How did Tiki's etc become a "Hot Rodding" symbol?

HaHa! not if ask some people...

 

lets just look forward to the day when we are all, once again...NOT COOL. it shouldn't be too long...

 

There is one time that I like the attention of driving an old car. Going down the interstate. Some dad amd mom p***es you with a couple kids in the car.

Mom gives you the thumbs up. Now that never gets old. LOL

 

Pardon me for jumping in here (yeah, yeah, first post).

I'm Ahu, and I'm one of the principle organizers of the Hot Rod Hula Hop. I know a whole lot about tiki, and enough about cars to know what I like. And that is billet free, pre-65, non-Boyd, hand built by the owner, greasy black primer rods that may still need a part or two.

And all I can tell you is this..

Our group is a multi-state tiki themed fraternal order. We think the Shriners are about the coolest buncha guys ever. Helping kids, throwing great parties, even maybe getting a bit out of hand at times.

When one of our members asked if we would help put on a hot rod show, we said "sure". A handful of our members back then were gear heads, and we figured we'd bring what we knew best (tiki) and they'd bring the cars, and we'd all have a big old 50s style luau cruise in.

And that's all it is.

It has zero to do with fashion or public opinion. We were all into tiki culture long before this show was dreamed up, and we still will be long after it ends (I personally said that there will only be 5 of them, at least with me involved).

Our order has plans to build lodges, raise money for kids with cancer, preserve old school tiki culture as best we can, and generally have fun in the process. Just like the Shriners of the 50s and 60s did their thing.

We are a friendly bunch, and we like to talk, drink, and look at old cars. We also like shrunken heads, rum, tiki gods, traditional polynesian cultures, fire, and a lot of other fun ****.

So while some of you may be concerned that tiki and hot rodding do not belong together, or that the idea is silly, that's just fine with us. Really, we don't mind. We'll still be here with our greasy brothers, listening to engines, ********ting about parts, drinking zombies, wearing loud shirts, and listening to surf music.

If you'd just like to have fun and not worry about what hairstyle or how many tattoos a guy (or gal) has, please stop by this August. I'll be happy to buy ya a blue hawaiian and introduce you to everybody.


Thanks for listening,

Ahu

 

I like this Ahu feller.

 

mmmmm Blue Hawaiian....

wish I was closer...

 

Mahalo, Phil.


Oh, and by the way..

Us tiki freaks are all just as tired of the mainstreaming, misunderstanding, dumbing down, and general trend sponging of our interest as well.

Sure, you guys may see tiki stickers on rods, or neon orange plastic drink cups at Target, but while all that **** is out there, a place like the Kahiki gets torn down for a ****ing Walgreens. What reality TV is doing to hot rodding, corporate trend spotters are doing to tiki.

Cl***ic midcentury polynesian themed hot spots that were irreplaceable icons are going broke and getting lost in the shuffle of the latest tiki god T-shirt at Walmart.

It isn't just you. Trust me.




Ahu

 

Thanks Ahu, me and Von Franco love tikis and Hot Rods.

 

Why don't you leave the karaoke machine at home & come check out the show? You will find that your preconceived notion about the event is way off. You might even have a good time.

 

after reading all this , I think i'll quit drinking beer and start drinking RUM ! Thanks for the lesson !

 

It usually is.

Ahu said:

Sure, you guys may see tiki stickers on rods, or neon orange plastic drink cups at Target, but while all that **** is out there, a place like the Kahiki gets torn down for a ****ing Walgreens. What reality TV is doing to hot rodding, corporate trend spotters are doing to tiki.

Cl***ic midcentury polynesian themed hot spots that were irreplaceable icons are going broke and getting lost in the shuffle of the latest tiki god T-shirt at Walmart.

Which is what most of this stuff is. Why is so many of the Polynesian places going under? Because for most it's a fad. If you really dig the stuff you really don't care about what I think about 95% of the stuff.

I'd have to drag along the 2 year old grandkid as I said I'd watch him. That rules out the drinks with the umbrella's.

 

it agian goes to prove there are hotrodders and wannabes that should listen more and post less a true hotrodder has a love and a p***ion for it that cannot be explained and from a early age has listened ,watched and read everything he or she could about hotrods and yes the tiki,s came with surfing hotrods and the beach boys --- now i will shut the hell up

 

i can understand with being sick and tired of an emblem or icon... i taught a cl*** on WWI this year to a 6th grade cl*** in a full real deal US 1917-18 uniform and gear. brought a repro WWI imperial german flag that had an iron cross on it and heard alot of em say "hey look, a chopper flag!" poor kids, i set em straight, they're really good kids, but dang.... the only iron cross i'm not tired of seeing is my WWI cross and the one some german fella painted on top of his helmet in 1918 that now resides in my collection...

i don't shop at walgreens...

oh, and beer and rum are BOTH good... and good for you too.

 

A Tiki has never been a hot rod symbol.

A tiki expresses the driver's taste which is OK with me even though I have no desire to have any.
Individualistic expression DOES symbolize a hot rod.

 

Royal, I think I met you that day dropping off a cherry picker. Franco is a traditional car guy and has some kick *** tiki stuff. The Kennedy bros do as well. I was impressed with their shop and it's small tiki corner next to an old dragster! Chilli Phill did you say Bahookas?

 

Yup, I did say Bahooka. If I had my preference, I'd go have a rum drink at Kelbo's but both Kelbo's locations are long gone. Trader Vic's makes a good drink, but it's got sort of a sterile vibe. Do you rember Kelbo's? There was one across the street from CBS in Hollyweird and one in the Palms area of west LA. I was heartbroken when they tore them down. You walked into the one on Fairfax between two HUGE tikis. There was weird drum music and gl*** floats and fishing nets hanging from the ceiling. All the bartenders were Polynesians and by the time you had a few Hurricanes or Planters Punches you were babbling in Pigeon English. ha ha It's a God damn shame, the way we've thrown so much of the real Southern California history away.

 

Tikis were somehow fashionable in the '50s, there were bars and restaurants with a polynesian theme. But back then there were no hot rods with tiki's in them.

Nowadays it's different. For some reason in the last 10 years or so tiki's have become very fashionable within the hot rod and rockabilly scenes. I knew some people who were into tiki's, they collected tiki mugs from the '50s, dressed in vintage Hawaian shirts, listened to jazzy '50s music and sipped ****tails... Not really my thing but to each their own

 

Which is what most of this stuff is. Why is so many of the Polynesian places going under? Because for most it's a fad. If you really dig the stuff you really don't care about what I think about 95% of the stuff.

I'd have to drag along the 2 year old grandkid as I said I'd watch him. That rules out the drinks with the umbrella's.[/quote]

So how long does something have to be around before it's not considered a fad.......,.thease so called fad Polynesian places, that are going under, have been around since the 50's early 60's...about the time HOT RODDING was becoming more "main stream". So let me get this straght...if it around less than 50 years...IT"S A FAD !
Right?

 

thanks for the education on tiki's. i never really understood the reason they were part of the culture. now i know and will be looking to add some to the decor of the garage and office.

 

The first Don the Beachcomber bar opened in 1934! That's a 73 year old fad ...

 

Great Thread I Learned somthing ..............THANKS!

 

It's a "kustom" thang !

Aloha