If you think I'm stuck up - then don't ask my opinion

I can clearly see the problem some of you have.................you are friends with/talk to people who arent into the same thing you are. I dont talk to/***ociate with/care about anyone who doesnt share my opinions. Stop wasting your time with people who "dont get it"..............they never will and all you will do is end up frustrated.

 

I, we, understand..some people are just awed by shiny things..we dig a little deeper..don't consider it a waste of time to explain how you feel to them, besides everything else that we are we are also historians...my experience, my indecision, I went out to the guys house to take pictures of the 57 Eldorado with the fins cut off, and sitting in the garage for sale for 20 thousand!? is a beautiful 34 Ford 5-window fenderless coupe, all steel..the guy says he has spent over 40K onnit..one of those 700 dollar repro billet grilles..schmancy wheels..the biggest problem to me is the frame with all the billet and IFS air-bagged? frontend set-up..it sits there with that $$ grille sitting on the ground..I envision buying the car (packaged with the Eldo) taking everything I want off the 34 and selling the rest to get most of my money back, but selling the entire frame and starting off with another one seems a little too much to me..street rodders are going to want that frame and billet 350 V/8??.....

 

Much like the general at***ude here, you have your way and others have theirs. Sometimes it does wear a guy out that those around him "don't get it", but that's a personal quirk. By the sound of it you're as worked up about what they think of your opinion as you are of the opinion itself. Ok, perhaps not that intense but it's in there. You need to keep on making your goals as you wish and let the rest march on by whether they get it or not.

My opinion is that there can be "traditional perfection" built by the owner of the thing. I don't want this to get into the resto vs traditional rod talk but there is certainly room in a lot of builds I see for huge improvement or better craftsmanship. I do however keep those thoughts to myself unless I'm asked. Much as you were on this billet Merc. At that point the shows over for me as I normally like to remain friends and keep a lid on it. But every situation is different. In the end, don't sweat it. Do your thing and let's see it when you're ready.

 

All right - I've read the comments and stepped back from the whole thing, and decided I have to take one of the first lessons I ever had beat into me to heart: "Unless you've got something nice to say, don't say nothin' at all."

I didn't mean to get a lot of peoples ******* in a bunch - just sharing something insignifigant. I didn't mean to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

On a side note. The gentleman who helped his friend with muscular distrophy build a ride ... you sir are an angel who walks the earth. More power to you and people of your ilk. You are an inspiration.

 

Yeah, it's tough to get excited about something that's not your cup of tea. Hard to fake an ****** over some billet mobile, when you're a 'pie crust and tuck n' roll' guy.

I just got an Ibanez guitar for my birthday. That's an awesome gift (by my modest standards). No, it's not a Martin - or a PRS. But, since my family knows I play, I thought it was a very kind thing to do.

Unfortunately, they bought a right handed guitar. Ain't life funny?

BTW, what's wrong with having someone do some or even all of your car? I don't want to build my own house, raise my own crops, or cut down trees to make guitars out of. There are guys who will get the job done quicker than me, and cheaper - after you figure in all the **** I'll throw away figuring out how to do what I want.

The only reason I DIY most of the car stuff is that I can't afford to pay the big bucks for skilled craftsmen to do exactly what I want. If someone else can... congratulations to him! I don't have the slightest twinge of pride showing off the headers done for Lulubelle - and I didn't do 'em. The fact still remains that the guy who did do them did a beautiful job. True craftsmanship.

I guess that's it: craftsmanship. I'd be interested in hearing how you (or the body shop) grafted Yugo mirrors and Chevette fender openings onto your Hyundai, if there was true metalworking involved. I'll need a cup of coffee to stay awake through your story how you dialed the phone to have someone send the complete crate motor. I'm sure you dialed those zeros with a flourish. But the crate engine isn't one-of-a-kind, regardless of how strong it runs.

One more thing, then off the soapbox... I think this should be 37's new sign out line:

Well said!

-bill

 

http://www.audiosparx.com/sa/play/port_lofi.cfm/sound_iid.167785

Thanks,
Kurt

 

I think the saddest thing, which I didn't see mentioned in two pages, was that those close to you didn't know enough about your style preferences to know you wouldn't be impressed and for those who think you shouldn't speak your "true" opinion around those closest to you, I feel sorry for the lot. If you can't tell those closest to you what you "honestly" think without sugar coating it for them too, I do feel sorry for you.

 

The author of this thread just jumped to conlusions, he doesn't even know the owner or what he does.

If you came over to my house and opened my garage you'd find a fully restored '66 Chevelle SS big block 4-speed. And not a tool in sight. Then you would make your ***umptions that I had it professionally built or bought it already done. But you'd soon realize that you inserted your foot in your mouth because you don't know the first thing about me or what I do.

If you bothered to just appreciate the work that goes into creating something like that rather than p*** judgement because someone that doesn't see the world thru your eyes and learn to appreciate what this person has created. Then you'd notice that maybe I built the car myself, at my own shop, in my spare time in the evenings after my regular day job and all day Saturdays (Sundays are sacred for the wife and kids). All my tools are there, not at home. Maybe this guy is just storing his car there and has a whole other workshop...just maybe, but why bother finding out when it's so much easier to just judge someone and walk away.

Ok, off my soapbox...

 

at least it wasn't a tuner

 

OK....apparently you missed the line in his original post that refers to the builder's chrome badge riveted under the hood...the badge of a professional shop.

He goes on to describe, in a later post, the cir***stances surrounding the owner...who most definitely was NOT the builder.

Now who's jumping to conclusions? A little harsh on the original poster, don't ya think?

I personally think there's a place in the hobby/lifestyle for everyone...but I can see both sides of it. Doesn't make a whole lot of difference to me, I'm building my own, both by preference & a limited wallet size.

 

Don't be sorry. Everyone has a different level of diplomacy when looking at a car that doesn't impress them. Mine might be higher or lower than yours, but that doesn't make either of us wrong.

Here's my deal. There are a few cars that I absolutely dislike, no matter what!. Unless it's a genuine Black Widow, I have no love at all for '57 Chevys unless they're bangin' fenders on a dirt track somewhere. I have a helluva time biting my tongue if I meet someone who has put their heart and soul into a '57 ragtop or whatever and is hoping for a compliment from me. My reaction is about the same as yours' with the Merc...."it's cool, but not quite my style." I've probably hurt a few feelings, but not intentionally. All in all, I'd say that you handled the Merc situation well given your feelings abut the car.

Dr. Jan...Phd..

 

If person #1 says"You don't get it."
And If person #2 says"You don't get it."
How the hell are we supposed to know who actually gets it?

"You don't get it." is really condescending, insinuating that the other person lacks the intelligence to "Get it"
Maybe they just don't care what you think.

Be like Muttley, only hang out with people who agree with you, then you will never be disappointed, or learn anything.

 

To the origional poster...it happens. No harm - no foul. OTH IF you want them to "get it" in the future then sit down and explain it to them. Don't falut them for at least trying - remember they are NOT into it at your level therefore they couldn't really be expected to understand the nuiances that divide cool from mundane.

To those who drive someone else's creation - hey more power to you - enjoy the heck out of it, but know one thing that money cannot buy - the shear feeling of complete commitment. The struggle, the busted knuckles, the late nights, the defeats and the ultimate victory. Sorry theres' no easy way to say it, but you are, in fact, missing at least part of the thrill. PERIOD. If that reality offends you then tough - if that sounds "holier than thou" then again tough - deal with it. I won't go to websites that talk about house building , networking, or carpet weaving and brag about how cool my "cola cola" rug is.

To Lux Blue (others too, but your name comes to mind first because you wrote a very good response on your perspective being a builder). I say more power to you - there is certainly nothing wrong with building cars for others and a well executed car is a thing to marvel at - I think we'd all agree. The question to LuxBlue is, "When you go to a car show and see 2 equally nice cars - one by a homebuilt guy and the other by a Pro builder (someone you don't know) the Pro car is well executed, has all the latest CNC, Laser Cut, chome to the hilt goodies, and then you see the homebult car a little plainer, but well engineered. Maybe upon closer inspection you even find a couple minor flaws. Which car gets your blood flowing more. The one that takes you back to your roots (I'm ***uming I know) or the one that looks like so many others. Sure this is a loaded question and I am angling for a point, but I'm just curious.

Guys this isn't a right or wrong thing - I really believe that. I LIKE home built cars - Are they superior to Pro built cars ?- rarely, but still I like to see someone who like me has struggled a little to get the job done. Someone who learned a little along the way, someone who maybe met a few people they wouldn't have otherwise.

If all this is condescending then well - tough!! It wasn't meant to be.

 

Yeah, one of my friends emailed me that "789" Vette thingy, thinking I'd like it. So I went over to his house and killed him.

I nominate Lobucrod for HAMB Sainthood.

 

Maybe the root of the conflict is a whole nother level. By rejecting the mechanical aspect of the old-car experience, the goldchainer is rejecting us, and things we value in this world.

This is why the nicer, pro-built car is less appealing than the homebuilt.

Just wouldn't feel right liking the car, because at some level, it's felt the owner doesn't respect us. It makes the pro-built car almost insulting.

I've built everything to this point in my life. However recently fell into a situation that introduced me to the first builder I've ever trusted, and at the same time finances fell into place to allow the car to happen. It was karma. The end result will be my very first pro-built car, a 60% complete roller.

Even doing the remaining 40% myself, (plus picking & sourcing every single item), it has been a struggle to re-think who I am as a home builder, and where I stand in relation to the gold-chainer. It has also been very humbling to watch someone operate at a higher level, because I have the skills to scratchbuild this car, just not to this standard.

I am waiting for that awkward moment to come. Standing next to my pride and joy. The one I painted, wired, s***ched, enginebuilt, etc. And I'm telling some stranger about the shop that fabbed the frame, and what an awesome job they did hand-making the doors........And then this stranger is going to give me that look. The look that says "You're a goldchainer". And I'll totally know where the guy is coming from, cause I'd do the same in his shoes. Awkward indeed.

 

HAHA............yeah, because I are stewped.

 

Testify brother. No one would say I have mad skills or confuse me with a good mechanic or welder etc. But I know what you mean and my truck (my first real project) recieves a bunch of my cussing, bleeding, and lovin...and is teaching me a lot.

But still, to each his own. In the past I have loved muscle cars, and british sports cars and the cheeper Itilian cars....well FIAT. Anywho....

 

...exponentially quan***ative fathoms of poo...

...yessir, yessir, 4 pages full...

 

You should have stole the keys and took her for a spin

 

Larrys pooing again!!!!

 

Well, I've sat here and read this whole thing, thought about exactly how or what to respond. I've considered several avenues, but I realized that this thread has what I find often in other "hot" threads. There is a gem, and that gem has been noticed by a couple of others. That gem is a guy I would like to be able to call friend - a guy from Slaton, Texas, a guy we know as Lowbucrod. Instead of spouting internet ****, he gives of himself like very few of us ever have or ever would. Lobucrod, you made my day.

J.