Something New for YOU at Detroit AutoRama this year (2005)

Yorgatron, when your not working on a car, try www.soloflex.com You really need an outlet, other than seeking negative reaction's from other people.

 

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The fact that you call some of the HAMB artists art fags does.


[/ QUOTE ] some of my friends are artists,some of them are fags.none of them are both.i can't believe you're still bent out of shape about an offhand comment i made months ago.let go of the drama johnny...

 

Tell ya what... I don't feel like tempting Ryan's trigger-finger, and this is going nowhere, so I'll keep my opinion that the Detroit AutoRama should be supported - even if it is not what some of the board might feel reflects the HAMB to the fullest at this time... Give it a chance, support your fellow HAMBers.
To all the artists and owners who will be participating in the car show and charity events, best of luck... We wish we could be there to enjoy the show. We hope the charity is a huge success... Sometimes the efforts of those who strive to help others tend to be overshadowed.

 

Bob, thank you!

 

Ha Ha Ha, Bob Ashton, no shit???

Small world, ain't it? (But I wouldn't wanna PAINT it!)

How many more 70 Super Bee models ya need, Bro?

Long time, no see...glad ya stopped in!!!!

 

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Ha Ha Ha, Bob Ashton, no shit???

Small world, ain't it? (But I wouldn't wanna PAINT it!)

How many more 70 Super Bee models ya need, Bro?

Long time, no see...glad ya stopped in!!!!



Yeah...it's me. And Thanks to those of you who have positive stuff to say. For those of you who don't know me, be assured I am not just some promoter trying to make a quick buck off some fad> I live and breath cars in pretty much every form.

I spent 10+ years running an automotive "Hobby Shop" in the Detroit area that specialized in OLD stuff, not a bunch of die cast Nascar junk. My 3,000 square foot store was packed to the rafters with old mags, brochures, 60s and 70s model kits and whatever cool old stuff I could find. My wife and I literally travelled coast to coast with our business before we opened our retail store. I am also the guy who runs the Toy-A-Ramas' at Detroit (250+ spots last year!) and Grand Rapids for the past 8 years.

I am fortunate enough to have taken the position of a Show Manager with CASI; a dream job for someone who lives this stuff each and every day. I feel honored to be able to work side by side with Bob Larivee Sr. and Jr. and I know what an excellant oppurtunity this is for me to learn from the very best.

Many of you already know me, some will recognize me when they see my ugly mug. Point is, even though this is part of my "regular job" I can assure I have as much passion for this stuff as you guys.


BTW..whether this flys or not, my paycheck will be exactly the same.

PLEASE...keep the ideas coming!



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So, where exactly is this "retail store" that you speak of???

 

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So, where exactly is this "retail store" that you speak of???

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The store was called Auto Know, and it was in Utica, MI which is a suburb of Detroit. (I know you know that, but for the benefit of those from out of state).

We closed the store several years ago when I was offered a "Job I couldn't refuse" which eventually led me to my position now with Championship Auto Shows, Inc.

 

I hung out at Auto Know quite a bit and know Bob real well...he always had something cool going on in the store...from the constantly changing stock of vintage model cars and automobilia, the impressive Hot Wheels and Matchbox collection on the walls, the lounge area with a TV/VCR that always had car guy movies and tapes featuring old car commercials and stuff playing, to the video rental program Bob implimented to allow us gearheads to view his cool tapes at home...watching hours of 60s car ads and classic, forgotten hot rod movies was a real treat!

Another thing Bob did, was to start a monthly NON-COMPETITIVE "Model Night" that encouraged patrons to bring their completed and "in progress" model car projects up to the store to display on tables he'd clear for that purpose. It was a great chance to see some cool builds in scale and to display your own work without the BS politics of a judged model car contest or anything! Bob and his wife provided free refreshments and door prizes on Model Nights as well...so Mr Ashton is no stranger to organizing fun and interesting events for car folks...he just gets to do so on a larger scale (litterally!) now!

Sounds like he is instituting a type of "Model Night feel" for this new Rat Rod display...allowing us to show our heaps and see others at the same time without playing games with car show judges and trophy whores. The artistic, hand-made 'trophies' promise to be cool and kinda fun...I'm looking forward to this gig enthusiastically now!

(Just be carefull what ya ask for, Bob...you want rusty heaps with oodles of character...I got one to bring...muwahahahahahaaha!!!! I'm gonna register the old girl...and if she's mobile by March 1st....ha ha ha LOOK OUT!!!)



Once again, welcome to the HAMB, Bob...can't wait to see ya again and trade jabs like old times!

 

Hey That means FatHack hasn't given up after all!

Bring it over, we'll get the rear end in it quick!

Jay

BTW. Welcome. I went to AutoKnow a couple times for stuff that was hard to get... I even got a promo neon for my wife to match her old one.

 

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Hey That means FatHack hasn't given up after all!

Bring it over, we'll get the rear end in it quick!

Jay

BTW. Welcome. I went to AutoKnow a couple times for stuff that was hard to get... I even got a promo neon for my wife to match her old one.

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Got a registration form courtesy of Denise...it's ON, Bro!

 

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...and the rat rod would be unpainted (bare metal).



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Our club was seriously thinking about taking the hotrods to the Detroit Autorama. However, from the sound of the class designations, they are hanging the term ‘rat rod’ on a car without paint. NO THANKS guys. It’s not that anyone in the club gives two shits about getting a trophy; it’s about supporting and perpetuating the misuse of the term ‘rat rod’. The label ‘rat rod’ is a derogatory term. That is how everyone in our group feels. A ‘rat rod’ is a car that is thrown together with no thought of skill, safety or engineering. Our cars are Traditional Hotrods, built with many hours of thought, skill, passion and attention to period correct detail. Call one of my Traditional Hotrods a ‘rat rod’ and you might get a punch in the nose. Make no mistake, there are ‘rat rods’ out there, but the lack of paint does not a ‘rat rod’ make!

Is this how the SLC Autorama is going to do classes also? If so, I don’t think we will be supporting it either. It's too bad, because we had a good time doing it last year...

Here is a shot of what we did last year:

 

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...and the rat rod would be unpainted (bare metal).



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Our club was seriously thinking about taking the hotrods to the Detroit Autorama. However, from the sound of the class designations, they are hanging the term ‘rat rod’ on a car without paint. NO THANKS guys. It’s not that anyone in the club gives two shits about getting a trophy; it’s about supporting and perpetuating the misuse of the term ‘rat rod’. The label ‘rat rod’ is a derogatory term. That is how everyone in our group feels. A ‘rat rod’ is a car that is thrown together with no thought of skill, safety or engineering. Our cars are Traditional Hotrods, built with many hours of thought, skill, passion and attention to period correct detail. Call one of my Traditional Hotrods a ‘rat rod’ and you might get a punch in the nose. Make no mistake, there are ‘rat rods’ out there, but the lack of paint does not a ‘rat rod’ make!

Is this how the SLC Autorama is going to do classes also? If so, I don’t think we will be supporting it either. It's too bad, because we had a good time doing it last year...

Here is a shot of what we did last year:


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WHOA! Nobody said that if it has no paint it is being classified as a Rat Rod. I specifically asked for your input. The classes listed so far for special awards apply to seperate classes for EACH; Rat Rods AND Traditional Rods.

Feel free to give us some feedback as to what exactly makes a Traditional Rod a Traditional Rod and a Rat Rod a Rat Rod. That is why we have BOTH listed...there is a differance and we KNOW that! Please feel free to help us out with classifications; so far, the EXACT classes are not fully confirmed!

 

auto know eh>? i grew up in romeo and dont remember that place. must of been before my time im excited about this should be alot of fun. is there a count on cars that will fit and where we stand on that at the moment? id like to get my car mobile and enter it but i dont want to waste space if its going to be that tight.

Bryan

 

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auto know eh>? i grew up in romeo and dont remember that place. must of been before my time im excited about this should be alot of fun. is there a count on cars that will fit and where we stand on that at the moment? id like to get my car mobile and enter it but i dont want to waste space if its going to be that tight.

Bryan

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The store was located about 3 blocks north of M59 right on Van Dyke. We were open from about 92-00 there, then I had a warehouse on Utica Road in Sterling Hgts.

With 50,000 square feet, we have room for approx. 100-120 10x20 spots. Of course, we are open to bikes too if they fit the Traditional style criteria (bring on those Triumphs and Beezers!) and they generally get a 10x10 spot.

Apps are coming in at a pretty good rate, but we still have plenty of room for you. Send it on in!

 

yea seeing as how i didnt start driving till 98 and i was to busey chasing girls then i missed out i like to to go great lakes model now that place has alot of good stuff. i think thats the name im bad with names
well looks like i better hussle now to get my car done. i prob wont have my chop done i hope that wont be a problem.

Thanks
Bryan

 

Ha!
I should go on the HAMB more often! This is fun!

 

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WHOA! Nobody said that if it has no paint it is being classified as a Rat Rod.

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.....Ummm.. yes, there was mention of it. Read your thread:

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The traditional custom would have to be suede paint and the rat rod custom would be unpainted (bare metal).
The same criteria carries over into the rod category.
Traditional rod classes, (coupe, sedan, roadster and pickup)
are suede paint and the rat rod classes, (coupe, sedan, roadster and pickup) are bare metal.


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Mick is in the loop, and I'm SURE that he knows what he is talking about.


How about using the term 'sans finish' or 'paintless' instead of INSULTING those of us without paint by hanging the term 'rat rod' on the class.

 

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Feel free to give us some feedback as to what exactly makes a Traditional Rod a Traditional Rod and a Rat Rod a Rat Rod.

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Did you not read my post? Read my first post again.

 

Ok, they wanna play, I say give them a chance. Most of us don't think much of the big car shows because they cater to six figure cars with chromed brake disks, no oil in the engines or parts in the transmissions. I go to the Boise Roadster show every year and spend more time in the parking lot than in the show. Maybe this'll spread. Now if they start showing cars like the Green Grenade and the Bleedster inside, I'm all for it. Most of you aren't trophy hounds so who cares what the classes are. Make it there, drive the sumbitch in, park it and hang out. Maybe get one of the stripers or artists to do a little sumpthin' on it. Let the world see what real driven homemade hotrods are. And if that ugly sumbitch T Boyd built gets a trophy, so what...

 

i just don't understand . looks like a great opportunity for folks to make what they want out of it.it's just starting...it can go anywhere. i think some of you folks might be a bit sensitive...rat rod is a label you get stuck with..turn it around...show folks your car in bare metal and they will see it is no piece of junk. everyone always wants everything THEIR way...just be happy you get what you get and make the most out of it.and yorgatron, the last two posts i saw on here for something that could potentially be really great for our side of the hobby, you smashed them and busted their balls in ways a state trooper couldn't even think of.what exactly is your problem??

 

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i just don't understand .


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That's right, you don't. Allow me to spell it out for you once more:

The term 'rat rod' is derogatory. It's used to decribe a car that is a pile of shit. Nothing I have is a 'rat rod' and I don't accept that label coming from anyone, I don't care who they are or what they do. I don't have to accept it, nor does anyone else. It's an insult.

Is it not bad enough that the Discovery Channel and half of all the mags out there don't know what the meaning of the term actually is? I expect that from some of the media, however something as prestigious as the Autorama should have the appearance of having their ear-to-the-ground. I am merely trying to give them the heads up so they can do just that.

Guys, if you loose 'rat rod' and replace it with something else, you have my complete and total support of your event.

 

RatRod is just another pigeonhole. Big deal.

 

well, mr. exotica you must not care because you either A. own a rat rod . B. dont own a hot rod at all. or C. are just to dumb to understand.

put that in your piegon hole.
im thinking the answer is B.
if you let these guys name your cars rat rods and you dont care, you must not have any pride in your workmanship or all the time,blood,sweat, and tears you put into building your hot rod. just because my truck doesnt have shiny paint or 20,000 bucks worth of billet doesnt mean its equivelent to a small fuzzy rodent!!!!
so if any of you other guys out there dont agree with the tag of "rat rod" lets hear it!!!

 

OK, tough guy,
my '56 is too hotrod for the "Kustom" club I was in, but it's lowered, with skirts & YES, IT'S DUPLI-COLOR SEMI-GLOSS black. I LOVE being pigeonholed! Please pick one for me! Just don't call it a Rat Rod!

 

All right then,sound like were on the same page. i dont want my truck called a "rat rod" either. so if you dont like the term dont just accept it stand up for your beliefs and make the magazines and car shows change it.

 

The "terms" aren't set in stone for this event, neither are the "classifications", everything is subject to change. Let's give AutoramaBob some ideas and suggestions. Let's be constructive at a point in the process where change can happen. He's listening, and so are LOT of others.

 

I think the fact that they are calling them Rat Rods makes them look stupid.

I am usually insulted if someone refers to my car as a rat rod. I've come to realise though, that they are just confused, and don't realise they are being insulting.....

At this point, I don't care what they call them. It's their show.

I plan to show up and show them, or at least remind them, what a real fucking HOT ROD looks like.

 

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Let's give AutoramaBob some ideas and suggestions.

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Autoramabob, here is an example of a 'rat rod':

 

...and an example of a Tradional Hotrod. With or without paint, this one would still be Tradional: