as in his was so great that there was no way I could have something like his, the only dif was my high end car that I built was up in the winners circle while he was down in the grass playn the roll of to cool rich old guy!

 

Eric, it sounds like you are a "gold chainer". .... Lol !

 

i never looked at it that way in the first place. I've never used the term myself, but when I think "gold chainers," I just picture cars that look like they were built from a catalog (which admittedly would take a certain amount of money). If I were rich I still wouldn't build a car with billet wheels and 18 shades of House of Kolor paint, and every little trinket from Speedway that I could get my hands on. I think it's about lack of taste more than anything.

and that's not saying a gold-chainer couldn't be a good guy. I harbor no animosity towards people whose tastes I don't understand... I just don't like that type of car.

 

I cant afford gold chains Chris...all my doe is in those old Chevys!

 

The only guy that has to like the car is the owner.Just look at some of the buyers at the big auctions.
There are some guys that just shouldn't own cars but they do,money rules.That is how the world waggles.You can't say some gold chainers cars are not well done!Only thing is not done by them who cares.

Tig.

 

Because it's cool and edgy to hate something.

 

I have met alot of "gold chainers" that are really cool people. They may not build their own stuff but do keep alot of shops afloat.

 

I always attributed the "Gold Chainer" term to the style in which the persons car is built. For example this car
is a high end shop built car, but I dont think "Gold Chainer owns it" when I see it. Its traditional-ish, well thought out and makes me think the owner has taste.

Same here, high end but awesome!


I would post a pic of a GCer example but Im not that ambitious. You know the cars, the ones that look like the owner has too much money but no taste or sense of style and no idea what a hot rod is but want one anyway.... thats the deal as Ive seen it. I don't use the amount of money someone has to determine a GCer, just the amount of douche baggery..

 

While I've never been a fan of "handles" used to discribe someone, I think what there's a problem with attitude and perception. When you see someone with an exceptionally built car ,ie; perfect fit , expensive parts , professional paint and upholstery, does he automatically get the "gold chainer" handle? Perhaps this person has spent his life persuing something other than being a great automotive craftsman, but has never lost the desire to have a hotrod or custom car. do we chastize him for that ? When I attend an event there's always going to be cars and people that for whatever reason don't fit my personal criteria, that does'nt make them bad people or bad cars , just not for me. I think the variety of cars and participants is what makes these events interesting , kinda boring if we're all the same .

 

This is comedy...... I have never heard this term "Gold Chainer" till I came on the hamb.