Hot Rods What kind of car should a young guy start on?

Best advice has been given, get yourself a Education/Trade going, you will need to support your future addiction somehow.
What ever you choose to dump money into before you invest .25 cents make sure it is currently, or do the leg work to get it into your DMV records. Keep it current with a non-op or regular registration while building it.

 

Welcome to the hamb and the hobby . Did you go to the Albany swap meet this past November? One guy had a 57 4 door Chevy for $2500.00 that did not look bad . He did have it on craigslist. Also, another swap coming up in January in Albany and of course Portland in April.

 

Lots of good advice here. Thing is, with limited information about you, we’re left filling in the blanks. So let me qualify a few things.

My recommendation to a 19-year-old with limited funds is an early ‘60s car or truck. Something clean and running that you can use daily and modify without significant downtime (tires/wheels, stance, carburation), and for which you can get parts at the local parts store. Your source for the car is old folks: start networking with grandparents, their friends, the old ladies in the back row of church, whatever. Somebody will have something that’s been sitting in a garage for a few decades. It may be a four-door or less desirable model, but it may also be clean, low miles and a solid start on your first hotrod. (Little tip: no need to mention “hotrod” when networking. Just say you like old cars.)

However, in your original post you specifically ask about “steel body” cars. This suggests an interest in the ‘20s-‘30s era bodies that are most-commonly repopped in fiberglass--i.e very traditional. Anything from that era at the affordable end is going to be a big project—rust holes, missing parts, not running. This means you will also need a dedicated space to store and work on it, a significant amount of time and tools to fix things, cash for rare parts, and smarts and patience for the necessary steep learning curve.

Look at it this way: starting out with an early ‘60s car is like starting at level one of a video game, where you quickly learn skills and gain experience while having a lot of fun. Starting out with, say, a rusted Model A is like jumping in at level 10. There you are with a simple slingshot and suddenly things are coming at you with frickkin’ laser beams on their heads. That ain’t fun, and can lead to an abandoned project.

 

Whatever the car turns out to be I suggest that it be at least running and driving. It will help keep you from getting discouraged along the way if you can hop in it and go for a blast down the highway.

Sent from my A521L using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

And when having a vehicle raised ALWAYS use proper jack stands and NEVER use concrete blocks ever !!!

 

Hey RR,

I have to say: “Hey 19” and get it out of the way. In California, just recently and Missouri that I know of, any high school graduate is welcome at the local junior college for at least one year of free education. Most of those campus programs have pretty good programs to allow education in Automotives.

In So Cal, here is an example:
"The Automotive Technology programs are designed to prepare students for employment as Automotive Technicians. Students may also complete their Associate in Science requirements and prepare to transfer to a four-year college. Training is given in both theory and practical skills in the operation, maintenance, and repair of all types of automotive systems."

https://www.saddleback.edu/uploads/atas/autotech/autotechbrochure14.pdf
The following five Program Certificate options are available:
· Automotive Chassis Specialist
· Automotive Engine Service Specialist
· Automotive Engine Performance Specialist
· General Automotive Technician
· Alternative Fuel Vehicle Specialist

Ok, so while you are doing something like this, your employment can be related to save some money. The thing I like is that there are so many nice cars that you can start with and do some add on speed or custom stuff as you go along. Sure, it is nice to see a hot rod cruising down the street, but they are almost done or are finished after years of doing work on their cars/trucks.

Your daily driver should be something that can get you to work/college in all sorts of weather and the most important thing, be reliable everyday. Don’t be in a hurry to be able to drive the hot rod you see or dream of driving. If you stay in it long enough, have the desire, then, start small with accessories and work from there. Your budget, like all things, is related to what you can do to your car. Having a hot rod on the side is fine, but at 19, unless you live at home with a garage in the backyard just for your build, it will be difficult to maintain a daily work routine on your car.

Jnaki

I look back at 19 and there are so many things to do and experience. If money were no object, my 40 Ford Sedan Delivery would have a 671 SBC with Hilborns instead of a simple flathead. It would also have a B&M Hydro as well as Halibrand Mags and air conditioning. Instead of an empty shell inside, full upholstery with a honking stereo. (Ha, so much for dreams.) But, my flathead & 3 speed worked well until I could afford to do more stuff to the sedan delivery.

If Oregon has a free college program that works for you, that is great. Jump on it and register, before the new semester starts in January or February. Even if it is not free, get on it because it is less expensive than a 4 year college or private tech school. Your life is the number one thing to start moving forward. Remember, this is where you are going to start to compete with all of the other people for jobs and careers. Just have fun while getting an education.

The hot rod stuff is secondary for now. If you have the time, money, and facilities, you are all set. If not, stay in school for education of all kinds and work slowly to achieve your goals. There is no rush as you will have 46 years of working before the actual fun begins. Ha ha!

 

Lots of great advice and welcome to the HAMB.

I would add that your first adventure into this hobby is likely not going to be your last (assuming you truly are enthused by old cars). Consider your first car a stepping stone towards your next...so try and keep in mind investment dollars in vs value upon sale. You don't want to get too far upside down. Your labour is free and the learning experience you gain on each car/project is the value you receive/earn...what you learn now (and continuing forward) will pay dividends in the future as you work towards your "dream car" (whatever that might be). When determining whether to do something yourself vs paying to have it done...remember that the investment of the tools to do it yourself becomes part of your future asset(s) along with the new found knowledge and experience gained.

And always remember have fun doing it. Good luck...and the HAMB is an excellent resource to ask questions and gain access to centuries of knowledge.

 

As far as choosing a car goes, thats personal choice. I've worked on cars, for other people, that would not have been my choice and found after working on it I start liking them. Even hate to see them go... My advice is to make some friends in your area that do build cars. Show interst and help them out if they let you. Show that you want to learn and most likey you will be welcome. In the passed I have helped friends with things that go beyond a basic tool kit. Once you get a car and start doing work on it you will find it takes a lot of equipment and skill. That's why you need to get involved with a builder. I was lucky because I grew up in my dad's shop.

 

Whats your shop and tool situation? That will determine a lot. A ground up build takes some space.

I suggest a running, complete, vehicle. A truck would be great, all hot rodders need a truck on a regular basis. You can do body/paint, engine swap, wiring, and not have it off the road long.

Getting a shell, or a vehicle that hasnt run in decades for a first project is a lot to bite off.

 

This is pretty general, but I have been saying this to young aspirants since the beginning of time. I have been in love with Model A Tudors for 60 years and they drive my passion so, don’t just pick a project because it is handy, if you intend to finish it, you have to have a passion for this car. The choice has to be yours and you will know it when you see it. Know what has to be done to complete the project and know your limitations. Know your budget and don’t expect to build a 50K ride with 5K in your pocket. If you haven’t built a car before, talk to others at cruises etc who have done what you want to do and find out what they went through and what costs were involved. First time builders, don’t start with nothing and think it will come magically together. Buy a road worthy car, do minor mods, enhance your skills and once you are competent in several aspects, then find your project. Read several of the hot rod building books out there, make a comprehensive list of work to be done, attributes desired, resources at your disposal and your budget now and in the future (always double that). And yes, get that education first.

Warren

 

Obviously I like trucks and be it Chevy, Ford, Dodge or maybe even an International older trucks are rather simple and easy to work on.
One thing I will say for your first build get a project vehicle that is somewhat popular even if you have to pay more for it. It is a lot easier to sell a partially finished rig that guys are looking for than some odd ball rig that no one really wants or no one wants when it is modified. That and the off the wall rigs that some time show up real cheap are often really hard to find parts for.

As some the others said, finding one that you can drive a bit while you work on it rather than finding a total project that needs everything might be better the first time around. That way you can make upgrades as you go and enjoy it in the mean time.

 

I second the idea of a late 50's -early 60's pickup. Old trucks are everywhere, and often were parked in barns and sheds when they started giving problems. A standard transmission and a six cylinder are good places to start, and are usually cheaper than their V8 brethren. Don't overlook long beds, either, they generally are cheaper also. After you get one and fix what needs fixing, then you can start looking for that V8 to swap in, with factory parts it will be much easier and cheaper. Chevys and GMC's probably have the best parts availability, followed by the Fords and lastly, Dodge. I would stay away from orphan brands like Internationals and Studebaker though, even though there are parts out there for a lot of them, they are more expensive and harder to find. 63-66 Ford and Chevy both are great looking trucks, simple to work on, and easy to drive. Nothing beats the reliability of a 235 Chevy or a 240 Ford six cylinder, they'll run forever with good maintenance.

 

Welcome to the H.A.M.B. as a fairly young guy I would suggest starting with a running driving car, something you can drive and make improvements to as you go.(Like @biggeorge said) It is was more fun to drive a old car that is stock then to tell people that you have an old car your working on.
This is what I did with my 53 Chev. it all ready had a stock 261 Chev. 6 in it when I bought it about 8 years ago.
Over time I made changes-
The first thing I had done was pinstriping on the dash (24 hours after I got it home)
A few months later I dual exhaust
Added dual carbs that winter
Next was an engine rebuild hotter cam
Four years ago my father and I changed the car to open drive using a late fifties style Corvette three speed and 57 Chev. rear


Look at Chevy IIs, Ford Falcons, Plymouth Valiants these cars can be found in almost every car corral and for reasonable money. I saw an early Falcon (running driving) in a car corral in the $5,000 range a couple years ago.
It was a 6 cylinder automatic.

 

I remember going to look at a 1928 Buick when I was about 15. I wanted something to fix up & drive when I hit 16. The guy that was selling the car told me he wouldn't sell it to me because I'd get in over my head and wind up getting rid of it and ultimately hating old cars - best damn advice I ever got !! What he predicted would have absolutely happened and I would have missed out on 50+ years of the best hobby in the world.

Get something that runs or needs a little mechanical work, but preferably not a lot of body work. Bring someone with you to help pick out a first car, someone who has knowledge of the old stuff. Don't get in over your hean financialy.

Oh, yeah - when it stops being fun, STOP.

 

There are lot's of unfinished projects out there, the owners have lost interest and just want to get rid of what they have. That's what I'd be looking for in your situation. Craigslist is a good local source, but not the only 1. You're in OR, I'm not sure what it's like where you are, but get out of the city and scour the back roads looking for cars sitting in a side yard on blocks with weeds grown up around it. Knock on the door and see if they're ready to get rid of it yet. Bargain for it, offer much less than they want while pointing out all the work it's going to need to get it back on the road. Good luck, and when you find your project make sure to start a new thread and tell us about it.

 

I talk to young-uns all the time about this passion . My advice is accumulate some money . For years I watched as others always got the stealer prices on cars and parts because I never had any cash. My advice is part time job ,mow lawns ,wash windows do whatever so that you have cash to work with . There are always people who get rid of projects or complete cars because of job or family ,moving or just need money. And quite often if you have the cash ,you can get a deal . Night school at a community college is a must too ,welding and machine shop classes two or three nights a week are fantastic. And find a woman who loves what you do ,divorce has ruined a lot of Hot Rod lovers.

 

1998!!! Suddenly we all feel old, but with age comes wisdom from experience. Every post here contains great advice and probably from the veiwpoint of "what I might have done different". The world is rapidly changing and it is difficult to forsee our hobby when the prediction is only electric vehicles in 20 years. We will probably download digital blueprints for the parts we need and print them in the garage and distill alcohol in the backyard.

 

If you are wanting to build an early style rod, T roadster bodies can still be had in fair shape relatively cheaply in original steel. Sure they will need work, but a couple years ago I had a very workable 26/27 roadster tub with a windshield, doors, dash, with a title and on a rolling frame that I sold for $1200 and it took all summer to get it sold. That would have been a much better starting point than a fiberglass body which are damn difficult to title and will get you way less respect and resale value if you sell it.



As for just life-advice, learn how to buy and sell shit, it's one of the most important things for a rodder to learn and it's rarely brought up. Get an eBay account, learn how to list and sell stuff, you'll be glad you did. You will end up buying parts you don't need, you will be offered parts that are a great bargain but aren't useful to your build, ect. Knowing how to unload that stuff for money or to horse-trade for stuff you can use is a super useful skill. I taught my girlfriend how to do it and she started with $1 and was driving her car less than 2 years later, all paid for with that initial $1 investment. You can read about it here, although admittedly it's not the best thread.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/my-girl-builds-a-hot-rod-for-1.825604/

 

As a guy that got into the hobby young (and I think I still qualify as a young HAMB'r at 34), I would suggest the following:

- Get as 'normal' a car as possible. Something that you can get parts at NAPA for. After years of trying to stick to Studebakers, Buicks, and the like, I have found that it is much easier to live life and keep interest in your car if you can keep it running without having to order parts from the far corners of the internet. Stick to the big brands, Chevy, Ford, Dodge/Plymouth, and stick to the more popular models of those brands for your primary car.

- Find a car that suits your lifestyle, and unless you live out in the country far from a major interstate, that means something that can haul you, your friends, and your stuff safely at highway speeds year round. For most of us this means a postwar full-size car or truck.

- Buy the best car you can afford, and in this case best doesn't mean most popular or desirable. Get the car that needs the least work, and will be the most reliable and easiest to maintain. I would much rather have a clean, needs-nothing, vanilla sedan for $5000 than a rusty, crusty, super-rare-desireable coupe for the same money.

My choices, if I were to start all over again, would be to get into a 1949-64 Chevy Car, a 1955-66 Chevy Truck, or Fords of the same era. They are modern enough that they will do everything a new car needs to do, but nice sedans and/or six-cylinder and low-optioned models can still be had for less than a second hand Honda.

 

If you want to build a Hot Rod I would suggest-

T body not the most desirable but fairly cheap. Check Ebay Model T coupe body
Model A frame any where from $400.00 to a thousand.
Or Build a frame 2"x 3" x 1/8 Sq tube
Small block Chev.
I would try to find a 55,56,57 Chevy rear they are still out there. Parts are available lots of Resto Mod guys are pulling them out


The following is for sale $1,700 on Ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1926-1927-...ent-hot-rod-rat-rod-restoration-/152843995048

$2,500 for this one
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MODEL-T-COUPE-26-27-body-HOT-RAT-ROD-FORD-FLATHEAD-V-8-/112697320674

 

If you don't live in a huge traffic-jam city and have no need for 80mph highway speeds right away, you can still buy running, complete flat-4 Model A chassis for $1500, sometimes less. That, with a low priced Model T body bolted on top, is a super cheap way into a running and driving, totally period correct, fender less hotrod. Once you're up and running, there's an infinite amount of mods you can do to make them faster, stop and handle better, sit lower, ect. Even with stock drivetrains, they're super fun to drive.

I can't think of a cheaper, easier way to get into a driver early rod than that. The roadster body I had would have been perfect, that bolted onto a driver A frame could have been put together in a weekend, registered and driving right away, and work on it from there. That stuff is out there yet. Check out some of the "banger" builds here on the HAMB, it could be a great way to get started.

 

I'll leave you with this piece of advice. You only need one project at a time. I've found that with more than 1 daily and 1 project you'll be spreading your money, time, and self too thin when you're just starting out. 1 project at a time and you will finish it quicker then can move to another when complete.

 

Yes @TTR is right, most car guys want to see is life style continue and are more then willing to help a young guy out.
Just be ready for a lot of questions and tests about your skills and knowledge by the "old timers" (I mine this with nothing but respect). They want to be sure you are serious about building cars before they share their knowledge.

 

Get something you love, not what will please the "cool kids".

 

There's no doubt in my mind that if I was starting over and 16, I would buy a 48-53 short bed Chevy truck. There are millions out there and you can get a running, driving one from $1500 on up. They look good with nothing more than lowering the truck. Parts are cheap and they are economical to run. This would also provide a truck to haul parts for the future project that you really want to own but can't afford at the moment. You can always get your money back on a truck like this and probably make a profit.

 

Welcome to the HAMB, good to have you here! Get yourself a good running old pickup, one that will allow you to haul stuff and make a buck. If there is a hobby car out there you like read as much about it as you can, find a few in your area and get to know the owners. Learn what parts are worth, we had swap meets back in the old days, today there is the internet and it is open 24/7. You can buy and sell parts and fund a car of your dreams. Bob

 

You have an advantage that I never had! HAMB! I see alot of great ideas, depending on of course your budget. My experience and lack of skills, if I was young and started this hobby all over..... I would save enough money to buy something that I could drive and have fun changing as my budget allowed. Good Luck and keep us posted. We're your Cheerleaders.... well kinda....

 

1963 thru 66 Chevy or GMC truck. The 60 thru 62 had a torsion bar front suspension and a dated rear end. With a Chevy truck all it takes to do the interior is a quart of paint new seat cover, new floor mat and new cardboard for the sunvisors and glove box. Any GM drive train will bolt in. All parts are available. they ride and drive really well. and they hold their value. Ive got about 50 of them in my hoard. and my two daily drivers are 66 GMC,s. Take a look at the trucks on the 60 thru 66 truck picture thread here in the HAMB.

 

Ok, I lied. Crushing the back roads and knocking on doors isn't the only answer. Craigslist and the junkyards are too. Around here, late 1940's and most 1960's cars other than the big names like GTO, Charger, etc., are cheap. Craigslist should supply something like that rolling for under $500. AMC straight six engines are cheap thanks to Jeep Cherokee/XJ's (junkyards typically get them because they are rolled or the transmission blew up), and 258 manifolds would allow carburation. Borg-Warner manuals are too, due to guys upgrading Camaros and Firebirds. Junkyards and Craigslist would supply the drivetrain. Bonus points for buying a rolled XJ and junking what's left to cover costs. Not the most romantic setup, but around here it'll getcha started for around $1500 on a decent hot rod of some sort.

 

Both above me are correct
My son and I built this from literally a cab on a frame and 3 loads of parts for 1k off craigslist
Throw a cat and hit a running 305 for $150
Add a few tires and it's a runner while he thinks about what he wants it to be in its next life




Add $300 and a rolling 71 cracked frame for a new rear axle and disk brakes for the next stage



Don't be afraid to do your project in stages, and above all have fun, it's a hobby

Oh, and search on facebook for local classic project groups, I see several there that are hard to resist

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