The "un-traditional" of "Traditional" Hotrods

Why not build hot rods in the tradition of the "old traditional hot rods" using the cool old parts that we can find but blending it with the modern technology that is available. I believe thats what the "old" hot rodders were doing. I'm sure they didn't say "oh, you can't use a flathead v-8 thats not traditional" or "I can't believe your using an overhead valve v-8". My guess is it was all embraced and enjoyed in the spirit of performance and hot rodding.

If "traditional" was taken to the extreme you wouldn't be able to use a modern day nut and bolt. How about modern oil, anti freeze, gasoline, gear oil??? Where does the line get drawn? Everyone has there own personal line that they use.

I say lets just have fun with these cars as the "old traditional rodders" did and if someones car doesn't meet your standard just remember, it doesn't have to. Enjoy their creativity and love of the hobby too. Wouldn't it be dull if everyone's rod looked exactly the same just so it could be 100 % tradtional.

Have fun with it!! Otherwise why do it.

Now I gotta go read some good tech threads and get out in the garage.

Have fun,

Jim

 

Well obviously mr tradition is prolly a kid and wasnt even old enuff to drive or just a little sperm in his old mans system and im supprised he even knows who or what magnum and super bell are. I guess either he can read or someone told him.. yes s/b has been around for quite a while.. Im old enuff to know Id like to know what the big deal is against an aftermarket axle Lets go the safety route. I sure would think newer would be safer than old rebent for a drop. Then again what the hell do i know ive got superbells under 2 cars. Oh im also old enuff to remember my 29 model a sedan that had a Mordrop in it.. Not a bad axle but not near as nice as a new S/B
Dave

I just checked his profile and i guess i missed the part that he is 18 yrs old. Well dam that does it for me 18 and talking tradition.. Enuff im going to read something worth while

 

In response to what Jim said I agree I am one of the younger, Mid 30s guys, They way i look at it if you are building a hot rod now use what you can find or like it is yours and should be your creation whether it is traditional or has modern parts. I wouldn't try to pass off modern stuff as old as there are enough people out there to know the difference.
If you are dealing with an older rod I wouldn't put newer stuff on it I myself have an oddball 28 Buick that was built in the late 40s but was later stripped and used for a stationary engine. I don't plan on using anything newer than 1950 on it if at all possible. I want to keep it as it was originally built. The guy who buillt it is dead now but a neighbor of his who is in his mid 80s said lester used to fly up and down the road in that thing. I ask men in their mid 70s to early 90s for advice and i listen to it since they were there and experienced the times and I wasn't. I am changing it to a pickup but it will remain an old style hot rod .
Just my thoughts on it.
Andy

 

I like green eggs n ham. Is that trasditional?

I'm kinda with Sam on this one. I build with what I got, go through a lot of trouble to keep things close and what I can't come up with doesn't stop me.

Tell you what I'd give a testicle to have a ride like Ryans new old coupe. Almost all traditional, I say almost because it has new glass. Uh ya get my point? ( no offense Ryan you were just available). But instead I'm going to build and drive with what I got.

There are probably a thousand other cars within a mile of here if you don't like mine go look at someone elses.

 

good day,
i am just a new guy on the hamb, but i do think about this topic alot. i am a history teacher, so i read alot, and love cultural history, including car culture history. after everything i have read, and all of the people i have talked to, i have "discovered" that the "tradition" is to built what you have, what you can afford, what you can scrounge. maybe this means you have to buy something because its cheaper, or easier, or because you dont have the skills to make it. there are a thousand cars that i am not into, and a thousand styles that i cant stand, (including the cuffed pants and greaser haircuts with the pt cruiser mentioned earlier, i am bald, i might be jealous), but i respect the time and effort that people put into their passion, i.e., their cars. i wouldn't buy an import tuner, but i have seen some of them built, and its kind of neat to watch the process. i have a 23 modified, i had the body for years and i started a club at school and my students and myself built it up with the parts i had. they wanted to put it in the local show, but i was weary, because the body was fiberglass. when the car showed up, people were impressed with what we had done, and nobody criticized the body for being fiberglass. we built what we had and we were happy about it.
something to think about
regards
jim
if i find out how to put a pic on, i will add one of the car

 

good day,
i am just a new guy on the hamb, but i do think about this topic alot. i am a history teacher, so i read alot, and love cultural history, including car culture history. after everything i have read, and all of the people i have talked to, i have "discovered" that the "tradition" is to built what you have, what you can afford, what you can scrounge. maybe this means you have to buy something because its cheaper, or easier, or because you dont have the skills to make it. there are a thousand cars that i am not into, and a thousand styles that i cant stand, (including the cuffed pants and greaser haircuts with the pt cruiser mentioned earlier, i am bald, i might be jealous), but i respect the time and effort that people put into their passion, i.e., their cars. i wouldn't buy an import tuner, but i have seen some of them built, and its kind of neat to watch the process. i have a 23 modified, i had the body for years and i started a club at school and my students and myself built it up with the parts i had. they wanted to put it in the local show, but i was weary, because the body was fiberglass. when the car showed up, people were impressed with what we had done, and nobody criticized the body for being fiberglass. we built what we had and we were happy about it.
something to think about
regards
jim
if i find out how to put a pic on, i will add one of the car

 

The grilles for 33-34 Passenger cars are chrome-plated steel, not stainless.
Ford radiator shell/grille finishes:
1917-27 Model T, Black paint or nickle-plate
1928-29 Model A, paint or nickle-plate
1930-31 Model A, paint or stainless steel
1932, radiator shell(Pass & Pickup), painted, grille(Pass), stainless ring and crankhole cover, painted bars
1933-34 Pass grille, chrome-plated, Pickup radiator shell, paint
1935 Pass grille, chrome-plated, Pickup radiator shell, paint
1936 Pass grille, chrome-plated, Pickup radiator shell, paint

 

I agree with the opening statements. IT IS HARDER to build a period PURE car, but that's the point, it's a challenge. I see too many people just heading for the catalogue when they don't want to find the right "period correct" part. I've been collecting parts for 15+ years, Hershey, Pomona, Big 3, Turlock, Chickasha, Portland...etc etc.. It's not easy people, but that's what make's a period correct car worth $60K +++ And how many people realize that superbell and Magnum axles are "cast iron" (they call it ductile iron) and not Forged. Henry made em forged and the only company that does now is chassis engineering. I've spoke with many Bonnevile racers, and they would never run a dropped and drilled cast axle on their ride because if you hit a good pothole, it may break, they have before. I think too many out there lack the knowledge or are willing to take the challenge to build a car period correct. I get bored with all the 350/350 9" combos or just any open driveline. Real hot rods have 3 pedals on the floor.
I'll step down now...........
next.........

 

The Super Bell axle with its cast ends welded into a steel tube was based on the Bell race car axle which was based on the 37-40 Ford V8-60 tubular axle. A true Bell axle is an ultimate goodie, but they were not available in the drops like the Super Bell. The Super Bell axles were also designed with the curve in the end so that you did not have to modify the steering arms on Ford spindles. The earlier axles both Bell and dropped stock I-beams required heating and bending the steering arms in order to have full turning of the spindles.

 

just a few thoughts about :TRADITIONAL; IT'S A MOVING TARGET. I've been doing the hot rod thing for more than 50 years and have found that it's a very fluid thing. what was traditional in the 50's has changed. sbc motors were the hitech power in the late 50's,today traditional. home built,custom frames unheard of.today every one is building them. tools and materials that didn't exist are now used daily. my feeling is build ,cool,safe and clean,then drive the hell out of it. Jack

 

RatRodAReffic!!

 

To each his own when it come to bulding car. One thing I have read through most if not all posts is it dosen't matter what other people think about your car as long as you are happy with it. Hell I hate ricers but you know what, I bet the people who drive them don't give a shit that I hate them.

 

ya know what I really hate to admit. those farkin ricer kids are more like old school hotrodders than we are. they take there everyday cheap car and make em fast and beat em hard DOH! now please someone beat me to a bloody pulp for saying it out loud!

 

This gets old. We all know what traditional means to us.

Build what you want with what you've got and drive the daylights out of it.

 

Ok poke your chin out here.

Ya know I really don't care for the fast n furious types or even the wannabes that are forever crashing their cars and makeing it rough on all of us. But I don't have to, its their car not mine and last I checked they have every rigfht in the world to be foolish just like the rest of us.

Trad, it appears to me that they are makeing thier own tradition. Fortunatly I won't be around to knw in another 50 years ( or at least I hope not) But I know for sure that the old guys said the same things about me when I was comming up.

 

These kind of posts are always started by someone without a "search" button, huh?

I build my cars the way I like to. I drive my cars because I like to. If I put one in a show, it's not to gain kudos or trophies, but to hopefully hang out and meet you guys. (and gals).

I can find something to like and hate in every car, including mine.

Old cars are MY hobby, and therefore it really is all about me!

 

Most of em are pretty nice too, if you take the time to meet one.

 

That's a very true statement that I've made myself quite a few times. I have a few friends like that and while that's not my bag, I can appreciate what they are doing and visa versa. Most are pretty good kids.

 

Think what you want, it was just my thoughts, obviously you guys are the one sitting on your asses at Home NOT building Hotrods........ sitting picking apart other peoples shit on the computer..............Im the one in the shop every day not sitting on my computer.

 

Here it is in the simplest terms:

There is a BIG difference between "Traditonal" and "Period Correct"

Traditonal Looks like the way it was
Period correct is the way it was

`nuff said...

 

Maybe I'm all wrong, but the thing is, most of the newer things on hot rods are "improvements. You take "Axle" Stewarts 32. The same car his dad drove in the thirties or forties...but......... it has a stainless steel overflow tube. Try to tell him it's not a traditional car. It is just an improvemnt on an old period perfect hot rod. Is a chevy p[owered duece or Model A not period perfect? They didn't come until 55.
I think the hobby is aobut building what you can afford and what you like. Build it for yourself and if it doesn't meet someones approval, then so be it. As long as it suits you.
Just my two cents worth!

 

HAhaahhahahah you said "Death wobble". hell ya.

 

I agree 100%. Some people bitch because I had radials on my Desoto, while they were shifting a T-5 in their "traditional". It's what you want to drive. There are very few cars that can meet a period perfect standard, other than that it's just picking and choosing what you like. I won't run new gauges, I just like the look of a vintage dash. To others it doesn't matter, but they'll insist on 40 Ford brakes...There's a big difference in saying " I like this or don't like this" as oppossed to saying "That aint traditional, so they should change it..."

 

Maybe you need to shut up or put up. Been to the HAMB drags? A BUNCH of us guys with cars we built from scratch will whoop you six ways from Sunday. Not sure my sixties AFB's on the 6/71 are traditional enough for you on my 354 hemi but I bet I still could have taken you with the four Strombergs I've been running up to this time. Is it traditional? Heck ya! Period correct? WHO CARES!!!!

 

What bugs me is long winded pseudo-philosophy on the "right way" and "wrong way" to _______ (fill in the fuckin' blank).

Does it look good to you? Does it sound good? Does it make you smile when you drive it? Good enough for me.

 

Oh yeah, I'm running a 31 Pontiac 5 window, not a Ford, so I'm sure I don't fit the traditional formula.

 

Glancing through this thread reminds me of why I dont go to car shows. Or should I say car critiques.

 

i've completely lost interest in this.

 

Who cares....

I am happy with how the "untraditional" build on the 49' Fleetline is going. It will drive better, stop better, ride better, and get better gas milage while being more reliable.

If someone comes along and bitches about how "incorrect" it is, I will just laugh as I hop into it and enjoy it.