so what can this guy do to get in to Torque Fest?

Hey - this cool cat is wanting to come to the VIntage Torque Fest in 25 days...........he is wanting to know if he can get in with this car - I am afraid it may be too stock..........
so he is wanting tips to change the car up that will make it a bit different.

I told him to lower it and do some grill work or some custom tail lights......
whattya think?

Anyone else out there do anything with a Fairlane?

 

Its your show coolstuff. You alone will have to set the standards and adhere to them. Bare in mind many young guys just starting out today have to start somewhere, just as we did in our younger days. I agree to have him drive it to the show and park outside and enjoy the show. On another note, how about an area for newbies or young guns to park their pride and joy, and not feel like they are being penilized for not having a real super rod like some ohters?

 

I agree with Kevin Lee...well looky there, I'm a poet and don't know it!!! Seriously tho...There really isn't enough time unless he has help and probably some funds. The car is nice and original, but like you said it is too stock. Caps, tires, and or tail lights really are not enough. Drive down, park in the almost made it section, get some ideas from other cars at the show and or talking with others, then work on it to make it a kool kustom for next years torque fest!!!

 

heat coils up front, blocks in back>>>

chrome lug nuts and trim rings on painted wheels, if your on the quick and cheap

 

black primer and red wheels.... Oops sorry

 

tiredford - that is what I actually expected someone to post!
ha

yeah - i just hate to turn people away ya know?

I have already turned a lot of stock cars away - guys that have pent $50K on the restoration...........those guys I dont worry about turning away..........
but this guy - I really want these guys to be able to come to the show ya know?

So I appreciate the comments from Unshined

there are so many people that feel like if they are not in the show - they are gonna miss out in some way -

I guess I get that - but I am seriously thinkin about parking my car ('35 Ford 5 window - pretty much stock)outside in the VIP section (this is where the cars that are too stock, street rods, muscle cars etc will be)

 

how about the cool cat sells it, and uses the money to buy something a little closer to being cool. Despite what seems to seep through a lot of these threads, old isn't always cool. Sometimes, old is just...old.

 

but that is just it - he got this ride super cheap

there is no way he could even purchase a project model a for the price he paid for this car that is already running and ready to go.

I appreciate the fact that some cars are cooler than others - but we cant all afford a '35 5 window coupe - I cant afford one either - but I somehow lucked into one!
ha

so - I am just trying to figure out if there is anything this cat can do to modify the car..............

let's not get on the this car is cooler than that car kick

cause ultimately that will turn into an opinion fest

I think mid 60s Tbirds are super cool - most of my friends think I am on crack for thinking this..............
it is merely an opinion

so

flat black with red tires for this guy?

ha

 

I like what UNSHINED said, minus heating the coils!!!! Just cut them with blocks in the rear. lol Lower it do up the wheels with chrome and paint. Good luck on your show coolstuff. Wish I could make it, sounds awesome.

 

add some nice scallops... Or paint the roof, scallops, and wheels with some really standout paint, some heavy flake or (Krylon?) hammertone paint, like the copper I used on my 60 caddy wheels. Lose the hub caps and add some nice chrome lugs and grease caps, if you can find em. (mr gasket- pepboys)

Good luck, just make sure you attend tourqefest! car or not!!!

 

Look up "Lace"paint jobs, something they used to do back in the day.

At least two tone it, and remeber, house paint is cheap, and it looks like trendy flat satin hot rod paint. check my 59 chevy.

 

This is exactly why I am not in charge of letting people in. I have turned down many cars via email............

I am afraid I would have no backbone when it came face to face with people.

THIS is exactly why we have volunteers to help maintain the integrity of the show.

I know some people are going to be upset - but this will be a learning process for everyone.........just like this guy with the fairlane.

I hope the inspectors can do their job to the best of their ability and try their best to keep the people happy.

So yes - I know that I have to maintain the integrity of the show right from the start. And in order to make this show special that is what we are going to try to do.

I hope that people here on the HAMB will support this effort.

 

The really cool chit is always on the spectator area anyway.

I personally have spent way more time in the spectator area than showing over the years and I prefer it. They used to have a Longview show here that a friend of mine promoted. Really good show especially if you were a magazine type. Good cross section of the mid to south west car scene Blah Blah.

Anyway one year that had a parking area for folks with press passes. I was parked there and when I came out the first day of the show there was a sticker on my headlight. I asked Jack about it and he said I must have one some sort of an award.

Just a fluke I never drive anything that should win anything. I found out what the award was and went into the shopw area and picked a car oput that I thought should win. Put the sticker on there and shazaam I got to pick the best high performance or something like that. Made me feel special.

Anyway if Kevin is parking in spectators that only proves that the very best stuff is parked there.

 

absolutely do not listen to this... cut the coils or get lowered ones, but don't heat them...

 

Leave it alone, drive it, enjoy it for what it is. Don't try and make it into something that it isn't. Down the road, you'll be much happier. If they don't let you in, go put it in the parking lot. Don't worry so much about shows. They'll make you crazy.

 

This is a no win shituation,there are guys just getting into cars and I understand that, then there are guys getting into the scene, and I understand that,but some cars just aint got kool in them. I'm not trying to bash the guy, but if it is his first old car, then work on it ,try stuff, learn and do changes as you see fit. then try to move up the ladder. sell it buy something else, make more changes and so on.It is very hard to explain to some guys why their car isn't as kool as the next guys. I actually saw one guy complain because he didn't win a trophie, and thought his car was as kool as the others. every person is going to have different tastes, styles, thats what makes the world go around. I used to be into vw"s, everyone at shows seems to hate them unless its a bug show. I thought this car was bad , and it was in the vw world. but It didn't get any attention and people really didn't want me parking next to them. So I moved up, next was kustom pick ups. I guess what I'm saying is learn, and grow and understand if not , well, some guys don't have it. sorry kinda like the black with red wheels thing, by the time they figure it out you think they know what everyone else was thinking. That lil car can be kool with some heavy work, but not before the show. and if we see it next year the same way , then we will be dissapointed. NOBODY has built cars on less of a budjet then me and mcphail. It can be done !!!

 

Whats to prove by putting it in the show? If you aren't a builder looking for customer's forgetaboutit.

 

right on!

 

I'm with Kevin Lee on this one ya gotta draw the line somewhere.

 

Just put it in the VIP parking, that's where mine will be. Should be an interesting "show" of its own.

"I am afraid I would have no backbone when it came face to face with people."
Exactly why I signed up for parking lot duty and not entry gate duty!

 

THANKS for volunteering man!!!!
we appreciate it!

And yeah - I gotta say the outside VIP parking is gonna be pretty interesting...........my buddy is bringin his '65 Vette - another buddy is bringing his Chevelle - another person I know is bringin his Porsche (there is some meet in WI on Sunday) so it should be cool out in the lot as well as the show itself - and yes we will have GUARDED parking totally seperate from the daily drivers.

Thanks

this guy says he has already started getting it ready for flaked scallops..........
hope he can make it - only 3.5 weeks left!

 

I think that car would be cooler if:
1.It were lowered (cut the springs, don't heat them.)
2. It had black steel wheels with chrome lugs.
3. It had a nice set of WWW's.

That's the best way to do a more-door in my opinion. You try to do a full-blown custom and it comes out looking really weird with very few exceptions.

 

I can see it both ways. If it were me I'd just suggest that he goes to the show, parks in the Vip section and really works on deciding what he wants to do with the car.

I'm with Strange agent in that Lowered a tad, black rims with chrome trim and white walls would go a long way. Make it look like what a high school kid or young married guy would have done with it back when if he had had it and that doesn't include a half assed scallop job or other stuff that guys just wouldn't have done to a four door back then.

cut coils an lowering blocks can be done in a day or there are probably 1st generation Mustang lowering coils out there to swap right in. the blocks on the back just take an hour or so if you have access to an impact. The wheels can be painted at the same time as the suspension is being done.

 

so how do I gracefully tell this guy?

not sure how to tell guys that in the process of getting their cars restored that this is not what we are after............
am I missing something here?

This is a stock 55 right?

 

perhaps if those front wheels were reverse chromes and some quad headlight or some cool sidetrim from another car?

 

let the guy come to your show dont be like the show thats in il....

 

have the guy call me il paint it and make it look cool,if hes a friend of yours hes a friend of mine...

 

As far as the Fairlane goes my Dad drag raced his 4-door that he bought new in 1963. It was a fast little car.

He pulled off the front bumper, hubcaps, painted the wheels black, 1-1/2" whitewalls, installed a floor shifter, and hopped up the 289. My Grandfather thought he was crazy for doing that to a brand new car.

Maybe your guy could do those mods and paint the top some color to compliment the body color (my Dad's was blue with a white top.