Hot rods and the ego stroke.

I've owned exactly ONE new car in my life. I could have had a few I guess but it takes me a little while to get accustomed to anything new and by the time I do it's old. So thus my p***ion for old things. I've always been able to get my hands on a used car that somehow outshown the new models (at least in my mind). Not only did I spend less money for my rides but by the time I aquired them I could also modify them into something unique (paint, tires/wheels, engine, etc.) I've had VERY few cars that were stock and the ones that were I didn't keep long. After over 100 cars I still am on the lookout for older models that in my mind make a statement.
I've never been one to "go with the crowd" and the cars I drive for the most part are just to please me. When I have one that I've lavished some attention on I get the most pleasure just driving by myself,and as Chuck Berry said, "no particular place to go". I do like the occasional thumbs up, but it's not necessary to "make my day".

Frank

 

burt reynolds said it best" i show off thats what i do" smokey and the bandit

 

Of course its a ego thing, but i also feel good when a old restorer says i`ve destroyed a nice car, i think it´s a little rebel in me too...
It´s the feeling that everyone´s got an opinion about it, nomather what it is, cant really explain it, but you sure got a point...

 

I should tell you that i´m drunk right now....

 

Sounds right ,but over here in Belfast the narrow minded frukers think you a freak for driving something different than them..They just do not understand

 

I suppose ego is involved, but that's sure not the goal. For me it's completing a vision that I have in my head that most don't understand. For an ego trip you'd need megabuck blower engines with gobs of chrome and expensive graphic ziz-ziz stripes down the side. My paint job cost more than your paint job.

Give me a nonmetalic straight paint job with subtle striping. Huge egos = gaudy loud in your face stuff. That ain't me.

Does it feel nice when someone I respect says "nice job"...DAMN RIGHT.

I think the proof to that is that many of us no sooner get one done when we start on another vision. We don't take the time to gloat or strut. We are planning and searching for the raw material for the next one. Building is more fun than bragging...but it's OK to say you like my ride...if you do.

 

Well, ain´t we freaks?

 

Ok.. I've got to go take the coupe for a ride!!!!

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"hey ****er's, here i come!"

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LP

 

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Sounds right ,but over here in Belfast the narrow minded frukers think you a freak for driving something different than them..They just do not understand

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they think we're freaks too, just really cool freaks!

 

Your right on Nads! Absolutely 100%.
I feel like a million dollars when I'm driving one of my rods I built. Nothing like it in the world.

 

I agree for the most part. But I generally do my burnouts out in middle of nowhere by myself. I don't need an audience.

 

Can't deny it. It's a toss-up between attention & Horsepower

- you know it.


Same goes for you hotties out there pickin' up guys. Love the speed, love the attention.

My lady doesn't like me cruisin' by myself. too dangerous she says.

 

I pulled into my driveway one time, and I overheard a neighbor kid ask his dad why they didn't have a car like mine. His dad said "because we have no use for it, that's why!" Made me laugh out loud.

There's a group of 3 or 4 of them that play in the yard next to mine. They're usually all over my nerves, kids being kids. But anyhow, when i'm pulling up, they usually stop trying to break whatever is in front of them, and stop and stare for a moment.

I think there's something very primal about rough and rowdy cars. Something in the back of our heads about controlling a wild beast I guess.

I know I like my car being loud, rowdy, and fast. I like putting my foot in it, and leaving everyone behind. Makes my pee-pee get happy. I've got a cd player, a pair of 10" woofers, a pair of 6x9's, and a pair of 4" in the front. And I rarely listen to the stereo. I prefer that engine growl.. wild beast on the hunt...

 

One of my best friends has the sweetest wife anyone could ever meet. Put het into her Corvette and she turns into miss at***ude.
I can't stand to drive anything that isn't at least a bit unique. That's why I hate new cars and trucks, they all look the same. You can drive past a dealership with 500 new trucks and not one of them is an interesting color.
I think most of us like to profile. Go to Sturgis sometime and strike up a conversation with some leathered up greasy biker and you will probably find out he is an orthidontist from Cincinati who is a suit and tie the other 50 weeks out of the year.

 

of course there's an ego trip.....nothing feels better than when an old-timer who you respect walks around your car and says:"wow,great job..." i wonder what it's like to be swiss mike,i see that car and it's so neat it hurts my face!!

 

Theres a lotta truth in that Nads.....Ive done it for the Chicks.....thats not workin now....
Ive done it to avenge our cause with the "REST-O/MOTHBALL BOYS".....and I do it now just cause I love it.......[Hey any old man looks better in a cloud of white tire smoke!]
Yep -we are all...... LEGENDS IN OUR OWN MIND!

 

I'm only happy when there's food in my mouth.

Oh, wait, that's a separate issue.

I do it for the kids. I beep and wave like an idiot. Makes 'em go crazy. It's my only chance at feeling like a rock star.

 

Yeah, but it is kinda gay that you are talking about it.

 

.........the Studebaker was my only car for a few years. One day on the way to work, I was tooling down I95 and a carload of GIs pulled alongside and motioned for me to pull over. It was just about my exit, so I peeled off and then they motioned for me to stop. They piled out and asked if they could take some photos?? I said sure and started to stand next to her. They handed ME the camera and they all stood in front of her and took turns taking photos of each other!! They had one of those disposible cameras and just shot and shot until they were out of film. They thanked me and drove off. "Ego???", yea, I was grinning the rest of the way to work...........

 

I dunno about the rest of you guys but I know I'm a different man when I'm in my '57. It's definitely about attention, but it's good attention usually. Even import guys, love it or hate it, it gets repsect, and therefore so do I. Cruisin a hopped up rod or custom, you just feel cool. I KNOW I look cool when I'm out cruisin, inner-confidence and self-***urance exude from my body and I find myself doing things I otherwise wouldn't have done. All of a sudden, no girl is unapproachable and instead of hauling *** all over, I'll cruise the main drag real slow, being heard before being seen of course, so everybody can get a nice long look. An old car is something unique. A mustang is a mustang, a camaro is a camaro, a honda is a honda, but there is no subs***ute for the lines and chrome on cl***ic iron.
I do it because I love doing it, it's really all about the cars. My car has never gotten me chicks, in fact, it may have worked the opposite. But it's not about the girls anyway. It's a sense of pride in what I've created and the work I've done, and it's a blast getting to show it off for everybody that sees it on the road.

 

"driving a Honda" could be considered sacriligious or possibly a penance.

 

I went to see Th' Legendary Shack Shakers on Saturday night, now that's a rocking band, I've never seen 'em before.

Anyhoo, I was driving my '34 Ford and on my home i got stuck in the biggest damn crawl of a cruise I've ever seen in Orlando.
I had no idea It was the BCC versus Famu game so there were thousands of bling blinged cars on hwy 50 going bumper to bumper. It was insane, I can tell you I really didn't want to be there at 3:30 a.m.
Man I got the stares, it was really odd because I was truly a fish out of water. Here's all these perfectly painted things that I couldn't care less about and their drivers are checking out my ratty hot rod. It was odd getting smiles from cute girls too.
It took me 45 minutes to drive the 3 miles to my house.
My clutch foot was tired, but the old girl never overheated or anything.

Thanks for listening to my nonsensical rant.

See you all on the road.

 

I know i get excited when ever i get to take my 2 youngins anywhere i the A . it excites themmto have their friends see them

 

Hell yeah, it's an ego booster!

I just went through a divorce & I kept my car.

Besides, when I'm cruising in my '56, coming up to some retard going 55 in the fast lane, all it takes is a poke to the gas pedal to make that straight exhaust let out the gruff snort of contempt.

One other thing, I feel like it's my responsibility to be some sort of a hotrodder amb***ador. When I'm parked somewhere & some non-hotrodder starts asking me dumb questions, I don't really have problems spopping the hood or answering the questions to the best of my abilities. I'm proud of my "Rat Rod" There are guys in my circle of car friends who feel the venues we cruise at should be honored to have us out. They park their car there & rarely buy food- some actually get food at a neighboring restaurant. Why not support the place that lets us take up valuable parking spots?

Anyway, yes, I'm proud to drive my '56. I'm proud to have my girlfriend in my p***enger seat, impressed when I downshift into first to shut the door on some retard trying to sneak by at the last minute as his right lane is ending. BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
Damn. I'm a lucky guy.

 

Ok, aside from the ego trip, there's three other things i love about our cars:
1. The look on my grandaddy's face everytime we talk about cars. He's the most important person in the world to me and I've got tons of pics of him as a greaser punk *** back in the day. I'm sure he thought it'd be one of his grandsons that would be car junkies, but being the eldest grandkid and the favorite in general () I'm sure he doesn't mind that one of girls got hooked on grease. It's funny to watch him talk to other guys if my car's around- he acts all prideful and talks about the other projects I've got planned out and he's always looking for projects for me.
2. My brother gettin hooked on em (finally). He's just now gettin into his teen years and I took him down to my buddy's shop a few months back and I swear that kid's jaw dropped a mile! He's been readin everything on cars he can get his hands on now and I promised to buy him a project and help him rebuild it in time for his 15th birthday. (legal driving age...) He's so proud everytime he's in my car- actually it's embar***ing cause anytime somebody tries to race me (or just occasionally) he'll just leanout and scream "our car kicks your car's ***!!" (hard to explain to the kid that most of those new fast and furious cars can out run me in a heartbeat, although i can do a way better burnout and my engine sounds a hell of alot meaner ) It's a great feeling though cause he's one of those kids that just doesn't get into anything and he's finally gotten hooked on something, plus my stepdad named him Ace (big KISS fan) and i've sworn for years if he doesn't grow up to be a hotrodder i'll kill him cause that name can't go to waste.
and #3 (my personal fav):
you boys get one hell of an ego trip i'm sure, but speaking for the ladies it's twice as good when you walk out to your car with a friend and some guy asks you're buddy for the details on your car. There's nothing like one of my friends pointing at me and saying "actually it's hers". i love the doh look the guy asking inevitably gets on his face when that happens.

 

My neighbor down the street has 3 kiddie seats in the back of his '39 Chevy & his kids recognized my costume when I was dressed up as Ratfink last haloween. The kids love the hotrod & his wife figures out ways to allocate funds for the car. He's a lucky guy too.

 

Nads, you hit the nail on the head. I feel like a big guy (even though i way a buck forty) when i drive my shoebox. yeah, you know got the arm hanging out the window all tatted down, greasy hair. And Feelin tall heck ya, 7ft high. And the looks from all the hot young girls when i cruise down to the beach. LOVe itttt

 

Big ego trip,,, Yes sir,no question about it! HRP

 

i know you all hate me because i'm one of these "Bling Bling" mofos, i guess. but mines not bolt on. 4" channel, full air ride, completely hand made floor pan and firewall... and built, not bought.

I built mine for all the same reasons. I don't have a stereo system though... well because i'm not into it. I built my little sbc to give me a good exhaust sound a good cam lope to it. ditched the computer and went carbed...


it's the same for all of us, i criuse mine up to work every now and again (44 miles each way). and everyone stairs. Good or bad, their still stairing. Why would you want to, in general , fit in with the m***es. Me and my old lady go out to eat and some six foot 2 guys with a sleeve of tattoo's pops out of a truck that is litterly laying on the ground... i can't help but smile every time i drive it. I get those little ****er flys ... it's exciting.


it makes driving my other truck feel realy boring.

i just can't wait to sell it and built the next two projects i got my eye's on...

 

I have a stereo in my '56, but I can't hear it!