Motion Pictures The Derelicts...

You guys are harsh... judging the guy on how he looks and how dirty his hands are.

Since when do you have to look like a fucking dirt bag to be a hot rodder?

Sam

 

I like the quirks of a old car. If I could buy a new car with rwd, a v8, carbs and manual controls for everything I would be in heaven.

Like I tell my customers, If you are passionate about your car, I can be too. Everything I build doesn't have to be something I would build for myself. Passionate customers are some of the funnest customers to work with.

 

In a way I can agree with him but when he mentioned about the quirks and having to pump the gas and pull the choke thats where my agreement stopped,to me the quirks and having to use the choke are what makes a old car a old car and what I like about them. I dont want my mid 50s car to act and handle like a new car but I too want it dependable but without the hassles of latemodel electronics,now some will dissagree about that with the modern electronics are more simple but that may be the way for them but not for me who would rather have a carb with a manual choke and maybe a electronic ignition and thats it and that is what I call simple and can live with.

 

Food for thought Ryan, thanks for posting.

 

I didn't say he had to look like a dirt bag, or even be dirty.

Clearly, you don't work with your hands either or you would know what I'm talking about.

His hands don't look like the hands of a man who uses them beyond a keyboard and a pen.

 

Yup, they "cleaned up" the orignal Led Zeppelin recordings so much that you can hear the drum pedal squeaking on "since I've been lovin you".

The audio nazis claim "it was there in the original recordings, it's supposed to be there man! You just couldn't hear it before!"

I think it just sounds annoying, you weren't SUPPOSED to hear it.

Shawn

 

Inspiring, My head is suddenly filled with the possibilities for a certain 54 Ford I saw recently at my favorite bone yard.

 

Ya' mean the one right beside that wrecked mid '90s Lexus GS300s? Better give Art Morrison a call for one of his custom built chassis.
...

 

They're OK by me, but I dont want such a hybrid. I love old cars and working on them, Its pretty much all I think about all day. I dont like driving them very much though. I like having a newer car or truck to drive. I like the reliability.

 

At what point does the "modernization" of an old car actually turn said car into simply a new car with just an old body????

 

I understand what Ryan is reaching for here. It is more about simplicity than anything. We or well atleast myself drive old cars because I can wrench on them and actually have an idea of what is going on. You don't grease wheelbearings in new cars. There's not alot of real maintance to a new car. Change three filters and fluids and that's about it. Then when it breaks somebody else works on it because your not sure what to look at first. It isn't like my old truck. If it breaks down good chance I can figure out what went wrong. That's why I like simple. I could care less for all the street rod wizz bang gadgets that have plagued so many cars of late. Give me simple any day. I don't care if it is in a "patina" body or a shiny new one. Just don't give me a bunch of mail order crap that I can't afford. Art Morrison builds some great stuff but the prices are well out of the reach of this kid. Icon for that matter builds really neat stuff but not for people like myself. For a yuppy yes. For me no. I wonder when all the patina stuff dies down and the dust settles what will they do? Do you think they'll build highend Corvettes? Mustangs? Probably. Do I dislike what Icon is doing? No. I actually get the beater vibe. I like a car with alittle rough edges. Something unassuming. I like the dare to be different. I like taking vehicles that don't mean a thing to anybody and doing it up my style. And if you like it then that's just a bonus. Am I a straight up traditionalist. Not to the point that I can't enjoy a simple hot rod. My 2 cents.....

 

Cuban Derelicts...

Of course they perfected re-engineering drive trains and motors with ingenious ways of using other parts from other derelicts available on the street...

 

Hey Shawn, I went back and looked at some of your posts... and you are quoted as saying:

"I've learned more from the HAMB than anywhere else..

The trick seems to be, shut up and listen.

If I had to pay, it would be worth the cash.

Shawn"

Well, Shawn... this is one of those times that it's going to pay to shut up and listen.

Sam

 

Ok, enlighten me with your boundless knowledge of this person.

You seem to be taking offence at my observation, have I stated anywhere that being conceptual is a bad thing?

Please, go back and read my posts again. His cars aren't to my taste but I'm not bashing him in any way.

You seem to have interpreted that I suggested that he wasn't directly involved because he's not getting dirty. Not everyone who is a mechanical genius is good with design and concept either, Cars like this require the input of just more than one individual.

I seriously doubt that Jonathan is the guy getting greasy and doing the work. That's not to take away from his creations, I'm simply stating that he's the one coming up with the ideas and his team are the ones doing the construction.

The vehicles that he and his team at Icon are building look like they're top shelf items, it sounds like a lot of thought, engineering and top-quality work goes into them.

They're also not vehicles which would normally be talked about here.

I think too much has been read into my original posting, it's unfortunate that the tone of a conversation can't be conveyed over the internet.

 

It’s really fun to sit here with a cup a joe on a Sunday morning and read a thread like this; some opinions are really well articulated, others expressed more simply, but the thing that’s most evident, and common to all, is the passion on all sides of the discussion. You don’t have to agree with, understand or even like the way Jon expresses his, but I think he certainly deserves respect.
Here’s a guy that’s figured out a way to turn his creativity and love of cars into something he gets to do 24/7. Whether he gets his hands dirty or he’s simply the creative drive providing an opportunity for others to do so, is irrelevant to me. His cars are not really my thing, but that doesn’t matter either. What is relevant is this guy, like Ryan and others on the HAMB, gets to think about and mess with old cars without the distraction of a “day job” and make a living doing it because it is their day job. I think that’s very cool and I’m jealous!

 

I'm going out on a limb here, but I think it's unlikely that the Barris brothers, Joe Bailon, the Alexander Bros, Larry Watson, gene Winfield or anyone else applied the spiritual eastern philosophy of "Wabi sabi" to anything automotive from the Golden age of hot rods and customs.
I think it's more likely they would have seen them as neglected looking junk with a high dollar pricetag, and got on with building good-looking cars. How terribly Philistine and unhip.
There is nothing traditional about those cars.
And to think I used to worry about mentioning my radials on here.
Paul

 

I agree, I wouldn't be using them if I was still able to drive. Unfortunately I now have to rely on others who are not quite so hard-core to chauffeur me about. Believe it or not I'm trying really hard not to come off as confrontational here, I just simply don't understand what relevance this guy's product has to this board?
Paul

 

So I guess I'll give the AA introduction:
Hi. My name is Jon Wente. I work for a company called Icon, and I built the '52 Chevy.

Again, for the more abrasive coments, each to their own and understood. For those who dig what we've done, thanks!

So now to clear some stuff up, Jonathan built his wagon all by his lonesomes, and its his daily driver. He's an amazing fabricator and engineer, and without being too insulting, can probably out fab most of the guys on here... If you have the chance to meet him in person, you'll see his hands are worked. Don't let his appearance and mannerisms fool you. Angain, not to be insulting but just because the guy doesnt have a goofy pompadour or rolled up pants with Popeye boots doesnt mean he's undeserving of a HAMB thread.

There is a great deal of work and crafting that go into both those cars, and traditional or non traditional, we can only assume that the guys on here would at least enjoy (if not the concept) the work.

(To be honest with you, I love me my traditional prewar rods and 60's kustoms. The derelicts are just different variants of what I think are cool.)

Anywho, thanks again for those who like.

 

" “derelicts.” Essentially, it’s a rad rod aesthetic with a street rod soul… "

This reads like a kick in the nuts.

 

I can't help but feel that if anyone other than Ryan had posted this thread, there would have been a whole different level of keyboard aggresion.

Good thread !
Thanks Ryan.

 

Wow...Oldspeed your comment about a Pompador and Popeye boots has to be the lamest thing I have ever read on the Hamb..It shows how narrow minded you are about people that own/build traditional cars.A pomp or cuffs or boots have nothing to do with a traditional custom and your comment was total bullshit.So a guy who drives one of these yuppie mobiles has to be wearing a Tommy Bahama botton up and fancy shorts and shoes with no laces or socks ?
It really sounds stupid but it's the same thing you said about people on the Hamb.Your comment proves how out of touch you are with people who drive real period customs.Your undercover streetrods do have a lot of work into em but I dont know why they were even posted on this board.......well on second thought I can see how they made it.Well I guess I was one of the guys who didnt get the article.

 

I want to drive an old car, so I'm building one. I may or may not concede to radials based on local availability but that's all.
It'll be carbureted at first, after a few months or years I may convert it to fuel injection.

It'll be old, it'll be mine and it'll run daily.

I got no problems with the old car/new drivetrain stuff. Hell, we have one already!

 

in a way, i dig what this guy is doing. making his car perform better in every aspect he can, with any resource he has. this is essentially what the guys were doing back in the day right ? but then again, i wouldnt do this to my truck even if i had the money to build a complete chassis with lasers, its just not what i like. i like the fact that i can make my truck haul ass WITH the old technology, it just feels different. its cool to run with a new honda, and beat him on technology my grandfather had available in 63'. i totally disagree with being to scared to use a car. whats the purpose of building it, if your so scared to get a scratch you wont drive it. i think this applies to any type of vehicle new or old. whats the purpose of taking the time and money to build a 59 chevy, or buying a $500,000 ferrari if your not gonna use as it was engineered to be used.

 

THIS IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO! This is a lengthy multi-disciplinary discussion, complete with vidio,auditory, and conceptional dialog about why the car buffs do what they do! It is really interesting if you take the time to digest what you like and puke out what you don't like.