Hot Rods So...at what age did you have to give up building hot rods?

Someone on here has a tag line " It takes twice as long to do half as much now" I hit 70 in August and can relate to that. I still would rather be in my garage ( or somebody's) than in the house! Even being on the road with the earth people has gotten to be nerve wracking when I get the coupe out. Wouldn't trade it for the world though.


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You are as old as the girls you feel.
Seriously, I am 69 and can work circles around most of the 20 year olds and do just that at work every weekday.

 

Almost 58 here and I do the same at work... I feel it when I get home though.....

 

Mom loves Mario Lanza and she makes the best regatoni with her home made sauce and meat balls.... Damn! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...

 

72, two should have killed me health issues. I may be done just haven't admitted it yet. I did drive two hours to a swap Sat. by myself. Happy I was able to find my way back home.

 

Guess I will live forever..3 more projects in line, 38 Buick (will be turned into a UTE), 48 fleetline, 60 F100

 

78 an still at it

 

I'll be 68 in a few weeks and I don't plan to quit building and enjoying hot rods,I don't put in the long hours in the shop like I use to but still enjoy the challenges and satisfaction of building and maintaining my small fleet.

I believe when it is no longer fun and rewarding I will quit building cars but I can't see me walking away from them. HRP

 

Being almost 66yrs old, done building old cars just maintence on the two i have. They are a lot of money when you are on social security and i question myself- do i even need two old cars ? Exterminator

 

I will be 70 in May and would be up for one more engine conversion...

 

another dumb question

 

Not a question of age but much more a question of money

 

Give up, you say????

 

This is my world ('cept the 2 hour drive would be my limit... + 2 hours back + actual event time). Brain still dying to be in the shop, cutting and welding, but body says no. Now I have to either find someone to do the work (difficult and expensive), or pretend it will happen "later." *sigh*

 

Still at it but a slower pace.
I’m 71 years old and in the past 3 years I’ve endured a very nasty shingles attack that went on for over 4 months across my scalp, a full knee replacement and during Christmas I took a hard fall shattering my collar bone and shoulder.
Now just recovering from a full complete reverse shoulder replacement.
Stuff like that slows you down but I’m still anxious to get back out into my shop and play with old cars


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2many - Glad you're on the mend. Life 'aint easy. Love your El.

 

I am 68 and still building and don't see me stopping anytime soon.

 

My mind says i"m 18, My body say's your mind is full of it!! I'm really afraid I'm getting to the point that i can't anymore.I'm 61. Been working in factory job since i was 18.

 

I'll let ya know . . . .

 

At 76+ I've learned to listen to my body. I've slowed down considerably over the past few years. Those muscles and bones are doing their own thing. Enjoy a few hours a day and stop when warranted. My 50 Shoebox will be my last build and I plan to enjoy it then rest of my days.

 

I've been at it over 58 years! I'll stop when my breath and money runs out! Hopefully they do this on the same day!! Lol

 

Milo thinks 3 is pretty old...

 

Hello,

When we were teenagers in early Long Beach, we had little money to build hot rods. What we did do with the money we had was to save and maintain what we had at the time. ( standard scenario for most young builders/ hot rod enthusiasts) My brother had a job, so there was some money. So, for anyone, lack of money is when you had to give up or limit building hot rods. Our first project was a Model A, but lack of funds and my brother’e eye for an all out, stock bodied, factory race car was in his sights.

Jump up a few years and with what we saved, we built a 671 SBC 40 Willys coupe for the gas coupe and sedan class. That took up most of our money, but, time was on our side as teenagers. We worked in the garage and concrete backyard on the Willys until the late hours. Most of the after school hours and definitely on the weekends when we did not go to the drags. Our hot rod build was limited to what it cost and what we had. (Strombergs instead of Hilborns, LaSalle 3 speed instead of a C&O/B&M stick hydro, etc.)

After that period of drag racing was over, it was 1961 and lack of funds, job and experiences put a damper on hot rods. We both drifted off into other “things.” In the late 60’s, the urge to build something else was growing again. But family finances of a newly married young couple played a big part in going to the back shelf for years. We had fun cruising/customizing the 2nd 40 sedan delivery, but the light was fading fast. The waves/traveling beckoned for us...

Jnaki

With a new child in the family, all hopes of spending time AND money on an extra hot rod was put on hold indefinitely. The 40 Sedan Delivery + the El Camino were sold to get a family oriented house. Family happenings and needs come first. So, since that time, it was put on hold. Finally, many years later, the situation arose with the mechanic facilities available (larger garage facilities,) with the finances now ok and secure.

The time was open, the car building ideas popped up and were now back on the front burner. (also, the kid was out of college and lived in his own place...) The current hot rod/cruiser designs did not agree with what I saw as a daily driver/hot rod and was finally put on hold from the wishes of my wife. Age: late 50s…

But, as family was/is important, the road has been clear for a long time of being together. Even though the light is still burning as we get older, we all have adjusted accordingly.