History Patina, Primer, mailbox scoops and other things that never happened.....OOPS!

It helps to know what venue you're playing with or planning. Having made untold numerous visits to drag straps the rough n tumble racer still exists today. Some guys just clobbered together something fast. Some wanted nice and show quality, maybe to attract sponsors. Some just wanted the lowest ET and highest MPH. Same with lakes racers, some were pretty, some were pretty heinous.
Pick your spot. As welcome as my car will be when finished I already know the overall build "style" will likely be a bit later than the usual rod du jour in these pages. No new shit out in the open, but the big secret is that some stuff or practices never went away. Quality and execution improved along with materials, equipment, work space, everything. Of course that old rod will be "better" but you don't get a pass for Moroso tin covers or Centerline wheels if you're shooting for vintage era look as your target. It isn't that difficult to stay true.

 

Hi and Mighty built by Chrysler engineers!

 

Guy that posted this says this was street driven to the races. Looks like a tag on back Tennesseee?
Check out the carb

 

Expensive carb!

Jon

 

I have repeatedly said I like a little of everything, my main interest is in vintage oval track but I also like fully painted and upholstered cars, cars in primer with Mexican blankets covering the seats, old paint, patina, etc...

Although I don't like the High Tech billet style, I have great respect for Chip Foose and his skill, however I do not understand this assumption that if someone has a car with old paint or in primer, they are lazy and historically incorrect.

Personally, I don't like or understand painting a car but not regasketing a leaking engine, and not cleaning under the hood and chassis but I have seen it countless times.

I am not a fan of fenderless Model As with splash aprons, but just because I don't like them doesn't mean I should or do assume (and we all know what happens when you assume) that the owner/builder who does these things is lazy...

...and fenderless Model As with splash aprons are hardly historically incorrect.


That is the point of this thread and my cars that pushed the limit thread (https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ushed-the-limits-vintage-only-please.1169382/), people have gotten so locked in on the early post war west coast style or what was in the major publications of the era that anything isn't built in that style is no longer considered "traditional".

 

Per Merriam-Webster
Jalopy- “: a dilapidated old vehicle (such as an automobile)” First known use of the word, 1928.
Enjoy your Jalopy, however shiny or rusty it may be.

 

Bravo! Very good post.

 

So many historical inaccuracies in this photo!

The Model A doesn't have hubcaps it is in primer with pinstripes on the grill and visor, plus the 53 or 54 Chev. in the background is a four door!

Someone needs to build a time machine and tell these people they built their cars wrong.

 

Now, we don't wanna put words in other people's mouths. I rarely see anybody say anything bad about primer or no hubcaps.
Style and era correctness doesn't have a whole lot to do with it. But rust will eventually turn a car to dust.

Even as a very young kid, I got distinct pleasure out of watching a couple of cars in my neighborhood as they changed and progressed over the weeks and months. The primer spots would morph into different colors and shapes. Any rust and body work attended to. I knew exactly what was going on. So cool. And then, sometimes, finally... BAM!... paint.

 

Yep. I’ve always like that part just before the “bam”
Can’t cruise around with paint if ya like that part the best

 

It was a joke, I have heard derogatory statements about primer, and I have had people who insist that no one in period had a car without hub caps it was only for drag racing that people removed their hubcaps.

 

Ok

 

Sometimes I eat cheese right out of the wrapper.

 

Never noticed before that the ram charger coupe also ran a true adjustable 4 link rear suspension set up there.

Like was said above, it's all been done before, love it or hate it, the only thing that changes is the technology behind the parts, I.E. chrome vs. Billet, magnesium vs aluminum etc.

..

 

You might get better flavour if you take the wrapper off.

 

I wondered about that.

 

1960
In looking at an old 1960 Bakersfiled Smokers March Meet drag meet photo(s), there were several interesting items. I noticed Don Garlits with Art Malone driving, had what looks like an old mail box scoop. Perhaps instead of a metal box or molded plastic version, his was hand made to fit the Two Port Hilborn Injection.

The year before, it was carbs. Right after that last 1959 March Meet with no so good results, he changed over with some So Cal race shops help. His FED transformation to the 671 with Hilborn Injection was now comparable to the Westcoast racers and now the results were pretty amazing, leading up to the 1960 race.

Hello,

In 1965-66, going to college in Northern California, San Jose area, I saw a lot of these scoops in the neighborhood. At the Fremont Dragstrip, there were some early hot rodders that used the San Jose Mercury Newspaper yellow, cubby holes that everyone (residential) had on the streets of San Jose. They looked just like the pictures above.

Jnaki


There was also the competition newspaper from San Francisco called the Chronicle with their tubes, too. They looked a little odd, but as far as getting in that valuable air, they did the job. Plus, it was virtually free.


The yellow color stood out well and if your car was painted yellow, it “flowed” more ways than one.
The last one is a new version from Amazon.

Note:
But, nothing is better than the famous Speed Sport Roadster custom scoop... In the pits/staging area of the 1960 Bakersfield Smokers March Meet.
1960

When we were at the 1960 Bakersfield Smokers March Meet #2, we saw the Competition Coupe Class builds and races. At the time, we noticed the bright yellow air scoop, but the impression of those Competition Coupes was the main thing and the noise/action took center stage at each time trial run and elimination races.
Jerry Card

Leffler-Loukas vs Jerry Card Bakersfield 1960



Maybe you have seen these around on the streets or on top of carbs or ???

 

That rough looking T roadster later became the 1955 "America's Most Beautiful Roadster". Ray Anderegg tied with Blackie Gejian for the title.

Mick

 

Actually hub caps were removed for drag racing…and street driven cars were run w/o hub caps to give the appearance of being a hot drag racing car, even if they weren’t…just part of being cool!

 

Or.....

 

Yes, I made that statement on here in my bare steel wheels thread and had someone and they argued that no one on the street ever ran with out hub cabs and every car that was in a magazine even if it was a pure drag car would put hubcaps on, and even continued argue after I posted the November 1954 Rod & Custom cover.

 

I knew it was a famous car but I didn't remember which one.

 

I can appreciate real honest patina, earned from years of use not the fake kind.

My old beater wears the same paint that was last applied in 1963, with the exception of the primer on the reworked fenders and hood that sports some newer Kirker SG black. HRP



I also like the fact that the car is all steel, it has the original running boards & top insert, they both show their age but I keep them clean & use a top dressing to keep them from deteriorating any more.

 

When it comes to period correct Hot Rods I like a little of everything, old paint, shiny paint, patina. Although I am not a fan of the Hi-Tech cars I can respect the Craftsmanship of Chip Foose.

I don't like seeing fake patina, Rat Rods or rot.

I have no issue with anyone who wants to build a super shiny car, I will admit I don't understand putting $40,000-60,000 dollars' worth of body work and paint on a $15,000 car but if that's what someone wants to do it's their money and their car, and as I said I and many of my friends with patina cars will look over a shiny car and will talk to the owner.

I also don't understand the people who go crazy about a car patina they don't own. It has Zero effect on them or their car.

Personally, I think it is jealousy.
They put as much money as most people make in a year in the paint on their car, and a real deal built in period car with 50, 60, 70 year old patina will get more attention and have a bigger crowd around them.

So then they label the people with a patina car lazy, they don't care people in the 50s didn't build cars like etc...

All the same stuff form the mid 90-early 2000s when primer was big.

 

I’m not sure, but this wheel combo maybe makes this T bucket almost period impossible by todays standards…?

 

Candy Apple Dirt