a lot of deep thoughts here - I have them from time to time - was watching part of a morning talk show today that had a few recent shark bite recipients, one gal lost most of one arm - a couple said that they never saw the shark until something bumped them - when I think of sharks of course the movie Jaws comes to mind - but next is the Corvette Mako Shark that was a concept car in 1961 meant for future production - looking online the short tail Mako Shark , blue pointer or bonito shark, is on record as being the fastest swimming shark, capable of bursts up to 18.8meters per second ( I think roughly 42 miles per hour) - plus, it will eat many other types of fish, and even turtles - that would be a challenge to swim with - Hot Rod thrill for youngsters , then hook up with a crew that runs at Bonneville - help them out and maybe get some seat time - that is true thrill seeking for young and old -
The young guys will figure out their participation if theyre really interested. We can make hot rods accessible and visible but longevity wont be something we make happen. I agree this thing is supposed to be the punk rock of the automotive world. The youthful rebellion. When your young you listen to music your parent hate and are forming your own ideas. Your exited and frustrated and are gonna change the world. Its the thrill of youth. If adults tried to plan that for you or orchestrate it for you it would be lame. Meaningless. If this hot rod thing is gonna survive young people will have to find it for themselves and tweak it for themselves in ways we may not care for or understand. If we did totally get it chances are it would be lame. Maybe it won't survive maybe it will. I can imagine guys who raced charriots in blood covered arenas drank wine and discussed the end of what they did when the writing was on the wall haha. Fuck it.
@Ryan my coupe is currently at @Von Hartmann 's shop, and he's a pretty young guy. He's carrying the torch both with his hands and absorbing the history (hot rod, choppers, the rise/fall/rise of his of his town and so on). As we'll likely hear in this post there are likely other pockets where there's a guy here and there.... but you're not wrong - there are a lot more guys dusting off the shiny paint than thrashing the streets. If you're looking for those "kids" you got to where the drifting or diesels (probably something else I'm missing... out here - off roading/dirt bikes/etc.) are. I've been selling a lot of parts to fund my coupe build and, mostly, it's mid-late 40s guys who call themselves "pickers" and much older guys. Look at the price of the new C8... Hell, when I saw it at 60k, I starting thinking about getting out of hot rods myself.
Sharks are wicked cool but that 34 is just sinister! Plus hotrods are for daily use or excitement and see the excitement in both. I’ll just stick to hot rods and Habaneros for my endorphins @BRENT you hit it on the head about @Von Hartmann young and multi talented. It just wicked cool he does it the old school way and using old school machines and tools . I hear old tools have sole and experience and Ryan proves its true.
In my opinion it's become an old man's sport as well as a rich man's sport. Most kids these days can't afford a "real" hot rod. A couple years ago they invited us to take a few low riders, customs and hot rods to an import event. We were at first hesitant to do so but we swallowed our pride and asked about 15 of our friends to bring their classic cars. The low riders, customs and hot rods stood out and kids stopped by to look. We heard quite a few "one day" conversations. The event was massive and over at 5pm but there was still a large line of kids after 3pm waiting to come in. A lot of flashy import cars and models for the kids to drool over, the event was catered for a younger crowd. I was kind of disappointed that this type of show draws in more kids than a classic car show at first but then thought even if the cars are imports at least they have an interest in cars. How many guys' first love was a bug or mini truck? I bet more than we think and many are afraid to admit it. Hopefully as they get older they remember their "one day" memories of a classic car and go buy themselves one when they can afford it. Even if they are burning rubber on a Honda at least they're out there burning rubber. In California the low rider culture has gone back to it's roots. Many younger guys are out cruising the streets in their 70's, 80's and 90's cars. Because it's what they can afford. Most want a 30's or 40's bomb or even an Impala but can't afford them because it's too expensive.
Diving is a blast, I’ve really enjoyed it. The rush or feeling you’re describing is most likely adrenaline rather than testosterone. And the more you get, the more you want. Welcome to the adrenaline junkies club
@Ryan that’s great you’ve identified that emotion and the change in body chemistry. Now as far as up coming kids getting into the hobby,,,, out of the current batch of 15-16 yr old kids they seem to have no sense of urgency to drive or obtain a license. No desire for that freedom or independence... The group about 10 yrs before the current was much different in that 15-18 yr age group. those folks would be early to mid twenties now. Still a bit different than decades before. Plenty of studies and facts that tie this phenomenon directly to the amount of screen time on electronic devices vs direct personal interaction. Now all that being said,,,, where’s that excitement and change in body chemistry going to come out of a smart phone or video game?
I try to remain optimistic because I'm 27 and can't imagine life without old cars. For me building and driving them is the ultimate freedom. The number of young people who are into old cars is small, but the passion is stronger then ever. I predict hot rodding will eventually revert back to a rebellious underground movement, but I cant see it dieing out completely. Sent from my SM-G950W using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I’m trying to do my part as far as the old cars go. I’m going to be 30 in a couple months and I’m in the middle of building a 1939 Chevy 2-door sedan, granted I won’t post a pic of it in its current roller frame state due to the fact it has some non-HAMB pieces but that’s just concessions I had to make based off what was available to me. It will at least be “traditional inspired” in all outward appearances. My oldest son is almost 9 and he likes to help me in the shop sometimes. He’s always talking about what kind of car he will build when he gets older, he has a ton of unique ideas that’s for sure. My wife even works on the cars with me sometimes too but we both work full time jobs, she’s also currently taking college courses, plus we have the kiddos to tend to. I don’t really have any friends that are into the classic cars like I am, they think they’re neat and all but they have their own interests. Jeeps are a big thing around here and that’s all one friend I have talks about. Another friend is into full size trucks and is always trading or modifying his latest acquisition. I have an OT c10 that I take to shows and places with the family. My dad and I initially built it over 18 years ago and my son has already called dibs on it when he starts driving. I have hope my son will remain interested, he’s the only one old enough to understand it right now. He is mechanically inclined and good with his hands when he wants to be.
Here’s one reason why less kids are getting into trad hot rods: when the traditional hot rod movement started. Late models were slow and lame and street rods were boring. And some trad hot rod components were cheap ish. Many bought an early50s chev flat blacked it, chucked some blankets on the seats... cheap rad times. These days, cheap-ish late models are fast. LS engines are are cheap. Chinese eBay Turbos are everywhere and I see young people building some awesome stuff, and when the present is this much fun they don’t long to raise hell in traditional hot rods like good old days cos their too busy building modern cars to raise hell in right now. YouTube is packed full of internet vids of youngsters thrashing stupid fast cars on the streets and tracks having heaps of fun. They love hot rods and they’ll build one one day, but right now LSing a Nissan 240sx will be a bunch of fun to create havoc in
Hot rods are a great excuse to not have to grow up at any age At 31, I don't know if I still qualify as a young person or am moving to old person yet, but playing with cars for the last decade, currently having a blast building my '37 Buick and the next 2 or 3 cars that don't exist yet are being built in the back of my head. I don't see myself getting away from hot rodding anytime soon. I may not have kids of my own, but I've been trying my best to be the honorary bad influence 'uncle' on the friends' kids
View attachment 4372305 A few years back my daughter and I, jumped in Jim Smiths 32 Phaeton and hauled ass to Dewey. She loved it. Now anytime she is headed to a birthday party or school event she wants to know if I can take her in the roadster.
@Ryan When I got out of the service I moved to OBX NC and took a job as a Divemaster on a boat out of Oregon Inlet and the occasional trip out of Hatteras. We had a yearly "Shark Dive" on a submarine wreck off the coast of Hatteras. The last time I was on that dive I lost count at 37 sharks. If you are ever on the east coast it is well worth the day to make that dive. Regarding "hot rodding": I have always struggled with the definition (especially here on the HAMB) It seems to me a lot of folks get real "stuffy" about any thing that isn't "X" or isn't "Y" when it comes to "hot rodding" But what is hot rodding? For me it is about taking a factory car and modifying it with parts that are available to make it faster, personalized, or better looking. Aside from Faster, all other aspects of "hot rodding" are subjective... you cant measure better looking or personalized on a stop watch. In an effort to get my head around "hot rodding" I looked first to the past (specifically my past). When my grandad came back from WWII in 1945 he took the old family 33 chevy and started modifying it to go faster, etc. My Dad, when in high school in the mid 60's was hopping up a 50 ford, and later when he returned from Nam in the last 60's he was messing with late 50's and early 60's cars When I started driving in the mid to late 80's I was spending my weekends rebuilding junkyard SBC and stuffing them in 70's G bodies. And now my daughters friends are doing engine swaps in late 90's Honda's (and getting almost 100HP per cylinder!!!) In every example above, the "hot rodder" took a 10-15year old vehicle that was readily available at the time, with plentiful and affordable parts, and did their best to make the car "better". This is hot rodding. And those kids today with the coffee can exhausts and turbo pop off valves making a racket leaving the car show are eerily reminiscent of your admitted car show visits... again... this is hot rodding I understand that there are "era's" of rodding that some people like more than others. And I am in the camp of loving traditional hot rods, but to suggest that hot rodding is dying because 20 year old's cant pony up $7k for a rusted out model a body and then drop another $5k (or more) to get it road worth as a second vehicle is, in my opinion, a bit short sighted. When I was a young man and started messing with cars I could only afford one...and it had to get me to work every day (to both jobs) without fail. The same goes today. I can't tell you how many "kids" I talk to at shows that wish they could have a traditional rod, but don't have the extra funds. There is a reason you see so many grey hairs at a car show... those are the guys that have reached a point in their life where they can afford a $20k toy. The house is paid for, the kids are done with college and not asking for help every month, the pension/401k/ retirement has kicked in, etc. "Traditional Hot Rodding" is stupid expensive compared to hopping up a 99 civic... and no one is hoarding 99 civic parts (yet), and asking top dollar for the ones they are willing to sell. We all want the price of the cars we love to stay high to "protect" our investment then complain that youngsters don't want to get in the game.... It took me 38 years to be able to get the car I always wanted, but I "hot rodded" the entire time getting here. I don't think hot rodding is going anywhere, and I think the younger generation of car guys will carry on the traditional part of the hobby as they mature into a position in life to be able to afford it. I did... Chappy
White Tip? As in Oceanic White Tip? The pelagic kind with the long fin lobes? In blue water? The aggressive, unpredictable one responsible for the majority of attacks on humans at mid-ocean aircraft or ship disasters? That one? Did your adrenaline start to flow? Heart-rate elevate? Dang!
There will always be a change of perspective from different generations as people tend to look back to the cars they lusted after when they were teens. The collector car market reflects this first, look at the price changes of 50's era cars vs later 60's cars. Traditional hot rods will always have a market, but to some extent prices will reflect the aging out of my generation, and the rise of a generation that never saw these cars in high school parking lots. I graduated in 1970 there was maybe 5 50's cars in the lot, and maybe 50 60's mustangs/camaros/chevelles etc. Being in the northern half of the country rust is also a factor, environmental concerns means a lot of junk yards are closed and those that remain have crushed most of the cars we look for.
I heard an old race car driver (can't remember which one) say, "...that's when I found out the real color of adrenaline is brown" Chappy
You very well might be right, I realize I ain't 6 foot tall and bullet proof like I was when I was 18 years old, time has slowed me down, life's hard lessons have made me smarter than that teenager that would drop the hammer at any red light, banging gears with the guy in the next lane and never once glancing at the rear view mirror to make sure there wasn't a state trooper sitting directly behind me. Yeah, I'm a old fart but every now and then that 18 year old inside me still gets excited when I crawl in my old Deuce and tries to get me NOT to act my age! HRP
My 37 yr old son has no interest, but my 2 1/2 yr old grandson is obsessed! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I really do believe the H.A.M.B. initiated the traditional resurgence. A snotty nose bunch of hoodlums making fun of goldchaining streetrodders. Building cool stuff from junk that looks like the old films and magazines. It didn’t take much for Us older farts, who never really liked the plastic fantastic, to jump on board. And the rest is history. Ryan, I think you’re accepting that challenge into the next generation. We have a different animal now. You may be better off accepting the change. Or at least tolerating it.
This!! HEAR HEAR! I love this site and this era of cars, but moreso, I love cars and those who have a passion for them regardless of the genre. I have the utmost respect for anyone who shares my passion for taking something factory and making it... more. Not every project I have (really, not any) will fit into every notch of HAMB tradition. But I do my level best to support the idea that HAMB promotes, because it is where my heart is. One day when I can stop paying for a kid's college and other sundry items that keep them floating, I will build myself a Traditional Hot Rod. Until then, I will Hot Rod just like I always have... to the best of my ability.
Hmmmmmmmmmm.Title of this picture is"Guess who`s coming to dinner".Swam with a few sharks in my life.The best encounter was in about 6ft of water.snorkeling.Had a tiger shark swim under me off of Vero Beach,Fl.Almost had a major case water pollution happen.Those were fun times. Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
Testosterone is what causes young fellas do the shit old fellas shake their heads at, Adrenaline is the outcome of those actions, I’m shorter on the first now but still enjoy the second and hope to for a few years to come! And I agree totally, static car shows don’t generally do it for the younger guys(nor me), nothing like rolling action to get the juices flowing.
Ryan, I've seen the 13 and a half Coupe up-close-and-personal and it's a hell of a car. Totally home built using their brains and their hands not a telephone and a catalog. And Nathan has been making memories and history with that coupe already. At one point before it was painted black, he was driving it, got cut off and he and the coupe ended up upside down in the ditch. Didn't slow him down hardly at all. Flipped it up right, washed the mud off, fix the dents and drive on. If you're on Instagram at all checkout @NathanxStewart. Lots of build pics there. Build thread here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1931-model-a-coupe-y-block-build-father-son.1004188/ And I haven't seen that roadster in person but I'm willing to bet that if it was built by the same group of family members, it's a pretty awesome car too.
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