History Lets Pull Together...It's Time.

Not so much of a Rant, as a Warning. I hear and see it all to often. No federal or state regulations will waylay or destroy rodding more than the people from within.

As Groucho Marx once said "I would never belong to a club, that would have me as a member."

There was a post on the OzRodders site about at***udes. I see it rear its head on this site once and awhile, I was at the local World of Wheels show talkin to one of the coordinators and I heard the same story. What did you think of the mix, I was asked. I liked it, was my response.

Rodding for better or worse, has always had style periods, year restrictions and self proclaimed coolness factors. (Build it this way or it aint cool daddyo) Love em or hatem, big money builders come and go, pastel colors come and go, tweed--well finally left.

The problem with the 2015 Kustom Nationals in Oz was the same old story I see here in our Rodding, Traditional, Custom et al levels. I wont bring my car as they cater to those that are not Pre-48.Stockers hate Rodders. Rodders hate Kustoms. Rat Rods bristle at the term. We hate restomods. Not in my neighborhood!

Sure, I come from an era when Pre-War cars is where it was at. Muscle Cars made their splash, but people had Fun with cars pre 48. That was a fact. Customs weren't spelled with a K just yet, and the works of Gene Winfield and others captivated the readers of most magazines. Sure their styles were copied, but thats how rodding always had been.

But here we are far removed from the first US Nationals NHRA event, and hot rodding, street rodding, muscle, kustoms, call them what you will have never been safer or more reliable than today.
Most, if not all of the guys I knew from that era have p***ed. What did we learn from them? Building something with your hands is cool. Try something new, something you like, sure go ahead and reinvent the mouse trap. We are with you, we want to see it!

I have said it before and say it again, Rodding--to me, wether its 64 Falcons, 31 Fords, 70 Monte Carlos, or Pontiac Super Dutys (fill in the remainder of all the possibilites) its about FELLOWSHIP.

I see some of the pictures from the 2015 Kustom Nats in Oz and I see young faces. I am at the World of Wheels show and I see, young faces. Young faces are the key. Be the mentor, be the leader, offer a "Hey Buddy" to someone and offer a wave or a handshake. You can offer advice, but only if its asked for. Let people know its not an exclusive club for high rollers only. All are welcome. Promote safety. Learn to enjoy it all. Learn to enjoy the folks you meet and what their vision is.

Today I saw fewer street rods than ever before at a local show. 450 cars probably less than 10% were pre-48. So for people that never warmed up to anything past that year your missing out. Missing out on craftmanship, attention to detail, fine execution. There's Gene Winfield in the corner working on a roof section on a 48 Chevy. Fair amount stopped to look and watch, some to get photographs. Alot walked by not knowing who he was or what he was doing. Thats sad. Not for Gene, but for us, those that love what we do in our own sheds and small garages.

World of Wheels today was everything from Modern Production Cars, to the local Drag Racer Cars, High Dollar Builds, Motorcycles, Tall Pick Up Trucks, Traditional, Kustoms, Hot Rod Kulture, Muscle Cars, Street Rods and Restorations. A variety of cars, a variety of owners, but all share one thing. The P***ion, or sickness, of the automobile.

So the next time you get ready to put your nose up in the air in a show of superiority, because thats not Hot Rodding to me, then stay at home, just like the car you built and never take it out.

 

If you like everything,that's great! HRP

 

I've only spent time and money on the cars/trucks that I like, I must be a bad person. Bob

 

I try to get to shows/swap meets to see,learn maybe buy or sell.Car building culture is forever changing.I remember the Savoy Brown line"wouldn't it be a real drag if we were all the same"

 

Then you totally misread what I am speaking to. So since you only put the money in the cars/trucks you like, everyone else is wrong? The Hamb then needs to break off into seperate websites. One only for Traditional. One only for Customs. One for Trucks. I never said if you like one brand, one style of build, your wrong. Your putting yourself in that box.

 

I read it twice and still don't read what your point is?

 

**** stirrer...is it one 'r' or two?

 

I think what ken1939 is speaking to is a need for strength in unity as car guys, regardless the different disciplines, so as to carry our p***ion forward into the future. He's not saying everyone needs to like each guy's deal, but to maybe embrace the idea that we as car people are increasingly in the minority, and to grow it, maybe we should be less inclined to so much infighting.

 

That's ok.

 

I don't know what you are talking about.......I'll even watch Overhaulin now and then when there is absolutely nothing else on. I'm open minded like that.

 

I list rotted out useless **** on "That Auction Site" and type Rat Rod in the ***le, so I'm really not a bad guy afterall, I'm reaching out. I've also accepted money for good items from Bugatti and Ferrari owners. Bob

 

Scary Built Rat Rod's( or Vehicl's that Apear to be in the same cl***) That are Unsafe Build's with Parts spot welded , just to Look cool are GOING & ARE , For more Government Regulations even more To all Antique Vehicles Hear in the USA,

 

I like the way you disguised the word "FELLOWSHIP" right in the middle of your post( in capitals) and people can't see it! Interesting.

 

I think the majority of HAMB share the same p***ion for their cars that I think you are referring to and different strokes apply's to hot rods, sometimes people forget this, its a positive that we all like something different or we'd all have a red Vette and that could get boring big time. I hope that everyone does promote the hobby, does pay attention to poltics in their home state regarding "hobby cars"and the future of our p***ion is today's youth, like it or not.

 

I'm a card carrying curmudgeon and I like what I like.

I'll let SEMA worry about legislation and the car hobby going into the future,they have done a darn good job since it's inception in 1963 and they have the best intentions in keeping all segments of the automotive industry alive and well.

I have always walked to the beat of a different drum,I built my style and found I was not alone when I found the hamb.

I appreciate the fact that everyone like different things and obviously the OP does but I avoid all the clown cars,4x4's,imports and rat rods. HRP

 

I like everything with an engine in it, but when I am on this site, I only like hot rods and customs built in a style that mirrors the style of those done in 1965 or earlier.

 

People typically focus on differences, instead of similarities. Always have.
Same all around the world, and helps explain why the world is such a mess.

 

Mabey its symptomatic of todays society. I remember the ME Generation growing up. Now we have social media which is anything but social. Interacting with people is not the same as 145 characters.

 

My p***ion was always hot rods, more loosely just Fords pre-'57. (lots of cool stuff in those years)
My career was with German cars, Porsche/BMW. I owned a '52 Porsche Pre-'A', split windshield cabriolet...made me very popular with the 356 Porsche crowd!

But when the Porsche/BMW customers showed at my shop for appointments, they shuddered at the sight of my black '27 Hiboy...and my under construction '40 Merc.
I was more 'tolerant' than they were...LOL
Franco was ruffled with the BMWs, but I showed him some of Von Dutch's BMW/VW projects.
I had another '27 Hiboy with a BMW 2 liter 4 banger, BMW 5 speed...dual side draft Webers, looked like a Meyer-Drake with its aluminum covers, nice fit in the engine bay, Hagemann hood, firewall.
Everybody liked that one, but I changed it to a 59 AB flathead with '37 Lincoln box.

Can't please everyone...but thankfully was able to retire from BMW of North America. And I kept my hot rods.

 

I don't own a cell phone, please explain these 145 characters.

 

When I judge a car show I judge all cars the same does that count

 

I like traditional ****ies and hot rods

 

I think it has something to do with Twitter; whatever that is.

 

It's 3 "R"s but who's counting

 

Rodney King: "Can't we all just get a long?"

 

Oh I get it now.
Apparently there a pretense here that "people" and the cars the own/drive/build are one in the same.

Be kind and courteous to your neighbor and fellow man. Always a better choice.

Now fords over there, Chevys over here, hot rods on the right, **** boxes in the back and if you don't like them "STAY OUT" and no, there's no ****ing way you're parking your non traditional car on the "traditional car show field"

 

Were does the ----- in the BMW on the cellphone fit in?

 

If the parking lot isn't full, there's a spot in front of the psychologists office

 

I totally agree, doesn't matter to me what other people drive or build its all good. different strokes for different folks. well said