Thread: Who took the "hot" out of hot rod?

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I have been looking at pictures of many recent gatherings, and I have to admit that the new "old skool" styles are incredibly boring for me. I would not cross the street to attend some of these events. This was very shocking for me since I have been an absolute rod-race & custom guy, totally personally immersed in this hobby for about 50 years!!!

I've been thinking about it a lot today, trying to decide, what is the cause of this reaction, and I think I have the answer.

There are two things involved:

First, I could not see the attraction for some of todays "car culture" members for these older cars, clothes, music, and even hair styles.....then it dawned on me! The difference is that I remember these things from my younger years! My parents dressed that way, listened to that music, and my earliest interest was in these very cars! Today...for that very reason...it bores me to the point of having no interest at all. But here is the difference...for most of them, being 20-40 years old, it is a totally new experience!

The other issue is that, since I have been deeply involved in the car hobby for so long, that you are never ever going to impress me with a flathead, or an inline 6. My '53 Chevy was an absolute pig, even with the bigger '58 engine I put in. I rode with my buddies in their flat head cars, with their multi carbs, cams, and high compression heads, and I gotta tell ya, my 283 '57 Bel Air was light years ahead in horsepower. I guess it's a case of "conditioning". I've ridden in factory Hemi Superstocks, screwed together a few cars that scared me, and been around to see the evolution of performance in American musclecars, and drag racers.

I would be more interested in going to an Import event, and watch the FWD cars go 7s, with nitrous and hairdryers. It simply will never be a hot rod in my eyes, unless it's hot!

You will notice I haven't even mentioned the crude workmanship, and lack of any imagination or sophistication in the appearance of these "vintage" cars.

What has happened to the hobby I love so much? Anyone else have similar feelings?

Foose. LOL

Yup.. Started showing up about 5 years ago or so.... The flatties, 301's, and 6 cylinder cars are just no big deal, grew up around them.... I was just barely in on the end of the gasser era, so watching them come around again is no big deal either.

I hate to see Hot Rodding go down to who can find the most unique bolt on to put on their car.... getting harder and harder to find originality in a lot of the cars. I guess a lot of that is just the fact that the aftemarket offers such a huge variety of parts that there's not a lot of reason to get creative.....

I don't know, maybe if I was 18 again just the expense of the whole thing would scare me away.... Maybe we're just a bunch of dinosaurs nearing extinction or something!!!!!

Ahhh, he never was "mainstream"....more of a designer-car guy, to the stars :-)

Originally Posted by BigTruckDriver

Foose. LOL

It's the guys like Foose, Coddington (rip), and Trepanier and a whole bunch of others that brought creativity back to Hot Rodding!!!! Before they made it big, the world of Hot Rodding was not much more the red Camaro's and blue Chevelles.... Wondering if this next generation is going to produce their "Foose"?????

Dave, I know we aren't alone, simply because people keep bringing me their toys....but I haven't shot any flat black for over 10 years! (except inside the fenders. :-)

Also, I watch younger guys here spending 30-60K on new cars, 50-100K on sand rails, and 250-350K on houses, so I don't think the money is always the issue that some say. Maybe it is for those raising a family, or having a one-paycheck-household.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Wondering if this next generation is going to produce their "Foose"?????

Nope!.....Von Dutch! LOL!

You guys are just suffering from the "been there, done that" syndrome. Ive only really been in this hobby maybe 10 years, and some of its kinda boring to me. That`s why i liked the rough edge the rat rod scene brought, and these days im leaning back to my lowrider love. To me the traditional scene is getting boring, like the stockers used to be.

Funny thing is, all these traditional purist are bitching when guys like barris is customizing new cars, cause he`s not sticking with his roots, but why would he go in reverse? he`s still pushing the custom envelope.

Same thing you guys are going through, why use 20-30`s tech when you can use 08 tech.

It's just hard to think of the cars that I was seeing at age 10, as exciting. I find it most interesting when producing a variation on custom, that I haven't seen before.

I really think you are right......been there, done that.......but my kids are all in their 30s now, and it's a "new deal" to them.

Originally Posted by DennyW

Levi's, and Blue jeans went out of style to....but, they are back....

They never went out of style in "my world". LOL!

BTW...where is "spudville" I grew up in Danville, Il.

I knew it was some sort of joke....but I couldn't think of an Illinois town that could be called "spudville". :-)

I didn't remember a "Homefries City", "Hashbrowntown", or "Mashberg"

....Lets see...born in Missippi....raised in Illinois....living in Arizona....???

Let me get on the other side of the tracks a little in this discussion. I'm like most of you who are approaching mid-life , and have gone through every phase that this hobby has had. First were the cars we built in High School when we didn't have a pot or any idea what we were doing. Then, when we got jobs we could afford to either spend more on our cars or buy a shiny new muscle car. After that came family responsibilities and we somehow managed to squeeze out a few bucks to keep our hand in the hobby. Finally, once the kids (and sometimes the Wife ) were gone, we could afford the time and money to seriously pursue our dreams.

But after doing this for so many years and seeing so much of the hobby it started to become boring for some of us. When I go to a car show I walk by hundreds of shiny cookie cutter cars that are all built with the same 1-800 parts source, but will stop and stare at a car that the guy or gal used their imagination and busted up fingers to create from nothing. That is why car shows like Billetproof are becoming so popular. The cars that come to these events are the products of late nights and probably late mortgage payments, as opposed to cars that some pro shop turned out for big bucks.

Another aspect is that we are trying to recapture some of our youth by recreating cars that we saw back then, but couldn't afford. These cars are exciting on another level from the tire smoking, fire breathing ones we ran down the quarter mile. They are a visual trip down memory lane, and are just plain cool. Speed and horsepower are not as important to some of us these days as is dependability and being unique. To me, going to most car shows now is like walking through a new car dealer's lot looking at row after row of cars that all look the same, except for the different colors.

I never wanted a flathead powered rod in my life, but I just picked up the complete running gear and engine from a '46 Ford, and can't wait to get started on a little rod using all of those parts.

Just my opinion.

Don

For 20 years- I was into tri-five Chevys.
I got so bored with it, I could have screamed! For me- it was running a motor on the ragged edge of self destruction on C12. For awhile- many wanted performance too. The Prostreet scene came, went, came back & now is in some sort of limbo.
Now what are they building? C6 suspension, crate motors, big 20 & 22" wheels, A/C, DVD, Lexus leather interiors, motor covers, hidden & smoothed everything- all the creature comforts of home. Other than color- they are all clones!
AAAAAAAaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
What the hell happened.
Then the ultimate sin?
Taking Project X & turning it into a real yawner......TWICE!!!!!!

Ok, I'm calmer now.

I don't want anyone to think I am against people building what they like. I was just questioning why I personally was found the "old skool"-"vintage"-"Rat Rod" so boring.

I have to admit that I also found "more of the same" rods boring. I see so many possibilites for rods, that have not been done...or done much...that some people don't see.

I guess it has always been true, that most people will copy something they've seen....do what they think everyone else will like.....do what will keep the value of their cars value strong...or they just don't have any imagination. That means that most cars will follow a general "blueprint" that has developed over the decades. That does not mean that unusual things cannot be done....they just aren't going to happen very often.

I guess I see these "vintage" cars the same way......just built to an earlier "blueprint". There is one thing I like about them. That is the fact that many makes and body styles are built.....but it still doesn't overcome the generic traits, for me.

That`s ok, i can say i had the first merc with a spiderweb hood! It may never be done again, but i had it.