Thread: What's your comfort level?

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Just curious as to your preferences in your early model hot rod as far as comfort goes. I personally like mine to be somewhat uncivilized such as loud (the drone in the cockpit is very impressive), no air (the windshield swivels open but I don't drive it that way cause in the past, I had a car that burst a radiator hose at high rpm and it went off like a bomb), no heat (I live in texas so that isn't a big problem), firm ride (with the huge rear tires, it's a different type of ride), etc. Since I don't drive long distances, I can put up with these things and it gives me kind of a thrill just driving it. It doesn't let me forget I'm driving a "hot rod". With all the new technology, a person can build one that is just as comfortable as a new car but that's not my cup of tea so to speak.
What are your preferences?

Have a great day,
Milner

Glad you get a thrill out of it, but it wouldn't be my cup of tea.

.

My previous rod was a '29 roadster. It was fun around town but a 7 hour drive to Louisville beat me up pretty good. And there were no windows to roll up if it rained and the wind noise made it impossible to listen to the radio. My present '32 coupe has A/C, and it is much better ride for going distance. Rain is no problem. And I can always roll down the windows if I want to drive around town.

My '33 coupe is similar, lake style headers exiting right at the door line with only a bit of downward tilt makes it "loud" in normal driving, passably "loud" at cruise on the highway with windows down, and bordering on pain at WOT pushing the redline. I've got heat & AC, and even heated seats for Mama, but the AC's only been used a few times (when my wife was along), and I can't recall ever using the driver's side seat heater other than confirming it works. After about three years and >10K miles I'm tiring of the exhaust note a bit, and considering perhaps a second exhaust system tucked underneath and out the back with the ability to swap back & forth without too much hassle. Not sure it will happen, but do know that the Deuce roadster has block hugger headers, and it will have the exhaust all the way back, running some mellow mufflers.

I drive mine like it's made outa glass but I do like a certain loudness that separates it from the Toyota DD. When I crank her up the neighbors know which one it is. No AC either but my windows all work to provide me with 2/60 Air when necessary.

My '32 roadster is blown, loud & everything a hot rod should be, it runs great sucks fuel has a small fuel tank, thank goodness as you then can stop often to stretch your legs, no a/c but seat heaters as its on its 2nd interior after the worlds down pour happened on a long distance cruise, no wipers and rain/x on the windshield which makes rain roll up the windshield over the top and blow right across your eyes (sunglasses or goggles for rain) and is fun as heck to drive when conditions are right, oh yeah no radio as you couldn't hear it anyway, it just looks cool & fun. Now my latest ride is a '37 wildrod sedan and everything my roadster lacks it has, just not much room, just shows our demands change as we grow older (maybe wiser too)
There is probably a reason there isn't a ton of roadsters in Missouri as if you drive it far it tends to be bad weather it seems like! Great topic Matthyj

i want them to hear and feel me coming before they see me ..

My 46 coupe has all the comfort stuff. Back when I built it, I was hauling my family around and it was just better that way.

After my kids were grown and moved out, I built a 25 T bucket. My wife and I have been using it for almost all our trips for the last 6 or so years. Fenderless, T headers, no top and a short windshield. We pull a Mullins type cargo trailer with it for luggage. The farthest we have driven it in one day is a little over 500 miles. I don't think I would want to do much more, though. It does have air suspension on the rear just to keep my back in one piece!

Mike

Mine is very simple. No heat, no air, no radio. Full length exhaust with hush power mufflers. Which are really high priced glass packs. Exhaust sound never fails to bring a smile to any car guy.

My wife calls it the ticket machine, 'cause I'm almost guaranteed to get at least 1 ticket each year with'er...

What can I say?!?!

My '32 truck has no heat or A/C, exhaust that exits just in front of the rear wheels and transverse leaf springs front and rear. I still find it comfortable for the type of driving I do with it. The windows work and the windshield opens at the bottom to vent. The exhaust is a little loud when I get on it but at normal cruising speeds I can easily car on a conversation with a passenger.

If I want a ride with all the creature comforts but still plenty of power to have fun I'll take out the Mustang. And if I want a real visceral experience I'll take the Cobra. No creature comforts or power anything, with exhaust that can be heard a mile away exiting just below my left ear.

My 40 had an original pinto front with original shocks and coils when I got it. It had 4 spacers in each coil to help hold it up, and heavy pick up front leaf springs in the rear. It rode like a trampoline on a rock buggy. Exhaust was glass packs going straight out. I dealt with driving it as it didn't matter, I had driven way worse. When my daughter was born, I looked at the car an entirely different way. There were things on the car that sketched me out and now I will build it to a safe manner. But it will still have a good exhaust and the ride should be much better. I plan to put many 10's of thousands of miles on it again.

I love it to roar if I stomp it, and burble nicely at idle, but otherwise a low rumble is almost too loud. Oversized chambered mufflers usually get it there.

Drive an uncivilized Hotrod, love the hell out of it. Has a radio with a USB port, fills the gap on the RH side of the dash. Like the bat play it when working or cleaning the car.

60 mph AC, roll out windshield. Firm suspension not stiff, loud pipes, louder then the fan @ idle and beyond. Drone in the cockpit none have side pipes.

Want comfort, the dd truck has all the luxo gee-dunks. Did I mention the 34 is very easy to work on and clean?

Just talkin', I have a 'glass replica '29 roadster with side curtains and turbo mufflers on an H-pipe system. On my mild 350 SBC I really liked the crackle of the exhaust but my wife hated it so I put racket buster tips on the pipes so now the sound is a mild rumble. the swing out windshield does not seal perfectly so the car is mainly a sunny day driver. My speed limiting feature is that the top really flaps at about 70 mph. I might have built a fenderless '27 roadster but my wife wanted a "cute Model A" so many compromises were made including full Model A fenders. The side curtains work pretty good and I keep them in the trunk in good weather in case I need to install them in the rain. I do not have an A/C despite the wife's request because there are so many air holes around the doors and windshield that it would be worthless but I do have a seldom used four speaker radio and a very good heater which can be used for overheating if needed. In the final analysis I got the compromises but the wife still prefers her big Impala sedan!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

I like a hot rod to sound like a hot rod, so I run DynoMax Ultra-Flow mufflers with a 3 inch in and out pipe. Deep, throaty sound but not illegally loud. No drone except inside a car wash!