I'm responsible for maintaining a small collection of hot rods for a gentleman, and one particular vehicle he owns gives me fits. It was "hot-rodded" back in '57/'58, and has not been "touched" since. Still in it's proper jet-black lacquer finish. My difficulties stem from the fact that it still has mechanical brakes, while running a big T-Bird engine! Owner wishes to keep it "as is", and I damn-near have a heart attack every time I drive it out in traffic (lots of out-of-state tourists in the area). I can see both sides of the discussion. My white knuckles on the steering wheel are a pretty good indication to me that I'm not having as much fun as I could or should be having while driving it, though ...
'Mo and Special Ed have delivered 2 great subjects. I'm going to start on Ed's example. That car is lovely and really does represent how things were going. Back when it was built a lot of guys stepped up to juice brakes. Traffic is rolling hell these days as you mentioned, clearly there was less danger on the roads if for no other reason than cell phones To leave that car on mechanical brakes because "It's the way it was!" is like 50 different kinds of W R O N G. Now that's my opinion and surely I'm armchair directing this thing, but dammit I'd want to drive that car everywhere I could. It's just short of NEEDING juice brakes. Not even power brakes, just some later model Ford/Merc/Lincoln brakes to make it stop safer, to keep your ass cheeks from wrinkling the seat cushions On top of that, I'd defy anyone to be able to challenge the installation as wrong for the time, mostly because I'd use all the right OEM parts just like back then. The RPU from 'Mo. Clearly I'd like to see more of it, but from my director's chair again it's just used up raw material. It has some appeal to it no doubt. It appeals to me as a collection of some of the right stuff to build a little pages magazine quality hot rod with all the chrome you could afford, some fat whites and flipper caps, some white rolls n pleats, an not 1 single rusted out "left over" should remain. If it was Iskendarian's old hot rod and ended up in that state of disrepair, what would Ed want you to do with it? I'd bet a 59 Caddy taillight that he'd want to see it back in it's former glory, not left looking forgotten and disrespected. The kool factor of that RPU lasts about as long as a 1 week episode of a sitcom. The 36 is "Casablanca", in that what it is will last nearly forever.
Issue on the 36 3W. We don't know if the owner drives this car in traffic, or not at all. He may just love having a untouched car to look at, and enjoy just owning it. So I can't say if he should add hyd brakes. The RPU is mine, I just got it on Saturday. I was reading everyone's opinions on the channeled blue 32 thread, to help me decide if I should change some things, or change nothing. The RPU is not famous. It was built in Boston, and I am supposed to get photographic slides from back in the day. Those will help figure out the missing parts like radiator/shell type and exhaust & header details. (those headers in the pic are from my 32, not from this car) I absolutely am falling deeper into the dark side of the old real world builds. Even a hard core 82 yr old AACA restorer friend who never shows interest in my other rods here, was really studying the chassis work on this car, and mentioned how difficult it must have been for a young guy without todays tools, or internet help on how to build a car. I did not want another rough project at almost 62 years of age, but I am a hardcore Olds Rocket nut, and have had a strange addiction to the spring-ahead fronts ends that were used a lot in the old days out here. The other thing, was that I always wanted a set of old handmade hairpins, and can't recall seeing any that were grafted to spring-ahead bone yokes before. And although it is not quite "belly burner" bed pipes, I always thought those looked cool in the old Autorama F-100 builds. So, I am so happy to have this car, even though it is really tattered. It sat at the orig builders lot on the ocean, in an open shed since the 60's, all apart for a forgotten rebuild, with many things stolen. The orig builder is still alive, I bought this from the son, through an agent. I have made a few changes that he may have wanted to do, or maybe not, on the rebuild that never happened.
Wait for it... waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait for it... Here's what the new owner did to it: (I think it could still be saved...)
In the movie "China Town" John Huston says " 'Course I'm respectable. I'm old. Politicians, ugly buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough." Unfortunately cars that are ill conceived or ill executed are just that, and will not improve with age. That poor thing needs to be relived of the awful things done to it. It is a '32 roadster, it can be fixed.
I know what they all mean Bob and the proper use...Im just saying they get thrown around a whole lot more lately, and in some cases where it doesn't apply. Sam, sorry to see that...that's gotta be tough to swallow
I wonder how many of the "survivors" found today were put away waiting for the funds to make changes that would have made them to more fun to drive at whatever time period they ended up being stored. Isn't making changes to our cars traditional? I think there are historical cars that should not be changed but not every car pulled out of storage needs to be kept the way it was. Make it go faster and stop quicker and then enjoy it while we can.
Sooooooooo I'm supposin the 75lb bondo fins on my van arent cool? SamIam, That should be a chargeable offence.
SamIyam: I feel your pain also! Definate case of seller regret brewing there. Looked great when it was yours.
No kidding! Just watch Barrett Jackson and listen to how they catagorize cars. It's a joke. Those terms are WAY overused. It's a lack of information. Can't tell you how many times i've heard a Streetrod guy call his flat painted 55Chevy,El Camino,70's Chevy Pick-up,etc a ratrod,just because it's not shiney.
You need to read this month's "Sam Says" article in the Goodguys' Gazette! "Traditional Rods and Train Wrecks!" Sam
yes if you go back....maybe to 1950 or 1945 or 1940 - the owner of that original deuce would be saying something like we are discussing........ "so you want to pull the fenders off and run my 1932 over a 100 mph?" hummm....your not gonna get the chance..... maybe that's a sell - vrs - a buy....but it's like the same thing.....
Funny thing is, there was a time when you had to pull the fenders to go fast. Later, you had to put 'em on(streamliners).
The Pyramids are under constant assault from the sand filled winds. The Great wall under assault from the shifting Earth beneath it. The great cities of the Inca, Aztec, and Maya under constant pressure of the encroaching forest. The HAMB will always be under assault from the 16 year old dink who thinks his Honda is a hot rod. Add a bit of mortar, replace the few rocks, trim the hedges and ban the dinks and the fortress will sustain the pressures.
The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's home, is a well-known Nashville historical site. When you take the tour you find out that the house burned down (twice IIRC) and was rebuilt, and it was added onto several other times. The furniture is a mix of pieces from Jackson's own collection, other period pieces, and some reproductions, and hardly any of it is in the original room. So is it no longer "historic"? I would argue that those events are what MAKE it historic. "History" isn't a static moment in time. It's a process.
Ok we're do we draw the line? My car supposedly was started in the 50's and never finished. It has a lot of cool old shit on it. So do I track down the owner and try to figure out how he wanted it done? I built the car that I fell in love with. ( saw it here on the Hamb). Guys I truly believe we are making our own history here with the cars I see on this site. Build them, drive the shit out of them, and most importantly enjoy them. That's what this is all about. I truly believe that is what the original builders intent was while he was hammering away in his garage. My grandfather was one of those guys back in the day. (Old hotbrod guy)I had the privilege of building a ot car with him. His rule was make it better. To him true hotrodders make it better. That being said his view was don't lose to the guy in the other lane. It was a competition thing apparently. I guess that's why we ended up racing. Man I miss that guy. Love you gramps!! Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
I just came across this article after owning The first mentioned roadster for almost three years now. I found myself laughing out load... Ryan you hit it on the head... This roadster and I have a strange long story I have written about in other threads but the one thing i have to say is i fell in love with this car for what it is. This roadster will only be the way it is once and i truly believe that... That being said i do believe this car was built to be driven and i do drive it! that's the best part of the car... The way this car goes down the road is not like any other hot rod I have driven. Ryan i have that sense of humor! I love everything about this car... From the sketchy frame kick up in the rear to the 5 mile gap between the radiator and the fan... but some things on the car just weren't the safest... hand made fiberglass gas tank... not too good when it started flaking away from the inside and clogging my fuel pump, not to mention more flammable than the gas in the tank.... I have been trying to keep this car as original as possible with still being able to drive the car "safely". I truly believe survivors should be kept the way they were. All the quirks, goofy stuff and paint for sure paint... no matter how much it checks and cracks I keep driving it and enjoying the car... again its only like this once... lacquer paint put on sometime in the late 50's.... You can build a car exactly the same as this but the fact that this roadster was built back when hot rods were being built by teenagers in shop class in high school. To this day every time I look at the car or work on the car I find different things the "KID" did when he built the car. Now I say "KID" based on some of the things on the car such as some of the welds and frame work done to just get the car LOW... But don't get me wrong this little roadster was very well thought out and was definitely built to drive! The best thing is this car was built in the area that i live now and still drives the same roads it probably drove when it was built! I am still tracking down more info on the roadster and showing it as much a possible! Hot Rod Hillclimb this year!! Thanks Ryan for this thread! Survivors Rule!!!
A most interesting thread.Thanks Ryan for posting.That said,the American Indians have a"spirit god"they call"The Trickster".Could he be Ryan in disguise? Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo