When I was younger, I preferred modified cars. My first car had just a six cylinder/ 3-on-the-tree, but at least I put some Cragar SS’s on it. I eventually moved into bracket racing, and then into Nostalgia-style drags. I picked up a 58 Biscayne a couple of years ago, planning to make it a “high school hot rod” street car with only period mods, but pretty modified nonetheless. Sort of a mild gasser, I suppose. Along the way, my plans have changed. For some reason, I really want to fix it up in a very stock style; restore is perhaps too strong a word. I am planning: mild motor, stock appearing interior, factory color paint, even down to the ridiculously small stock wheels and tires, with dog-dish hubcaps; very few modifications. I want it to be just a cool old car, not a hot rod. Yes I know this is the HAMB, not the Restoration Message Board. Here’s the weird thing: I have NEVER felt that I wanted to own a stock old car until now. I always at least want to change wheels/tires. Resto’s were for the old guys. But now stock-style is all I can think about. I am baffled at why I would suddenly and overwhelmingly feel this way. If it matters, I just turned 50 years old; what I used to consider an old guy. So I ask; if you drive a “stock” old car, why do you choose to do so?
Funny how when you are 30 then 50 seems old. But now that I'm over 70 you're just a kid. So speaking father to son, it's almost normal to want a 50's- 60's car to look original. After all, they almost all looked good out the door. But there are other forums for stock cars. My opinion is to at least make it a mild custom. If yer gonna keep it stock keep it a secret from this forum. My wagon probably looks stock to many. And it sure ain't a full custom by a long shot. But we've been driving it since 88 and havin fun. That's what cars are made for no matter what else ya do to them. And since that's your car, do whatever you want with it.
My Ford is stock because, well, it's just a 54 Moredoor. It's pretty much my daily driver and I like it. Eventually it's going to get some custom touches, but it is what it is. My Lincoln is stock because I'm too busy getting it functional first....
You're just keeping it nice for the next guy. Those '58 GM cars just need wheels and lowering to be perfect customs. If it were mine, I'd at least have to do that.
I went back to stock ,with better,faster, engine and brakes because 12.5 seconds was never fast enough and the paint was never good enough and bla bla bla. Now me and my two boys cruise in the stocker and work on the toy in our spare time instead of working on the toy fulltime and dreaming of going for a cruise. No point living the dream if you don`t have a life.
Never stock. I have never kept a car stock. Have to change the motor, trans, custom body work, lowered, different wheels or something. Stock is for your parents.
My 28 is still bone stock because that's the way my Grandpa bought it, and the way it was when my dad learned to drive in it. My 53 is nearly stock because I love the look and feel original AD chevs, but it still has some modern touches since I drive it daily. The 30?...that's all hot rod man.
I'm doing a 64 C10 Chev pickup. It is a short box fleetside with a 292, and a 4 speed floor shift. I'm not keeping it completely stock, but, I did acquire a 4th stock hubcap at the swap meet this weekend. I intend to put them on it. I even hunted down one of those hideous rear wrap around bumpers. The one that goes down the side of the bed, and bolts to the bed at the rear of the wheel well. I want this truck to appear completely stock from the exterior, but, it is going to have some mild upgrades to the drivetrain. I've done an Offy 4bbl intake swap, and cast split headers, and I intend to do a Ranger overdrive on it. I'm really shooting for a workhorse pickup that looks like something you would have seen pushing something off the line at Bonneville in 1966 or so. I just respect the way that the truck has worked all of its' life, and don't really think I need to pretend it is anything it isn't. You just don't see many stock looking examples anymore, and with the fact that this thing has survived so long with the stock drivetrain, I don't see the need to change what has been working.
For me it's a link to the past, a way to be a part of a time that I wasn't able to be a part of. Each decade represents an entirely new era of Americana that I can almost feel I'm living in when it's just me in the car driving it the very same way they did when it was new. Here's a picture of my grandmother and grandfather on their first date atop his '29 Chevy. Here's a picture, 71 years later, of my wife and I at the same house on my '31 Chevy. Brandon
I've done a drivetrain swap or two and some paint work, etc. on a couple of my cars over the years, but most of my old cars have been basically stock, with an opened up exhaust and either a rake or a bit of lowering in the rear. Early '50s Buicks and Chevys, a '46 Ford Business coupe, '37 Chevy coupe w/235, etc. Just turned 55 and had a heart attach last week, but I've still got big hopes of fulfulling my dream of building a real hot rod. I have knowlege and decent skills, but other limitations have kept it from happening. Kind of lame to call myself a "hot rodder" I guess.
I'm almost 70 now, and I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I'm constitutionally and temperamentally incapable of leaving well enough alone.
I learned years ago that you should never do anything to modify the car you have to depend on every day. Don't change the wheels, lower it, modify the engine, etc. No matter how well you do those things dependability seems to suffer. That might be far fetched, but it seems once you start working on a car it begins to demand it more and more. My daily driver only gets the hood opened to check fluids and that is it. Don
Vetteman, that is AWESOME. seriously, rad. I hope those pics are hanging in your house. As for stock v. custom, sometimes stock just feels right. I, for instance, have a chopped, bagged, all that shit Kustom 54 chevy sitting in the garage next to my 100% original 56 Buick, of which I am the second owner. Sometimes cool cars are just cool to begin with.
I always have one car thats stock untampered with and dependable that I dont mess with . I spent to many all nighters to get to work the next day. Now one car is never old enough to give me the urge to mess with it.
Nothing wrong with a stock car. An old car can be cool just because it's an old car. The guys chasing the 'correct period' hot rod are restorers just like the guys in the AACA. Yeah, the parts are different, but they'll have bomber seats, or big & littles and Pontiac tail lights... I'm doing the 'high school' hot rod thing with my Studebaker. In a lot of ways, still a restoration.
Basically every dollar spent 'customizing' a stocker will cost you twice. Once when you do the 'custom' work, and twice when you reduce the value of the vehicle due to the 'custom' work. The reason for this is there is a good chance the 'custom' work is personal and every one has their own idea of what is good.
Thanks for the replies. Lots of good reasons (or reasons NOT), and a couple of great stories. I can list my own practical reasons why I want to go mostly stock, but on some level I too want to experience a car I would probably buy if I lived then. A bit of time travelling I suppose. What I don't get about myself is this 180 degree shift in attitude. From something I would never consider, or think is cool; to something I am compelled to do, and now think is overwhelmingly cool.
I got his about 6 months ago. An original '63 Grand Prix with a 389, auto and a/c. Original interior which is perfect. I just didn't have the heart to change anything.
Vetteman61 those photos are priceless. Now maybe your grandkids will pose on their old Chevy later on with the same tag and same house. .
I drive a stock 1931 Dodge Brothers DH6 business coupe every day. I drive it stock because to me, nothing beats the feel, sounds and experience of driving a completely stock old car. You cannot get that feel from a hotrod or modern car....ever. If you feel like you have to be "safer" by "upgrading" or modifying an old car, that is fine, but you will not get the "old" car experience. I love for a car to go fast, but look old, but to have the best of both worlds suits me. I had muscle cars that gave me the "speed" fix. I just tool around now and hold up traffic.....NOT!!
I drove a stock '37 packard 115C for many years. It would be a shame to butcher such a neat old car...
for the old car experience, read 365 days in an a. http://www.365daysofa.com/ pretty cool reading of driving a model a everyday regardless of weather.
My daily is stock because it is my daily. And, how much can you do to a '61 Falcon moredoor?? Plus, even as a stone stock daily, it is still different enough to satisfy THAT urge for me. But I know me, it won't be that way for long...already tore out the AM for an AM/FM... Cosmo
The Jalopy Journal
