Off Topic Hot Rodding

Bring on the 70s Van culture...............do it, DO IT.

Pssst, @Ryan .....we ARE the old farts now!!!

 

I think this is a great day.

Like it or not, street rodding and modern stuff has made it's way into traditional hot rodding. Cars we laud on the main pages here are often not strictly traditional. Fine examples of which could be Cody Walls' insane Buick custom, a Hilton-built Angry A, Coby Gowertz' 34 Ford, or even my own 61 Olds. In my humble opinion, the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that was effective here when it comes to some of the not strictly traditional modifications we all know these cars have has a chilling effect on the sharing of knowledge. I don't think it's a coincidence that build threads, like REAL build threads, have been few and far between here in the past several years.

To me, the spirit of the HAMB was, and is, less about the strictly traditional nature of the cars and more about the spirit of the build. That it wasn't about gold-chainers and billet street rods rolled out of professional shops, but guys putting together killer cars in their backyards and home garages.

Now there is a place here to share that work and information, and that makes the community richer IMHO. And if you don't like it, don't click on it.

Kudos

 

I have been to quite a few counties in my years.

I have seen all manner of HAMB-era cars and trucks that have been hot rodded and customized in a fashion inspired by US hot rods and customs.

The culture is globally pervasive.

In most cases, those were local-origin, or regional vehicles, that had no US counterpart.

Nonetheless, they were rods and customs.

The US has a persistent NIH (Not Invented Here) problem. Except in this case, it was invented here.

We did export the culture. Others picked up on our traditions, and used what they had access to.

 

Run what ‘cha brung!!!! Let it all in, using the new sub forum. If it’s not your bag, that’s cool, don’t read that thread or go to the new sub forum at all. No need to get hurt feelings about it, life is too short for that nonsense.

I like this a lot. I certainly enjoy the on topic rules/content here. Spending time here I learned that there’s a great group of people here with an amazing depth of knowledge and a willingness to take the time to share it. I love that can continue in an expanded way. Thank you.

 

Moriarity's Chevelle has always piqued my interest, particularly for a glimpse beyond the black and white photo of the console and 8-track. However, until now, such a reveal seemed unlikely in an open forum on this site. I enjoyed posting pics of my dune blaster on the Manx thread, I am sure to have some input for the new forum as well. I hope it succeeds.

 

Ryan I think you’re on the right path, as I’ve stated before I found HAMB looking for some body and paint ideas for an OT car, the more I looked the more I liked, then I joined , whoever welcomed me (damned if I can find or remember who) explained the pre 65 etc to me when I asked. Early on I didn’t fully get it or understand now I do. Pre HAMB I thought a 69 SS Chevelle was a hot rod. Then it dawned on me that the Muscle Car era took the build what you have away ie: you could buy a hot rod right from the showroom floor. I think this forum will work, sure to be some growing pain tho.
Dan

 

I see your wisdom. You usually have more than the average nut breaking gorilla.
Draw in the unsuspected and drop the traditional net.
Pre-2003 that’s exactly what happened here during the egg shell bath tub era.
That war was won. and I truly believe it was this forum and the group that participated here that changed the direction. You sure don’t see many of those types being built as of late.
I’m with you. Seeing the same cars driven by the same old farts is boring. That just may be why I dont participate in that.

 

A lot of guys my age (65) and younger have always been drawn toward vehicles built before they were born. But let’s face it, 32 Fords and Model A’s aren’t exactly falling off the trees, at least not around here they’re not. And the ones that do show up are usually beyond a young guys finances and / or technical skills to put together. So, 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s cars turn up more regularly, a lot still in decent condition, and the younguns snatch them up. Having four doors doesn’t phase them like us older folks, they like the older, simpler stying and ease of working on them. I have a young friend that’s into bump side Ford pickups, he’s probably bought and sold 20 or more of them, and has a nice two owner one right now. Long bed, short bed, six or eight, he loves them all. His current truck has a 302 automatic, short bed and not a speck of rust. He’s also owned a 47 Ford coupe and a 50 Chevy coupe. He’s our future, not being limited to one thing.

 

Ironic, if the "Off Topic Forum" becomes more popular than the original.

 

This might cause a HAMB server meltdown, guess I should dust off my Nova photos and test the waters......good idea or bad idea?
Oh yeah, no Camaros, well Z/28's would be ok.
I can't believe I'm actually typing this!

 

A really appreciate the focus of the 2 main forums.
As someone late to the game, (stuff the custom and hot rod forums cater) Ive learned a lot.

This hobby is a niche.
That’s part of the cool

Let’s be honest, most of the forums that cater to non HAMB trad stuff kinda sucks.

My worthless opinion is cutoff dates severely hindered the growth of the hobby. (Car show speaking). I see lots of grey beards at those events, few younger people.
At open events, the younger people outnumber the grey haired crowd.
I remember a 20 something old me going to the NSRA Nats and asking a guy where all the mercs were. The guy looked at me strange and asked 49-51 mercs?” I said yes, the guy said “this is an NSRA show, those don’t belong here”
I never went to another NSRA event nor joined as I was planning to.

adding another forum for “newer” stuff makes sense if preserving the hobby is a goal.

the curmudgeons (not a dig, like whatever you like) can avoid it, other can enjoy.

the possibility of a younger crowd being influenced by the wealth of knowledge here is an inspiring endeavor worth trying.

note: @Moriarity posted an s10 pic and liked a Toyota pic on this date. 05/06/2024

 

Ryan, I can only agree. But if you don't get them in the door, they won't hear the sermon. Maybe rather than a wide-open, no rules forum, something more targeted would be better. Maybe a '66-'94 (the '30 year' rule) forum would work, not so much to swallow in one gulp. American iron only, or allow imports? That's a tough one...

And maybe the choice shouldn't be so much to 'preserve' traditional hot rods and customs but to make sure its influence doesn't wane. Let's face it, this hobby has evolved and we're insisting that only dinosaurs exist.

I'm active in a couple of clubs and see a lot of young people at our shows. They love these old cars, but the entry level for many of them is out of reach. Whether it's that they live in an apartment and can't piece something together in the parking lot, can't afford the ever-higher prices for pre-'66 cars and parts, don't have the tool collections most of us here have, or are raising a family and simple don't have the budget, it's a steep hill to climb for many of them. While it's still true that if you want something bad enough, it's possible to get it, that has to be tempered by the pressures of everyday life.

 

curmudgeons… good word, very descriptive.
I resemble that remark, sometimes.

 

Love your post (it made me laugh out loud!) and the idea, though I'd like to see it as an extension of the HAMB for members that have OT cars in addition to their traditional rods and want place to talk about them. I grew up in the 70s and there were lots more '60s and 70s cars around where I lived than earlier rods so that's what I cut my teeth on, my '66 Tbird shares the garage with my '30 Model A. I agree with those that feel there ought to be some kind of cut off, that's what has kept the HAMB in line and on topic all these years, so maybe pre-smog era or the advent of computers, cool cars that your average Joe could still build on or make "Day 2" mods in his garage with a high school auto shop education and hand tools.

 

Thank you, Ryan! I'm now 70 have been hanging around here since 2009 (15 years) and I was one of the ones who was sorely disappointed when the HAMB went "strictly traditional". In spite of that, I hung around because I love "traditionally styled" rods and customs. One of the things that attracted me to the HAMB originally were the super build threads by talented builders and the awesome tech weeks we used to have. Those went away, for the most part and after a while, everything seems to just get recycled. There is little new here, IMO. (I mean no disrespect to anyone building a "strictly traditional" rod or custom but smart and talented guys like El Polacko and others just left.)

All of my cars are "traditionally styled" but none are strictly traditional. Therefore, when I've tried to do a build thread, I've had to tip toe around the build with my pictures. Now, I look forward to sharing what I actually build. As far as years go, I will leave that up to you. I really have no interest in many cars past '65 but I do like a little leeway in the wheels, tires, suspension, drivetrain, fuel delivery department. Thanks again. I hope this works out.

 

Fantastic

 

This is all fine; but ease up on the purple prose...

 

Hey, Ryan;

"I wish I was 20 years old right now... I'd piss so many people off.
This decision was really spawned from a conversation with Morairity over the weekend... He liked the buggy thread and I decided to create the forum to see if I could visually confirm smoke coming from his ears.
He's already promised he isn't going to moderate it.
I'm smiling... cuz it's just sort of fun to screw things up every now and then."

. This'll be worthwhile to watch for it's own sake. .

Thanks for the effort on the OT sub-forum. I appreciate it.
I'd asked about the DogFightMag awhile ago(kinda hoping for a resurrection & a place for OT stuff.), & I don't know how much effort I'm asking for here, but might the OT Club get swapped into the (hopefully) renamed DogFightMag? I can see a downside to splitting forums in terms of duplicating content, but I'd be happy w/an easily-found-n-featured OT-section on the HAMB, instead of chasing between 2 or more forums.
Either way, I'll be reading & enjoying both. Thanks again.

I'm thinking that maybe those newbies that show-up long enough to peruse the sites' info, esp the how-to's, will be impressed at the skill-level. & seeing it done on old Tin will get them to wanting...
Marcus...

 

Change is good ! and this is a big one .

 

Kinda like when the “oldies” station started playing Zeppelin and Sabbath

 

This is pretty much where I have landed as well. I was a child of the 70's and 80's, so my interests are not *just* traditional hot rods and customs. This news is fantastic to me, as I know there are a ton of others like me here that have projects that they could not share.

I have not shared my long-term build, as it does not have traditional suspension, and everything else I have been messing with is too new by a decade or so. I look forward to this new subforum, and hopefully having some "traditionally styled" builds come back to the HAMB for those of us who enjoyed that work as well.

Thank you @Ryan for the test drive.

 

"Evolution, is inevitable"
"Adapt or die" Famous line from Billy Bean, in the movie "MONEYBALL"

Below is one of my favorite Alfa-Romeo's. Pretty stylish for 1948.

​

 

I agree. I first heard about the HAMB on a Camaro site dedicated to pure stockers. Everything in it's place. if you don't want to look don't.

 

I think it's great. I'm glad Marks is on board.

 

My curiosity will be whether the sub-forum will focused more on HAMB-targeted cars perhaps with some off-topic modifications, or on completely off-topic cars.

Seeing a flamed S-10 and a Chevelle on the HAMB is definitely something different.

It will be interesting to see where this goes. Think otherwise on-topic cars with electronic fuel injection, air ride, aftermarket chassis, etc. Then also think off-topic cars with on-topic metal work and modifications, like a chopped and channelled mini truck.

Even though I like this idea a lot and have advocated for it to a degree in the past, I don't know if I'm ready for a totally lawless hellscape of any automotive genre here. I can agree with some on here that the HAMB is still the bastion of traditional rodding. It doesn't offend me at all to see some street rod or restomod stuff on here, provided the platform is HAMB compliant.

A 57 Chevy on a Roadster Shop chassis? Fine by me. A 2008 BMW M3? ehhhhhhhh........ maybe not so much.

 

I'll go take a look, but I hope you put rat traps out to keep all the rat rods out cuzz, well, they just look like $hit.

 

I’ve never been to the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, but for those that have…is this what it feels like?