Hot Rods Todays messed up takes on how hot rods were in the 1950s n 60s

My car was built in the late 50s and still has stick welded pieces and brazed panels.... and I love it

 

Mine too, and here's the guy what did it.

 

Kinda funny when I offered up a bunch of 59-62 Hot Rod magazines a few years ago for sale and not getting any inquires I used language in essence saying “see for yourself how the cars were built” basically to show the published proof compared to what some “recalled” as absolute truth...........Evidently not a good sales tactic...no takers.
And life goes on....

 

$39.95 in '67 in L.A.

 

Do you remember his name and how old he was when the picture was taken? That is an extremely cool picture.

 

Not saying it never happened. Just saying it wasn’t the average Joe’s garage build.

 

Thanks. No. but I could find out. The fellow I bought it from and he were friends. It spent it's life in Tampa before I brought it west.

 

This issue plays out in near every part of life. I'm going to push into your little place of happiness but I'm going to keep my own way of doing things. I didn't see any rules that I liked. Good Lord!

 

It was about 1958 when my Dad taught me how to arc weld using a machine he built out of several fluorescent light ballasts. If I recall correctly he got the plans from a Popular Mechanics magazine. When you think about it, not much different than putting an idea found on the HAMB to good use today. Oxy/acetylene with coat hangers was a step up.

 

Artillery wheels.

 

They might be a perfect fit with all the Howitzers going off here.

 

Cut coils. Stepped A-arms. Dropped axles. Hydros. Stepped frame rails. Channeling. These were done then & now. That is not 'stock'.

 

I knew it

 

Seeing Hot Rods with black wheels and Customs slammed to the ground drive me as crazy as big wheels are to Moriarity. But people think it`s traditional in the 21st century.

 

Life is tuff, when you sweat the small stuff...and that is what we have here.

 

This is one of the best Hot Rods ever built in my opinion, Fred Steel`s. He drove it to California in the early 50`s from the east coast for an interior. It has always had a flathead.

 

Like my grandad always said... "don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

 

Never said I was TIG welding in high school. My focus was on machine tools.

The school was new in 1962, and had a very well equipped Industrial Arts program and building. The heli-arc, as well as all the machine tools were installed then. This was from the era when schools offered trade skills. The A in my avatar was mostly fabricated in auto and metal shop classes.

Few of us had sophisticated tools at home then and availability of modern welding and fabrication tools is a huge advantage available now. Although the consensus here seems to be that poor fabrication was common in hot rodding back when, maybe I looked for the better built examples.

 

Things will always change. I'm sure sooner than we think or want. All we can do is try to relate to everyone the way it was when we were growing up. History. And you know how history is. I just feel lucky to have grown up in what we call the traditional times. Capish? The old days are in the past for most. We are the ones your Mother warned you about and I'm proud to be one of them. She loved me anyway.

 

Man, this traditional stuff is complicated.
Personally, I just like driving old cars....no matter what group they fall into.

 

Back in '65 when my old friend Rolla Vollstedt was building a new car for the 500, they were still gas welding the chassis, and it was a slow process. His main fabricator Harold Sperb, went to Rolla and said "Boss we are running out of time, I want to stick weld the rest of the car". Rolla said, "go ahead". That car ran Indy for a few years, and later won the Copper Classic at Phoenix, as a Supermodified, with Tom Sneva at the wheel. The car is now restored, and is in Canada, chassis is still in excellent condition. Stick welding is a plenty good process.

 

And nobody built 4-drs either.

 

I agree with you completely...'cept it needs larger lights.

 

He never changed them in the 65 years he owned the car. He stuck to his original build style, and it did not meet the current trends most cars go thru as time passes. A period perfect piece.

 

This whole scene is a big nostalgia trip. We are building cars now that we wanted to build as kids but lacked the skill, tools, money. The whole hot rod thing was a way of life for a lot of us. We may try to recreate it by building the car we couldn't afford as kids but the era is long past. You can't go back home.

 

I love the white top, white seat and WW tires. That is the look I am going for on my 41 PU. It has small lights

 

This is one of the best Hot Rods ever built in my opinion,

 

Probably more common with early rides. Before the magazines ruined everything
But
I’ve wondered if Divco wheels are artillery wheels. I’ve seen that term associated with them before.

 

My oldest Brother had a Power Craft (Harris) cutting torch, with welding tips, he taught me cut and weld when I was 13. On the subject of High School Shop Class, that's where I learned to stick weld. After school one day, a friend brought his 49 Dodge Wayfarer fastback next to the building, and had me radius the wheel openings. I ran the leads out the door, and cut them with a stick welder turned up high, perhaps the nastiest work I ever turned out !