Art & Inspiration cars are built for car guys then there are cars built for non

i like going to shows...i take a look at whatever catches my attention...usually its a flathead, or a 32 ford grill, a nice chop top or stance...maybe, some nice biasply tires...Ive seen it all but for some reason or another im just naturally drawn to hot rods that are made by real down to earth people with lots of talent, thought and tradition put into it...
(not the amount of money put into it)...

but, I mostly agree with what mitchell says: who really gives a f*#k!!!

 

x 2

 

Absolutely! Everything about them is obnoxious including the people in 'em, usually.

 

I build things to suit my own taste. People may or may not agree with it. I love the lines of 30s/40s/50s/60s cars. I love many things about that era, granted I am 27, I have a nostalgic sense of taste and attitude. You probably can't tell by how I am dressed, you can tell by the way I carry myself. My point is, you never really know a person until you get the chance to talk to them. I personally hate wearing khakis but Im not going to view someone who wears them as a "non-car guy" There are quite a few people on this board who are too quick to jump the gun in the name of "traditional" hot rodding. traditional hot rodding is up to the person. The auto culture is constantly changing, I personally do not like where it is headed but im not going to knock it or the people who are interested in it. you have to keep people interested of the hobby will die. Im sure the majority of you who have been around cars long enough have seen things come out that were not popular, went away, and are now coming back into style. As stated in an earlier post, if we all built the same stuff they would be no drive to do anything different. We would all have the same "custom" car and it wouldnt be custom at all.

Bottom line, do what makes you happy. Its your money, your car, your imagination, your rules.

 

Wow. Just wow.

I have a flathead on the test stand and another engine in the machine shop, a 52 Customline waiting attention and a 55 F600 currently getting a 1 ton conversion to be my "shop truck", including a frame shortening and pretty much "everything" job.

I also have a job working with, lets just say, extremely clean and extremely expensive equipment in an extremely clean environment. If I am generally seen in public, guess which job I am dressed for?

I also have soap and self respect.

Beware men with swagger, for they have swagger and nothing else.

 

I'm with you on that. Fresh out of school apprenticed on cars and over the years gradually moved away into an office job. Nothing makes me happier than picking the odd bit of grime out from under the nails with a paperclip on a monday morning; it reminds me of what I did on the weekend, where I came from, and why I'll work hard that week - so I can carguy again on the weekend.

 

I too enjoy the fact that you can get dirty working on cars. However, even when I worked at a dealership (Mercedes and Lexus) you had to have a neat and clean appearance even as a technician. It is fun to get dirty but there is no need to leave work with black grit under your fingernails then head out into town for dinner with your girl looking like a slob. Granted, many days my hands were stained after many washes... I still tried my best not to look like a scrub. for the record, Im a jeans, t-shirt, workboot type of guy.

 

Thanks alot, HRP!

I'm curious what makes my car look like an '80s car?


Malcolm

 

Im with HRP - all these pages of bullshit about "opinions" on what constitutes a "real" car guys...please.

Geez....

Rat

 

I would think a "non car guy" would make a comment like that. Some folks only see color. Just sayin. I think it's bitchin. Oops...is bitchin an "80s" comment?

 

I was just gonna glance at this thread and move on, but after a few pages I was hooked. Sometimes someone posts thier feelings and you just wanna say, shit what's the matter with this guy. As I am reading most of these it reminds me of something someone told me a long time ago. I was lucky enough to get a job with Buick Motor Division's show car group as a painter. We built all the special cars, magazine cars, and most of what was coming out in the next 4 years. I have been a "car guy" since the late 50's. One day we got a new man in the shop. He was a young custom painter. He had a friend that was a local well known car builder, and he wanted me to meet him. One day after work we strolled down to his shop to look around. He was sanding and polishing the underside of the floorboads of an early 70's dodge. I thought, w.t.f. We painted our show cars and detailed them, but this was rediculous. He had a Willys coupe parked in the corner with an all aluminum blown hemi in it. Made some comment about a $40,000 engine. Another multi dollar car in an enclosed trailer heading to Vegas. I like cars but I wanted to puke. Why would someone put that much money into a car and then have to trailer it all over. What a waste. As I set there shaking my head he made the statement " everything has it's place". That comment has stuck with me since I heard it. If someone builds a car to the best of thier ability, good for them. If somebody does not have the ability or know how to build one and has someone else do it , good for them. If someone wants to build a $250,000 car, and can afford it, good for them. I guess this is what makes our hobby so great..... diversity. Yep there's cars out there that I don't personaly car for, there's cars that I would give my left nut for.. But the good thing is that anyone can build what they want and ....... "everything has it's place". Now I'm gonna get my black shirt, khaki shorts, cowboy boots, head out to the barn and work on whatever catches my fancy. Norm

 

Keep your eyes open, he will be the one who will steal something (so he can get another bottle) because he knows what it is.

 

I'd have to dis-agree.

 

As far as fashion goes. I recently purchased a seersucker suit for myself. If I pull up at the car show in my six cylinder more door with road race style suspension listening to Mr. B on the stereo and wearing my seersucker suit with a straw hat, and pull mint julep makings out of the trunk does that make me less of a cool car guy?

Would it help if instead of spectators I wear Italian loafers on my feet?

 

This is baffling.

Did any of the old time builders revered on here follow that trend or set the trend?

No one follows a follower, be it in cars, fashion, or politics

It does surprise me that there is a lot of "that's not HAMB friendly" talk on occasion and now it's whether you dress like a car guy or not

Hot Rodding was about doing your own thing, so even if the guy is in a plaid dress, if he builds a cool car then he gets my vote

 

thats becasue most old time builders were "doers"...not "posters" as in computer post not poser...

 

They're the same Dorks.

 

Actually it gets mine too because I try to figure out what the f*ck they were thinking and why not just build something cool if they are going to do the effort.

 

x10!!

 

I've built aroumd 7 car from the ground up,does this make me a "car guy"?? I build what I like because it's my car. I've built drag cars,traditional, streetrods. There's something to like about all cars. If not, your narrow minded.

 

I hear ya!

 

I enjoy all things mechanical, the shock valued , poorly built not so much. The nicely built no matter what money was spent (high or low dollar) will always draw my attention. I'm a car guy and can appreciate the skills and time spent as a builder. As my grandfather used to say, although I don't think he made it up. " If we all liked the same thing things we'd all be sleeping with grandma." And my dad " If you don't drive and use them, your just saving it for someone else." My lifestyle doesn't evolve around the fashion aspect but some of the best car guys I know don't have a dress code to identify them as much.

 

Late last year, I went to this car show that I have never gone to. It was at a Chevy dealer and it was in late fall and I said, what the heck, I'll go and leave early.
After a couple hours, the judges came buy and asked to look in the trunk (which I refused), open the hood, (I refused again), and the wrote something in a pad and walked away. Shortly after that un-pleasent event, an older gent came buy and was smiling from ear to ear. He asked if it was my car and how I came about this style of Hotrod. I told him I remember in the Fifties, you either had a Jolapy or a smooth custom. I prefer the latter. He agreed and said that his first car was a '40 Coupe and had great memories. He thanked me several times for bringing my car out that Sunday and walked away looking over his shoulder at my '40.
That really made my day that someone, a little older than me, appreciated my rendition of an old car. I was all packed up and ready to leave when the call came out for the awards. Since I did not yield to the "so called" judges, I was curious what won in my class.

All of the classes were called and as I was ready to leave, the older gent, that paid me a nice compliment on my car, stepped up and said, "As owner of the dearlership, I'd like to give the Best of the Show award to the 1940 Chevy Coupe. This is the way a hotrod should be built". Needless to say, I was shocked and floored!
I normally don't like trophies but this one will take a special place.

 

Yeah, that's definitely one you earned! Cool story!

 

Thanks 63 Comet. Sometimes it pays to sit back and just watch the parade go by.

 

Thats a fact! Most of the time by hands scare old women and small children! Soap and water gets them clean but the cuts and scraps don't disappear until the project is done or put in storage!

 

Great story! I always get the die hard "restorers" looking at my car, it is close enough to stock that they don't notice its lowered and running a different drivetrain.