Hot Rods Did You grow Up In The HAMB Era?

Sorry to hear that.
A great looking midget racer!

 

I'm 44, but my dad loved era stuff. Mostly wood boats, and I grew up on wood boats, and working on them. Dad was always interested in cars of the era, but other commitments and lack of money and space meant he couldn't really own one. So when I started getting into older cars he was quite pleased.

So I blame him....

 

Us Baby Boomers grew up in the best of times. Born into a racing family, involved/obsession into my 40's, car crazy from little on, will be to my expiration date. This HAMB deal is great, has it's guidelines, moderators, etc. At the risk of offending, some of today's HOT ROD culture is lost in Ryan's vision which I like and "Get". I'm a Wisconsin guy, racing was/is big, today local racing still is plentiful, all types. IMO, car hobby is about making the best out of what you have/can afford/modem updates, engine/chassis/safety/speed, but today the reality is most pre 65 stuff has become way out of line dollar wise, again IMO. The largest growth group I see here in Wi. is Rat Rod/Rockabilly style cars/shows, which is what hot rodding started as, young men building what they could afford/had/made do with and having fun. I personally enjoy these shows and the people, they allow my shiney Mercury, always treated with respect, reminds me of my youth, young guys having fun. Our great car hobby has grown beyond anyone's dreams due to us baby boomers and the wealth we worked for and acquired through time. What makes a Hot Rod, Kustom so pricey, Paint, Chrome, Upholstery, take that away and that's what the a lot of young men today are enjoying today with their families. I have been very fortunate to have Kool cars all my life due to working my butt off (words of wisdom, parents, "There Are No Excuses, Make It Happen" Most everywhere I go, we are the gray hair/no hair guys enjoying the fruits of our labor and definitely will be fading into history. Have a Great Day my friends, Spring, Summer is just around the corner.

 

Born in '50. Built my first car in 1956. I received a Model 6-1/2 Erector set for Christmas. I remember that because I was 6-1/2 (very important when you are 6). The very first thing I built was a platform big enough to attach 4 wheels and the motor. There was an electric motor in the set with a transmission attached. Of course being the future hotrodder I was, I didn't run it through the trans, but off the direct drive at the rear of the motor. That thing would shoot across the floor until it unplugged itself. Figured out I needed an extension cord pretty quick! I was in heaven. That box was full of nuts and bolts, gears and pulleys. and wheels and axles to invent all kinds of neat stuff. I never used the directions.
My interest in cars was totally self-inflicted. There really were no outside influences. Dad was not a car guy. He did love his Buicks though. By 6, I could name all the cars on the road. In 1958, models became of interest to me. A 1958 Buick convertible was the first model I put together. I devoured every car magazine I could get ahold of. There was the Pinewood Derby in Cub Scouts, and there were a lot of wooden, wagon wheeled, downhill push carts over the next few years.
In '66 of '67 one of the car magazines, Car Craft IIRC, had a monthly series about building a T bucket, which became my Bible. My buddy, Fred, and I each put together $75 and bought a stalled '29 CCPU project with a 265 SBC. Fred quickly lost interest and I bought him out. I found some 4" channel iron and built a frame for it with a borrowed AC Lincoln Tombstone welder while I taught myself to stick weld. Everything steel got cut with a hacksaw. (Sorry about the bad pics. They're all I have.) I finished that hotrod and drove it to school the last 2 weeks of my Senior year. Licensed and insured. That '29 was as traditional as you can get. I drag raced it all Summer on and off the drag strip. I sold it when I went away to college. I spent the next 50 years building and racing cars and still building hot rods. The disease in incurable.
Yes I grew up in the last of the HAMB era. The best years the US has ever seen.

 

I was born in December 1981 into a (mostly dirt stockcars) ovaltrack racing family on my father's side going back to pre WW II.

My mother's side were not really car guys but were involved in mechanical trades, locomotive mechanics, machinist, my grandfather was a body man.


Members of my father's family were involved in all aspects of the sport mechanics, drivers, track operation, my father built/repaired many chassis.

I spent my whole life around auto racing and cars. I was in the pit at my first 1/2 mile dirt track. Growing up if my mom, dad, and I were racing we were not selling at swapmeets.

I spent all my time reading, studying the history. I become friends with the old timers and listened to everything they would tell me.
I really thought I was going to end up racing when I became old enough (16/17 years old), however oval track racing had become a huge money sport for spoiled brat little rich kids.
Home built racecars had become a thing of the past, and $25,000 plus engines had taken hold there was no way I could afford it.

When I was 14 or 15 I started to become interest in traditional hot rods. Just as with oval track racing I studied, read, and leaned everything I could.
About the same time mid 1990s more and more traditional hot rods were being futured in magazines.
Then in about 1999 Street Rodder magazine did an article "The Rebel Rod Revival" about people my age (late teen) to late 20s who built and owned period correct hot rods, I thought "Holly Shit! I am not the only one!!"
I began to go to traditional hot rod shows/events like the Rock-A-Billy Rumble in East Hartford Conn, The Alter Boys Jalopy Jamboree at Ralph's Diner in Worcester Mass, and The South Butler Drag reunion near Auburn NY.
I became friends with the old time hot rodders, and found out many of my friends and heroes from oval track racing had started out as hot rodders.

The cars the people my age had were like the hot rods/stockcars of yester year. They were hand build by the owner or with the help of friends. The cars and parts were relatively inexpensive, who wanted a Ford flathead or a Weiand Drag Six for a 324 Olds. Although I was in my mid 20s before I was able to afford own a vintage car I could modify in a period correct style.

About ten years ago the Gold Chain Trend Chasers found their way to period correct hot rodding, and left it a watered down shell.

This led me back to my roots in vintage oval track racing. This is real racing not hot laps! The cars in the class I am building are period correct other then modern safety- cages, seat belts, fuel cells etc

 

I was born in 44 with already a one yr older brother who knew everything and still does. Dad was a car/motorcycle guy in his youth and when I asked taught me a lot. My brother didn't give a shit.

Dad was a precision wind tunnel model maker with his own machine shop and he was a pilot. He died in a motorcycle accident in 1963. He never saw his sons "do good". Mom stayed home and ran herd on us, kept us in line, but we knew who was the boss.

I had a great time growing up in my opinion. The 50's and early 60's couldn't have been better. I never had enough $$ but it didn't bother me as I look back I never asked for any either. Working at the Big Donut aka Randy's was enough for gas and the like. I wish he could have been with my family and I at El Mirage, Bonneville, and on the dirt tracks with our son. My mom died at 95 and I took care of her right up to the end.

Our era was taught well at home and school, we knew what discipline is and lived with consequences of our bad decisions. All the guys and gals I know are true patriots and love this our country.

As my mother said and I've said here before "The son who never grew up" and I can live with that. I'll always be proud of where I came from and how I was raised. That's enough so I think I'll head over to a Friday Night Cruise..... Thank God somethings don't change....J D

 

I grew up in the dying days of Pro street, the rise of billet everything, and high school was already LS swap everything, lol. About as far removed from the Hamb era, lol That would be my grandpa's era, but all that coolness rubbed off as thats about the only way I operate, with the addition of late 60s muscle cars. Anything post 72 is a no go, lol

 

Great read fellas! Let's you really appreciate the knowledge and experience of the members on here.

 

Well honestly I owe it all to my grandfather. I was born in 1989 so way after the HAMB era, my dad died when I was young and my grandfather was the only father figure I had. He was born in 1939 so he grew up in the 50s and I don't think he ever really grew out of it. He had a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria, man that car was gorgeous. We would drive to all the cars shows in cruise nights in it listening to 50s music. He showed me movies like American Graffiti and shows like Happy days, which made me really idolize that era and the cars. He was constantly buying new models from the Danbury mint and we would constantly be working on his car. I fell in love with chop top mercs myself, mainly because of my Great uncle James, my grandfather's brother. He owned a body shop and was a self taught body man. He had been customizing cars since the 50s (still does to this day at 85 years young). He had/has a gorgeous 1951 Mercury convertible that is a butterscotch color. He actually has over 20 classic cars that he restored all himself all pre 65 that are all convertibles. I used to love to go to his shop and see what he was working on, and then listen to my grandfather and him talk about the glory days. They would talk about drag racing in the 50s and raising hell. Sadly I grew up in the Fast and the furious age. Everyone had ricers with fart cans when I was in school but I loved the classics. I was looked at like I was odd because no one understood why I liked them so much. I had pictures of old hot rods and sleds on all my binders and folders that I either drew or taped a picture on. I dabbled in muscle cars as I got out of high school and did like them but they never felt fulfilling to me, other than I loved the horsepower and speed. Because of the muscle cars I became a mopar guy, I liked having something different from everyone else. Everyone had Chevys and Fords in my area and they just didn't appeal to me. When my grandfather passed away 9 years ago I inherited his 51 Ford and I have it still. I love the car and drive it around but I could never really do what I wanted with it because it was grandpa's and I didn't want to go against his wishes. So finally last year I found a 1952 Plymouth for 750 bucks and I decided it would be mine and I was going to build it my way. Despite a bunch of backlash about me wanting to modify it from local guys, I wanted this car custom. That is one reason I decided to go away from the muscle cars. You can't customize them, everyone gets upset and they have to be a certain way. I want to be able to express myself through my car which is why I fell in love with customs. I found this site by chance and I have used it along the way to guide me since my grandfather is no longer with us. With the influence of this site I decided I would chop that car and jumped head first into the build. I got lucky and a local guy who has been chopping tops since the 50s was kind enough to stop by and show me where to cut it and he took a pencil and drew what he would do and gave me some good advice and told me good luck LOL. I got some great help from this site, especially from Torchie to guide me along the way. At the moment it is on pause as I work on my house but I can't wait to get back at it. I plan on finishing the body work up this summer and getting it into primer. But then again nothing ever goes to plan.

 

Hello,

We grew up in So Cal in a cool time period. From our tiny trailer park in 1946 to the final goodbye in 1998 when we sold our house. We did all of our hot rod stuff there, then got into desert motorcycle racing and surfing. Those years of 1948 in an old Craftsman House that was closer to Lion’s Dragstrip started the early stuff, little cars, magazines, models, a 5 inch TV console, etc. The final house was from 1953 to 1998, when we sold it and our Long Beach connection was over.

But, in looking at the old neighborhood, I cannot see the young kids, today, doing what we did back then. The neighborhood has drastically changed and it does not look good. If I were still around as a teen today, I would have to go to another closer high school and not the historic Long Beach Polytechnic High School that was located several miles East.

It would be hard pressed to grow up in that current neighborhood and still have a hot rod influence. Drag racing was over and gone, the cruising grounds are still there, but the luster and action is also gone. History cannot repeat itself with everything having their future move on, too. So, cruising to the local drive in restaurant would be possible, but it would not feel the same. There is no Lion’s Dragstrip influence on anything, except for some great memories at the Lion’s Dragstrip Museum.
internet photo for similarities
The first traditional hot rod in the area, was our friend’s 1934 Ford 5 window coupe. (Except, that the motor was a big Oldsmobile V8 that was very powerful and fast.) It was a competitor in the A/Gas class at Lions Dragstrip and won many trophies. It was also a daily driver to high school and work after school. But, for us, that was traditional, since those hot rods were daily drivers and weekend racers.


So, the only way for me as a teen to get any influence is to have friends or relatives that could spark some life into old cars. For the current teens, that is a huge problem as they are more influenced by social media, their own style of music and their phones. There still are some teens that are still sticking to some old style stuff. Our granddaughter mentioned that she was looking to get involved with old style film cameras and had her eye on a point and shoot.

We gave her all of our old 35mm film cameras and telephoto lenses that were new and unused from 2009, an automatic advance Canon AE2 Film Camera, lenses and backpack. She was so happy to be able to delve into that world of film photography and not just using her phone for photos. She has seen our old photos and knows of our history of hot rods and drag racing. But, her old hot rod/cruising connection is her neighbor that has a cool Ford Falcon Convertible with a big loping motor when it comes idling down the street at her house.

Jnaki

So, how are teenagers and 20 somethings going to get the experience that we had? It is an awful thing, but, they can’t. The pandemic put any ideas for anyone to start a new form of hobby or interest. For them, there are more pressing things in their daily lives to adjust and just live, these days. Hot rods are the farthest thing for them. The young guys/girls here on the HAMB are a dying breed and more power to them to continue on in a difficult world, with little to none, in the admiration for old hot rods and going fast in something a teenager built with his learned skills.

Yes, there are newspaper stories that say drag racing caused the two car accident when a Toyota Sedan was racing a Honda Civic. Well, to us old guys, that was pure stupidity on those young people’s way of life. But, for them a modified, mild, custom car that has some power is their way to be creative. But, as far as giving old drag racers and hot rod enthusiast a bad name, we still cringe when the newspaper story say they failed at driving or just plain common sense.

The future is as open as any time, but the grouping of people for the old hot rod scene is waning every year. Yes, we can copy as many photos and post them without any information as to creating any interest in what was done from a time long ago. So, posting is one way to keep the barrage of "no information" going for the young, who look at the photos and say nothing, but, ok, what is next? Where is the history, the facts, etc?

The HAMB is a good place for the families that have interested children in their dad and grandfather’s old hot rods and customs. But, in reality, for most of the teenagers, their high school lives have been turned upside down and getting involved in hot rods is not the most pressing thing for them at this moment.

The big thing for teenagers is still getting their driver's licenses. It is still learning the rules of the road and in conjunction with common sense, will be the next generation of safe drivers for our areas. Any influence of old cars is great and HAMB sets the trends, with going back into the vast history of hot rodding. But, a little information with facts and historical prospective for each photo is necessary to explain to the new generation of what it is, how it was built and some relevant history. IOHO

 

i was born in 1961, and came out making motor noises. have a eye for pre and post war, muscle cars, motorcycles and trucks. if it looks right it will catch my eye and traditional hot rods and customs are very high on my list.

 

I dropped off the assembly line in ´76. None of my family are into old cars.I always loved the American TV shows like "the Fall Guy", "Dukes of Hazard" or " Riptide" , the cars they drove and the lifestyle they had. This had quite an impression on this 5 years old guy. I guess I was 6 or 7 when I heard and saw my first real American car. ,a jacked up light blue 57 Chevy Coupe on chrome wheels and white letter tires with real loud exhaust that happened to roll through our little village while I was playing "stuntman" on my bicycle. Wrenching was always in my blood. I have never owned a new vehicle to this day. Gramps used to say :" It´s no use to give you anything nice and new, you´re going to break or disassemble it anyways." He was always right, but someday I figured out how to put my stuff back together, hahaha

 

Why are you assuming I ever "grew up"?

 

I was born a CAR NUT. My dad wasn't into cars, other than buying a new car every three to four years. As a kid in the early 60's. I built all the Hot Rod model cars. I also bought, Hot Rod, Hop Up, Drag Cartoons, etc. Ed. Roth, and Rat Fink were my Heroes. I drew Hot Rods for the other kids in school. So I am kinda stuck in the 60's. I'm also a pre 1972 car person. I love big noisy V/8's with lots of torque. Real mag wheels, chopped tops, Q.C. rears, multi carbs, and just snap your neck old Hot Rods. I may have missed the HAMB era by a few years. Here's a couple photos. My 38 Chevy from high school in 1970, and my Hot Rods now. Like Denny said, Who grew up?

 

I honestly wish I knew! Born in 1967. My dad and uncle were both into old cars, mostly muscle cars (dad) and corvettes (uncle). They both also had 1930s cars but not when I was old enough to know or care. So that put me right on track to like "old" cars.
What I do not logically know is how that led to my love of '50s kustoms. My senior high school year I bought a mint '54 Pontiac so by the time I was 17 I already like '50s cars more than '60s or newer.
It is purely emotional. When I see a really sharp and well-customized '50s car I FEEL it in my gut! It just...is.

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1949 to 1959 was the time I grew up on So Cal. so very lucky to share the same home town with Norm Grabowski and his "T" and Tommy Ivo and his "T", the Ray Vega 38 Ford Valley Custom tub. Everybody with a job had a rod or custom. I had a 52 Ford 2 Dr nosed, decked, frenched headlights and tail lights, tube grill, US Royal masters wide whites, glass packs, tuck and roll interior I took out of a junk yard wreck and put in my Ford. Great Times for sure. JW

 

...born in 46, influenced by the AMT/SMP 3in1 model cars starting in 1958, my first 3 cars were hot rods and 4th was a dedicated drag racer. I still have my first and am working to disassemble it’s original motor this week. It is mostly stuck after 55 years of storage.

My first as it currently exists, much like it looked in ‘63, but nicer now, and still a hopped up 4 banger:


I still have the itch. My 51 Ford coupe is a mild custom with a 392 hemi.

 

Happy birthday sir.


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You have my sympathies sir.


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Grew up in my Dads Texaco station, which was nothing more than a legitimized hot rod shop. My Grandfather was partners in an early drag strip and there were dozens of dirt cars in and out of the shop. I never stood a chance.

Some of my fondest memories are Rod and Custom when it just jumped to the large format. California was just a dream but oh so real. I still get great feelings when I reminisce, (flashbacks?), to summer nights at the Fairgrounds during the dirt races, super cool early sixties Chevys, and loads of neat hot rods. What a great time to grow up, or not grow up as the case be.

 

I was born in 1972( or was it in a crossfire hurricane?) didn’t get hooked ( addicted that is) on hot rods until I was 12, three years later I got my F-100 and the rest as they say is history.


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I was born in 1944 and built a "go-cart" out of a lawn mower motor and angle iron when I was 12 yrs old.