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History Kids...

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ryan, Sep 26, 2011.

  1. metal man
    Joined: Dec 4, 2005
    Posts: 2,955

    metal man
    Member

    Right click,save. Thanks Ryan,great photograph.
     
  2. Kripfink
    Joined: Sep 30, 2008
    Posts: 2,040

    Kripfink
    Member Emeritus

    Many thanks, from a 47-year-old greaser.
    Viva Royal Crown, Link Wray and Kustoms!
    Paul
     
  3. I bet you,10 years after this photo,they all looked different. Young kids have a tendancy to follow what's the latest trend.
     
  4. jchav62
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 1,932

    jchav62
    Member

    Great story... Awesome pic. I wish I was around back then...
     
  5. fleetbob50
    Joined: May 1, 2006
    Posts: 306

    fleetbob50
    Member
    from Waco,Texas

    yea, a lot of the newbies dress funny, have sick ideas about what's cool, rattle on and on about bs they read or their buddy said but in the end they're just like we were (and in many ways still are) looking for a place or way to express themselves . So what if they see traditional thru Picaso eyes, they have an enthusiasm we once had and so i'll tolerate them. Complain about and argue with for sure, but wasn't being young once and getting your first ride something you never got over ? probably a tat for that somewhere,LOL
     

  6. yep ... here they are exactly 10 years later. :D
    [​IMG]
     
  7. As I sit here reading this thread,I have just sent in my check to attend my 50th high school reunion that takes place in another 3 weeks.I look at the picture and it brings back a flood of memories.

    I would guess the picture is circa 1959-1960 judging from the attire and the hairdos.In my part of the world that hair style was known as a,"New Yorker"(flat on the top and long on the sides forming a ducktail in the back). Not sure of the name's origin;maybe it was a New England thing.

    My take on the personalities:The first three are all so-called,"jocks" but also very much into hot rods.The so-called,"nerd" is probably the clown of the group and likely enjoys playing pranks on the others and they like it.

    As was stated before the rolled up Levis thing was due to the lack of custom sizing of jeans.They were essentially work clothes and not a fashion item. I remember in junior high school regular denim jeans were not allowed to be worn to class but we got around that by buying ones that were light blue in color. In high school you were required to wear a dress shirt with a tie or a suit coat.You also needed to wear a belt or suspenders! I recall a lot of very loud plaid suspenders being popular for awhile.

    As to us old farts dissing the younger generation;that may happen to a degree but for the most part I believe that if you are truly into cars the age is not a factor.Just my opinion. Sure;I think a lot of the music today is not appealing to me but if that is what you choose to listen to;go for it. I don't particularly go along with getting drunk and fighting or destroying property but I won't say it didn't happen when I was young;it just seems more prevalent and accepted now.

    And yes we did a lot of things that were considered dumb and dangerous and looking back on some of them I wonder how we managed to survive.Like drag racing in a T roadster with no roll bar and bias ply tires doing well over a hundred miles an hour on a 5 mile long road.Or going over to a neighboring community to fight a bunch of guys who supposedly wronged on of your own armed with woolen socks full of broken glass or a snapped off radio antenna(makes a nasty whip at least once).

    Am I envious of the younger generation? Not in the sense that it is much more difficult to grow up nowadays than in my era(early to mid 50's). I believe that if anything one of the reasons we speak out is to somehow spare them what we sometimes had to learn the hard way.And if they are anything like we were(which I'm sure they are)they will for the most part ignore us much as we ignored our parents.

    Ryan thanks for a great read and a trip down memory lane.Don't stop.
     
  8. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,245

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    This is way too fuckin heavy. If I were to agree with anyone who made a point of the topic in their reply, I think I'm closer to 'beaner than some of the rest. I too grew up in the days of long hair and the MC 5. My hair may have been a bit longer than the average "greaser" but my jeans were cuffed and I wore construction boots. Later I moved to the black slide on lineman's boot (biker lookin things I guess). I always wore either a sweatshirt or a T-shirt, and my favorite jacket was a blue mechanic's type. You know why I wore what I wore? It was fuckin comfortable for a guy who never knew if he was going on the floor or inside the car or under the hood. The only times I tried fashion statements was in the days of disco. There were some sexy assed babes in those places and I wanted to check it out. I felt out of place, uncomfortable, and didn't fit in. I went into one the way I always dressed and met with a better response and genuine interest in my cars (I was more a street racer than a greaser). Dress codes didn't favor my style so discos were short time in my pick up life. And yes, I cuffed my Levis. I did it because 36 was too long and 34 was too short, not to mention, 1/2 the disco pants with the big bells were cuffed anyways! I was kool without even knowing it I guess.

    So what does all of this mean? I see it as self awareness for some and for others something a bit less. I may snicker at the kid that over does it because it just looks fuckin silly at times. I snicker at the girls who over do it too. I'm not feelin dirty looking hair and torn fishnets. All of this place's topic is about style. A timeless style that breeds individuality and creativity for many, and sometimes it breeds a poser who may never feel that way about it but some of his buddy's cars appeal to him. His misguided attempt at kool might mean rust and shitty workmanship. Not kool and never was. Dear ol Dad was a real greaser who ran oval tracks, rode early hardtail hogs, had their own little gang of trouble makers in the Oakwood district of Detroit, and who got into my shit hardcore when he found out I was street racing. I reminded him about the guy with the wazoo 55 Chevy that was no match for his 36 Dodge PU with the Eldo motor, and the guy with Fuelie Vette on an early Sat morn who bought him coffee for beating him so badly with a pickup truck. "Just be careful goddammit!!" with a shit-eatin grin on his face. And I'm posting this reply, as always, in my Levis (no cuffs), my work boots and my Tshirt. Style for some, but just like our cars, form follows function, right?
     
  9. At 61 I still love Hot Rods as much now as I ever did,,I do remember trying to emulate the older teenagers and with their White T-shirts and cuffed jeans ,flat tops and pompadours because I thought they were cool.

    I changed as the times changed,,my hair grew long in the 60's and 70's and my clothing went through different stages,,but hot rods have always been a constant theme in my life.

    A lot of those guys are gone now but a couple of them are seen from time to time and as Ryan said,,they are still cool in my book!

    Today in my mind's eye I see myself as one of the kids in that photography but in reality I can only rely on past memory's of that glorious period and watch as the younger guys are having fun building their future memory's as I continue to enjoy what is and has been a big part of my life for over 40 years. HRP
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2011
  10. brad chevy
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,627

    brad chevy
    Member

    Thats the true Happy Days Crew. I grew up in the 50s and the real car guys built their cars with what they could scronge up and afford. The nerds drove Mama & Dad 's grocery getter and the jocks always drove stuff Mom & Dad bought them. Now they call them gold chainers. Vitalis & Breel -Cream got rich back then . Took a good mechanic to get power to the pavement .Remember my Dad taking be with him to one of the local strips of road where everybody raced on Sat. night and the fastest car there was a 6 cylinder Chevy. I really didn't understand then why they all did it but later found out my old man would race for pinkslips. Sunday morning have 3 or 4 cars sitting in the yard and he would sell them back to the guys he won them from.
     
  11. seatex
    Joined: Oct 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,670

    seatex
    Member

    HAHAHAHA, and I bet you typed that in your very best Clint Eastwood key strokes, too!:D
     
  12. I make it a habit to get to know a few of the young guys I meet then invite them out to the shop. That is where we all find a common ground. Besides, most of these younger guys don't have near the tools and resources us older guys have. Pass on the craft and get to know someone who will keep you feeling young.
     
  13. b-bob
    Joined: Nov 4, 2008
    Posts: 1,097

    b-bob
    Member

    I agree with you guys on the cuffed jeans, thats the way they came from the store in those days. And it was usually the mother paying for them so she wanted them to last awhile if you were still in school.
    And on the subject of hair,well i don't have much left now but back in the late fifties my mom cut my hair, and i wanted the duck tail, but mom held the clippers. Jet boots? no way mom was buying those!
    Of course this all changed in the sixties when i had my way.
     
  14. sc_sonoma
    Joined: Jan 7, 2008
    Posts: 49

    sc_sonoma
    Member

    This story was pretty cool. It's sort of how alot of you guys still treat the younger guys that don't do things the way you do or people that use the term rat rod. Being an ass is being an ass.
     
  15. Thanks for the great thoughts, and picture. I'm sitting here looking at these kids thinking which one was I? I'm pretty sure I'm the 4th kid. little nerdy, hangin out with the cool kids havin a blast. Which one are you?
     
  16. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    No, that's a completely different issue. We don't cover "rat rods" here. It's not that I have anything against them, they just aren't on my editorial agenda.

    So, you get slack for using the term... That's simply because the folks that have been on this site long enough to know the content, get frustrated by folks that haven't.
     
  17. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    WOuldn't you have been one of these guys?
    [​IMG]
     
  18. Gator
    Joined: Dec 29, 2005
    Posts: 4,016

    Gator
    Member

    I don't have a problem with 'kids' (hey I'm only in my 40's!) cuffing their jeans, wearing a pomp, emulating the whole 'period' lifestyle, whatever that entails - hell I've worn a flat-top for years and occasionally wear cuffed jeans myself.

    What I DO have utter disdain for is the scenesters with whom that's the FOCUS of their interest in hot rods. No car, or some primered shitbox moredoor, or if they DO have a decent rod it's no more than a fashion accessory same as their tattoos or their chain-drive wallet.

    You know the guys I mean, they roll up to a show in a Saturn or a Honda five deep, 4 inch cuffs and 6 inch pomps. Red shop rag neatly folded and hanging out of the back pocket of and wearing a Lucky 13 shirt and matching belt buckle.

    Just the same, cool pic and thoughts Ryan, maybe it will give some of us old curmudgeons pause to reflect...
     
  19. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

    "To many in the older set, it has become almost fashionable to ridicule the young "greasers" of hot rodding. The old farts snicker at the cuff jeans, roll their eyes at the pompadours, and complain about their cars......"



    Just looked at the picture again and I do have a question. Do ya'll consider the guys in the picture "greasers"?
    Larry T
     
  20. Here's my take on these guys ........

    [​IMG]


    From L to R

    1) Chuck - He owns the car. That's why he can sit on the fender. Chuck bought the coupe off a neighbor for $150.00 and has been in the process of souping it up for about a year and a half. Chuck played football his junior year, but decided to not play his senior year. He had a steady girlfriend, Debbie Willdewya. However, Debbie eventually got pissed because she felt Chuck spent too much time with his friends and working on his car than he did with her. Chuck never got to feel anything with Debbie, so they broke up.

    2) Phillip (Phil for short) - Phil is Chuck's closest friend. They grew up in the same neighborhood and went through Grammar school and Woodrow Wilson Junior High together. Phil has a '39 Ford coupe that is sitting in his backyard. It's not running and is in pieces, but he has big plans for it if he can just get enough dough together. He just doesn't make enough money bagging groceries down at Johnson's Grocery. Lately, Phil has been troubled (as can be seen by his expression). When Chuck and Debbie broke it off, Debbie, who was upset, ran to Phil for sympathy and consoling. What ended up happening is she got her fill of Phil. He's scared shitless that Chuck may find out!

    3) Lynn - Lynn rides a 1956 Triumph Trophy 650. He's renowned for being Hell on wheels. He has an old '31 Ford Touring that he tinkers on, but he really prefers riding his bike and hanging out to drink beer. He's been known to get in a few fights. He's always had something of a chip on his shoulder. It may be because of his name. Lynn also banged Debbie, but he doesn't really gives a shit whether Chuck finds out or not.

    4)Tommy - Tommy loves anything mechanical. He plans on attending MIT and becoming an engineer. He likes hangin' out with hot rodder types, and they tolerate him because he's so damn goofy and funny. Plus, he is likeable. Tommy is smart, though. He is in the Beta club and Math club in high school. He gets straight "A"s, well ... almost. He did get a "D" in P.E. for not dressing out. You can't blame him, though. The guys were always yankin' his P.E. shorts down when they played basketball in the gym on rainy days. One time someone came up behind him and not only yanked his P.E. shorts down, but also yanked his underwear too ... in front of the girls! Tommy swore he'd never dress out again. At any rate, when this photo was taken, Tommy tried sitting on the rear fender. Chuck told him he had 2 seconds to get his ass off.

    By the way ... Tommy has also done Debbie, but only in his mind!
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2011
  21. Xtrom
    Joined: Mar 23, 2010
    Posts: 1,029

    Xtrom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Forman, ND

    Great pic! I wonder what Debbie looks like...
     
  22. To many in the older set, it has become almost fashionable to ridicule the young “greasers” of hot rodding. The old farts snicker at the cuff jeans, roll their eyes at the pompadours, and complain about their cars. They taste disgust and spit it out with vigor in between sips of their own self righteousness. They are, after all, older and more experienced… And everyone should know what they know and if they don’t, they damn well better show the respect deserved to those that actually do.
    “We didn’t dress like that back in my day. Who are they copying?”
    “Our cars didn’t look like that. We actually took pride in them!”


    I think for many of the older guys, and at 55 I'm closer to them then the young guys, it isn't those that wish to emulate, it's those that take it to circus levels. In other words it's not a set of cuffs on the Levi's, it's triple rolled 6" cuffs. It's not a Pomp, it's the pomp piled 8" high with skunk stripes through it. Even though some Hollywood movie may have featured clowns like that, and maybe even some "Rock Star" tried that look, it wasn't what real rodders were doing. You see, it's not self righteousness, many think that it is making a mockery of the original style and see it as disrespectful. If they want to set their own style, that's fine, just don't bastardize an original style.
    As for the cars, I think most of those comments are aimed at Rat Rods, Crap Rods, call them what you want, but you know what I mean - the bubblegum welds, shifters out the top and rear tires taller than the roof. Just because there was a Rat Fink drawing like that doesn't mean that's the way HOT RODS were built. Just because you can find some old picture of a piece of crap, doesn't mean that was the norm or what every young rodder was striving for.

    Now all young young kids get off my lawn
    [​IMG]
     
  23. 60galaxieJJ
    Joined: Dec 24, 2009
    Posts: 1,525

    60galaxieJJ
    Member

    That was a great read. For some reason I've been thinking a lot about how I will be when I get old...like super old. I can only hope I'm as cool as some of the older guys I've met.
     
  24. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,935

    squirrel
    Member

    I'm guessing I'll still be an asshole when I'm old.
     
  25. Moparhead572
    Joined: Sep 26, 2011
    Posts: 2

    Moparhead572
    Member

    I grew up look up to the older guys, guys that have done the thing i want to do.
     
  26. RustyRedRam
    Joined: Jan 24, 2005
    Posts: 1,128

    RustyRedRam
    Member

    This summer I had the opportunity to spend some time talking to, or rather just listening to Ed Iskenderian. I basically asked him some open ended questions and he just talked. And talked. And I listened. This is what I gather/my take on it is. Back in the "old days" of hot roddings infancy, guys made do with what they had. Simply because 1) there wasn't a plethora of speed shops or aftermarket parts available. 2) they were just coming out of the depression, where nothing was available as a luxury(okay, so a bit of a hyperbole, but there wasn't much) and when you had something you'd make it work.

    Flash forward to current times. We, and I mean virtually everyone from punk kids to gold chainers, have so much at our disposal. For the older crowd, they're trying to get back to their youth and what they couldn't afford. Case in point. My uncle just finished his A sedan. He's had it since high school. Except this time it has 5 spokes. Why? He can afford them now. He always wanted a set when he was in high school, but couldn't afford it.

    As for the younger generation? The teens and 20 somethings; well they're just imagining what the hot rodding world was like, even if we know and have first hand accounts of it.

    Now, I know I'm leaving the 30-50 year old crowd out. I know. But I think the largest dichotomy exists between the young kids and the grey beards.

    What can you take away from this? Either, I'm just rambling because of all the cold meds or (and I think this was briefly mentioned in the beginning. Hot rodding is making do with what you have and having a great time while doing it. That, and just listen to the old timers, to our founding fathers, because sadly, we're losing them at an alarming rate.
     
  27. My 82 year old Grandma always said she hated being around old people.
    Attitudes usually stay the same...endurance/tolerance changes.
     
  28. S.F.
    Joined: Oct 19, 2006
    Posts: 2,895

    S.F.
    Member

    heres my take on the coupe. It has a 265 out of a new wrecked 55 chevy (with the oil filter option) Its stock. he scored a corvette front mount off of a buddy at the junk yard and made some mounts to connect the engine to the frame. His second biggest expense was the adaptor plate to adapt the 265 to a $5 dollar '39 Ford top loader. It has the stock rear end with juice brakes mounted to it. The front end is an early moore drop axle that he also scored at the junk yard off of a wrecked hot rod for $8.00 It has 16 inch wheels up front and 15 inch mercs in the back. He looked forever to try to find 2 matching 16 inch hub caps to match the back 15 inch hub caps. The tires are used and ok. It also has a 51 crestliner steering wheel that his buddy gave him. He doesnt have a radio yet, but he mounted the antenna on the quarter panel to make it look like he has one. (he plans on getting a radio though, just doesnt have enough money yet)
     
  29. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,405

    alchemy
    Member

    "Pure Hot Rodding is not ageless. It’s a kid’s game." Truth.

    But most of the HAMBers reading this aren't "pure" hot rodders. I think pure hot rodding is taking whatever car you can find (cheap), and making it go fast. No real style involved. And it surely wouldn't be done to a car that cost half as much as a house.

    I truly think many (most?) HAMBers are closer to restorers than pure hot rodders. Think about it, and you'll realize you spend way more time on patch panels and paint than bolting on speed equipment and drag racing.

    In all actuality the twenty year old with the ten year old Honda that bolts on his turbo discombobulator is closer to a pure hot rodder than I am.

    I'm no kid, and I spend more time welding than going fast.
     
  30. flamingokid
    Joined: Jan 5, 2005
    Posts: 2,200

    flamingokid
    Member

    Youth is wasted on the young.By my early 20s I was trying to suck it all in,realizing it wasn't going to be this way forever.Now,I'm that guy in his mid 40s that young guys think is cool(I hope)but it would be uncool to ask.Life is always an adventure,if you treat it as such,whether you're wearing loafers,motorcycle boots, or old man walking shoes.
     

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