Hot Rods Just some random thoughts

with the cost of chroming through the sky( even if you could find one locally) and Paint up to $900 a gal,& body work products, it's getting insane to try a build a hot rod nowadays. ( even though you can get everything you need on line now a days) But this has been discussed to death already, I'm knee deep in building a 49 dodge pickup and I figure I'll be into this thing for 40 grand before it's done, without finish paint. I fined I have to farm out some big things I no longer can do by myself,($$) It is SO much the smarter move just to buy one done close to what you want and make it your own. But that never happens, I always say I can do it myself, but he reality of the thing is I'm 75 and though my mind says "sure you can knock this out in no time" my BODY says who are you kidding buddy! I've done it in the past, but I know it's getting more difficult, plus I'll never come close to recouping the money invested, but that was never my intent in building all the cars I have in the past, Not much takes the place of the satisfying feeling you get, when you first fire her up, the first ride, That feeling of pride and satisfaction that you did all this, in your garage, usually starting with a hulk that people thought you were nuts for buying! I know for me it's the building of the car that keeps me wanting to do it, after I build it I soon lose interested and want another project. well he reality of it this is probably the last big project I'll be doing, but the memories were well worth it ???

 

It is what it is.
But nothing, that I have ever done, equals that ride in a fresh project.
Today's bones and flesh are minimal toward achieving the calesthetics (?) and iron pumping required..

 

The body remembers what the mind forgets - at close to 70 I can understand but I feel that as long as I can I’ll keep going it’s the therapy of this hobby the physical and mental challenge’s that help me keep moving forward and onward

 

I thought I was done buying cars at 81 but then this unfinished project came along which seemed to be almost done. Turned out that there was more work than I anticipated but after 4 solid months working on it, I have to put it away for the winter. When I'm done, it will be a new car and the previous owner did all the really hard work. So don't give up your idea that a project that is well along on the build and needs finished isn't out there, as I know they are. Took the engine out to paint it so it sets high.

 

Do you know what happens when you stop...???

 

I know how you feel. I had finished my 53 before the prices went insane, now I am staring at my two Buicks to try to adjust to a plan. My painter can't paint anymore, and my upholstery guy quit doing it. I guess it is DIY time.

 

That's part of why I build such weird stuff. If I wanted a "commodity car", like a stock muscle car or stereotypical tri-five, It would make waaaaaayyy more sense to buy what's already out there. My vision of a cool ride always steps outside the mainstream, necessitating me spending thousands of hours going my own way. I'm very much about staying true to my wants, not anyone else's. The down side is, it makes finding a buyer a lot harder at the other end. My solution to that problem is to just keep them 'til I die!

 

I know how you feel, iam all most 90 and still try to do what i can, but my body will not let me do any heavy work. But still do what i can. Any thing to stay busy.

 

At 74 I have gone to the funerals of too many of my old friends and classmates who did not have any hobbies. When they retired from their jobs, they had nothing to do but sit and watch TV or drink. They didn't last long. I still work 3 days a week building cars for someone else, and the other 4 working on my stuff. I don't work as fast as I used to, and knock off early most days. But at the end of the day, though I usually hurt somewhere, I have a feeling of accomplishment. I believe that's what keeps us going. Go out in your shop, do one thing, then sit there drinking coffee the rest of the time. Just go out there.

 

A man needs a purpose.

 

I bet you could find this lament in a Model A resto newsletter from the 60s!
They haven't taken away the pursuit of happiness yet, so as long as you aren't harming anyone do what you can.
I dream of 40K cars, but dabble in sub 10k projects. I'll have fun in my little driver as much as I would in a borrowed supercar. If and when that's not viable, I'll take up something that holds my interest and keeps me from pulling weeds for entertainment.

 

I'm going to try and keep building until I drop. As others have said, when you stop doing things, you stop living, literally and figuratively! Even if you bought an old car, there would be lots of work to do on it, cleaning, detailing, and the inevitable maintenance and break downs. True, it would be lighter work, but still work!

 

Just have fun. No matter what age you are.

 

I'm 80. You are a kid I was younger than you when I bought a 53 Stude rust bucket, I ended up buying three Hawks for parts, I was afraid if I croaked the wife would have no idea how to dispose of the project. I finished it, lost interest and that car ended up in Florida. One day my wife asked me if I was going to do another car. Actually I'd been looking a little and in a few days I picked up a T roadster project. It's finished..now what do I do? Looking for another project, just haven't hit on the one I want. In the meantime I'm building a 12x24 she shed/he shed structure for something to do. The yard equipment and her gardening/plant stuff will occupy it. Gets the big mower out of the shop.
I have aches and pains but find that if you don't keep moving you rust in place.

 

I'm with you. My 3 to 4 month project has been running 11 months now. I'm hoping I'll be through before the end of the year. Once the cold weather hits, my old bones don't allow much time in my unheated garage.

 

I'm also 74 and I know how things have gotten harder to do. And since I've always worked alone on cars it's even tougher as we get older. And the cost of building certainly is getting much higher, but I've found you can still build economically if you spend enough time looking at places like swap meets, craigslist, and wrecking yards for parts.
I started my '39 Chev coupe in 2019 after buying it at our big April swap meet cheap. I only have a little one car shop, so that just adds to how tough it is to build. There were times I had to move the car halfway out the entry doors to do work like dropping the engine in, or other things requiring space up front. But I work with the obstacles because that's what I have to do to build.
I spent about 2.5 years building my coupe, and bought very few brand new parts. I'd never painted a car, but decided to give it a try and painted the car. I'd never done upholstery either, but bought an old used commercial Singer and sewed all my interior also. Tried my first lettering job also, and it came out pretty good. Found a 1990 SBC engine on CL for $100 as a rebuilt short block, and bought that. Brought it home and tore it down to check gaps and clearances, and it was as advertised. So bought a nice pair of used heads and bolted them on. A junkyard 8.8" Ford rear axle in 3.73 posi for $110. A trans used from a guy for $175. A front axle for $100. I got a bunch of parts with the car and sold them for $1500, which canceled the $1500 I paid for the rolling body.
When I was all done and driving down the road I've got less than $6000 total in my build. A lot of 5-7 day weeks, with 8-10 hour days, but well worth the time to hunt down cheap parts, and do all the work myself. A '39 Chev was something I always hoped to own, so not much was going to stop me. A couple surgeries during the build for a hernia, and gall bladder removal set me back for a short time, but not too long.

Before:


After:

 

A few of my "random thoughts"
- My projects take a lot longer to complete these days but they are better planned out.
- I find it more important just having a project than actually meeting a self imposed deadline.
- I can easily be persuaded to drop whatever job is currently being worked on to do almost anything else suggested.
- My dream bucket list of cars that I'd like to own is rapidly getting very short.
- The gap between mindset and ability is expanding faster than the known universe.
- 74 year old used and abused body, forgot more than I know, still having fun though.

 

I think as we age we all pretty much travel down this same path. Loved building and driving, always want something else or something new, don't want to pay what it costs, think I can save money and do it myself, and on and on it goes. Before we know it we are in our 70's going I can't do that anymore without help or tools like lifts or battery operated stuff... ah the cycle of life!

 

I’m trying to wrap my mind around that $40,000 figure.

 

Two days ago I was horsing a heavy crankshaft around trying to get some petrified parts off it. Blew out my back, couldn't hardly stand up straight going to the store before dinnertime. Thinking man I better cool it. So what did I do yesterday? Same goddam thing. Not quite upright yet today, headed to the shop soon.

 

I do paint and body
I don’t paint mine (not yet anyway)

already lived that has to be perfect and shiny life. Enjoyed it.
I like driving beaters
Grew up with em, that’s all I’m messing with now.
Much more fun

I’m not as agile as I was 30 years ago
I’m a lot smarter.
I have no timelines. Building is life

 

Hello,

First, it has to be not just some thoughts, but a direction and goal for you. If one still wants to stay in the so called “hot rod” world, then you have to adjust your means and abilities to get things done. As a twenty something, we had the abilities, physically and the means were way down the list. We had the abilities as we showed ourselves what we could do if our minds were set on a direction. Racing in the gas coupe classes at the time took a lot of patience, skill and determination to get the job done right.

So, with our teenage minds and abilities, plus what we had saved, we started our project. When we were
shown a new direction, we moved with some speed to fulfill the necessities to get involved in that particular motor sport, desert racing motorcycles. Throw in some surfing and we were quite busy re-inventing ourselves in what we thought was a new direction. Mechanically, our skills were still physically, there and the willingness to learn was also there.
It was a first for us and the project took some everyday + every night late hours, until it reached a level of satisfaction and proper construction. We were proud of being one of the first teens to have a 671 supercharger on a full race, blower spec,
292 c.i. SBC motor for our 40 Willys Coupe, in 1960.

Jnaki

Jump up to our 20s and 30s with all of the new goals to fulfill, it was a choice to make. No, complaints of the direction, other than lack of funds. But, at least we started to go where we thought was the bright future ahead.

Now those days have come and gone and there still is a light burning as it had for the last 67 years. The active time has come and gone. But, the mind and direction could still go in any way. If it is what one wants, then a plan of action to get there is the new road ahead. If money is the problem, then a modified direction and future is now the goal.
A custom 1962 Chevy Nova Station Wagon is/was always on our list. But, adapting to that idea, there are plenty of small station wagons with similar functions and power to make do with that goal.

Powerful acceleration, comfortable riding anywhere, and a nice car to get us where we have always wanted to go… “down the road,” in life. That is what we have done and in our minds, which will continue to complete for now.

At our age, now, it is technically, over. But those little things we learned along the way are always helpful in doing our current lifestyle we have been living, since 1966. Low key, quiet, goals set and finished, ready to set new goals (granddaughter in college) and that future ahead. It is what it was meant to be… YRMV

 

JUST KEEP ON TRUCKIN'.

I'm late 70s. Got two total rebuild car projects in the air, drag race altereds every summer weekend, am recovering from a bad crash in a half-marathon bicycle time trial, like metal sculpture and painting. In my spare time I dabble in model trains. Just keep on truckin, at yout own pace...

 

We have all been there and done that..........but you will find that the ability of the back to recover from repeated abuse is not always infinite. Once you reach a certain point, recovery can be painfully slow if at all. Get something that suits your shop and will lift things for you......the bigger the variety the longer you will be able to enjoy your shop. All you old farts out there need to listen to what I'm saying and get/build something. I've praised the benefits of building overhead cranes in shops, but even simple solutions like this can help you a whole lot.



You can get a piece of plywood or a small top off a table and sit it on the forks and use it as a portable work surface when not lifting things. Just keep watching Facebook and these things show up.


Here is a less expensive one for lighter (but heavier than you want to lift) stuff. Bout $150






And these old pneumatic bumper jacks are great for raising a project up to working height.........where you don't have to bend over to do something. Can usually find them for $200 or less in working condition. Its great when you can work with minimal bending over. One at the front and one at the back and elevate your project to a comfortable working height.


It's up to you............You can procrastinate and complain and groan, or start arming yourself with what you need to enjoy your work for many days to come.

 

Long-term it makes sense to buy a done or mostly done car. Short game it makes more sense to build. My 53 bel air for instance. I've spent a good portion of my build time on essentially restoration work to get it nice enough to customize. But had I been legal to drive I could have been driving it the last two and a half years. I still have a lot of restoration work (fixing grill chrome for example) and plenty of custom work left. But at this point I have a drivable rod I can enjoy for a total thus far of $4000 counting cost of car. Nice resto 53/54 Chevys and customs start at $12k.

 

These days at age 71, soon to be 72 in March, I find I totally enjoy going to swap meets with a self disciplined, no more than $300.00 in my pocket. I know what happens if I bring more than that, been there did that, lesson learned.

I really enjoy seeing all of the great and not so great machines that are in the car corral for sale. And of course the total mish-mash of everything under the sun for sale, from A to Z, soup to nuts, that is on a myriad of tables and displays at the swap-meet.

I already have a ton of stuff here in the house so space is limited, so that makes it easier to really decide what to buy or not to buy.

So my eye's go to the smaller items that are unique, stuff that is cool and at $1.00 or to $5.00 sometimes maybe $10.00, it all depends on what it is, and if its cool or not, and if its something that I think one of my friends might enjoy totally as a non solicited gift for no reason at all!

That part is the best part, the possibility of the thing that was bought, going to a friend for their collection. Its really fun to see how much cash I have left over after the swap-meet, I never figure in the amount spent on gas to go to the swap-meet or the parking or admission fee, those are never part of the equation.

If you go to the Antiquated forum and type in FORD COE HEADLIGHT UPDATE, you will see just what can happen when that self imposed monetary limit, is exceeded!



Built it and kept it for myself and the entertainment value it produces!

No regrets what so ever!
Thanks from Dennis.

 

I'm a few day away from 74, and realized years ago none of my projects will ever see the road, and in reality that was never the goal. Having them is the true joy. I've always had the most fun at swap meets, buying selling, just looking at the stuff. I'm knee deep in a friends life long parts collection, carried every bit out of his basement, loaded every part again into a friends trailer, unloaded it, and a bit over half is now in my garage and basement. I've got roll model friends in their 80's, relatives that left in their 90's, in another 26 years, two projects could be in primer on my 100th. Merry Christmas!

Bob

 

Now I'm having to face this coming year 84,,an add mitt I slowed down,doing all I can just to keep my one old 28A hotrod running,even had to give up on the extra rod project 1917 Hup, I started on about 15 years back/put that one up for sale now in HAMB 4 sale.
Always did as low$ as I could,tiny piggy bank. So chroming stuff was out,but love shiny,if it could be polished ,I did. Picked up a few old chrome parts cheep an repolished too.
Paint cost I hear alot,,I see some of that ,then n now, as fail to set a realistic goals=Excuses for not doing it,that often is not looked at as that! Like sure in end of 1959,I would of loved Red Candy Apple,ya,but did Enamel High Gloss Black/for about $10 a Qt, in 1959$ vs Candy @ $100 in 1959$.
On the real side,Black looked great an held up about 5X+ longer then a Candy,added to I got it done nice n driving.
Some stuff,I went an got a job at a place that dose stuff I wanted to know how to do. =It works.

 

I get that.
I see you also have a swivel chair on the shop floor. As I get up in years I have accumulated a series of stools, from 8 inches in height to a telescoping work stool to a bar stool. I select whichever height gets me in front of the specific work to be done. No more crouching for long stretches at a time.
Previous generations of formen would have yelled at me for being so "lazy" to use a stool.

I say "Work smarter, not harder."

 

You know how you might ask a young boy about his age...
"You're 5 now, huh Billy?"

And Billy says...
No, I'm 5 and a half.

But I've never ever heard...
"So Bob, what are you, 87 now?"

And Bob says...
"No... I'm 87 and a half."