I don't think it is a generation thing.. While in my 20s I worked with a guy slightly older than me that could not understand why anyone would fix up an old car when you could buy a new one that was more aerocynamic and better engineered. Likewise I see young and old at the dragstrip that think my front engine dragster is just the coolest thing. Just like any other hobby some people are into it and some are not. Don't worry about those that don't care just remember "never try to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and it annoyes the pig"
I agree, and as far as them not getting it, I think TOO MANY are getting it. I liked it better when we were a smaller group and projects were cheap and fairly plentiful. If too many start to "get it" and jump into this, it's gonna be like the Harley thing, and in my opinion that's become a joke.
Younger ones are out ther some just don't have the money or the tin you old heads have. We're just tryin' to get by raising kids and such.
you know, i was going to disagree with you, but i realize now how long i've been looking to find a triumph or a norton i could afford. i can't find a beater to save my life, whole bunch of polished resorations and overpriced bobbers though. i might just build a metric to piss people off....
i think this quote sums it up completely. being 21 but into the traditional scene i can see it from both sides. its not that my fellow younger generation doesnt get "it", its just that "it" is something different. hot rod started out as making cheap cars go fast and thats the same thing the kids today are doing. my friends are completely into the "import" scene while i've always been drawn to everything traditional (cars, music, historic figures, the whole era). they still like what im doing and we can still relate on the finer things, horse power, women and hefty speeding tickets . hot rodding will never die but it does go through phases. on another note i am impressed with what my fellow youth are getting out of these 4 cylinder "lawn mower" engines.
whats the difference between dropping alot of money into a honda to go fast and dropping 4k into a flathead and still going slower than the honda did stock. they both cost alot.
Flatheads are part of OUR heritage, beautiful, and sound cool. Hondas are disposable cars from a country that's fucking up our econmy, sound like total ass, and the ugliest thigs on the road. And no, I don't want to get into political bullshit about foreign junk on a traditional hot rod site, even though I've already opened my big mouth!
I have to agree! ...somewhat. I definately didn't grow up around hot rods (my dad was into Harleys), my husband, on the other hand, grew up with cars, cars, and more cars. But neither of us can identify with older generations who lived the 50's and 60's where the cars that we call "classics" were on the street everyday, times have changed, so essentially, in that sense, no one of our generation will ever "get it." But I think there is a handful of younger people who understand and appreciate hot rods. Here in Wichita, it's hard to find other young people (that Jeb hasn't pissed off) who enjoy hot rods and the such. Most people here that are our age are into imports or trucks, and if that's what they like, then that's their deal. I love it when someone is like "Oh nice car. What is it?" Me: "1951 Chevy" Them: "Cool. I've got a '88 Honda that I'm fixing up.. blah, blah, blah..." Oh well, they'll never know how great it is to drive an old car. Like a previous post (which I'm not taking the time to go back thru to find and insert) if everyone were into hot rods, what fun would it be? Anyways, we've got Hot Topic to thank for a whole mall-spawned greaser culture. It's an endless argument and no one will ever agree, but I thought I've give my imput for what it's worth!
I'm 29 and currently working on a 55 Dodge Lancer, soon I will start my 37 Ford truck. All my friends are around my age. A couple of us were raised around hot rods and customs. Growing up my dad and his friends were always into building "traditional style hot rods". To them, they were just building what they grew up with and what they liked as a kid. The same goes for us this is how we learned to work on a car. We have alot of friends that didn't have that growing up but they have it now with us and our dads showing us the way. I don't look down on the guy with the honda or the datsun. At least they aren't sitting in front of a TV playing video games. They are out there working on cars and having fun doing it. Thats all that matters. Just think that means there are more projects for us to come across and pull into the shop. Give the kids a break. Its not what you like but I'm sure when you were a kid there was some 58 year old guy talking about how you were messing up a perfectly good car. There are always people out there that don't get it, but I'm sure they do get something.
My problem isn't with late models, but foreigns. If I see a cool Camaro, Firebird, or fullsize truck, I can appreciate it. I've got a few myself. But it seems most(not all) young people have no patriotism. Probably comes from the parents. Hell, I had a couple minis as a kid, my Dad even helped me buy 'em. He didn't instill a lot of patriotism in me, only some. But if either of my war vet grandfathers had been alive, they'ed probably give me shit. I know, I know, they make Toyotas in Ohio and Chevies in Mexico, and some of you vets may earn a living there, but they(Jap companies) shouldn't be there in the first place. Enough rantin', why can't we all just get along?
Its all been said already here, but heres my 2 cents anyway.. Do your best to give a good image when in your rod driving Let little kids sit in your car whenever the opportunity arises Understand not everyone is "going to get it" Those that do show interest, invite to a rod run All we can do is our best to "pass the torch"
I don't have a problem with people who don't like hot rods, and/or would rather drive/build imports. If that's what they like, by all means, build it and drive it. In some cases, it could be that building an import is cheaper than a rod, in other cases, it might just be that they like ricers better. I personally don't like imports at all, but you can't expect everyone to "get it." The people that I REALLY don't understand are the ones that build cars like the ones in the attached pictures. I mean, what the hell are they thinking?.....(none of these photos have been altered, by the way)
I think that my generation is pretty screwed up... what ever happened to buying american...i saw so many kids in high school with banger hondas and what not...i just dont get it..we were at war with the japanese not all that long ago..hirosima..hello...i understand nesceity and what not..my d.d. is a four door cavalier that i plan to drive into the ground 400k miles or bust ill show my jap loving generation a thing or two about realiability...i have heard this quote way to much"my honda will last forever and its got a v-tech."
Those photos are called irony.these are a group of guys who go around taking the piss outta the what we call Maxi boys over here.In the States i hear the piss takers are havin a lotta fun with the ricers................Marq
im 21 and married w/ a 2 year old.. i dont know were i picked up this sickness to build a real hot rod i just did..ne way i got the first positive comment from the wife the other day and i have been smileing about it all week.."at least your doing something differnt and challenging" in other words at least your not bulding a 18 second civic..i love my wife
+I grew up through the 40's. 50;s and 60's. I remember the period of hotrodding most of the members of this board tout as traditional. Sometimes a lot of HAMBers dont get it, either. Hotrodding is NOT about being traditional, it is about, simply, hotrodding. Todays hotrodders can make a small monthly payment on what is called tuners which will outperform most of our "traditional" hotrods with very few modifictions. These few modifications rarely cost as much as the nostalgia value of a model T body. And, while we are at it, what we pay for a rusted out original Ford body is based more on nostalgia than actual value. Kids today are no different than we were. They are just following their dreams. They listen to a different drummer, is all.
This is sooooooo right! Let THEM find it, then educate them. They will appreciate it a whole lot more. Never force it on them.
I had a funny thing happen to me at a local Saturday night cruse. Three young adults, Were looking over my old school street rod. They were dressed in the 50's style, complete with Lucky Strikes rolled up in there T's sleeves. They spent a long time talking to me about the car. I told them, I really liked there costumes. They quickly informed me that they dressed this way all the time. So you just never know. Allsteel30ford
Glad to hear a true old time rodder speak up. I'm so damned tired of hearing guys bash anything that ain't "traditional" in THEIR view. I know this is the H.A.M.B. so it's to be expected more here I guess, but I'm not just talking about here. I have friends that put down anything that isn't, as they put it, "traditional". A couple are into customs, and just do everything that has already been done (oh wow, 57 caddy caps) one just paid $80k for another Matranga 40 merc clone. When I studied art, I read a quote once (I believe it was Dahli) "repetition is the death of art", Think about it. Early customizers didn't do that, they pioneered new things, when George Barris chopped the Hirohata merc, it was brand new, and what he was doing was cutting edge, in fact I'll bet if he had a CNC machine, their would have been some billet on it. Now don't get me wrong, I like the old way, and there's nothing wrong with building in a style that you like, but for the most part, it isn't "traditional" in the truest sense of the word, in fact, it's almost closer to antiquing or restoring. Hot rod "tradition" was always to push the envelope. I have another friend who builds a lot of "magazine cars", mostly Caddies, the workmanship is flawless, innovative, and beautiful, they even have (gulp) billet wheels. My more narrow minded friends put his cars down, but he is a true innovator even if it's not your style, because he's pushing the envelope. I guess what I'm getting at is that it has always bothered me how little tolerance there is among some car guys. I think there's something cool to be found in just about any type of car, even if it's not necessarily your bag, personally I'm glad not everyone is into the same thing. Maybe this is an age thing, since I'm a graybeard, but the world is too interesting to go through with blinders on, I think narrow mindedness is a bad thing no matter what it's applied too. When I go to a cruise, I look at everything, (except new vettes and PT cruisers) even stuff I don't like, you can learn a little something from just about everything, even if it's just what not to do. I've got another friend who is so old skool he won't even use a computer, just think how much he would love the HAMB, but he doesn't want to hear it, his narrow mindedness is holding him back, but he doesn't see it that way.
Right on Roddinron. It's good to have an open mind. The world would be a better place if more people did. Most everyone has something to offer.
It's great that not everyone "Gets It" if they did we would never be able to find that great deal in the Barn, Behind the Garage or in the Field. Everyone would value them and have the vision to see them the same way we do.
I agree there is enough bandwagon jumpers in this world ,i grew up with an aircraft engineer father but he was into old sports cars and the sort but not V8s ,but his influence turned me on to old cars ,ive built about 15 early Holdens(GM in AUSTRALIA) and fords but always thought id build a rod one day as when i was five i saw a hotrod show at our local shopping centre(Bankstown Square 1975) and my mother couldnt get me away from it ,i kept running away and looking at the rods and was just mesmerized by what i saw ,I too was under the impression that the younger crew had no idea ,but ive sinced changed my view as the whole Mini truck scene is in full swing over here at the moment (about 20 years behind the usa)and these young guys are doing old skool mods to these ,frenching everything they can ,wild paint ,airbags ,shaving ,pancaking etc ,and they are beginning to crossover to rods and customs with a much better grounding in performing mods than i would have been game to try at that age ,,i used to look at em like they had no idea but have since helped a couple start their new rods,and they treat me like im some kind of guru but im just 36 years old and know what early parts are what ,it wont take long for these guys to build wicked rods alot better than ive screwed together ,so if you find one of these guys help point them in the right direction ,i had a lot of trouble at the start as most rodders over here are greybeards who put crap on newbies and dis all their ideas, i had one rodder who did this for me and ill appreciate it for ever ,yes they will ask what seem to be dumb questions to us but if you dont ask you ll never know,he still disagrees with what im doing to my cars but can appreciate that it is my car ,and still helps me if i need it as im not a fan of clubs his advise was a great help building my first rod,so if they dont get it dont worry about them but if they do show any interest teach em how to "get it"
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