Interpretation of Hambers building styles

HRP, you must be a brother from a different mother, because that is the story of my life! Carry on.

 

Civil War reenactments, Renaissance fairs, traditional hot rod builders. They are all examples of modern folks trying to recapture a moment in past time, in the present. It takes a huge commitment. It is not a practical effort for most people. It is a high bar, that many simply cannot jump over, for a variety of reasons. There is nothing wrong with that, it is just that non-traditional builds are not welcome here, per se. The past is nice, but there is no way to go back and live there. Live today. Post it here, if it applies. Don't worry if it does not. It does not make you wrong, or your car any less cool.

 

Build it to your taste and drive the wheels off of it. Bottom line is we all see things differently. I understand the idea of following a certain style, theme, era but again we all are opinionated. For any build, classify it as, will I drive the wheels off of it, and Enjoy it? Too me some cars have the look or don't. Regardless of era, style, theme.

 

Too many cars have a " confused " look.
They look like they were built by 3 or 4 different builders.

I try to have my builds look like mid to late 50's build but with more up to date under pinning. Both my roadster and the 3W look somewhat 50's except for the radial tires. But radials ride and drive so much better than the old bias ply tires I am willing to skip the 50's when it comes to tires.

Both of the 32's are a automatic with SBC and a 9 ich Ford rear. Strret Roddish ... to some ... but reliable and trouble free.

I like the looks of a 40's/50's roadster with a flathead, 39 box and a banjoe rear end BUT ... they are not long distance friendly for me ... so Mine are a mix of old and new.

 

I disagree. Theres a major difference between:

- Civil War Weapons Collectors and Civil War Reenactors

- Actual Renaissance Art and Renaissance Fairs

- Traditional Hot Rod Builders and ...........

To say traditional hot are "just not welcome here" is way off base. I know it may not be easy and for everyone, but to me there's nothing cooler than living history.

 

To say traditional hot are "just not welcome here" is way off base. I know it may not be easy and for everyone, but to me there's nothing cooler than living history.[/QUOTE]
^^^^^^DITTO^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Uh no, I said non-traditional builds are not welcome here, per se. Have your witnessed the ration of crap some guys get for not doing it "right"? I don't even post build photos anymore, 'cause I'm tired of getting told how I did it wrong.

 

It's interesting to see everyones perception of what traditional means to them.

 

And if ya do a search...you'll see this topic many times come up for the last 10 years....

 

It was said a long time ago on here to 'BUILD WHAT YOU WANT" & that is so true. There are so many different ideas expressed here & that is what makes the HAMB what it is.

 

EVERYTHING is an exercise in check book. What you buy or build and the guidelines you follow dictates where you fall on the "traditional" ladder. SUGGESTIONS are given here based on the info given by the poster. What YOU do with that info is YOUR business.

My car, like a lot of cars on this forum are not traditional. That's why I don't post every little thing I do. If I have a problem and feel it can cross over to tradional builds, I'll post about it. I find a lot of info just by doing a HAMB search and a GOOGLE search.

Then I use my check book to either buy a part or the materials to make it work for my application. In the end, I have the choice of what to do and how to do it.

If someone is using the HAMB to dictate 100% of their build, that's fine. It shows a lack of individual thinking, but some people like following.

 

Try starting a thread on the definition of a traditional HOT ROD, and see how soon it gets closed down. I think it is supposed to remain a mystery.

 

there is no mystery, only folks who refuse to accept the commonly held interpretation as it applies to this website.

its no mystery. its been clearly stated. take it or leave it.

 

I appreciate the spirit here but would like to add my permanent overview. To build a "period correct" car is and always will be restoration. No matter if it's a new part from old tooling, old speed stuff, it's all rebuilt, refinished, essentially restored.

Not every build necessitates a "theme" or an era. That can steal the incentive and take you out of the picture if you're not careful. You can end up trying to hit a mark set by a group of peers you may never meet. We all get the "gotta-have-it's" when we see something that trips our triggers. If you're into a project, that's called inspiration. Since this place is dedicated to most things 60s and older, and most things from that time were just dead on kool, it's easy to focus on elements that you can use to make it real, to make it yours. To inspire a certain look. As we progress here, someone else is going even higher up the food chain of hotrodding. Just spoke with a dear friend at length of how bored I've become with LS-fuel injected-20" wheeled-big braked hot rods. Muscle car, early 60s, and of course the current "street rod", all are advancing and it clearly deserves respect for the engineering. It simply doesn't fit here. We're not now nor ever alone in this world of "beyond simple transportation", and that covers all of it. It's the restored Model A as well as the A on Deuce rails. It's the restored 62 409 and the lowrider version of the same body type. We can cop out and say "Pick one, it's your car.", but it doesn't much help when you seek to figure how others get inspired. Me, I like too many different things. I like old bikes, even old Jap bikes. I like heavy American Classics and restored early Fords. I like early drag racers, ESPECIALLY FEDs and early funnycars. I'm a fuckin mess! So I have to pick the best and closest to my budget in order to enjoy it personally. I live this shit daily through the funds of customers. Some need my input, some are rigid as to what they want. The more you participate in the end result the more rewarding it becomes. Since I'm starting to ramble I'll leave it there and see where the thought process goes.

 

I appreciate all the thought provoking comments. HRP

 

Some are wound tight with history book documentation and nut and bolt accuracy, while some people are much more loose in their definition. With every level filled in between these two extremes. If it floats your boat, do it, have it your way. IF, however, you push the boundaries to the LOOSER side of the definition, don't demand acceptance. If a stringent "traditional hot rodder" turns their nose up at a more lax example....it's their loss for not appreciating the craftsmanship shown.

 

Well now that the drama is over for the time being let me throw something out there to think about.

I think that there is some confusion between period correct and period perfect.
Here is my take, period perfect would be what most consider to be a full on restoration. It would be done totally with period parts and there are some on here that have done and still do that. A certain yellow '27 T roadster that at one time belonged to a fella named Carrillo comes to mind.

When it comes to period correct I think the rules change a bit. I have heard people say that a car cannot be period correct if you use a modern part in it. But there are some parts that have just not changed over the years, tires for instance are still round and rubber and are still being manufactured by virtually the same process that Charles Goodyear developed way back when. Same with spark plugs or valves stems or??? I could probably name parts that have not changed since they were first invented and for all intents and purposes are not recognizably different either, until the cows come home but you get my point right?

A car built with a mixture of these parts and original parts would be virtually not recognizably different from one built in the era that one is shooting at. For all intents and purposes it would be period correct. It would not be an exact restoration so I am going to suggest that it would not be period perfect or perfect to the close scrutiny of a well versed concourse judge but it would be correct enough on its face to be acceptable to the general public as a period build.

Niether of these concepts should be confused with a traditionaly styled car which in my mind is one that will pass from 100 ft but not once you get up close. Whole nuther topic for discussion.

 

I've said it before and here again... It's about the builder's intent.
Building (or having it built) a car with every ultra rare, unobtainable vintage speed part so you can impress your friends is no different than the Boyd billet "trophies" of the '90s. It becomes about money and posturing. Or restoration as someone already said.

If you build it to have the "look and feel" of an era but still want to drive it, you're gonna make some exceptions. And if you are a working guy, you'll build it for the money you've got to spend.

Go too far and it might as well be "fine wine" collecting or "fine art" or stamp collecting for God's sake! Like those guitar collectors who don't even play.

 

Well said!

 

I tend to like what I consider mid to late 50's builds, and I love white interiors. I think my current build ('40 Ford coupe) is going to be more of a mid 60's build though. I think thats part of the fun of building them, kind of picking a theme or style and pulling it off. Its hard to imagine pulling off anything thats actually never been done before though. I try to do some research and combine ideas that I like from other builds both old and current into what I want for mine. To me the exterior color is a huge part of it too. I also think to myself "if the old timers like it you've done it well".

 

I am glad there is a thread to try and clarify what it means to be period correct. Sure it would be ideal to only use parts that were availible of a particular time but you'd have to first know the time period, know what was availible and what was actually done. It would be difficult if you weren't from that time period and if you were, be well informed about what was being done in your community and also many communities all over the country. There has been many reasons already stated why its impractical (money, health, parts etc). I dont quite understand why some1 may get get weary of some1 else who may deviate a bit from using period modifications. After all didnt those from "that" period try to upgrade or improve or customize the way they saw fit with what was availible. Isnt that whats happening now with more options?
I enjoy seeing every1's projects though my taste may be different and if the vehicle is pre-65 isnt the biggest requirement satisfied? TY

 

Ty
While I agree with you a great deal there is an exception, suppose that you have a '61 Impala. You obviously are not ging to build a '40s style rod out of it as it did not yet exist, I mean you could but it would just be an abortion.

Anyway the exception that I am going to take is that if you put say 22" billet Nitros and a blown LS in it as well as all the other modern amenities then just being a car within the year range of what we consider to be traditional does not come close to ful filling anything along the lines of traditional.

Now I will say this, if one has chosen a car that fits into the guidlines of being traditional even if they are more of a modern build type of a guy they have taken a step in the right direction. If they stay here long enough and just take in the crap that we throw out about build styles, prefered suspensions engines and etc they are treading precariously close to becomming an obselitest.

A lot of the time we throw things out there because we have done them and like the result. It is not a rule by any means it is just a suggestion.

 

I love 60's style builds, as mid 60's is when I began driving. I'm also not quite the purist, and funds often dictate changes in areas that aren't highly visable too. I appreciate how much effort some guys make to ensure their build looks like a time capsule, but it's just not feasible for me.
As long as the spirit of the build is close, I'll probably enjoy what they've done!

 

I got this 28 RPU. My dad who live in Hawaii need a mainland car, so he's take the rpu. Now when he comes in spring, I have to have it running so he could drive it to Houston to trade my sister for a 34 Pickup he gave her about 25 years ago.

STYLE ISSUE: Well the 34 is chopped, the bed is chopped, & it comes with a Jag IRS. I ask him, "What kind of wheels?" He replys, "06 C6 Z06! And Gloss Black Onix Piant" What do you guys think of this style?

 

Mata,
While I would not turn my nose up at the build, I believe that it falls into the catagory of the car that I mentioned in post #143. The truck itself genuinaly fits into what we would consider to be a traditional body but the build itself is not a traditional build.

I know that you know the difference as I know that you build and drive things that most of us would maybe build but not consider to be dailey transportation. But it is your dad's truck and if that is what he wants what ya gonna do?

I don't know that changing the wheels would make a lot of difference in a purest sense. We have had some discussion on the Jag suspension and while I believe that it was available in the early '60s there seems to be no concensus other than late '60s to when it was actually used by rodders.

The absolute most shameful thing is that the '34 is on my list and has been for a long time of must own vehicles. While I haven't seen it the body sounds right.

 

porknbeaner, My brotha from another

How do you like this "what ya gonna do?" I got a plan in the work to trade my 54 Olds Rocket With the chrome valve covers that say "ROCKET" for a SBF302 cause my dad wants "COBRA" valve covers.

I proud to say, "I like Jag IRS." They look bitching. I've alway been in stock bodys since day one. In the 70's & 80's I liked traditioinal but traditional "Stlye" didn't exist. "Thats PUT PUT, Jalapy Style" is what my dad would tell me.

It's kind of funny, in the 70's & 80's I use to think a Flathead V8 was a Stupid looking rink-a-dink motor, And 20-30 years later I put a Flathead V8 in my 34

 

I actually bought a car in '69 and a truck in '71 just because they had flatheads in them. I liked the sparkplugs sticking through the heads. yea, yea dumb reason I know.

 

I remember see a sweet 29 sedan delivery at the Gatlingburg,Tenn. outlaw rod run back in the late 70's that was sporting the resto rod look with a chromed out Jag rear axle,and a stink bug stance,,I still have a soft spot for the look. HRP

 

I like to follow one, I just love to see the half shafts spinning. Easily entertained I guess.

 

Well, this is the Jalopy Journal....... No corvette Z06 wheels here, right?