Thread: Sensible hot rods?????????

Tweet

There were quite a few discussions at Billetproof this past Saturday about how lots of rodders are starting to realize that while our roadsters and coupes are a blast around town and on short jaunts, they are not so much fun for long distance trips. I love roadsters and always will, and maybe it is my age catching up to me, but I am not as willing to jump in mine and drive to a show 250 miles from home as I once was.

More and more rodders at Billetproof were saying the same thing, something like a fat fendered car or one like that would be so cool to own because it would be just like driving your regular car and you would have room to carry more than a toothbrush and change of underwear. How nice would it be to have a full back seat and trunk to carry tools, coolers, luggage, folding chairs, etc?? It was surprising to hear so many rodders thinking the same as we were about how our hot rods are just no fun far from home.

Having a stock or very mildly modified engine in that car also was high on the list of things they felt would be helpful, from a fuel economy and dependiblity standpoint also. I had to agree, because when my 27 had a mild 302 and 3:70 gears I drove it to Daytona 5 times and thought nothing of it, but with the new, more exotic 331 stroker and 4:30 gears it is not the same enjoyable long distance cruiser it once was.

We met a very nice guy named Steve who had a beautiful 50 Ford custom at Billetproof. It had a mild sbc in it, and within hours of finishing it he drove cross country to the LARS and back, with no problems. I can't even begin to imagine that trip in a hot rod with a built motor, although I know some people have done it.

So, what do you think? Does it make sense to have two cars, one for around town jaunts and one for those long distance events and vacations?


Don

I know that a lot of guys are highly critical of them, but I guess that is why trailers are around. Build what you like, and take it on trips, even if it is a truely "HOT" rod. Of course there is the added expense of a truck and trailer...

I am a dinosaur, so I believe that a hot rod's first duty is to have exciting perfomance. A dual duty car would be nice if you don't have the room in your life for two cars. If you went with a torquey motor about 400 inches, then built it for low end, so you could run a tall gear, I would think fair mileage would be doable? Also, an automatic might help multiply that torque.

Just a few thoughts.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

So, what do you think? Does it make sense to have two cars, one for around town jaunts and one for those long distance events and vacations?
Don

Damn straight, if you can afford it, that is

What about building a nice pickup ( my choice would be a F100 ) and trailering your T to the show ( did I really say that ). Arrive, unload, blast around town in the T, show both vehicles, more blasting around town, load up and cruise home.

"HOT" Rods are great but don't forget that the "Cruisers" still have a place in Rodding.

I thought long and hard when it came to building my coupe...how comfy do I (make that WE!) want it (a/c or no a/c), long run reliabilty or short run fun, do I really want a coupe or sedan, and where is all the luggage goin if on a 200+ mile trip, seat and steering configurations and locations, how noisy do I REALLY want it on the highway, tunes in the cockpit, etc. etc. I have it done except the bodywork which is beginning this week, but believe me, have your project COMPLETED vision in your head when you start it...much easier to stay focused and you will enjoy it much better if, when its completed, its what you wanted to start out with.

Don, I'm not sure it's possible to use both "Hot Rod" and "Sensible" in the same sentance........... I have my 66 Chevy PU, mild custom, it's my daily driver work truck. I have the 48 half rat for cold weather, and building 28 roadster pu for hot weather. I suppose I would drag one with my 66 if I actually took the notion to go any distance. But I don't like to drive long distance any more. Don't have the money or energy, but I drive what I have just about every day, even if it's just to the store for a pack of smokes. I'm just gonna put an eight gallon tank in the rpu, I rarely put more than $20 in the tank at a time, and that was when the price was below $3 a gal. But I did have to break down and put air in the 66, I drive it every day for work and that entails driving around all day, I can't take the heat like I used to...

As for the trailer thing, at one time I lived by the motto "If you ever see my car on a trailer call 911, it's been stolen!" But last year at Daytona changed my mind, when I blew the water pump and galley plug and had to tow it back home on a rented UHaul truck and trailer. It was not a pleasant feeling being 250 miles from home and broke down. Up until then my 27 had been driven to Daytona 5 time and my 23 went there 3 times, to the BP drags in Lakeland once, and to the BP shows in Ocala twice.

I still don't care for the guys who trailer a car to a show a mile from their home, but now understand how it is acceptable for one further away.

We get wiser as we get older. (Or do our bones and butts not take the same abuse as when we were younger? )

Don

My 40 Nash is going to be my long distance car with all the comforts such as a nice stereo/dvd for those in the back, air, power everything. It has a 304 sitting in it right now that I will rebuild with mileage in mind. The 55 Chevy stockcar will be street driven but because it is a former stockcar, it will not have all the modern comforts. I was going to put my 401 in it, but since I don't have a tranny for it yet, I may pull the 360 out of my Spirit so I can get it running now. My 80 Spirit currently has a 360, but if that goes into the stockcar, I will put the 401 in the Spirit. This car will be my hotrod that I get to play with. I will have a variety of cars for whatever. I plan on driving them on any occasion, but one may be more suited than others for a particular drive.

Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT

I know that a lot of guys are highly critical of them, but I guess that is why trailers are around. Build what you like, and take it on trips, even if it is a truely "HOT" rod. Of course there is the added expense of a truck and trailer...

Just a few thoughts.

I'm working on a trade for a bigger, 3 axle trailer so I can take two cars on those long trips... I've paid my dues driving roadsters, many moons ago went from here to Seattle, then took a left and went to San Diego, another left for a stop in Pheonix, then a half left and meandered up US 54 and a bunch of other two lanes back home.. Had a blast! Trip a year or so after that (my new roadster) started going through the Ozarks, out through the Florida Keys, then right back here to SoDak after a brief (2 week) stop to visit a friend in Burlington, Vt. Didn't do either trip to prove anything, just had a bunch of extra money and felt like I deserved a vacation....

Never did figure out the "got to drive it to the show regardless" crowd..... I build Hot Rods to go fast, have fun, show off at the shows, etc....but not for some Iron Butt macho thing stating that trailers are for sissies, etc. etc.

Another consideration for me these days is all the traffic on the roads, 50% of them shouldn't even have a license, 20% are drunk and or stoned, 20% are taling on their cell, texting on their cell, watching TV on that cute little one in the dash, and sometimes all of the above simultaneously, and the remaining 10% might actually be paing attention to what their doing just like Mr. Langner taught us to do in Driver's Ed... The trailer is one more thing to absorb some of their idiocy before they hit my car!!!!

Hot Rods to me are Hot Rods. I would choose to not make them practical and sensible.....might as well just go by a Taurus if that's all I want....

my car is not considered a hot rod. but i believe that with a muscle car you have the best of both worlds. drives and rides like a luxury car but can run like a scalded cat. that is why i love the muscle cars. when i am at a car show though the first cars i go to check out are the hot rods. because after hanging around here with you guys i know how much more harder they are to build.

Call mine a cruiser if you want, but I consider it my hot rod. It has a late model EFI motor and OD automatic. It has run 13.60s at the track, through the mufflers on street tires, gets 27+ mpg on the highway with the AC on and stereo blastin' the blues. Last summer I drove it on a 2000 mile trip, with only slight hiccup. IMO hot rods are a lot more fun when you can use them

Pat

There are days, even with the very few miles I have put on my '31 that I wish I could have my trailer back that I used to haul my 'bucket to shows over 100 miles. My knees just aren't as flexible as they were a few years ago. Then there is the lack of trunk room - I have enough for a change of skivvies and my toothbrush if my wife goes too, but with her ruined back.......

Don this is a good point . At 54 my back don't won't to ride with me if it's going to be rough , I would never be able to get out of the car . The A is set up for a soft ride but has the original seats will have to buckle up tight to stay in them .

Then the 37 came along , it will be a road cruise to go anywhere . Actually will be planning on going to W.V. in it after it's done . I went with a MII and some TCI parallel rear springs instead of the buggy on it . This should give this weight a very good highway manners to enjoy driving .

If you can justify having 2 cars it's a great idea. My 37 Dodge will be a fun ride, and probably good for the occasional trip to Tucson and maybe even Phoenix but much farther than that I don’t think so.

Call it old age, 35 years ago I was blasting all over the country in V8 Pintos and Vegas…… not much more than a body and engine (and even those have more room than most 30’s hot rods). 20 years ago I decided I wanted a nice road car for the long trips and got into the 50’s stuff. More modern suspension, AC (really nice in AZ), comfortable seats, PS, cruise, good fuel capacity etc really make the road trips (especially those over 1000 miles) something that is truly enjoyable.

With the availability of overdrive transmissions good performance and decent gas mileage don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The drivetrain in the 57 Plymouth (354 Hemi, Tri Power, OD 4 Speed and 4.10 Posi) and the drive train I’m putting together for the 37 (331 Hemi, Drag Star 6X2 intake, 518 OD automatic and 4.56 Dana) would be equally at home in either type of car and fully capable of making long trips.

Even though the HEMIs may be a little extreme and expensive for some, the engines don’t have to be as mundane as a SBC……. IMO other good options would be 400 Pontiac, 403 Olds, 455 BOP, 500 Cadillac, even old nail heads or early Cadillac engines would be good choices once properly rebuilt.