Customs Where to draw the line... (Customs Only!!)

Here is a topic that has been stewing in my brain ever since I got into traditional customs (only a few years ago). My topic being drawing the line on being traditional. When do you think it is okay to go modern...

We see it on the board all the time, it is seen in the magazines we read, the independent movies we watch and the shows we attend. I am not saying it is wrong at all just want peoples opinions on the mater.

A lot of times people will say if it's a custom it doesn't matter whats under the frame, hood, trunk, etc. If you don't see it, it simply doesn't matter.

This may come in the form of air bags, a 350, suade paint, Mustang IIs, or simply a re-pop of a vintage speed part.

When do you think it is okay to border the line of traditional and use modern equipment on a custom vehicle.

Is it okay to have a modern engine under the hood? Are radial tires okay on a '50's build? Is it okay to have an air bag set up or disc brakes?

Obviously for some it comes down to budget, for others it involves being overseas.

I for one have a T-5 in my car, a modern oil filter conversion, etc.

I can understand if this thread is a little O/T and is not appropriate for this board, if so I do apologize, just wondering what you guys think is okay and what isn't. I know a lot of people are going to answer build the car you want... While some others may have some insight and be able to say whats cool and whats not cool.

 

to me safety is the first thing I go for (with a 2 yr old son in the car) so with that said I go for whatever i think will make it more safe for him. disc brakes and radial tires, things of that nature. I will put on in a heart beat. but if you are say building a buick keep it buick under the hood, olds-olds

 

Thanks for the insight, safety is important in any car!

 

if its under the hood, under the car, makes it go faster or stop quicker, its fair game.

 

For a custom, do the paint and interior right, no stupid stereo equipment; if you keep the hood shut, anything goes. Radials look like shit, however. I plan to dich mine once it's painted(someday...).

 

I do agree with you on the radials but that fine line tells me if the kid is in it put em on if it was a car he would never be in they would never touch my steel wheels

 

Due to painfully shallow pockets, I like to keep my car (and everything on it) to look old but function new. I wish I could keep everything "traditional", but financially, it's just not in the cards.

 

Why are people terrified to ride in a car without radials? How did anyone ever survive the first 60-70 years riding across the country in automobiles?

 

IMO it's hysteria more than anything else. Truth be told, I'd say that radials, once they're a few years old, might if anything be more prone to failure.

HOWEVER... when it comes to stopping a car, radials are better, particularly in the wet.

 

We've done the radial/bias ply thing here a million times, didn't mean to open that can of worms. They just flat look wrong. Want safe, let Mommy and the kids follow in a Ford Taurus. chances are, the well built but period correct custom will not suffer mechanical failure, but a soccor Mom with a radial tire equipped mini van text messaging will plow into it.

 

the only problem I have with modern "tradional" customs is so many people have to drop them on the ground with bags. not a total bag hater, but there are very few cars I can think of that wouldn't look better a few inches above the pavement when parked. OZ's green Merc would be one that looks good on the ground..most other cars just look broken.

as for radial vs Bias plys... I really don't even notice. if a person were to go through my photos I have taken and picked a bunch of customs out of the mix and covered the tires I couldn't tell you with any certainty which ones have bias ply tires

Overdrive automatics, disc brakes, the hated and misunderstood SBC, those things don't bother me either, but if a person were to open a hood I hate seeing gaudy billet chrome junk on a vintage styled car.

 

not to get to heated on the tires but only one person has posted about motor so, correct me if Im wrong but its not ok to run radials but I can throw my spare LQ9/4L60E from my ot truck in my 56 olds and that is ok

 

Yep just please keep the hood shut at the car show, no one wants to see it. Disk brakes and modern suspension, airbags too if the car is real low and you can't see that shit, why not? It's not an open fender hot rod.

 

I really agree with you a bit on this when it comes to customs that are really low, it's pretty hard to tell what kind of tires are on there sometimes, at least in a photo. They don't look hideous like on an open fender hot rod.

 

i do see where you are coming from richard and i do agree with you to a point like a gasser for instance but i still feel like my son is safer with modern tires on a cruiser.

 

One thing I will mention is the whole suede paint deal. It is attractive when done right, but I have yet to talk to any old timers who remember it being "the shit" way back when. If a guy was driving around in primer, he couldn't afford shiny paint. Although Unclee was telling me of a story that was related to him in the 60s, a paint shop(in L.A.?) was selling primer spots, no body work under it, just spots of primer to make it look like he was having work done. Got a kick out of that...

 

I like airbags, but the whole laying frame thing is stupid on a traditional car. I've seen a lot of beautiful traditional kustoms that would almost be a time warp if they weren't parked on the rocker panels. It just looks weird.

Radials/Bias... I prefer Bias for the look. Radials are ok if it's driven daily, but they never look better than a set of bias ply tires and thats all there is to it.

As far as what can't be seen (suspension, engine, trans, rear, etc). I think it's ok as long as it's not seen to use whatever you want. If you're showing off the engine in your custom, it had better be period correct and spot on, otherwise keep the hood closed. I don't like to see kustoms with their hoods open anyway, I want to see the flowing lines of the car more than the engine.

To me a kustom has to look the part 100%. The stance has to be spot on, the wheels & tires have to fit the look, the paint color has to be right (no flattened bullshit), the customizing tricks, the interior, it all has to blend together to form a perfect piece of rolling art. If one thing is visibly out of place, the whole car is ruined. A modern stereo, airbag switchbox, billet gas pedal, even a window sticker... something so small and easy to hide or change can make or break a car for me. I'll be cruising a car show and see a beautiful car, I walk around it, checking out all the cool stuff, I peek inside and see a lecarra steering wheel and I shake my head and walk away thinking "Man you were so close!" If you can't do it right, don't do it at all.

 

Don't get me wrong, the Rivi has radials on it now. They were cheap and used, all I had $$ for at the time. I would not feel a bit unsafe with quality bias plys, I know a LOT of guys who drive their cars, not trailer them, with bias plys. Shit, I had bias on the back and radials on the front of my daily driver for years, which has always been said to be a big no-no. Used to drive 120+ miles a day, I'm not dead.

 

Good thread and good question.
I don't think there ever will be a clear cut line drawn.
Personally I think air bags are not traditional, (I am also NOT an air bag hater) as well as complete new custom built frames, and very late model engines.
I also prefer (and run) bias tires...I also have a bit of trouble with fiberglass cars.... My intention here is NOT to step on anyone's toes...Just answering a good question....
However, some comforts, such as radial tires, cruise control, A/C, Power steering, etc. are not a problem with me, due to the individual comforts and or handicaps/wife accepting and going along/etc. stuff.
Difficult situation, as I myself run a 1965 283 SBC, and try to be somewhat period correct for my '63 Biscayne, but do have newer 305 heads on it.
Interested to see more ideas, especially from the older crew (as in over 60 years old)
Cheers............

 

You nailed it.

 

Keep in mind we're talking customs, and airbags have been around since at least '57 with the Ala Kart.

 

I think the line is going to be different for different people, but to me it's all about the aesthetics. As long as the car looks like it could be from the correct period, everything is kosher.

I don't care if it's a sound system, disk brakes, air bags, air conditioning, etc.

Just make the above things stealthy and not super noticeable and I'm down with it.

 

I don't know where the line is, but one thing I know:


Don't fake old parts to hide new parts unless you're faking STOCK parts.



ie. faking strombergs when underneath it's fuel injection is stupid, but it'd be cool to do the same idea with a gutted stock-looking 4-barrel that's throttle body fuel injection inside.

Some of the crap like covering discs in "drums" and such is just dumb.

I think high-quality repros of original speed parts are kosher, especially on a driver or for a part that is exceptionally rare.


Then again, in general I don't get the point of limiting yourself to a certain era or type in a build unless you're very specifically trying to recreate a certain year's style.

There are the obvious ones though, like those ugly (on pretty much anything) red and blue AN fittings being used on a trad rod. Or cobra replicas, for that matter. I hate looking at an otherwise original-looking cobra replica and seeing those stupid red and blue fittings peaking through the grille.


Another thing making it more complex is that the 2000 and later builds that were influenced by the HAMB, as well as *ducks* rat rods builds will soon become a style of their own. The loosely retro low-tech build, in the various forms that takes. As a youngin' I can say that my generation will, in the future, build nostalgia cars that harken back to the cars currently being built that harken back to a whole other era. The 'edicate' of those builds will get bizarre quickly.

 

I don't follow this line of thinking. Why is it uncool to fake speed parts and cool to fake stock parts?

 

I should be clear: I mean using a dummied-up retro speed part to cover up a new-tech part.

One (using a dummied stock part) is just building a sleeper, albeit one that may be OT on this forum. The other is just pretending to be building a tradition rod when you aren't.

Just my opinon.

 

First off I would like to thank everyone for their contributions. I think this is a pretty cool thread, and neat to hear what every individual thinks. I have my own way of thinking just as everybody else. Just neat to hear you guys voice your opinions. Some interesting points have been brought up so far.

I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head. I pretty much think the same way as you do when it comes to customs. Your last paragraph is so true, and to me those are the things that will ruin a custom. I think we see eye to eye when it comes to traditional custom cars

 

It's the same. Just with one, you'll have a new-bones car that looks like a hot rod, or you'll have a new-bones car that looks like a stock, old car.

It's funny you mention "pretending." You do know it's 2011, not 1958- right?

 

I agree, that shit is pretty lame, like the Demon three deuce setups, or the fake Hilborn EFI stuff. Why not just build a 5.0 Mustang? Or keep the hood shut on a custom.

 

Has NOTHING to do with being "terrified" and everything to do with ride quality. Anyone who says that bias plys ride as well or better then radials is just kidding themselves. Also, you can by used, inexpensive radials probably easier than bias plys. If you're a fan of radials you should be running them now.

Safety above anything else, then functionability, then form.

 

actually, im really surprised safety first has came up a couple times on a traditional custom thread??? i think if you are that concerned about safety, you should definitely buy a prius. THESE ARE OLD CARS! i have no problems with a "custom rod" with late stuff, just dont try and pass it off as traditional. if you want to build a traditional car, it should stick to whatever year you are going for. radials on a traditional car will kill it every time. i have a big problem with these late model chassis' that seem to be seeping into the traditional scene. if you are laying frame with an s-10 chassis, that is not a traditional car. period. under the hood, in my opinion should be just as traditional. later model motors under the hood of customs seems to be more acceptable because you cant see them, but you all know its wrong. ha ha ha. the thing is, you could run a nice sbc with a single 4, some finned goodies, and be totally traditional, and not sacrifice reliability.