FNG has a "trad rod" question

If this has been a topic that has been beat to death and stirs up hate n discontent somebody just say shut up noob and have a mod delete it.

Im curious where the pre 65 cut off at many of the "traditional" events comes from. I always understood pre 48 as the true end of the pre war era cars. I kinda get the 1972 cut off at "Goodguys" type shows, since its the pre smog era. I guess 65 seems odd since the GTO, Chevelle and Mustang came out in 64. So the muscle car era had began, and the "big cars" still had decent styling for several more years.

 

End of one era and the beginning of another, we prefer the earlier one.


keeps the muscle geeks away too.

 

There are so many sites that cater to muscle cars or a certain brand of them. This is for customs and hotrods, built in the TRADITIONAL manor. There are some cars on here that may fit the muscle car moniker but get a p*** because of their history/use as a drag racer.....but again, the 64 cut- - -off comes into play

 

Since your intro says you are into muscle cars, and then you launch into this as your second post, I wonder what you really want to know? Why this site is pre 65? The "big cars"/late models can have the greatest styling ever invented. I'm great with that, I'm just not interested in that on this site. We're here because we like the early stuff. Why are you here?

 

It is what it is..................................I also have a muscle car ,Someone take him for a ride in a streetrod Pre 48 and he will know.

 

I showed up to a *******s party once and asked "why ya'all messin around with everyone when you could just pair off with one"?

When in Rome dude, do as Romans Sheesh!?

 

Muscle cars could be bought off the showroom floor. What fun is that.

 

I like all kinds of cars. Im currenly building a 55 series 1 GMC Truck, and my 65 El Camino is a fairly traditional style build. (3x2's, corvette valve covers, stewart warner guages,etc) but its excluded from some events. Like I said, not trying to stir anything. not trying the to change the world, just curious where the pre 65 came from.

 

Again, what brings you here? And why this question right off the bat?

 

Geez, he just asked a question. Isn't that what forums are for? No reason for you guys to get your ***** in a wad.

 

Actually it a question I 've had for a long time. The truck I'm building now should be welcome wherever "traditional rods" congregate. Im here cuz I when doing internet searches looking for ideas on my 55 i kept getting pointed here, so I want to be able to pick some brains when I run into trouble. This is my first time buiding something this old, but probably not the last. after the truck is done, I'd like to hunt down a 48- 54 car, Ive always had chevy's but if in that search I find a dodge or a ford or even better a hudson wasp or studebaker, well thats what I'll build.

 

it's a political/religious question, and those aren't allowed on the HAMB. Sorry.

 

I heard that it was from Roth saying that gm had lost their soul after 64.

 

Let's see if I can answer this before the lock.

The cut-off shouldn't be looked at as a "limit" 'cause then becomes a test to see what can get in...then hairs get split. It is about the style the cars had before the "cut-off" began. 1964 started a new at***ude of cars and the following year muscle was surely the word.

1965 was the destination. Speed was at the dealership. 1964 and the years that preceded it was the journey and that is what is soo romantic about the whole thing! You had to make it....it wasn't necessarilly "bought".

That's my .02 on this horse.

 

The answer is very simple. Ryan started this site and he chose the pre-65 cut-off. It's not any more complicated or deeper than that. If you have a vehicle that is same body as a '64 or earlier vehicle, it's also acceptable here ('65 Chevelle, '65 & '66 Chevy pickup)

 

re: cavemag , I could see something like that being true, specially with the amount of influence Ed Roth had, and has on car culture.

re: Zombrian, that almost sounded poetic, the American culture was definately changing in the mid sixties.

re:arkiehotrods: the best answers are the simplest.

Thanks everyone! and BTW, badshifter, I'm not here trying to make this into a muscle car forum. I Promise.

 

When entering a show, just tell them your El Camino is a 64. Most people won`t know the difference. Except everybody who reads your profile. Goodguys used to be pre 63, then kept changing the year cut off as years went on. I think even earlier than that in the old days. A show in California was 54 on back if I remember right.

 

Just build it the way you want.........Most the hangouts and shows ive seen or ratrods..Just build what you like and drive it......

 

So Stanlow69 a 32 ford could be bought off the show room floor with a v8.So what are you trying to point out???...........

 

Ask 95% of people what the definition of a muscle car is. A 32 Ford is not likely to come up. But it would be alot of fun. I`m sorry, I`ve never been into Muscle cars. Not my cup of tea. Different topic for a different site.

 

Yep, although there were hot factory cars before 1964/65 1965 marked the beginning of the true muscle car era. SS Chevelles, GTO, 442, 390 Fairlane GT and a host of other factory hotrods that were often pretty quick right off the showroom floor. Hence, the cutoff.

Just like 48/49 marked the change from fat fendered Fords to Shoebox Fords and was the streetrod/hotrod cutoff year for a lot of years for events.

 

Exactly...

And the start of the Ponycars with the first Mustang.

 

I'm surprised no one has said "Do a search"

I did a search with the words "why is 64 the cutoff?" and came up with these threads:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=371593&highlight=why+is+64+the+cutoff

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284898&highlight=why+is+64+the+cutoff

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=232070&highlight=why+is+64+the+cutoff

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204692&highlight=why+is+64+the+cutoff

If I tried a slightly different variation on the theme, I'm sure I could bring up even more threads. I'm not trying to kick you in the nuts here, I just wanted to point out that the search engine can be really, really useful and can save you from being fragged.

 

I think you should change your name to "ZENBRIAN"

 

I feel that the 64-72 era cars usually have a pretty enthusiastic Fan base, and there are plenty of sites and magazines already dedicated to them.
...I suppose Its kindof like asking "Why Brunettes".
Its just what I like.
Frankly, if your into doing it yourself and ask good questions,
(search the threads first)
you will get along fine.
But for Godsakes use spellcheck, of they will tear you apart.

 

There were a lot of muscle cars before that. It probably started around the time of the first Chrysler 300. And they were a lot of fun, I wished I had back a couple of them I've owned. I don't come here to talk about them much but the guy had a question about cut off years, a legitimate question. He just wanted to know how the criteria was established.

 

Hey, you don't have to answer to me! But thanks anyhow. I like muscle cars, I just don't like them on this site. I simply asked about it because of your intro mentioned them, and then you went straight into the why the cutoff year.
If I did an intro and mentioned I have a Prius, and went on to post asking why hybrids aren't allowed on the HAMB, I'd expect a ton of interest from the members. In a not so good way. So welcome.... I'll be watching you....

 

I have always looked at it as a way to weed out the Mustangs and muscle cars. Their are enough car shows and websites for both of those groups. Same reason VW's aren't allowed around here. Lets keep it clean and pure with traditional style hotrods and customs, everyone else go play with like minded guys/gals elsewhere.

Don't get me wrong, I got my first Mustang when I was 6 and have had several. But I don't even stop to look at them anymore when walking through a car show and just ***ume they don't take up space that could be occupied by something I am more interested in. (which doesn't include shock-rods/r@trods)

As several have stated, pre-65 you had to build it as a hotrod, plus there are less catalog cars in that range. Some people prefer to build muscle cars because they can sit down open a catalog and pull out the credit card and have everything there in a week.

 

Tell you what Harponi, have you ever checked out http://www.hotrodders.com/about.html It's pretty much an open forum as long as you are into making a car go faster or look better. The guys over there don't really give a rippy doo dah about cut off dates or what tires or valve covers you run.

What we don't like here is guys moving into the neighborhood and then wanting to change the neighborhood to meet their idea of what it should be. Post about your traditional car that fits the criteria of the board here and ask questions about it here and get involved in another board for the ones that don't meet the criteria. A lot more of us actually do just that than you might think. It keeps the world on an even plane and everything is good.
As for getting the Elkie into one event or another that is up to the people who put the event on. There are plenty of events that it can go to and be accepted so I wouldn't get too worried about it not being able to go to certain events.
The bad thing about letting newer cars into old car events is a lot of the newer cars don't really have anything special going for them. At one event last year I had a hard time at times deciding if I was in a car show or a WalMart parking lot on Saturday afternoon due to the number of 65/72 beater cars that were registered at the event. There were a few special cars in the group like a 426 Max Wedge Mopar but most of them were not what I would think of as special interest cars. For me it ruined what was a premier event 20 years ago.