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

there is about a half dozen guys local that are into bone stock model A's. when i got my coupe a couple of them (one of them i know pretty well) showed up when i had it sitting out . we chatted for about 15 minutes then they asked what i was going to do to my coupe.....when i mentioned chop and 32 frame they reeled back in horror and instantly black balled me from their group. bye,see ya around

 

X2 on the 80s and 90s style street rods
they get dusted off for the rod run each month
it rained last week at our local run and the only things that showed up were the 'rat rods'......I guess mine is one of those as well.
the 'rat rod' crowd is the only folks here locally interested in vintage parts/engines
and the only folks that drive vintage cars regularly, and the only ones scrounging salvage yards.
the street rod guys here are the 1-800-hot roders now
I find the term 'rat rod' and 'traditional' being confused as the same thing here
funny thing is the folks I see using vintage engines the most are the high end pro builders
last month at Nashville, lots of pro built cars had y-blocks, hemis, flatheads, Ws, SOHC............
guess these folks are the last ones that can afford to build them.

 

Seems to be a lot of mixed reports. Each person probably only sees the current conditions at the events they go to. I just saw that Street Rodder magazine has been counting pre 49 and older cars at the events they go to since 2006 when the economy took a hit. They are saying this year is showing a sizable gain in pre 49 street rods and that many new ones are reportedly being built. Street Rodders don't exclude traditional builds so this data would include those also. I love this site because it covers 90 percent of what I do on my cars but the 10 percent that it doesn't cover or allow keeps me from posting. Mine may squeek by here but I don't chance it. I have collected cars and parts for years that are my favourites and am just now building them after years of putting my time and money on a living, raising kids and helping them get what they needed to make it in life and raise their kids. I have put the car building on hold since the economy took a dump and I am sure I am not the only one and I am building now so I personally am in the data Street Rodder magazine profess's. There are thousands of baby boomers (10 years before the youngest retire) that were on the tail end in age not old enough or financially ready and did not get to participate in the first go around before the bad economy. I am sure I am not the only one. The build periods on this site will always be popular but as a whole I am sure most styles and years will see a comeback soon. Over the years I have noticed that things seem to happen in seasons of 10 years and we are approaching that mark of the down turned economy. I think we are at the tail end of the bad times we have seen.

 

I'd have to agree with you Gary. It's not just the traditional rods but pre 48 cars in general are fading around here as well.
I'd have to attribute it to the guys that like the older stuff are "aging out" for sure. The next generation coming up seems to be more into muscle cars, it would make sense, the cars from their teen age dreams thing.
Thought maybe all these young guys from a few years ago would keep it going for a while, maybe, maybe not....

 

Ha!! Yep, seems like everywhere I look, pro touring inspired, LS, air ride. It's kind of a joke between a buddy and me, " Hey look, LS, air ride..."

 

Ya got me! I'm one of those dipshits or "jokes" that put an LS in my A coupe. Albeit carbed and distributor. My point is this, jackasses that make fun of or shoehorn people into a category do a huge disservice to car enthusiast and gearheads in general. If everyone doesn't get behind builders of all makes we will have a tough time keeping any of our rides legal when the pencil pushers try to limit them.
As to the OP, "traditional" period parts/builds hasn't faded anywhere that I've seen. Increasing amount a ignorant niche people that are "old school" seems to have increased though.
Too bad you have to identify with one group or another instead of appreciating all of em!


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Here again, don't see how my posts relate to me "having to identify " with one group, not sure I like being labeled an "ignorant niche people". Obviously you don't know me.

 

Clearly you failed to see the quote from the post in my comment. It was not you but if you couldn't figure that out I really can't offer you any help.
Sorry about that.
Perhaps you DID see that I answered your question regarding the fad. I won't assume that though either.
Geez.


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It was the "to the op" part that made me think all of the second paragraph was directed to me, not just the answer to my original questain. My apologies if I misunderstood that.
Hell, I just swapped a LS3 into a 67 Camaro and dare I say, liked the outcome. I CAN'T be narrowed minded now, can I.

 

My apologies as well. I should have made it clearer I suppose.
I'm often too blunt and that can be taken wrong.
I was more frustrated with the comment I quoted because it forces too much separation within the car culture and creates a divide that simply doesn't need to be there. If there wasn't such a divide, my guess is that you would. It likely have felt the need to even question if there was even a "fad" in the first place because there would be a shit lid of every kind of ride at all events.
The fact that I drive my 28 to a show and don't feel like I "fit in" and park outside is unfortunate. And that is with street rods and shit. Yet a buddy of mine that owns a Ferrari asks me to come to his car shows because he knows I just like cars.
My point is there should be a place for everyone at the table without all of the cliques and if that were the case you would likely think the opposite of your initial post.
Have a good one.


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I think the closest thing we see to a fad in the traditional is 'high boy' vs 'channeled' rods. they've all been highboys for a while now.

 

I never thought that the "traditional' hot rod was ever a fad to begin with. There are a couple speedsters and hot rods that show up at the local cruise night from time to time. However, the vast majority are muscle cars. The Zipper has a "Traditional" vibe and my '29 CCPU is a cruiser. Both cars are built to reflect my tastes.

 

I thought about this a bit today while beating and banging on some sheetmetal
traditional is definitely the exception where I live
I don't remember traditional every being popular, just a bunch of street rods
so to answer the question.........
yes, for about 30 years or so

 

Let's take a lesson from the "Brass Era" guys. Let's face it. Someday that will be us "Trad" guys. About all they or their heirs will get out of all their hard work will be the satisfaction of building their cars. Nothing wrong with that. Just groove on what makes you happy.

Chuck

 

I consider my Merc to be traditional. But to many it is not because it sits too low. However, no one has said it wasn't cool. I never raise the hood so no way to know anything about the drivetrain.

 

Traditional is just that. Not a fad, some people have the feeling for traditional some don't. Those that don't will move on to a new faze. Those that have the traditional feeling will stay . I've always built and owned old style traditional Hot Rods.

 

I wouldn't call it a fad. What's cool is cool and will always be cool. TV shows haven't helped the hobby any, to me it made everything that anyone had laying around become worth a million bucks. Technology is increasing and there are faster and easier ways to make old cars work. It's the world we live in. We want little effort with lots of results. There are few of us who like to take the old stuff, figure out how it works, and then take the time to make it work.


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I read the post you quoted again... doesn't look like he said anything about you - or anyone else for that matter. Maybe you're a little sensitive about getting heckled for putting an LS into an A.

 

You are right, I did not answer your question. I thought I did but my initial post did not get sent due to operator error.

In Colorado and most likely, a number of other places, it doesn't appear to be a fad. I see a number of Hot rods go to the dirt drags for the last 3 years or to the Hot Rod Hillclimb for the last 4 years and have signed up for the fifth hillclimb. The number of cars are increasing each year.

The kind of car we are discussing has been around since the 1930's.

So most likely it is just fun.


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I didn't mean to offend anyone, and I didn't mean to imply that cars with LS engines and air ride are a joke, some of them are super cool, some aren't my taste. They all are somebody's idea of a hotrod, that's the point, everybody has their thing. What I meant is the "joke" part to me is that everywhere I look, all these people had the same idea, the fad. That doesn't mean I don't like the car, or am going to throw rocks at it or something. Build what you want, drive it, and be proud.

 

Maybe they just wanted to drive and enjoy their old cars on modern roadways with their family in comfort without having to worry about reliability issues or not being able to keep up with todays traffic patterns.

 

You left out the UK

'Traditional' has been a big part of the UK scene since the early 80's and the days of the Low Flyers.

The major reason its survived in the UK (and the other places in Europe and elsewhere you mention) is because of the link to the music of the same era. As an integral part of that music associated scene, its why we still have a trickle of younger people coming into it. It's not and never will be a fad here, its a way of life.
For example, look at the photos and film clips of the VHRA races on the sand at Pendine, you won't see many people wearing fashion trainers/faded fashion jeans and the like. Most of us knew each other from gigs and clubs and weekenders before owing traditional hot rods or customs. Most owned 50's and 60's English cars such as Zodiacs and PA Crestas etc., back in our youth and moved onto the 'proper' stuff in later years. Even people in later life that come into it, its usually again via coming into the music scene first and then go the 'full monty' with a traditional cars, be it a hot rod, kustom or straight original-restored 40's/50's/early 60's US or British/European car.

And can someone educate this limey as to what 'RR' is a reference to, seen it mentioned a few times in this thread but buggered if I can work out what it means

 

GeeRam,

The "RR" you mentioned in your post above is referring to Rat Rods. Typically that is a name that is not to be mentioned here so I think people have been using the abbreviation to get around mentioning the unmentionable.

Cheers,

Thor

 

RR= rat rod

**beat me to it*

 

I don't really know if the "fad is over where I live", what other people are doing isn't paramount in my world, and I don't live for car shows, I go to very few.
To the "Traditional" car people, the word fad itself is a bit offensive.
Traditional builds/cars are historical, certainly not a fad, they aren't now, or ever going to be the most popular at a show.
A glimpse of a era/lifestyle from days gone.
I like the idea that they aren't for everybody, being a bit of a traditionalist in itself in todays world is unique, as are our cars, and that's a good thing.
At '61 I still listen to the same Rock station on the radio, I did when I was 16..living in the past, is my sanity from this days world.

 

It's the same down here in southern NM. I know of maybe two or three other traditional builders in Cruces. Unfortunately sbc's and rat rods are what you see most. And they all swear it's what was done in the old days. But to each his own I guess. I'll continue to be the black sheep.

 

Aaahhhh........OK.
Probably why I didn't twig what it was

 

I have tried Craig's list for the past three years and still have everything. The only interest was from scammers. They never call and will only email or text with the same bullshit story about sending an agent over because they are out of the country on business. And the scammers will never try to haggle on price in fact they man even offer more than you ask. As far as a genuine person calling and showing enough interest to come look or make an offer it is my conclusion that they don't exist anymore. Try Instagram or the HAMB . You will have better luck .


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Damn, I keep seeing the same thing come up, really wish I hadn't used the word "fad". Instead of "fad" lets just say "the renewed interest". Maybe not a fad but I don't think anyone can dispute there was a renewed interest in traditional hot rods in the last decade or so.
FWIW I took the old 39 out to a cruise night last night. I was the odd ball, only one there with anything even resembling a traditional car and the only vintage style motor (flat head). Had a few folks ask when I was going to street rod it, didn't understand when I said no, the car is done. Had a few asking questions about it and flat motors in particular (in a good way) and a couple guys that obviously really got it and knew what it was all about.
The best part about the whole night for me however was the drive there and back (fresh tune, the flathead was running soooo sweet), I'm sure many of you would agree that's the best [part of building/ owning a traditional car!

 

But, whether people like it or not, it IS a fad. All of what we do is fads, in the automotive world.

Vintage style rods, street rods, rat rods, gassers, street machines, muscle cars, restomods, pro street, pro touring, belly button motors, 1-800 rods, street freaks... they are all FADS in which popularity comes and goes. Its a cycle. There are always hard core builders of every style, but when the mainstream magazines on the news stands are featuring your build style of choice- its a FAD.