After looking through all the picture from this past weekend's event in Santa Maria - I have got to say that the quality of the cars I'm seeing in the pics is excellent! I have looked at all the post with pics... and looked through the background and didn't see any cars that were "rat'erific". It must be a West Coast thing. Keep it going! Hopefully it will trickle down!
Do we have to start this left coast and right coast pissing contest again? Nice underhanded comment too.....
East goes to West, they rub off on each other and fight over who invented what. MEANWHILE US NO_COASTERS FROM THE MIDDLE MOVE OUT THERE, BREED WITH THE CHICKS AND SHOW ALL HOW TO REALLY BUILD A CAR. BECAUSE, YOU"SE ALL CAME FROM HEAH!!!
Nope, not trying to start anything - I'm just making a comment about "as a whole" the quality of the cars looks to be high at that show.
I don't know if it's regional but we do seem to have a lot of pretty nice cars and very little Rat stuff...even the rough cars are usually more hot rod and less junk.
The camera lies - as you may find if you have ever bought a car from photos only to find that it is a bondo bucket. That's not to say that most of the cars were not high quality, but a magnet doesn't lie.
I'm just glad to see that customs are back in full force at the biggest custom show. Seems that five or so years ago at Paso, rat rods we're all the rage and greatly outnumbered the customs. Now that pendulum has swung back with vengeance.
Your observation is correct. One reason the truly junk rat rods are disappearing is that they are in the California Highway Patrol crosshairs. If your ride lacks a floor or front brakes or is otherwise unsafe, it may be impounded and you'll be standing there watching it disappear on the back of a rollback. I had a roadster pickup at the show this year and I was definitely aware the quality of the rides was way up from previous years.
How is that a underhanded comment when he lives in Louisiana...he is stating a simple fact about cars in California being of a higher caliber. Ray Charles can see that. You are the one getting all "pissy" about his OBVIOUS statement. Dont act like you dont notice that West coast cars are a step higher than the rest of us. I know Ohio people are VERY knowledgable and very proud about your hot rods so dont try and be passive aggressive and tell me no. My girl is from Ohio and her family who are 25+ years drag racing and shop owners (hell you may know them) I know the ego of the buckeyes and yall have earned it. Im saying all of this with a grin, so dont come at me with some smart ass reply cause Im sure you know more than me about cars but I know good looking and plentiful Kustoms when I see them....and they (West Coast) have a shit load of them. Ruston, LA is not Ruston, Los Angeles, LA is the acrynom for Louisiana....just because the Dodgers have that on their hat doesnt mean all LA's are Los Angeles.
There is ALOT of nice stuff out here....and all over the country (and world for that matter). I personally know of over a dozen good cars that didn't go to Santa Maria, mostly because, like me, the owners found themselves out of work this year. I think as we get back to work you'll see even more nice stuff......again.
Lets at least agree on this, some of the folks who build their own have really stepped up the bar from the early 70's quailty. The second point is, unless you have a medical condition or are physically challenged, no car should ever be on a trailer to an event.
Since you mention trailers, most rat rods need to be on them...they scare me that they actually drive some of that unsafe stuff.
Without the major rust problems found in a much of the country we can spend our time on the rest of the car. Doesn't seem fair. Charlie Stephens Southern California
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