Venting on Hot Rodding's future

Very well said.

 

I agree, and honestly, Who gives a shit. I mean maybe its just me, but I could give a flying fuck what the rest of the scene is doing, I don't need magazines, or shows, etc. My car's are for me, nobody else. people can do what ever they want and so can the scene, it ain't gonna change my style or what I love a bit.

 

Speaking of talent Ed, you have three bitchin MACHINES. Mark

 

I see where you're headed, but I think the 'future' is here on the HAMB.

Look to off brands (non-Fords), off years, four-doors, and wagons.

The deals are out there on almost everything but the 'in-demand' stuff.

I've seen more guys building Buick-based customs on here than Mercs. Mercs are great - we all love them, but clean 2-door '49-51s are getting hard to find and are usually priced pretty insanely. The same-year Fords are heading down a similar path, but can still be found and had. A similar-year Buick can be had cheap and will still make for a truly grand custom.

Many of the cars built in the '30s have the profile hot rodders are looking for. It doesn't have to be a Ford to be a cool rod.

There are plenty of affordable, buildable cars left, but they're not the cars everyone else wants. Some of us like them better because of that.

~Scotch~

 

As the prices of hot rod era cars (I consider this '26 and later) continue to escalate in- and musclecar era cars friggin' skyrocket in- price, I see a market in decline.. that is the pre-'26 ish stuff. The "antiquer" crowd is dying off, leaving behind prehistoric beauties CHEAP for the picking, as their families dump them as undriveable garage relics. I continuously see fully restored and driveable cars of the post brass era, pre '26 era, selling for ten grand or less. Case in point I recently saw a '25 T touring, completely restored, lacking only windshield glass and a battery, sell for $5500!!!! Doesn't take much hot rod imagination to see where to go with that kind of deal.
Who among us couldn't bring themselves to enjoy a '24 Maxwell, stripped of its fenders, hopped up banger, shiny and done, for 10 grand? It might not be a freeway flyer, but hey, that's what your '56 4 door is for!

 

looking at your skirts right now. ha ha is that still funny?

 

I'm 65, so I've seen a lot of styles and trends in Rodding. Scotch is correct, there is a move toward less popular makes and models. It actually started several years ago. A guy (me) couldn't afford a '40 coupe so he bought a '41 coupe in 1958. In more recent times, the availability of fiberglass and steel reproductions bodies of the most popular cars lessened the demand for "off-brands" and models for a while, just like muscle cars did in th 60's. But, with the rapidly growing popularity of our segment of the hobby, or is it much more than a hobby?, young guys are looking for the "off-brands" 4-doors, etc. because thay are affordable. With their creativity and energy they are showing these cars to be desirable, increasing their popularity and price. If enough new people enter the hobby and thus the market, the price will continue to climb because of supply and demand. People will have to be content starting with rougher cars. After the crushers have had their day and the community leaders make the car enthusiasts clean out their back yards, then even the ugliest, rustiest, least desirable old car will cost plenty. I didn't intend for this reply to end on such a grim note, so I'll close by saying that a month ago we picked up a '38 GMC cab someone had started a bad chop on for $37.50. It will be my 15 year old grandson's hot rod.

 

Who really cares ... ?

Not most of the folks here ... IMHO

I build , buy and play with what I like ( like most here do ) ... and could care less if you want a butt ugly POS ( you pick the make/model of uglymobile ) ... chopped, channeled or with the top cut off. If you like what you drive ... that's cool with me. I believe THAT is the reason for all the DIFFERENT stuff now ... a greater tolerance for folks doing what they want. from a wider group of folks.

I tend to be a little more traditional than most ... a little more liberal than some ...

Just build what you like ... and suit yourself And do not worry about what anyone else thinks ...

 

Like most of the guys on here, I`ve been building early Fords for most my adult life(now 51).We`ve always had took keep an eye out for legal infringments ie no fenders etc...but right now at this moment I`m realy scared for my passion.

The never ending drive for "GLOBALISATION" is taking a real toll on life as I know and like it.We in the Uk were railroaded into joining up with Europe and as such get a never ending stream of laws and directives from Brussels that is strangling the country to death.There are a lot of proposed anti car legislation pending and it`s all in the name of the "new religion" of the great 21st century myth "Global Warming".

The only thing you ever here from politicians and "experts" is that the car is killing the planet ....and the solution is Lots and Lots of "green taxes"!!!!That F**kwit Tony Blair has done more damage to the ordinary working man than A.Hitler ever did and now he sees it as his duty to go on a world pilgrimage to spread the word.

"Not your problem"? how about the state of California sueing the big 6 motor manufacturers for contributing to Glabal Warming and that dork Al Gore`s new hysterical movie about the end of the world.It`s never been off the newspages or the tv.

I am of the opinion ,as you`ve probably gathered, that glabal warming is not man made and if the planet has changed climate wise it is most likely natural change(see Global Warming the myth...punch it into gogle)..but the politicians have seen it as a way to increase their power over the ordinary citizen, as doing it for the good of all mankind etc, and just like religion you can`t prove or diprove the exsistance of it and the interpration is delivered by the people "who know best" church or politicians.

Getting back to the main point....I hope I`m wrong, but i think we`ve all got a limited time left for enjoying our way of life(Hot Rods, or any motoring pleasures)...Apathy and trust in untrustworthy people is to blame, i gues it`s the same over there as here in so much as long as the tv works and beer is`nt too expensive people could`nt give a f**k and it`ll never happen...yeah right. Who`d have though the Ford and GM would be holding merger talks and nearly all our manufacturing jobs would go east...our politicians and unions would never let that happen surely??

sorry for the vent ,lads.But Hot Rod is all I`ve got, no plan B, and I`m sick of being messed with.

 

I am in my late 50's and I'm one of those guys that have been buildin' and drivin' traditional style cars since I was in my teens,,,this is before anybody ever dreamed of NSRA or GOODGUYS or SEMA or the HAMB.

In the 70's we called what I drove a resto rod,,,,
That style of car faded in the 80's,,,,but I held course and so did a small number of other guys,,,the same type of car we call traditional today!

In the seventys we wondered how long this could last,,,,the supply of buildable cars is gonna run out,,,our thinkin' at the time was pre 48

Today almost anything is fair game,,,,what proof of that check out the cars being built here on the HAMB,,,,

In the 60' and 70's we looked high and low and passed on cars that in our opinion needed too much body work,,,,

Today I would like to have a couple of the ones I passed on,,,

Were is this hobby going,,,heck I dunno,,,,

For the past 3 years I've been building a 54 Ford wagon and as some kinda twist of fate,,my 1st car was a 54 Ford,,and if you had told me I would be buildin' something like this I would have thought you were nuts!

Times change,,,but dreaming of that next project is always in the back of my mind.

I don't think as long as there are gearheads out there buildin' and dreamin' you don't have anything to worry about,,,,,

BTW,,,,sooner or later us ol' farts are gonna die off and the market will be flooded with cars,parts and unfinished projects! HRP

 

Mr. Vendetta has it right. Politicos behind big brother will not rest until everybody is in the same eco friendly vehicles, Imagine the road full of electro pulsed, four seat, anti lock braked, tire pressure monitored, air bags everywhere, drive it for three years, government designed, people movers. I think it's a sheep herder mentality, ya gotta get the bulk of the sheep in the pen first ((mainstream) america), then round up the strays,(hot rodders, auto buffs). Remember the post a couple of months back about paint and auto body supplies and licensing? What if they decide that motor oil is to unsafe for average people to purchase and handle. Stuff can be taken away in so many different ways.... whoa! this is way to heavy for Saturday morning, sorry

tc

 

Thoughts from a naive and unworldly youngin': As long as traditional cars continue to be tasteful and innovative is as long as traditonal hot rodding will last. Looking at old photographs and magazines, looks to me like there's a whole lot of places for traditional hot rodders to explore. So no worries here. As parts become more scarce, reproductions will become more common, and that has its pluses and minuses. Not worried about government intervention. Not worried about gas prices. What will most affect the health of traditional hotrodding will be our ability to keep traditional hot rodding as rich and vibrant as it is today.

 

A lot of thoughtful writing going into these posts. Makes for great reading. I wonder where hotrods are heading too. But I don't 'worry' about it. The fact that the HAMB exists and we're all communicating is a good sign. Go to the Fordbarn site and they talk about the same thing from a different vantage. There has never been more car magazines available, not to mention car related TV shows and websites. There are more rod shops opening up than ever before. Cars shows and gatherings? Yikes! There everywhere. You have a particular car fetish? There is a group of like-minding joes waiting for you somewhere every weekend.

My advice? Enjoy it! Sure it will wane a bit in time as all trends do. And, as in every trend, most of the contributers deny following that trend. Here's a flash boys, ratrods? Biggest trend yet. Nothing wrong with that. It's awesome. But like previous posters have mentioned, nobody purposely built or drove anything remotely simlar to what is considered 'traditional' by some folks today. But hey, it's all good. Like all you greasers out there. Rockabilly is one the coolest trends going. But when these guys purport to living the way it used to be in the day.... I'm reminded of how people who think they were reincarnated always were Napoleon, or Alexander the Great, or some famous dude, nobody was the guy following horses picking up shit. In the forties and fifties, there were more Wally Cleavers than James Deans. Word.

And quit bitchin' about how money is ruining rodding! That argument goes back to the Barris Brother creations. Everything costs more because of YOU, and YOU, and ME. Economics, baby. This generation is paying 5 bucks for coffee, 8.00 for a movie ticket, 100+ for tennis shoes, same for jeans. And vintage car parts are supposed to stay cheap? Get real. We're making more at our jobs now, so it's all kinda relative, no?

Party me hardies while the barrels are full and the women are busty. The gang's all here, so worry not, the future's so bright you gotta wear shades!

 

I am at the other end of the scale (62) and I think back to 1988 when my 32 Ford 3.5 inch chopped 5 window with the louvered hood, deck and tank and steelies with caps and rings was featured in HOTROD. Should have just put it under a tarp, would have been right on the money today. To a degree what goes around comes around.

 

Have you ever heard about FLATULENCE TAXES being proposed in New Zealand? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10287248/

The great irony hear is that none of the anti global warming proponents acknowledge that the greatest benefit of E85 is that the animals fart and crap less when fed feedstock after the alcohol is extracted.

 

Politicians understand one thing and that is numbers, so suppose one wants taxes on hot rods well 14000 emails to that person would get their attention. What I'm trying to say is we keep our tradition going by communication like the HAMB and that also applies to laws in this country. There is power in numbers and this site has the numbers.

 

I think that we are seen as a kind of virus by the moralistic GREENS...don`t get me wrong, I recycle and accept that pollution unless kept in check is a major problem.It`s just that these people are on a crusade and are akin to any fundamentalists either religous or political.they have a vision of the world that they want at the expence of the majority and the lifestyle we live.The notion that anyone wants a car for pleasure or to get on a plane to take a holiday sends them into a raging fit.they get access to way to much air time and print inch and state unsubstantiated "facts" that go unchecked.The notion that "it will never happen" or "There are too many jobs at risk" etc, means nothing....if a manufacturer can sell his product and make it cheaper elswhere he will..and China for instance is becoming a major consumer as well as a major producer.The steel , mining, car,ship building, textile industries were all major employers here and have all but dissappeareed and gone east...the pathetic replacement jobs (call centres etc) that came in are now going to India.

Hot rodding, restoration, off roading . whatever, is at risk.I know that some on here see themselves as too cool to be bothered by politics and "I`ll just do it anyway"....well , we don`t make up much in the way of votes, and the way the Green ticket is being pushed, they will gladly throw a few sacrificial lambs to the slaughter to be seen to be doing the right thing."Clunker Law" "no disabled cars on your property"etc,

I read the green manifesto recently and you could have believed it was written by Joe Stalin.

Don`t take your right to own/build/modify/enjoy you car/bike for granted.There will not be a proclamation"all Hot Rods and Choppers are banned" it will occur by gradual erosion of our freedoms ....its already happening, either in the name of "protecting the enviroment" or for "national secrurity".....not paranoia , this is actually happening.

You would not believe the ignorance of most people these days, ...I took a map of the world and asked my apprentice to point out America... he pointed to Africa...Wheres London? no idea...How big is our country? no idea..he could`nt even point out where he lived....F**kin moron...but unfortunatly the norm these days.

You say it could`nt happen.......I wish!

 

"I believe that children are the future, ------ unless we stop them now!" - Homer Simpson

 

This discussion has been going on for years - You can find it in old hot rod publications.

So it basically comes down to this.....we did, and are doing, our part by bringing it this far. The reason for our (older guys) learning about newfangled computer thingies is to pass what information we have learned from the geezers of yesterday and still remaining in our addled pates, before it's pushed out by the overload of information pressed on our sensory systems by the technology of today. It's urgent for us because we were only provided with a limited lifetime that will run out before someone discovers the fountain of youth (Yout, if you're from New York)

You young bucks, on the other hand, will probably have the benefit of substantially longer lives, which means that you will have to carry the burden for much longer than the geezers of today. As demonstrated by the fear, and sincerity of the posts so far, this will be an awesome undertaking, one in which the balance of hot rodding as we know it today will hinge upon the ability and fortitude of you relative newbies (!) to the world of automotive manipulation. So the pressure is certainly there, and the world will be watching to see how you handle the responsibility. Don't fuck it up.




Or, if you, like some of us, may be afflicted with some of the memory maladies like CRS or pre-alzheimer's, then just go home and forget about it.

Either way, enjoy it while you can.


Mutt

 

Glad to hear that someone else realizes what is going on.
I think most people on this board don't consider themselves part of the herd.
To commies, we are the enemy.
Nonconformists.
Bad comrades.
Destroyers of the environment who are irresponsible assholes who need to be stopped!
Green laws will be used to try to stamp us out, count on it.
I will be one of those who will fight it tooth and nail, and be gald if the Boyd types join in the fight!
I love old cars.
They love old cars too and even if their tastes and mine don't match I will defend their right to do what they do.
We are stronger together and I fear we need to take the offensive.
As much as I don't like OCC and American Chopper I am glad they are on TV because of the people who are at least a bit exposed to the old car/bike scene.
It benefits us too!

regards,
DJ

 

Adamo,

Barrett Jackson is putting the hurt on the lifer type hot rodders, they have the prices driven past the clouds. The cheapo motor dayz are slipping away here as well, but i blame that on racing and the budget racers....who are no different than us....looking for that solid motor for cheapo prices. When i have to resort to a 70's car for a hot rod I think i will just call it a nite, but im sure there are people who love those cars.

In 50 yrs from now they will be looking at civics and they will be a hot rodded.....yukkkkk, (i'll be 90 then....so maybe i wont care).

I dont know if the direction of hot rodding will change much for the time being, there is some one out there reproducing everything...so .....should be kinda like it is now...only repo'd

 

All of this, and no one has mentioned that milk is now 10 times the price it was in 1970.

the chances of these cars being swept from the streets are pretty slim. is cali still doing the "turn in your clunker for a tax rebate" thing? that was (and is) an attempt to remove alot of old cars from the road-and it kinda worked. lots of 70 more doors,crap hondas and the random "desireable" car showed up for a date with the crusher. but no one was forced to take thier cherry car down to the yard. the chances of this hitting the midwest with any gusto at all are slim to none, and even though Texas is rapidly becoming "l.a.east" I haven't heard anything to make me think rods are in any way a target.

that said, let's make sure they don't!

 

Good thoughts in this post. I didn't mean to sound like the future looks bad, but I just wonder if hot rodding will fade away with the upcoming generations of car guys. Most guys my age are into tuner computer controlled crap and couldn't be bothered with a cool 60's land yaght or a lightweight big cube powered rod.

Ther future looks hazy in my eyes. I see it everytime I go to the local friday night hotspot... 5 guys my age into pre 75 domestics, and 3500 guys into fart muffler neon light powered go carts. Makes me wonder what the ratios are in other cities across north america.

 

im a youngin so my opinion dont really matter so i'll use a sayin an old (young at heart) friend a mine says when we get to talkin too much on a job instead worryin bout whats goin on now in the present.
"quit thinkin and start drinkin"
the future of hot rods for me? the next white line im passin in the road.

 

The road warrior takes place in the future, and there ain't a late model in sight. And I just watched a movie called the fifth element. It took place in the future but they were driving old cars, and somehow they got them to FLY, now that's hot rodding at it's best! I think the future looks bright for rodding, but watch out for the gay bikers in assless chaps shootin' arrows at ya, ass rapin' ya, and stealing your "precious juice".

 

Even though there is a lot of kids into new imports these days it will never overcome hotrodding. Even back in the 50's and 60's people were taking cars that were only a few years old and making them more show than go ie:Kustoms Then they were lifting there musle cars and shagging there intieor on there 5 year old van. Now cars that are 5-10 years old are being riced out. Another 10 to 15 years go by another new car trend will come but hotrodding will still be there.

 

Great Thread If You Read All Of The Replys Hot Rods Are A Frame Of Mind That Is Alive And Well As Tends Change We Are Like A Famly We Fight We Make Fun Of Each Other But We All Have A Comm. Bond That I Feel Will Always Keep Car Guys Around

 

I have no problem working on either of my cars. A 1930 chevy lakes modified or the 1985 blazer I'm changing into a corvett sized nomad.Hot rodding is hot rodding no matter what the model,unless you ware traditional blinders.

 

This discussion came up when I was about 24 also........that was in the 70s,

Hotrodding today is in better shape than it ever was,,,,,,,you have all these fibreglass bodys, many more made up "kits" to build stuff......crusie nights everywhere........and all these TV shows, as dopey as they are................the industry couldnt be in better shape. It is so mainstream these days, that at times I feel like giving it up, as its too mainstream.

 

Like so many have said before, our way of building cars will be there for a long time to come. Yeah, real steel is getting expensive, glass is unthinkable and a repo steel body is next to an original almost in cost.
When it comes to it, I would rather be driving a glass body 32 than following the next big craze like some did with muscle cars, vans, 4x4s and now tuners.
Over here in OZ its hard to get real steel at a price that is reasonable, a 30 A Coupe body in average condition will get 9 grand or more.
My A RPU is real steel and I'm thinking this will be the last one I will ever be able to own. Next it will be repo, because of cost.
I guess what I am saying is that even after the 'real' parts are gone there is still enough interest that a traditional style car can be built from entirely new parts.
So it don't have the soul of a real one but the point is, it will be there!

A cheap car over here is one built and on road for 20-25 grand. Our road and registration laws make it so our cars all have to be passed by an automotive engineer before we can ask for registration. Pushes costs up because we cant use a lot of the old stuff and we have a bunch of laws to conform to.
Legislation could possibly push our cars off the road in the future, be careful and watch out.
Over here they tried to bring in a law about head room to get chopped cars off the street, it was passed and was being instigated until someone pointed out that by applying the exact same formula to modern cars something stupid like 90% of them were illegal. The law was dropped after that.
We are a target for government, mainly because they don't understand us, we keep our cars in very good shape, mechanically my car is as perfect and well tuned as it can be. My emissions are considerably lower than that of a mid 70s POS. But the government don't see that.
If we end up without the right to run on the road I'm thinking we will still build them, have our shows and meetings. theres always the drag strip and salt..........
A real hot rod will always be a hot rod, in 2057 no one will be looking at a 2006 Ford and thinking............ Yeah!, hotrod material.
That will always be pre 48 stuff, I'm sure they will be re-building the 06 cars but in the same way one rebuilds a muscle car today.