How to Build a Hot Rod With Your Mind TECH!

Sam,

Great post - motivational. My biggest challenge is time & I need to refocus. My '33 truck was my daily, so I tried never to do something I couldn't finish (or undo) in a weekend. That limits ya! The '34 isn't my primary vehicle, yet I still find myself afraid to dig too deep because I know time is also my enemy (even though it's not my daily - yet).

I use my current situation to hide behind & not get anything done. I also need to prioritize better. I find myself bouncing from small project to small project. Because I've got so much on the burner at any one time, the slightest obstacle usually means I quit & move on, so there the original bit stands - unfinished.

I'm going to try to get a little more focused.

Thanks!

 

"Stay on top of trends so you aren't building something people are gonna LAUGH AT."

Yeah, no ****!!!

Otherwise...you'll end up building a unique car that people admire for it's 'character'...one that runs and drives great, and can be driven anywhere...

...but you won't be able to GIVE it away when it comes time to start your NEXT project!

(It'll be a car that could not be duplicated for less than $4000, but you won't get $500 for it!)

Stick to flat black paint, small block Chevys, and the like. Extra points if the car doesn't run or drive, or only does so for short distances on a wing and a prayer...that's COOL, and cool SELLS!

 

Great post, I have been in panic mode trying to get everything drivable for the HAMB drags next month, Its good to hear some positive motivation. Ive had some pretty "easy" 60's cars that just took minor tune ups to drive, but this 54 with the entire wire harness, V8 swap, disc brakes, and a million small details that take forever, is really kicking my *** on time, I feel like im on one of those reality shows staring at the clock every weekend.

 

Or you could build something that nobody ever remembers nor has ever seen!

When I said that... I was thinking of a buddy of mine who has a Pro Street '51 Chevy pickup... great guy, but he has had a lot of "life" come his way in the last 10 years... the truck still does not run, and when it does run, it'll be period perfect 1991.

I think you hit a cord with the flat black thing... there have been people poo-poo it on the HAMB, along with red wheels... but that is because we are so SATURATED with what is being done in the traditional hot rod genre... in your town, flat black with red wheels might stand out... for now! In 5 years, it'll be so p***e... the general hot rodding world will joke about it like they do pro-street stuff. There are so many colors out there to paint old cars... and people are going to begin to "discover" them more as time goes by...

The SBC... the backlash to the SBC is getting old to the point where we are seeing a backlash to the backlash to the SBC! I know I've said it before, but monkey-see monkey-do... and right now it is popular to "be different" and run something "different"... yawn...

I say the overall statement a vehicle makes says more about a builder than does his motor choice.

Sam.

 

LOL, that was funny.

 

i went cruising around the town earlier in the rivi,,and ran in to a car guy buddy,,he was telling me about his latest project.,..a 65 biscayne 4 door he is going to primmer flat black , red wheels and maybe some flames so it will be a "RAT ROD",,,hahahaha,,it was so funny,but at the same time he was so serious,,so it was hard to laugh... ,,i would try and tell him otherwise,,but you have to understand,,in my area,,everybody "KNOWS IT ALL",,....they always laugh at me at the stuff i do,..,,but funny how 5 or 6 years later,they always start doing the same **** .....**** em,.hahaha

 

great post!

 

Naw!
I caught that too! I just didn't want to get into Sam's personal bushness I mean business Great post Sam, was glad to you and bomb factory T-ster @ AI#2 yesterday

 

again, you are right sam... the SBC is a great motor, economical, great power output and compact. an arguement revolving around a SBC/BBC being anything other than mundane is pointless and ignorant... might as well start ripping up all pre-war fords.

i bloodied my virgin knuckles on chevys... however, for me id rather be diverse when it comes to drivetrains and their specific flaws and their subsequent improvements. bottom line is, build the car well... make sure the design is perfect because drivetrains can be swapped anytime.

id like to think of my coupe as a testbed for various combos because performance is why i got into this stuff in the first place. iam not concerned with sticking out in the crowd, rather... let my knowledge do the talking and the ******** gets 'ta walking.

 

I totally agree with the bloke who said he makes it a point of honour to get out in the garage everyday - even if it's only for half an hour. All those half hours stack up and it means that things get ticked off the list.

Over here in the UK hot rodding is much more difficult to do and most people who are involved are very committed and have their own story to tell about their struggle to get the rod on the road. Things are also much more expensive - usually the same price in Pounds as you pay in dollars (so nearly twice the price). Then there's the general lack of availability of parts.


On the plus side, there's nowhere in the world with such a wealth of automotive history and skills (most Formula 1 cars AND most Indy cars are designed and built here).

 

This is certainly one of the better threads I've read in a while, and I'd like to add my worthless opinions in here too.

I have way more projects than I can handle and I'm learning the hard way that the best way to get something done is to prioritise (sp?) One car at a time, one thing to do to the car at a time. I have a lot of cars with shiney paint that are driveable but as a friend pointed out to me the other day "none of your cars are really finished" and that's really sinking in. As much as I desperately want to start in on my Train Wreck roadster, I've decided to do the finishing detail stuff to my '40 Chrysler, GTO rag and '64 Olds before I tear into another big project. Gotta finish the ones I started before I start another one.

The point made of setting realistic goals really hits home as well. I had a project I needed to finish up for the Iola car corral this weekend and I gave myself 2 days to do about 3 weeks worth of work. Me and a friend spent late nights thrashing to finish, I missed my Friday deadline and didn't get to go to Krooser's party, worked all night and got the car there a day late. It was done, but it could have been a lot nicer and would have brought a lot more money if it had been finished ahead of time.

I also learned that I need to look at shop cleaning/organizing as an important step in the building process. There's no way I could have finished my last thrash project with the incredible mess that was in my shop. Before I even pull the next car in there, I'm going to go through the shop again and re-organize, get rid of **** I don't need and move the stuff I want to save. A big open space with room to work, tools in the box put away where they're supposed to be, not having to trip over parts "in storage" gets more stuff done than a week of thrashing in a mess.

I think I'm going to stop typing now and find a broom.

 

Great thoughts, Sam. Totally agree !
Chopolds added the "rest"...

 

Samyouis,

Where do you keep all of those cars? I've always been impressed at how you have all of those tools packed into that tiny garage, but wondered where you put all of the vehicles.

 

Great read Sam. As I read this I had to do some self ****ysis. I built my first jalopy when I was about 15-16, without any direct adult help except for getting the plug wires on right. I had already begun learning to weld years earlier, maybe around 9 or 10. I saved all money from my summer job and bought my first gas ax. But I did have to go back and think how it was all possible. I suppose being raised on a ranch with a junkyard helped. I tore aparty everything I could get my hands on since before I can remember. I mean radios, alarm clocks, lawn mowers, cars, farm equipment-whatever. Our junk pile had a complete 49 Packard convertable, a 34 Chevy 2 door, a 29 model A 2 door and a 27 Dodge coupe. There wasn't much that I didn't unbolt off those old cars. When I was 15 or so I was down there scoping out the model A and trying to figure out how to get it out of the draw when I got bit by a rabid cat, had to take all the shots.
OK so fast foreward. My girlfriend has a 16 year old with ADD and a love for cars. Last week there was a 65 horse outboard with a shelled out lower unit, in the trash where I volunteer. We pleaded with mom to let him have it to tear apart. She revolted and claimed it would be one more thing she would have to trip over and eventually dispose of. Exactly right, I had to feel blessed that my parents gave me the slack to do just that.
The one element that is necessary is also the facility. It is pretty hard to build a rod if you live in a highrise apartment and have no tools. . I hammerwelded all my body together on sawhorses on my lawn. I am welding framerails together on a sheet of plywood over the saw horses. When I get done, I plan to chronicle the build to inspire others with limited resources and show what you can do with some perserverance, a lot of sweat and very little cash.
And I do agree that the more dedicated you are, the more you pour yourself into it, the more successful you will be. But don't make it your god, your real God doesn't appreciate that.

 

A/FXComet,

I built a lean-to on the side of my house that is 10'6" wide and 30' deep.
I USED to keep the Bomb Factory Digger, on its trailer towards the back of the lean-to... I'd put the tongue down to the ground, and then back my '57 F-100 over the top of it. THEN, my Model A would be in the garage... along with the '65 Chevy pickup you see there.

All was fine and dandy, and behind the fence/door... until I bought the '55 150...

NOW the '57 F-100 sits out on the street... the '55 150 sits towards the back of the lean-to and the BFD on its trailer sits in front of that... The Model A is on jack stands in the garage waiting for its rear suspension, and the '65 is parked there right next to it.

I don't like having anything but our daily drivers in the drive ways... so as soon as the '65 goes bye-bye, the F-100 goes into the garage next to the Model A... so I can pull it out when I want to work on the A-bone.

When the Model A is up and running again, the '57 F100 will go back onto the side yard with the BFD, on its trailer, and the Model A and the '55 will be in the garage.

I take that back, the '55 and the BFD, on its trailer, will remain on the side of the house, under the lean-to... and the F-100 will be in the garage getting its front suspension upgrade, and I'll pull the Model A in and out when I want to work on the F-100.

But THEN... then when I get the A done and the F-100 done... I'll put the F-100 and the BFD, on its trailer, on the side yard... and put the '55 in the garage so I can work on it... pulling the Model A out... to give me the extra room.

Make sense?

Sam.

 

Sam... thats confusing

but i get the picture.... car shuffling ****s!!

 

Now it's really amazing you get as much done as you do. You must spend half the day shuffling cars around.

 

It's not too bad... I really don't have to shuffle any cars around until I finish work on one and start work on another!
Sam.

 

"It looks like Sam's Hot Car Lot out there!!!" - Nice Guy Eddie

 

Oh yes!! Probably made one or two (be honest at least 20) because I didn't think it through well enough!!
Very well put Sam... Wish I could meet you some day. I like people that don't just say something, maybe just to hear themselves speak! You'r very well spoken Sam, must have thought alot about this! Hats off to you!

Klaus

 

BTTT because IMO, this is one of the best HAMB threads ever.

 

Sam, your editorial is aplicable to so many things in life.

great job.

 

Preach it Brother Sam. Amen.
Its good to have this one back again, just like Sam.

 

I don't think anyone could have said it better, I've been trying to explain why I get off work, go home, run out with the wife and kids, get coffee, talk about the day, get everything settled, put them to bed and then spend the night in the garage, going to sleep around 2-3 am the next morning...some do and some don't get it...

As you said, it's about p***ion, drive, ambition, efficacy, humility and patience... I believe that's what turned me onto this place... it's hard to find like-minded folk in any day and age, but especially in my little California fashion bubble.

AMEN!!!!!!

 

Excellent Post! The biggest part of any build for me is planning. Also, I know my limits and I get help with those things. But, you got to just get in there and do it.

 

Sam- One of the better posts I've seen lately. Lots of what you describe is the "get yer *** out there and do it" mentality. Something I know I have to do more of. There is a thread I discovered in the archives that parallels that sentiment-one of not following the crowd and doing something original:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13026&highlight=creativity

Now I think I have to log off and go weld something. Thanks for the post, Sam.

 

Dang sure hit the nail on the head on everything. I was one of the kids that bought the sheet metal and parts but never could make it materialize for various reasons. I really didn't know anyone that was as deep into hot rods as I was. People would tell me I'd grow out of it. That I should sell it. Glad I didn't listen. All I had been exposed to were the gold chainer magazine rods so I couldn't fathom driving around without lots of chrome and perfect paint. Its now 15 years later and I have learned a lot. I see the light. Come hell or high water, I am building it. I am still hampered by some of the same issues, lack of time/money/some skills, no garage. I have learned if I want anything bad enough, you just have to keep "finding a way". I will always change things later anyway. I plan to build it under the tree where it sits and drive it out and hopefully to the Roundup next year.

 

Love the post Sam!

You forgot Preseverance Sam.

I Got my 35 PU Running, took forever ( I probably only got 3 years of work on it for a normal guy).

But, I did take a year off for Army, and the next year after that since I had to change jobs on return from Deployment.

I didnt give up on any of the Family events, daughter's Dance calss and recitals, daughters Taekwondo, vacation in Hawaii, and Arkansas twice, frisbee golf, Paintball, fishing, camping, three seasons each year of Mens league and Coed Softball.

That'll be 2 cents please.

 

Great post.

I might add that having a mentor is another crucial part. I wouldn't know anything and would probably have gone to the hospital a few times if it weren't for my dad. Seeing how he does stuff teaches me what to do and what not to do.

I'm not a newbie to the scene but I am a younger guy. I see younger and even older guys all the time trying to sound "cool" by trying to talk like they are part of the scene and like they know what they are doing. It's funny how they just talk themselves into a corner and end up doing a pretty good job of exposing themselves for the phonies they are. The sad part about is that people who aren't into the "scene" don't have any clue that they are a phony, thus allowing these fools to continue to misrepresent.

Anyways. good board. great post.

 

excellent post