Hot Rods What makes your hot rod "your" car?

Building it from a bare frame and incorporating my ideas into it. Like using 34 chevy hood side centers in my 33 ford hood side outers. Same with the dash....34 chevy dash bottom welded to 34 ford top.
PS...I thought I was the first to join 34 chevy hood sides to a 33-34 ford hood and even before they were done, I saw 3 other 33-34s in print with chevy hood sides! No ideas are new I guess.

 

It's been so long since I did one for me I don't really have a list. I guess stance and rollers is part of it, but I like things nice and detailed. I like to mix OEM looks with modified touches, as if it was fairly new and given a day 2 treatment. Even thought the current car is more like "year 77" instead of day 2 I still want to mix it up with restoration and hot rod looks over a period of time. Might end up looking like the same family had it since new but they were real car folks. At the end of it all I hope the quality of what I did has a few thinking "...go figure..." which I also hope reflects a bit on my background. Most can tell when a restoration is mine, I want this one no different.

 

I'd like to think I am just a caretaker of my rod. I happened to have the opportunity of talking with one of the old owners if my car! But to be honest I feel it was some other guys race car before him. And I just take car of the old soul for him. And it's fine by me!

 

As a person who lacks a bunch of skills (and who even flunked an evening welding class) I always start by buying someone elses car or project.

To make them "mine" comes down to stance, wheels and colour. If its predominantly a street car (newest is a 48 Chev truck) then it gets chromies and whitewalls, and if its street legal but still going to get regular quarter mile time, it gets Centerline Auto Drags and lots of horsepower.

Oh, and purple paint seems to have been a constant too, tho Im thinking there may be some other colour out there that I could try, but I havent found it yet.

I like the 60s hot rodding flavour in my cars so can avoid the latest trends (black 32s with black rims and crossplys or those pastel coloured cars with billet wheels before them) pretty easily.

 

any history of insanity in your family

 

Blood , Sweat and Tears. And my hard earned money.

 

Fuck yeah! Don't forget to toss the Stewart Warner gauges for a set of Digital's. Wrap them with a billet dash panel for extra points.

 

In response to the original post, I am a wheel man. Probably the first and most often thing I change throughout owning a car. My avatar '53 is on it's third set.

 

When I look at my 27 I remember saving up money until I had enough for each and every purchase. I could handle the little $50 and $100 dollar stuff, but when I needed to save up $700 for my radiator or $500 for my headers, it took a little more time. I also remember the excitement of when UPS would drop off some new purchase and how it was like Christmas day as I tore open the box.

Now that life has gotten easier for me financially, I still enjoy getting my new parts, but not with the same excitement I had back when I was a little less fortunate. Each one of those parts I had to save up for, (and hide the receipts from my Wife ) were really special to me and still are..

Don

 

LADIES and GENTLEMEN, HE'S BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was going to post some really intellectual thoughts on what makes "my car mine", but I see the Speaker has taken his seat, and will take Mr. T's advice ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. Duck and Cover.

 

Wheels, stance, color for that all important first impression. But what really separates me from most others is to use a different and not popular engines. Present and previous rides both had Olds power. 215 Olds in a '29 A CCPU, 455 Olds in a '30 A Coupe. My talents are lacking, so my cars are never anything special. But we all feel the same pride driving down the road knowing that we made that car live.

 

I certainly don't recommend this... but it's been my experience I take what was somebody else's and let it deteriorate to the point where it's only mine. The big challenge to me is to keep it running decent. ( I need to do better.)

 

We built it as a family and friends project.

 

My ass in the drivers seat.

 

Me building it and paying for it.

 

My avatar first day after avoiding destruction, busted knuckles,damaged bank account, safety issues,cosmetics,engine,wireing,on and on,makes it mine. Next one same thing wish I could rebuild me.

 

Reversed '57 Ford custom side trim?? Nothing "cookie cutter" about that!

 

A finish that's butt-ugly, banger engine, stock tranny and rear end that most persons wont tolerate. If someone tries to steal it, by the time they figure out how to double clutch it I could catch 'em on a skateboard.

 

My next one the 52 has been in the famly for a number of years I have been helping brothers work on it for years, now making it mine.

 

I started with a couple hundred dollar car, and thought, this won't be too bad. Tore it down to the bare frame and went from there. It is my design, my blood, sweat and tears, and beers. I did not do all the work, but the final outcome is mine alone. i can look at it and say damn, I wouldn't do a thing different.

 

killer stance

 

Porknbeaners tag line says it all, "if it don't make ya dirty, it ain't yours." All my junk gets me dirty.

 

Well lets start with this list.
1. I built the whole body my self from Brookville parts.
2. I built the motor!
3. I designed the interior.
4. I built the brake system.
5. I supervised and modified the 4 bar front suspension.
6. I chopped the windshield and windshield posts.
7. I chopped the top.
8. I painted the car with 20 cans of rattle can paint.

 

Mainly what makes it mine is.The Title is in my name

 

Hours of research, and figuring out the right combination to please my inner self. Bragging about crap that was copied from other builds is a sign of trying to please the "cool kids".

 

Having built it and owned it for 50 + years quailfies to make it my car.

 

No one in their right mind would ride in it. i am a back yard builder Just like the beaner!! lol

 

Close its 59 Edsel trim I got for 10$. head rest made from head lite buckets 3$ the seats are 68 vette frames ,one had a snake living in it. Door safety hooks for screen doors hooks traffic light finder from wife's perfume bottle.etc. etc. etc. fun using what you can fine THANKS

 

I'd have to say my hand made custom touches, not my original ideas except for the windshield design. But all molded from the era of the build. 1940s historically correct Hotrod.

My bob lee styled top


Wheel well covers


Handmade dash and gauge trim


Late 40s interior


Recessed license plate


And my hand made windshield