Hot Rods Does your car have a theme or time period?

Honestly surfing the web, looking at 1932-'34 Hot rods for sale, trying to help a close friend, establish a selling price for his 2 Top Shelf/Professionally built Ford Hot Rods.
('32 full fendered Roadster and '34 2dr sedan) The former a late 60's Show Rod, the latter a late 80's Street Rod.

Looking at countless pictures and getting dizzy. Yes, each to his own, but I truly admire a builder, whom had a theme or time period in mind, and followed it until the end. Seeing countless bellybutton hot rods, that the whole theme is all over the map. Case in point, saw a traditional Hot rod recently, with SBC. Engine appeared to have just been plucked from 1962 Impala. Orange with black Chevy script valve covers and OG air cleaner, black plug wires. Nailed it!!!
Also, Dave Schutten's Angry Orchid '34 5 window Coupe. Early 60's Show Rod done to a T

May be acquiring a '39 Ford Coupe, in a few years, from close friend. Already planning, in my mind, a early 70's Street Rod personality. Hey, dreaming's for free.
JT

 

My ‘27 T Tudor is all ‘50’s early60’s . My ‘48 “Effie” is going a 40’s/50’s look .

 

Trying for Mid. 60’s period look for my 57 Chevy Sedan. Basically what I had or remembered in 1965-1966.

 

Big time. 60s gasser.

 

I think a period or style is the most important part of a build.
And sticking with it.
Wheel, tire, stance and continuity of the pieces
The exception is my junk which is built to fit my odd personality and shallow pocketbook.

 

I appreciate when people have a goal in mind when they do a project. As many already know, there is a difference between a ‘period correct’ build and a ‘period flavor’ build. I’m not saying one is preferable to the other, just that the distinction drives the build.

I’m shooting for an early-mid 60s flavor with my ‘31 A. I think the body, paint, interior, and engine fit that description. However, I used an alternator instead of a generator (alternators appeared in the early 1960s), a 700R4 tranny, added heat, defrost, and air, and used Excelsior Stahl Sport radial tires for a better ride. I plan to drive the crap out of it... hopefully by mid summer. Pictures are last summer.

 

I built my 56 trying to nail my high school graduation year of 1966 era, or what I would have liked to have driven to school that year. Everything was going along ok until I put on the chrome wire wheels. I still want to change to Torq Thrusts, but I got a killer deal on the wheels and tires so I thought I would see how I liked them. Other than that and the power disc front brakes and alternator, its like I would have built. Actually the brakes and alt were out by then so I guess I still did it.

 

I wanted a period correct early 50s traditional hot rod, I think I kept it pretty dang close

 

I love adding the little details that nail down the “theme” of the build. My ‘35 Chevy was a running driving car when I got it, but it was unfinished and unfocused. I started changing things up, with the goal of putting the car in 1962. The inspiration piece was a 3 spoke Mooneyes steering wheel, and I went crazy from there.

The roadster pickup build is going to end up as an early ‘50s, low-buck high school hotrod. The inspiration piece for this build is the dash gauges that I have collected for it. Everything else just adds on to it.

 

Yeah, mine does. It’s called a money pit......

 

My car automatically plays "Here Come The Clowns"

 

I love your 56 Don!

 

Thanks for playing along Fellas. Flat black paint and whitewalls, with yellow plug wires, billet valve covers and fake flamed air cleaner just don't cut it, in my book.
Moriarty, your in a class all by yourself. 3 taillights on that Vette are super cool. Probably pisses off the NCRS bunch. Impala has always been amongst my favorites.
56don, those wire wheels were all the rage during the 70's. Looking back through issues of Street Rodder Mag, everyone seem to be running them. Love your '56. Reminds me of a car one of the seniors had, when I was in freshman.
Willys36 that is a Beast!!
Aaron D I think you nails the traditional Grass Roots home built Hot rod theme.
Almostdone, your comment about "Flavor" is spot on. If I can afford to finish my '64 98, it will have a Mid 60's MCM Mild Custom flavor. Think Executive Express.

 

Pictures help...

 

I am working on a late 50s early 60s flavor for mine...

 

Period correct, I fucked that part up.
Looks like 1954 externally.

 

1966.

 

I like period correct if possible. So that means nothing visible on the car after a certain date. My truck is 1958. Even the gauges and upholstery fit the time period.

 

Trying to keep this at 1950. That's the newest part on the car( 50 merc steering box). I have a few exceptions for safety sake but trying not to use nylock nuts, plastic wire ties and things of that nature.

 

I was trying for 63 or so. I tried to make it look like a guy who had a flathead powered 32 bought the engine , trans and rear end from a wrecked new vette and put them in his roadster.

 

60’s high school....unintentionally low budget

 

Having a historical car with lots of pictures to go off of helps, but enough metal work was done to really undo and go back exactly like how it was, so the theme was like the next wave of work for the car in and around 63-65.


My 33 Ford pickup is going to be a same era hot rod when I start restoring it in the next year.

 

Mid 60’s Street Racer / Weekend Drag Racer...

 

My 61....like Mark..rich kid High School car...

 

I just wanted something that would get from the corner to a little convenience store in 3 seconds. Then I realized you're not supposed to race a cold engine.

 

I 'try' for the early 60's...