Hot Rods Period correct lowered hot rods

I know it is personal preference and opinion, but I can't stand the channeled Model A's and '30's cars. They look stupid and cartoonish to me. A reasonable amount of suspension lowering and a nice rubber rake looks best to my eye. But, each to their own I guess.

 

This is my pops Av8. It is setup with 32 front axle on a model a crossmember. Its not low by any means but the rubber rake makes this thing sit perfect in my humble opinion.

 

Khougaz roadster

 

I'm kinda the same way. It takes a certain look to pull it off and look good. I don't like seeing the rear tire any higher than the fender line, if you want it lower, raise the fender line. Those cars where the tires sit higher than the deck lid are the worst looking to me.

 

Ooooo, contrare, I LIKE seeing roadsters channeled, in someone else's custody, > never had one, but they give me a rush.

 

A lot of the cars that I see today would have received a ticket back in the 50's, 60's and 70's. The police seemed to be looking for something to ticket you for.

 

Your dad did it just about perfect. 10/10

 

Wondered if he got harassed with that license plate?

 

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Do tell ZZ how old a build is it you say...traditional and we have new Hotrod/Customs built to traditional standards and inspired traditional. Not digging for trouble it helps understand the evolution.
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A channeled car should always sit low, but how about this full fendered '32 from 1947. This is Marty Strode's buddy, Jack Greiner from Salem, Oregon. I think it sits surprisingly low with a good rake considering the fenders and Oregon roads in this time frame.

 

Jimmy...wild stuff especially that last one...what the heck is that turltledeck swoopster.​

 

An observation I have noticed whenever I am going through old mags is that really only the customs were really low over the hot rods built at the same time. I am guessing since it is a lot easier to lower a 50's car with parallel leaf's and coil springs over a early ford with a buggy springs and dropped axles. I know Taboo since becoming a custom has pretty much always had a very low stance. Granted the side pipes were added just to give it a lower look as well, like a lot of customs, but the front roll pans are pretty low.

Taken around 1959


and its current ride height. I have talked to a few magazine guys who were covering shows we have done were wondering why this car wasn't laying frame like a lot of new "traditional" customs.

 

As far as I can tell it is Franklin grille shell and either a Franklin roadster on teens Chev roadster body. The turtle deck looks like it might be '23-'25 T

 

You're absolutely right. We got pulled over in my buddie's '59 Impala during the mid-sixties in Los Angeles. We were ticketed for the car sitting too low, us sitting too low (obstruction of vision), and too loud of an exhaust (split manifold on a straight six, with 12" glasspacks). We hit a triple!

 

Thanks Jimmy...that may be one of the wildest looking Hotrods I've ever seen...looks like a show quality build as well...and quite hopped in the engine department to. Love to see more of it. Oh yeah super low to boot.

 

Hey SE,
Most early So Cal tickets for being too low stemmed from the fact that there were "things" actually below the rim of the car, nearest to the ground. My friends' cars had to be above the lowest part of the rim or they got tickets. The idea is that if there is a blow out, the rims will keep the gas tank, oil pan, trans, muffler, suspension parts from scraping the ground.

Of course, there were stories, printed, of kids in lowered cars meeting the end. This was due to being burned in a lowered car on fire, after the gas tank exploded. After those news stories, the CHP and local police were on the hunt for anything resembling a lowered car.

Jnaki
My brother's 51 Olds was lowered only 2" in front, but because it was a teenage cruiser/hot rod and 4 guys inside, it was lower than normal. It drew the eyes of the police. They got stopped and ticketed for something, burned out bulb(s), horn not stock, loud pipes, etc. But, (chalk up one for us) we all know our motor rpms, when it makes a sweet mellow sound and not the loud rumbling noise. When everyone got out, my brother said... it came back up above the rims.

As those old movies used to say... "get those outlaws", then it became (for law enforcement) "Get those hot rods and cruisers."

 

I don't have any pics that I can post but I have seen old salt cars with a big Z in the front and kicked rears. I know that Valley customs was building some pretty low cars for customers too.

That said I have one of my dads dropped tube axles (circa '62-'64) and it is only dropped about 3.5". He didn't build customs he built race and hot rod parts. So I got to guess that ultra low was not necessarily on his radar.

Here's a pic of my crosley built in '48. It was a B-Ville and early street/drag racer.



It is low (when you consider that I am not tall) but still plenty of ground clearance.

 

Most hot rod modifications come from racing. There are obvious advantages to them. But then someone has to '+ one' their buddies and pretty soon it goes cartoon.

 

Been around a looooooooooooong time and never heard "laying frame" Must be from somewhere other than the Pac Northwest. Definition please.

 

4" dropped axle, big & not so big - perfect for me to get in & out & rides smooth. Often see big guys getting in & out of cars slowly & painfully.

P.S. same as avatar, but wheel & hood change.

 

Laying frame is a '90s up term. Used by the bagger guys. You build it in a fashion that allows you to let the air out of the bags and get your rockers close to if not on the ground and don't act dumb, it doesn't look well on you, they build 'em that way in the Pacific North West too.

 

Thats another website......its when your standing there and this car comes into the parking lot and you hear it spring an air leak and it sinks to the ground almost sitting on its very belly...thats laying frame...

Actually its been cleared here...just so and what I think is neat about this is its forever adaptable to what ever level you desire. High, Medium High, Low and all in between.

 

That's what these airbag kids call it. Not my term....

 

WOW! That one is special. I love it.

 

Do you have a vtg magazine collection? sometimes modern interpretations of low channeled cars can leave a bad taste in the mouth.. I can think of a number of great examples gleaned threw study that have left me with a better view than current offerings may influence.. The November 51 hot rod cover car being one and the December 50 hot rod cover car being a second, I can recall a collection of others but I'll just post these..



For a while the elites wouldn't take notice of low hot rods so not a lot of modern quality examples have been built and are to choose from which can lead some to believe they are lessor thans..

Are you a fan of Keith Weesner? Quite a few nice low hot rods and I'm assuming he has a better mag collection than I.

What isn't personal preference is that low cars handle better so if building a competition job and it isn't that may draw your credentials into question.. Personally if I were building a performance driver and lived on anything other than a series of straight roads it wouldn't have to but probably should be severely reduced in stature..

 

It's always good to get to the bottom of things or is that the Lowdown...

 

Very nice.

 

"Stink'n shoes" Haha get it ?