how do you represent the HAMB ideals?

I attended a small car show Saturday that has been known as a traditional venue for several years now and is always a fairly decent mix of customs and trads along with welcoming bicycles and motorcycles.
Pinup girls, traditional clothing, pinstripers and a couple of rockabilly bands are usually present. Stage set.

This year they moved it to a community park with mature trees, grass and public restrooms. Nice layout with the abilty to grow. They also allowed everything in this year as they need to pay for the park use.
I`m getting to the point...

Got there early with my `36 shop truck and they directed me to park between a couple of Roadrunners and a new bright yellow Charger.
I don`t usually try to power park and I wasn`t going to be able to stay the day anyway so I shut it off and set my chair out to settle in.

The Roadrunner owners, who looked to be late middle age, were feverishly polishing and dusting every nook and cranny getting ready to do battle for a trophy. I`m past that. Now all I want is to get there and back with no issues, but I degress.
I say good morning and no response as they are very busy so I remark that I don`t miss having to wax a car as part of going to a show.
The husband looks over at my truck and says he`s not into "ratrods".

Sure I bristled. He had struck a nerve using that much hated, overused generalization toward my old truck. If he had bothered to look, my chassis was probably cleaner and more functional than either of his cars and drives, turns and stops better. But again I degress.
Without thinking very long I told him it wasn`t a ratrod as it didn`t have any spiderwebs, skulls or ammo cans welded to it and if he was going to attend mixed shows like this he needed to educate himself on current trends in order to understand what might park next to him in the future.
I admit I did say it strongly with a lot of emotion.
He walked to the other side of his car but his wife was pleasant enough and we talked a few minutes about her car that they had just purchased recently.
I walked around for a few minutes and came across a buddy that had brought his `35 coupe and his friend had driven his Mercury so I went back and moved over next to them. A half dozen hotrodders from Waynesville came in and they parked next to us and we had a great time.

My point of the post is after thinking about the situation what would have been the proper response to his comment? I know I alienated the fellow right away when I chastised his lack of knowledge about trends but I needed to say something.

I don`t want this post to become a paint or no paint argument as that isn`t my purpose. Drive what you want but don`t criticize others choices.

What would be the proper response to represent the HAMB in the best way possible?

 

Here's the reality – you started it by judging him for dusting/cleaning his car. His rat rod response was provoked by your comment.

Next time for the ice breaker, try complimenting him on how nice his car is.

 

I don't think traditional hot rods with old paint is a "trend". Anything that's been going on for over twenty years is not just a trend anymore. It's just (one of) the way things are done.

I think the muscle car guy was probably just as prejudice as you were. He made a quick decision what kind of "car guy" you were, and you did the same to him.

I usually let water like that run off my back. Don't let it get to you next time. Some people don't want to be educated.

 

Like it or not all the shows are getting like that,,more and more guys have come into a certain amount of disposable income and as they age they are not going to invest the time in building or care about what we build.

They buy what they want or pay to have it built and many of them could care less about tradition hot rods or customs.

This past weekend was the annual downtown car show,,more cars this year than ever,,,over 200 cars,in these numbers I'm betting 150 were post '65.

Brand spanking new cars mustangs,challengers,vipers and a host of other makes and models.

The owners of these type of cars just want to show what they have and will never get the traditional styles. HRP

 

Actually I did comment that green was one of my favorite color choices before saying I didn`t miss the waxing part. Maybe I was too blunt but I was smiling.

 

Sounds like the guy judged you from go, you said hello and he ignored you.

 

Don't be upset, he is a Chrysler guy and they are all a different breed of cat. I once made the mistake of attending an all Chrysler event and the egos there were epic.
As the NewYawkers would say..'forgetaboudit'

 

aero,

I think you did good, better than me in that situation. Birds of a feather stick together, that's why you had such a great time when you moved to your own brothers and sisters. In addition, you tried to be friendly and inclusive, the man didn't.

If we all liked or drove the same car/truck what a dull world it would be!

Regards,

Cosmo49

 

Don't get me wrong, I've done the same thing you did. Even with starting your conversation out with "I like green", you drew a line in the sand when you followed up with "I don't miss the waxing".

I bet the muscle car guy is just as tired of the gold chainer and California Duster comments as we are of rat rod comments.

 

My thought exactly.....

 

Im not sure what your truck looks like. But j would have likely said the same thing.

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

You think that was bad? Park between two newer Corvettes and see how you're treated!

In any event, your post illustrates one of the best reasons for not entering a car show. I like to build 'em & drive 'em. I only go to car shows for the swap meets.

 

Ahhh, it's not easy sometimes. As much as I try to keep things light and get along with others, I've lost my cool a couple times myself. Years ago, my dad had an early '70s Mustang convertible that my brother and I took to a small local parking-lot show. It was mostly my dad's and my brother's thing, I was just along for the hell of it. My brother was elsewhere for a bit, and asked me to put some ArmorAll on the tires while he was gone. OkeeDokee...no problem. The guy next to us had a nice ice-blue early '60s Mustang coupe. He steps over with no "hello" or "how ya doin" or anything, and first thing he says is, "You sure are putting a lot of ArmorAll on there, aren't you? I wasn't tactful at all..."Get away from me, you fucking asshole." Oops. Again, it's not easy sometimes...lol.

 

You didn't do yourself any favors by driving there solo.

Even if you're not in a car club, show up with a small group of Rods. Even if it's a couple of buddies meeting down the road (for a coffee), then caravaning to the gate. You stand a good chance that you'll be directed to park as a group rather than being directed to fill in a single stray space.

 

I represent my ideals by not judging what they drive or who built it. They have their cars because they enjoy them. I like computers and I use them, do not ask me to build you one.
When I check out a car I find a way to compliment it or I keep my mouth shut. Not everyone has the talents or the money to build your dream car. As long as they are out having fun and not hurting others. I also hate sitting at car shows, would rather work on them.

 

And who was talking about apologies a few days ago? HRP

 

For me, it's the guy that drops big bucks on rims and low profile tires and maybe some graphite trim pieces on a 2009 or newer Camaro/Mustang/ Challenger/Charger and thinks it's an instant "classic". I really agree with post above me, try to not arrive alone.

 

Simple. You don't represent the HAMB. You represent you. You don't need a pre-planned response, just say or think what you want and move on with your day.

 

I guess if you don't want drama, don't enter a show.

 

That's what I'm thinking as well. Maybe ask Dr. Phil?

 

At some point along the line, the term "rat rod" seems to have gone from what most people on here think of (half-assed creations made from rebar, spider webs, and old piston assemblies with poor welding, typically chopped and channeled to within an inch of their life) to any old car with a bit of rust, or patina, on it.

Recently I was looking at a seat for my O/T pickup and the guy was talking about turning this '60s Chevy truck into a rat rod....all he'd done was wet sand the paint to a satin sheen, down to the primer in some spots. The next step was a hideous stainless sun visor from a semi....and that's it. I wanted to get away from him so I didn't bother to tell him otherwise.

I'm guessing this is your truck...nice. But I can see how some people would label it a rat rod because the paint's not all shiny.

 

What difference does it make now, it's a done deal and probably won't happen to you again.

 

Maybe the guy wasn't familiar with hot rodding and just saw your car and called it a rat rod because he was uneducated?

 

Don't worry about it

 

Well I`m not much for car shows having done that whole spiel back in the 90`s with an o/t Prostreet Camaro both parade ground outdoor venues and indoor as well. Wasn`t really that much fun and a whole lotta work. If I do a show I don`t stay very long. As I get older I have better ways to spend what time I have left.

I`m not normally sensitive and my buddies got a charge outta the guy getting under my skin but I must admit he did it right off the bat.

My post wasn`t about ratrods. It was about how to respond without being catagorized and shedding bad light on our group as a whole.

Maybe I should take my biker mentality and tell the next one to f#*K off and go on with life.

Yeah, that`s my new shop truck and unlike the Mopar guy my fingernails are dirty from working on it.

 

I have an Alliance tag on the firewall of my '31. It's there for all to see. I'm always trying to be friendly with everyone who checks out my car. When I see someone obsessing over their car with cleaning and polishing, I avoid them because I can't relate. If you saw my coupe, you'd understand!

 

Don't do many car shows but when I do the first thing I look for are similar cars like mine and that seems to reduce the amount of bull shit I have to deal with. I also wear my kevlar vest for an additional layer of protection. I don't think there really is a proper answer because of ignorant mannered people.

 

How do you know that, did you ask him? Sounds like you didn't have much conversation after that, not surprisingly. Take it easy next time.

 

People refer to my car as a rat rod all the time. Who cares....... They don't know any better and most of them don't want to know the difference because they see the term used on a wide variety of cars on TV. It's not an insult, except to some of the elitist's here on the HAMB. You seemed to be upset before you even got out of your truck that they parked you between two Mopar's. I would be proud to park between some nice Mopar's. Relax.

 

I don't care what other people drive. If they like it, more power to them. I like what I like, they like what they like, and I don't have a need to bait them to see how they react.

I also don't remember pin-up girls and rockabilly bands being part of the "traditional" scene back in the day. More and more what is deemed "traditional" is more of a caricature of the past rather than an accurate representation of how it really was.

I once approached 30-something-year-old guy who had an old Ford that looked pretty decent. He was wearing a T-shirt with sleeves rolled up, engineer boots, jeans with cuffs rolled up, tattoos all over. Cool. As we talked about old cars, he said that for him, it was not a hobby but a lifestyle. Interesting thing, he has since moved on from that "lifestyle," and is now into other things.

Live and let live.