Hot Rods So...at what age did you have to give up building hot rods?

64 this year
Three knee surgery ,I have an ICD inside me and I still restore cars and build engines for a living.
The only thing will stop me is the good Lord.



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Just made it to 80 last fri. been working on a frame off '42' buick sedanet .

 

Like trollst, I survived a heart attack a month after he did. I was so weak after they lifted me out of the induced coma, I thought my rodding days were over. Weird shit happens to your body when it is deprived of food and water for almost 5 days.

With home PT and going back to the gym, I'd say I'm about 95% back and actually better than I was leading up to my little adventure. Looking at buying another car too... the insanity. I'm back to work, had planned on working 3 more years and saying AMF... now it looks more like 2 years unless they offer a deal to us old farts. They did 4 years ago, I was nowheres near ready.

 

Seventy and just finished one putting a couple thousand of my own hours in it.

I have a couple more in planning, and will most likely build at least one of them if good health continues.

 

I'm 70 now. It shocked me when that number rolled up on me.
I realize my limitations. No more building. Just maintaining my fleet is all consuming.
I would prefer to buy one completed now than go thru another build.


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Now, 66 years old. My 35 ford truck is 4 sale


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I will be (73) this week.
Did OK until about a year ago....bad legs and back have forced me to stop anything large at all...Sad, but some awesome memories....
Cheers,
Bob

 

I'm really close to '67, have survived cancer and am still in pretty good shape. Trying to get the '40 that I tore apart 30 years ago back together now and have the roadster in the back of the garage that needs some major work. Biggest problem now is a lack of energy after a day at work... biggest problem after I retire will be lack of money.

 

Hppph. I'll be 74 in a couple weeks.still working on things 5 or 6 days a week. A bit slower but I've still got all my original parts so things are always subject to change. I have made it a practice not burn daylight on television, politicians or generally toxic people. It's family, grand babies and hot rods.

I'll be done when I'm done!

 

seems a lot of talk about building but, driving 'em has got to be the main goal. but, have one friend is just a builder - his traditional rides never leave garage. another friend has about 200,000 miles on his '33.

 

I am surprised how much I like driving my current Model A, cramped, hot and noisy, I'm in hog heaven, great fun for a 71 year old guy!!

 

My Dad is 84, and was working on his today. He finished it a couple of years ago, just working on instument cluster today.

 

By most standards here, it looks like I'm a young pup at 60. I can feel the consequences of not taking very good care of myself when I was young. There are some things I did a couple of years ago I simply can't do now. Some body parts just don't work as well, or for as long of a period of time as they used to. I still have a couple more years I need to work in my welding shop, but I'm already getting pretty picky about what I will do.

I have one more hot rod project I would like to do (I think I said that the last time too), and most of the stuff is here waiting for the spring to arrive. My son seems to come up with projects he needs me to do, and his projects are fun, and have funding available as required (something I never seemed to have and still don't). He has a bad back, and a very well paying job. He also will get involved whenever he can, and will do whatever he can do. His current project will take a couple of months, between real work that pays the bills.

Since I have a fun driver, I will slide my son's project in before mine, then maybe I can work on mine. I have grandson (my daughter's son) that just turned 16 and he has a truck he wants to do some stuff on. I will probably end up helping him as well. One advantage about helping my son, and now my grandson, is I have some help doing some of the things I can't, or don't want to do. I like to call it teaching, I tell them how, and watch them do the work. Its much easier for me!

I figure that as long as I only have one more project to do, maybe I can keep at it. I do enjoy the drive though. I can live without a project as long as I have something I think is cool to drive. Gene

 

In my mid 60's and still running strong with all original parts. Still wake up pain free for the most part. I don't take any medication or aspirin. Thank you Lord!

If I get to feeling rough from sitting around at the computer too much or something, I'll go out and grease the drive shaft, change the oil, wash the car, ride a four wheeler, motorcycle or horse to keep limbered up.

My Uncle at 75 said his Dr. told him , If ya wanna keep goin', ya gotta keep goin'.

I do find there are some things I'd rather not do any more. Like take a rear end or transmission out on my chest. Not that I can't, I'd just rather work smarter and not harder. (Use the proper tools.) Works for me!

 

I'm 69 and have a bad back. It is no fun getting under my 54 truck. I still think I'm 49 but the body says something different. I sympathize with all of you out there. Keep doing what you can and get help with any heavy stuff.


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I am going to be 68 this year and still run a one man hot rod shop. I do have a guy that does my painting now.
I am currently in the process of building a straight axle gasser to race with the southeast gassers and teaching my wife 63 to weld so she can help weld in floor pans.
I am finishing one build and have a waiting list for more.

 

I'm 61 and just starting my upteenth build,this is a hobby now but was a big part of my career in the automotive trade I inherited from my dad. At age 5 he had me fetching 9/16 wenches and Philips screwdrivers so it's been with me all my life. If there is one thing I'd like to pass on to the younger guys and gals is to gather some people around maybe at the next BBQ and get a tape measure, I think we can all agree that 75 is a good average for what a guy can expect to be able to work and actually get something done, now pull the tape out and put your thumb on 75 inches and start asking the younger ones first for there age and let them point to it and see how long they have! Now show some of the older ones,this will put in prospective how much time is left. When I done this my priorities came into focus immediately now I'm getting my bucket list done and enjoying my time with my grandmonsters who mean the world to me. Who knows for sure when the grim reaper will show up but for now I'm done with the stress of paying for stuff that only impresses the neighbours now is for me and the ones I can count on. As for working on cars I hope I go working on one with my family around helping.


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Haven't quit but projects are on standby. I have a 7 month old and 2 year old.

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Not an age thing..rather a health thing.
Take care of yourselves (I know easier said then done, certain habits can be hard to break).
I'm only '61, but even at this age, the realization has set in that you aren't that young, can do anything guy, has left the room, and isn't coming back.
Know your limitations, and work within them.

 

I'm 70, and still going, slowly, but still going. Things that once only took a couple of hours, now take a day or so. Oh well I guess that only prolongs the enjoyment,

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The limiting factor at 71 is that everything takes twice as much time to do as it used to. Not stopping me but slowing me down.
Joe

 

Hello V8/deuce, I really liked your response. I am a geography professor just finishing a book, "Hot Rodding at the End of an Era: How We Roll and Why it Matters." I'd like to use your quote in the book for a chapter looking at exactly what this thread focuses on. Please let me know if you'll grant permission. Of course, you'll get a signed copy of the book. David

 

I'm 71 and have about another year to go om my '36 3w. After it's done, I'll probably not build another.....or at least that's what I tell my wife !! Down-size and play Shuffle Board & Bingo the rest of my life? Not a f'ng chance.

 

I am 68, and recently lost my avatar '58 Apache Fleetside to a garage fire. It was a frame off home build, w/ LS drive train from a wrecked 2004 Chevy Avalanche. Grundy came through and I could have rebuild it, but that would have taken - realistically - a couple years. And lots of time on the garage floor. Ultimately I decided to buy a finished '67 GMC. I'll make some changes; add an overdrive tranny, FiTech fuel injection, and a radio. Will get that all done this spring, then get on the road. At my age, and with some back issues, and less time out front than behind, time on the road is more important than time doing heavy wrenching. Experiences are more important than stuff. For now, I just do not see myself doing another total build. My hat is totally off to those who continue to do the hard-core wrenching.

 

70, have a good reason to get out of bed every day....projects, too many, but I'm going to keep on going until my time is up!

 

I am 56 and finally have the shop I dreamed about at 16. Retirement to me will be doing what I really want for the rest of my life. My greatest fear is leaving an incomplete project for the kids to deal with. My second greatest fear is that the kids will hate me when they figure out how much work it is to own an old car.
This is a labor of love, and a desire to share God given talents


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Boy, are we a bunch of Old Farts? Like many, my mind says 25 and the calendar says 62. But 20 years of Leukemia have slowed down by work schedule, but it also drives me to keep going.

I did like some have said, I bought a finished roadster to have current fun with. I have a bunch of vehicles, some are running, most need work because we have driven them into the ground or are projects to be started.

I made the decision that the time is now to have fun.

So I will start getting some of the vehicles ready for sale, to help offset the roadster, 63 Comet, 59 Ford Panel, 53 Ute, and the 31 Plymouth sedan.

But I will still have two land speed vehicles, 41 Ford pickup, 53 Chev Ute, 54 Country Squire, 59 Traveller, 69 Longhorn,,, and I think I have a couple more somewhere back there.......

 

77 and finished up a 2 year build from the ground up 32 Ford 3 window all steel car. Now back on a total rebuild of my 54 pick-up. Keeps me going and out of trouble. It does take me longer to do some of the things now days, but they do get done.
Rounding up parts to build a 29 roadster on 32 rails with a flat motor, 5 speed and may-be a quicky.
Just got a new knee installed so things have slowed down for the time being. But I am sure it will pick back up.

 

I slowed down some after turning 70 but I still have two projects in the shop to work on. I have also been a lifelong Motorcyclist so I bought a new bike for Christmas and am planning a 7000 mile bucket list trip starting in May. I can wrench on stuff until I die but I'm running out of years that I can safely ride. A trike is just not the same thing.

 

They'll be prying the wrench out of my cold dead hand when the time comes.