My wife and I are traveling to Fort Collins because she has a job interview there. Does anyone live in or near Fort Collins that can give me some background on the Hot Rod community, shops, etc. Yes, I know it's cold there, and certainly a change from the weather in NorCal.................but life is an adventure. We will be there the 22/23 of this month. Thanks
ft coll is a nice college town...about an hour north is the wyotech laramie campus...they have a huge hot rod shop/custom shop there
I was there in '86 when I was in Up with People. We toured 17 cities in CO and loved every minute of it- the scenery is incredible, the people are really hospitable... did I mention that the scenery is incredible?
I lived in Denver for 4 years during residency. Lots of cars in Colorado, and scenery to die for. I think you'd like it there. Doc.
Good sized car scene around there and Longmont, town just to the south...both FT. Collins and Longmont, and nearly every small town around there has grown tremendously in the last ten years (blame it on all the Californian's leaving Cali) ...and of course, the Texans that think ColoRODo belongs to them . Altho the car scene is nothing like Cali (or Texas), it works for us car guys as there are lots of events during the summer. There are no oceans around and we don't have problems with salt (not even in the winter), but we do have some big dams/lakes. Summer's are filled with tons of things to do...and the cost living is nowhere near Cali's...even housing is down (at this point in time), but the economy isn't in the shitter like most of the country... R-
Yeah there is not a lot of hot rod stuff in town that I know of but the scenery is nice. Like said above there are some nice old junkyards out to the east, there is even one with a couple Model A's. Checking out Old Town is a must, great food and some cool bars. And don't worry about the weather, it can be 20 degrees one day but 60 the next around here
So what is the population now of Fort Collins (and suburbs)? My wife's parents are planning to move there from rural North Dakota, and they remember how few people were there when they went to college there in 1958-59. I'll bet its getting kind of crowded by now?
The 2007 estimate sez the population is 131,200 with an average growth of 1. 6 % per year...oh hell, here read it yourself: (Google CAN be your freind...!!!) R- General Population Characteristics Fort Collins encompasses 52.8 square miles (2008) of area and has a total of 492 street miles (2006). The current estimated number of housing units in Fort Collins as of December, 2007 is 56,441. Fort Collins has a population of 131,200 (2007 est.). The average annual population growth rate is 1.6 percent (2006). Median age is 29.4 years old (US Census 2006). Median household income is $72,248 (2006). Approximately 48.2% of the population has completed four or more years of college (2006 US Census).
I have family there - it's about 100K people. Nice town. Weather is dry, cold winters but not so bad; get used to the wind however. Summers are perfect. Next to the mountains so forecasts are less accurate than normal. College town, keeps things fun. Housing prices not so high. Solar and Wind energy are the latest boom-lets in town, was Tech (computers) 10 years ago.
Why is it so windy in Fort Fun? Cause Wyoming sucks LOL It'a about an hour from me now. And I spent most of my young adult life there. There's plent to do, but get use to califonia driving.
The front range of Colo. is hell bent on becoming Calif. part 2 you probably wont even know you left.
I would definately consider going to see Dave Crouse at Custom Auto. I think one of the top 5 shops int he country!
Rockymountainrelics, next time I visit Ft. Collins I have something to do except eat. There one of the Big Boys set up in a park in town too, largest Steam locomotive ever built.
One of my sons lives there, and I really like it-not car related, but don't forget to go see Estes Park (and the "haunted' Stanley Hotel where Steven King got his inspration for "The Shining")- Longmont used to be a hotbed of Hot Rods-every time I drove through there (in the Summer) I'd see something-
my daughter just moved to Windsor on Mon. she's back home after 8 year break. If i were to live in Colo again Norther Colorado would be my choice and i grew up in Denver
Just want to say thanks to every who responded. I guess I feel a little better now. Now if we move there I guess we'll have to adjust the blower setup to run at 5000'. Thanks John
You will be happy to have that blower. Altitude is nature's anti-supercharger. Bring your jet kit. Ft Collins is a great town. Definately gotten a little more crowded. A fun place to be.
You have to go 20 miles east to get 'rural'. Wall to wall development along IH-25 corridor from north edge of Collins, to south of Denver.
Fort collins is amazing, While at Wyotech i spent alot of time down there on the weekends. I would move there in a heart beat if i didn't have obligations in Il.
I live in Ft. Collins (since '80), my wife grew up here, we love it. Rod shops in the area include Pinkees, Custom Auto, and Scotties. Scotties just expanded to new building by the Loveland, Ft. Collins airport and is suppose to be opening up a huge parts dept.. Streamline is in Denver, (50 miles). Always seems to be something going on somewhere in the summer. Good-guys is here in June. Weather for the most part is usually pretty mild. No salt, but watch out for the magchloride, it sucks. We have a budweiser brewery here along with New Belgium and a handfull of other microbreweries. Hell man we even still have a drive-in theatre! Ft. Collins usually gets some pretty good music that tours through. Old Town is whare "Main Street" Disneyland is themed after, chicks like it, I like the cool little bars. Realestate is usually on the highside for this area just because its a college town but the market is really good right now because of the economy, you can get some good deals for sure. There are a few of us HAMB'rs in this area so get ahold of us when you get here, we'll buy you a beer man. Tell your wife Good-Luck
DiabloMann, Sounds like a great place, but what's up with the Mag Chloride..........is it in the water, or ???? I will be dropping my wife off at the University early and will have most of the day to brouse around. My daughter is in Boulder, but we will see her on Sunday. It would be great to be an hour away from granddaughter also. If anyone wants to give me a call on Monday the 23rd, my cell is 530-339-2317 and I'd be more than happy to buy the beer. Thanks again John
The Mag Chloride is what they put down on our streets to eat the snow and ice, unfotunatly it tends to eat alot more than that. Fort Collins is a great little town. I graduated from h.s. here and we always had a saying for the Seniors that went off to out of state college.... "You can leave Fort Collins, but you'll never LEAVE Fort Collins". Seems like everybody "from" here, always comes back here. Plus theres always this......... Best Places to Live Money's list of America's best small cities And the winners are... Plentiful jobs, excellent schools, affordable housing - America's best small cities have all that and more. See the top 100 best places to live - including detailed city profiles, homes for sale and million-dollar homes. More 1. Plymouth, MN 2. Fort Collins, CO 3. Naperville, IL 4. Irvine, CA 5. Franklin Township, NJ See the top 100 6. Norman, OK 7. Round Rock, TX 8. Columbia/Ellicott City, MD 9. Overland Park, KS 10. Fishers, IN
John, i live about 30 miles away in greeley. I'm sceduled to get home on the 22nd, but rarily does my scedule work. I'f i get home, i'll call you and would be happy to show you around.I'll buy the beer, and then if i get out your way, you can buy!
Beg to differ, jrolla...Mag chloride does not eat anything...it does make a mess on paint...but it washes off easily enuff...and it does not eat metal, nor cause rust...unless you dip your car into it for about six months and leave it there... Mag chloride is usually put down BEFORE a storm so ice does not build on the road... R-
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