Thread: Another Ohio Old/New Hot Rodder

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Hi everybody. After many years of motorcycling, I'm returning to my first love--Hot Rods. I grew up working in my dad's garage business and built or partially built a few cars in the 60's. After the service I got into bikes and have owned and wrenched quite a few over the years.

Now that I'm nearing retirement I want to build as much of a car as my abilities allow and peel rubber into the sunset. I guess like every other returning gearhead, I dream of a roadster. I've been looking around for a few months now. It's been quite an education! Since I've been out of the scene for so long, I've found the prices to be pretty jaw-dropping.

I happened on this site looking at rods for sale. I'm enjoying more and more the general hot rod discussion forums. Thanks!

I'm in Portage County

Rich

Welcome to CHR Rich! Good to have you here. Prices are up a tad since the 60's, but what the heck it's only money!!! Probably still the cheapest (if you can call it that) way to get into a roadster is to find a partially done that someone has lost interest or ran out of money on. Be patient, there are some deals out there if you do enough searching....

Welcome fellow Buckeye.
BradC

Welcome aboard...............if you're looking for a quality roadster project you may want to contact a member here named "robot", he's got one that might be available.

Rich, welcome to CHR! Sounds like you in the right age group for dreaming about hotrods and roadsters. A lot of that going around these days. One nice thing about this site, is that there are several people here who have or are currently building roadsters or roadster pickups. A lot of great information is available to you within those threads if you are so inclined to build from the frame up.

The rod market has been depressed for a couple of years, just like the housing market has become in the last 12 months. It is a buyers market. There are a lot of very nice 32 roadsters available from about $30k and up Model A roadsters can be had for a little less. To get a glass one built by a builder will run about $35k and up, for a steel one you'd have to add at least another $10k to that. Both are good reasons to build your own or to buy someone's elses project.

I too have a desire for a roadster, and because of my size it will have to be at least a 32 or later. The easiest way that I can see getting one anytime soon would be to have Don (Itoldyouso) adopt me.

Welcome fellow Ohioan. Going to Louisville Ky NSRA next week? I am hoping to see another big turn out but we'll see. Goodguys Columbus seemed to be down this year due to the economy? Any way, you'll see every kind of hot rod 1948 and under. The Exhibitors halls have enough hardware to build a car! This is the biggy for NSRA! HotRod Hotline had a lead on Hotel space if needed. Don't worry about having a car to get in, plenty of spectator parking. This is a great place to learn! Find cars you like and ask questions.

Welcome to the forum. I agree the best way to get one is to buy someone's finished or partially finished rod and make some changes and improvements to make it your own. You can't duplicate some of the for sale ones for the money they are going for. People rarely get out of a car what they have invested in parts only, let alone the cost of the labor.

Good luck,

Don

I want to thank you all for your kind reception and counsel. It sounds like the best, most economical approach for me is a project car. I'm sure there are potential dangers to be avoided. Maybe I can ask for advice from all of you when I find something.

Can't see myself getting to the Ky show. I'm committed to the Vintage Motorcycle Days in Lexington, Ohio this weekend. I don't think my wife will slacken my chain enought to be gone two weekends in a row!

Rich