Hot Rods Is the traditional "fad" over where you live?

You are one of the good few left. Good on you! It freaking sucks now for most places, especially dealerships.

 

Well at least the steering column didn't javelin through his skull.

Are we sure this is a "solid" example of a 59? I can't believe that thing crumbled like that.


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IMO, here in Wisconsin the traditional concept/look has grown in recent (10-15) year's at events I attend, but Its still a small percentage of cars at most show's/cruises. There are more shows than ever for old school rides, (Unionville or Symco/Oshkosh, 2 big events, several smaller events), these are the events that I see the younger people involved, family style, wife and kids dressed up old school, 40's-50's, having Fun, thinking it's very Kool to see this "Fad" if that's the proper term. Agree with the market is going to flood with Street Rods at some point, but the timeless rods/customs will fair better IMO. My opinions and $2-3 gets you coffee most places I hang out. For the record, I am a babyboomer, been playing w/cars 50+ years, like the 50's/60's "Look" (I Was There) and Enjoy the Hobby ! What ever your likes/dislikes are, don't worry so much about being one of the guy's, figure it out (your deal) and have fun, way to many people bitchin and moaning over some details of our great hobby.

 

Give this guy a prize - nailed it

 

I know. I thought I saw some props in the background left over from the "moon landing" film shoot in 1969....

(but I think it's got more to do with engineered crumple zones and that sort of engineering. The '59's weight probably worked against itself)



As for traditional hot rods being a phase around here, the shows I go to indicate otherwise. People dig it. Street rods and gold chainers seem to be retiring or expiring....


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That's good. Street rods never were my thing. I could care less. I put them right there with (modern) Italian sports cars. Nothing against the people who own or like them though.


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k13 I am not sure what you are trying to say? You like the new cars better or the old cars???Bruce.

 

Clunker.I have seen that one before I know new cars have come a long way{good wise} but with the accidents I have seen here in the mountian area here {especially with all the tourists here} I still will take my chances with an old car. I have seen too many newer ones that have just been folded up like a tin can. P.S. I am agreeing with you.Thanks Bruce.

 

Lost boy.I got to agree with you on that!Bruce.

 

I have been attending the Others Silver City Shakedown for several years, this year was the biggest turnout I have ever seen there. That said there were people from 30ish to 80's, but the majority were
probably 60's. Seems every generation remembers the cars that were possible to buy in their youth
so the muscle cars are the hottest thing for the people hitting retirement age, I predict they will get
hit much harder than traditional cars, but we will feel the effects also.

 

Bruce, {just my opinion} It's not a case of liking old cars less than a new one. I do think that your safer in a new car. I would not let my grand-kids ride in my coupe, or a motorcycle. My coupe is like a tin can with a 389 shooting me down the road. It is FUN, but It's definitely not safe. But I LOVE it. That's the reason that I got the Nomad, and put in seat belts. It's not as safe as the Wife's SUV . But I don't take it on the Interstates, and the kids, like me, just LOVE old cars. Our old cars will have less damage in an accident, but without airbags etc. the people aren't as safe in them. {Just say'en.} As for the OP, I've always drove, and liked Traditional styled hot Rods { late 50's and 60's style } ever since the late 70's. It"s not a fad for me, but just what I liked. You should always build them to suit yourself. Their not investments if you don't sell them. lol Ron...

 

Ever since I was a kid I preferred traditional styled hot rods and in particular the customs, but also as a child of the times, I liked the late-60's and early-70's street machines. I could never get into the Boyd and billet scene, no matter how "sano" they were, IMHO there was no detail to them and thus they were soulless, almost corporate in a way.

 

I guess "going out of style" all depends on your point of view. If you buy/build a car as an "investment or as a "status symbol", then you probably should be concerned about being "in".

I have cars that I like, which I don't consider part of my estate planning. I work on 'em and enjoy them because I like them and my wife likes them. Nothing more, nothing less. I have been accused of not being in style before, but I don't really care. My cars will NEVER be out of style, at least not to me. Don't like my style? That's YOUR problem, not mine.

 

Load up your stuff and make the run out to the LA Roadsters Father's Day Show. It will sell there and you will have a good time even if it does not.

 

https://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/20...59-bel-air-crash-test/comment-page-2/?mcubz=0

 

Holy shit what a depressing post! Note to self: Self, quit reading these bullshit threads when you know it doesn't have jack to do with building a car.

 

Every time someone calls out a cutoff date, era or start date, everything else is a fad. Truth is that somebody sometime started changing cars from stock and a lot of others jumped in. The first guy wanted his to be different and many others wanted the same while others just wanted to be like the ones that wanted to be different. This is still going on today and has evolved into what it all is. Little clicks like to form their own groups and say other groups don't belong but we all are in the same group like it or not. I like different aspects from all time frames and feel this click behaviour has made this whole thing we love look smaller than it is to the rest of the world that sees cars as transportation only. If not for our own prejudices against each other we might have more authority when laws are made against our life style. The NRA could care less what kind of gun you own and look at the power they have in Washington.

 

That's a great video!

I hadn't thought about the x frame.


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Wow, didn't think this thread would get the response it has. It wasn't met to be a debate on what's cool or not, just an observation I had on the trend around here. Like I said, the "fad" or new found popularity of traditional cars have definitely waned around here. 6 to 10 years ago there was all these young guys with new rolled up jeans, black t shirts and new tattoos coming in wanting parts and projects, they were putting on shows, they pretty much have all disappeared. Even our local Rumblers chapter that put on a great show every May has vanished.
It might be a local thing. We are a very poor economy here in NM, most (especially guys under 30) can't afford to build stuff like they see in the magazines, buy the good vintage or repop cool vintage parts. They probably got discouraged and gave up.
I do know the street rod/ hot rod market is slowing up. I had hoped these young guys would keep it going but guess not. Last couple of years here in the shop we have had much more work on muscle cars, 60's trucks, ect so obviously that's where the hobby in general (here at least) is headed, I've had very little requests for hot rod work. Young guys have moved on, us old guys are getting old and dropping out, it'll be interesting to see where we are in another 10 years, don't you agree?

 

how is the lowrider scene doing in Albuquerque? A few clubs around here are getting into the older style builds...several clubs were at the show in Douglas I went to last Sunday. Quite a few younger guys.

 

Have to agree with Squablow here, at least from the standpoint of accumulating more projects and parts. Id say we live in generally the same area, and about the same age. I have amassed about 30 different cars and parts vehicles and have what i consider 7 future projects. More than I'll get done, honestly. I have pretty much everything i need. I only buy something now that is cool and at a decent price. But most everything i buy is of the traditional style, so my taste hasnt changed.

But I dont see any new people joining the traditional area like 5-10 yrs ago, lotsa scenesters, throwing minimal changes on an old 4 dr just to have something to drive to the car and music festival. But not so many serious hot rod or kustom builders...

 

Your view of "boomers" is warped and mostly wrong.
Some boomers have great retirement savings, and also good pensions from long term careers.
They will be better off than you think.
The upcoming generation of part time temporary workers with no long term careers or pensions and the current crop of second or third generation welfare families are the ones you should be more concerned about.

Boomers will sell things as time goes by, that is a natural part of getting older.
But it won't be like you seem to think.

 

Car people were here already and will continue to be here. Take your pick traditional, musclecar, restomod.

The folks that were here for "the scene" will continue on the the next latest trend. See ya later.

 

But remember,Larry you are also looking at it from the perspective of someone who isn't faced with the possibility of having to shell out 10's of thousands of dollars for a major medical situation should it arise.

 

That is true.
In 2013 I wound up in the hospital for emergency brain surgery to fix a problem similar to an aneurism.
My surgery and 20 day hospital stay and assorted treatment didn't cost me a dime out of pocket.
In the US it would have been a different story.
Even great medical insurance there often includes a co-pay requirement, or a yearly or lifetime cap on cost.
My wife Jan is an American citizen from Texas and as such we conceivably could move south for retirement.
But with the medical system down there ( or lack of one ) medical insurance or living without it would literally ruin us if problems come up.
And getting older is when you need medical care for most people.
The other thing is that presently our $ is worth 30 percent less.
That's why we will stay in Canada.

 

To answer the OP's question, here in J-Ville, just like the people, there is a very diverse population of cars. At any given show you will see every style represented, antiques, classics, customs, muscle cars, street rods, hot rods, traditional and rat rods. To my knowledge, there are no clubs here that cater to the traditional style of build, only street rods, antiques and muscle cars. Here, it seems as though the traditional style of build is rarely seen in public. IMO, traditional is not fading around here, it's more difficult to pull off due to the lack of bodies and parts, you see, everything rusts into the ground around here. Since you can't really build a traditional rod with new and modern parts, it's easier for guys to build rat rods and glass street rods around here.

 

Ron, I do agree on that with you. You are right the new cars are safer on the interstates than the old ones. I do most of my driving on the 2 lane roads and very little on the interstates.I sorry if it was taken out of contex.I just cant see being safe and comfort in driving something like a smart car.Bruce.

 

O.K. Maybe I am wrong????? Bruce.

 

Here's an unpopular opinion!

Honestly not really a fad so much as full circle. Traditional, period correct cars came back hard but the collect-ability went through the roof, and is still up there for the right ones. There's a fine line regarding how desirable these cars are to collectors and enthusiasts though. A well executed, DESIRABLE, traditional Hot Rod is still very much in style and will continue to be. The only people that will have them are the people with:

Taste + $$$:

They know what they're looking at and can afford it.

No Taste + Sense + $$$:

Don't really know why the car is awesome but enough sense to like and buy it.

Taste + No $$$:

They know what they're looking at and what they want and trade/collect/build their way into it.

The above includes alot of people I know well. I know folks that have money and will plop it down when the right car becomes available. I know folks that have collected the right set of parts for very little money and then are able to build a Rodders Journal Cover car. I know folks that love all this shit and have no idea whats cool but are hanging around the right people and involve them in their decision when it comes time to buy (the taste later develops). Then you have the following:

No Taste + $$$

These people are not going to bend to outside influence or opinion. Fiberglass bodies, disk brakes and radial tires are all modern conveniences and safer or faster or easier and make perfect sense to this person. This person is usually the most flustered when they don't hit their reserve of 55k or BuyItNow of 65k on their StreetBeast.

NoTaste + No $$$

"This is the definition of Hot Rodding!" "You use what you have available!" "You guys are just being elitist!"
There's no discussing with these people. They want to be included, and most likely would be if they show up in person and hang out with you, but as far as desirable... not a chance. They will argue that they were on a low budget, but I have seen what someone with taste can do on a low budget, and it is truly remarkable.

Okay, shit-storm me..

 

you are right, no S S needed.