The state of traditional hot rodding at end of decade?

Trends are what keeps our hobby moving forward, whether its a backlash to the old trend that starts the new trend, or a push to carry the trappings of the current trend a little farther. It happens with music, clothes, cars, houses,...Remember that the rat rod trend was a backlash against the overdone high dollar rods that filled the magazines 15 years ago. The guys that built the high dollar rods were just trying to carry that trend a little farther, avoiding being just a rehash of the previous year. Now we see the ratrod trend has been overworked and become tired, and a movement away from it seems to be starting right here with you guys, as well as other rodders that have seen enough. The same happened with the muscle cars. The overdone and non functional ProStreet cars gave way to RealStreet cars, which spawned the Pro Touring and G-Machines, and that crowd is tired of those as well. A true hotrodder is all about innovation, innovation inspires admiration amongst other rodders, which spawns imitation, and soon we all start to look the same from trying to look different. The pendulum reaches its apex and starts to swing the other way. What if we ever find the perfect hotrod configuration? Do we then start to strive for imperfection? Or is the journey over?

 

There are still plenty of affordable old cars around here. A roller from the 40s-50s usually goes for around 500 bucks. Only thing is they are almost always 4 doors. I think the future of traditional hot roddin will have a lot more four doors. Usually a four door is the only thing poor guys like me can afford, when ever there is a two door for sale automatically the price doubles or triples. My latest project is a two door but it is totally rotted out underneath. A few trips out to the high plains state confirmed there are a lot of old cars just sitting out there quietly rusting away waiting to be saved.

I seen my first Rat Rod in person this year. The thing I see dying out is old cars sitting up on 4x4 frames. Used to be pretty popular thing to do around here but it seemed about 4 years ago I started seeing less of them. I'll admit when I was in High School my friend and I wanted to build one. There was an old man up the road that had a rotted out 54 Cranbrook who told us we could have it for free. Never did anything with it. More folks worry about fuel economy these days. Probably why those 4x4 cars are dying out (see much less lifted trucks these days too).

 

I think there are more talented hot rod builders and period hot rods then ever. We'll allways find a way to have and drive our cars. And it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg, I'm into my car for just over 10 grand and I'll be driving for less than 12. That's not bad for a Model A hotrod, especially with the goal I had. All you need is the will to do it and you can. Unfortunately most guys my age (or younger) don't really have the patience.

 

Hey,Mazooma,carefull with the pomade & wheelchair cracks,some of us can still pull off 'kool' with both!
Happy New Year
Paul

 

I hear ya loud and clear. You've got one of the neatest rides ever built!
What a grand story that is...Happy New Year to you. You have my admiration.

Doug

 

The analogy I would use is the analogy of looking though old pictures of yourself and also looking through your closet. Any images or clothes that were somehow connected to a “fad” or “popular” current style now look out of date and are no longer worn or wanted. Actually you think to yourself “how could I have thought that was cool?” Those images and clothes that are not associated with “fad” stay desired and worn. I feel that the current car culture simply points that out in a fairly dramatic manner. The basic and what we call “traditionally simple” concepts, that are based in historical fact and use, remain “not connected to fad” and therefore are timeless. This “timelessness” becomes the basis of “traditional” and never goes out of style. Perhaps that is the lesson we are hopefully learning, it is difficult to see the bigger picture sometimes as we are caught up in our own smaller pictures. Thankfully there are always those that we can go back and look at and those that actually never lose sight of it, education and knowledge are the key ……… Happy New decade to you all!
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Yeah, but I have been buying up good fenders....

 

Bingo hotrd32 - timeless is my ideology 100%- always has been and always will be. I do not follow trends or fads - I just try to make them timeless so they will look as good in 20 years as they do today. It may never be 'in fashion' but it will never be out of fashion either.

 

I've been in the hot rod hobby all my life as was my Dad. Seems to me that nice, clean, functional style never goes away. Like well done pinstriping, it always looks good as does a nicely executed hot rod or custom.
I remember when heatbeat and splatter graphics came around. Man I did not want to do this stuff as I'm into what I knew how to do and that was "real" pinstriping, not a fad. But my concern was soon justified as that goofy style went away and tradition stayed true.
Fads and trends come and go and I think as we grow out of the devil may care rod fad, we'll see the importance of building cars that are well designed with functionality and safety as priority.

The idea in the hot rod and custom hobby, as it has always been, is do what makes you happy. I don't want to drive what you drive, so, I do my own thing. Great style never recedes. The "Honeymooners" live.

Mikey
www.mikeyspinstriping.com
"Not Perfect, just Beweevable"

 

STEVE...the coupes from Ts to As have been on the front burner. so your right at home! but don't let anyone tell you, their not lowering them as much, hell if anything their even lower! and that's fine by me. my felling is, DO whatever your big enough too. brother it's your rod. and don't let anyone crap on your cake...POP.

 

This is absolutely one of my favorite cars that I have seen on the HAMB! Damn, this car, to me, defies description! I really, really like this car! The color, the look, the stance - I mean, what is not to like here? When I get around to finishing my '56 wagon, THIS is what I want to build next!!!

 

I think the "timeless" rides will always be around. My car has been the same since I got it running years ago and I have no plans to change it.

The "daily driver rod" will never die.

 

The state of traditional hot rodding?

I have a 2 word answer:

"bobber trucks"

 

I think the rat rod fad will not die, but slowly fade into some sweet daily rods. Even a friend of mine sat in my garage just the other night talking about how he wants to build the most shitty, disgusting piece he could. After 5 minutes of telling him that within 1 year he will develop rust holes and he will have to constantly repair rust holes he decided he finish the body work and prime his idea rather than leave it patina and bare welds. It may seem like small steps, but the more rat rodders realize how short of a period they can keep their creation alive due to the nature of the build, the more they will work towards cleaning it up. Some things can't be repaired, or even explained, but for my own I would say the hobby itself is stronger than I ever remembered. If rat rods are the new intro than so be it. I just wish people would build what they like and build it to last and be safe.

There was also mention of cost. The only thing I see prices going up on are A's and T's mostly. The majority of 40's and 50's metal is fairly cheap around here, and if you look hard enough you can find it in solid shape. I just scored a '61 Comet for $400, and my '49 F-1 was only $300 at the time...and I drove it home.

 

I too cant help but thing the R@# Rod fad might be good for the hobby in the long runThe pendulum swung hard in the opposite direction from the billet crowd, but is beginning to find equilibrium...
I think there will be young people who got into the RR's will grow from there into building respectable cars

 

I look forward to seeing people building cars that are well thought out and engineered. I do hope that the "fad" of building over chopped, rusted crap is over. I think it not only shows poor taste, but also makes the guys who are building quality cars look bad. It's good to see the magazines recognizing traditional builds, but I hope that they don't go too far and turn it into some sad joke.

I'd like to see the debate over steel cars V/S fiberglass end, but in a way, it's kind of funny to hear the opinions. Last, but not least, I wish someone... ANYONE, would put a good show on television that deals with the realities of building a hot rod. Not only for the sake of the people in the hobby, but for the civilians who STILL think it can be done in 2 weeks.

 

Words cannot express how right on you are with this!!

 

The last 4 months I have been building a 34 3 window I bought in 1969 for 150.00 dollars. It still has original paint, no fenders just grill, hood, inner fender panels. I put 40's wheels, small caps, big and little tires, 40's brakes, 39 trans, 36 flat motor and 36 inner driveshaft for exhaust. Would this count as a 50's rod just found or would it be a new car built in the traditional style. There is nothing on this car that is new.

 

Forgot to mention that I put an old Weiand 2 carb intake, aluminum heads 32 waterpumps, and a old mor-drop axle I had. Why is it I see some so called trad rods with overflow tanks, elec fans etc. What gives.

 

what kills me is these rat rodders are buying up all the good stuff and "junking" them up to look old and ratty. i do both hot rods and restoration cars. i have an extremely hard time finding good old pre-war parts that doesn't end up on some guys rat rod just because he wants to look different than the guy he is parked next to at the local car shows.

but in the same light, i understand the "to each his own" and this is your ride, do what you want. express your individuality.

it just gets real expensive when trying to find parts. everybody thinks they have the next cool car and can charge top $$ for it. heck, i even saw an ad for a 1994 chevy wagon "rat rod" because it was painted flat black.

 

having built my first 'hotrod' in 1963 and seeing the hobby grow over the years since, i have seen many 'trends' for the car builders and enthusiasts to follow ...ratrods are just another 'trend' as far as i am concerned and will live for a while and then die a fast death...for the most, the cars on the road today are pretty safe, decent-looking, and fairly reliable - much due to the parts availabliity from fab shops across the country - the backyard 'rube goldberg' way of building a hotrod is long gone for many and the fact is, many drivers of hotrods today don't even build their own rides, but hire them out to quality/reliable builders and shops....however, those that do their own constructing generally want something that will not blast thru another car, plow the pedestrians over in the crosswalks or lose it's brakes going down a hill - they want to have a kool car and also protect their investment of time and money thru safe building techniques - i have even seen some, so called, rat rods that are pretty well-designed and well-built - as in any hobby, there are always the good, the bad, and the butt ugly...to each his own

 

The traditional hobby has never had so much availability of tech tips, photo builds, parts and tools. Safety when working. Hydraulics, welders, even lifts within the reach of the hobbyist. Tremendous advances in craftsmanship, too, I think. Craigslist to connect buyers and sellers across wide geography. Incredible hobbyist connectivity on the net.

But the metal is getting scarce and what's available is dear. Harder to rod without doing a complete build. You have to have bigger money. Or somehow have availability of huge stockpiles of parts to pick through. Or do real good research and surgically identify and buy exactly the right used parts.

Its not like it used to be, rodding the 3 year old V8 family wagon after the family gets a new car.

I am seeing a trend towards rodding and weekend-racing 5 to 20 year old V8 luxury sports sedans. Kind of like hot rodding all over again, same techniques, newer metal. Scratch build not necessary. 500 series Benz V8's, Cad Northstars. 3 series bimmers (ok, sixes). V8 crate motors (injected) into $200 944's. Some of this stuff is very, very inexpensive. Amazing even.

Blowers. Die grinding out exhaust manifolds. Port and polish. Still passing emissions with high flow cats and off the shelf chips.
The suburbs have a rod thing going on that people don't realize.

 

Hot Rod Pro.
If it wasn't for your post I wouldn't build a rod. There's no way I could build a perfect car like Comet, Doc Watson, Special ed or Fuzzy night or the other tudor bashers build. You know, it wouldn' surprise me to see one of them sneaking around with 'flamethrowers' or attending a burn out contest. HE HE.
Tudors aint goint to leave fellows, there's just to many of them to chop and slam.