I get it, my father is a resto guy, numbers matching, bone stock. I cant talk him into a cam, wheels anything, I did slip an edelbrock carb in on him since the stock carter, 1 year only, didnt have rebuild kits available (1965 Impala) It is nice to cruise an original car, not too exciting, but the looks are different from a modified car and the peoples reactions are different. So I get it, kind of
I hear what you are saying. When I first got my Lincoln I was thinking chopped top, frenched headlights, shaved, etc. As I drive the car more my plans change. Some cars just ask to be left stock.
There is a difference. Back in the good ole days they did all that to a car to make it different. Today your car is different already because there aren't many like it left. And driving an old stocker is fun and a challenge. I'd love to have a stock Model A of any body style in decent shape. I'm slowly building a 1948 Chevy panel truck with shaved electric doors and cowl vent. Didn't suicide the doors to be different. left the cowl vent, side vent, and side heater openings because it is old looking and also is different. Even the cowl vent is two step auto opening. I left the dash stock with modern gauges. Some people forget why they buy an old car.
Here is a picture of my bone stock 1956 Olds. I'd love to do some mild modifications to it, but the wife really enjoys riding in it, opposed to my "hot rod" truck. So I figured if can keep her interested in the car, than not modifying it is a small price to pay. There you have it. My wife is more important to me, than my car.
Just sold a 66 F100 that was bone stock.....used it as a daily driver. It never let me down. I figured if Ford engineered it all that way, it must be pretty good. I'm currently lusting wildly for a stocker Model A. They look sooooo cool sitting up high on spindly tires. My 54 on the other hand has a ton of drivetrain mods and very few body mods.
from the abondance of the heart the mouth speaketh. and sometimes that takes a man! In this time, A car that is repesenitive of an america at its greatist, iron mined, refined, forged right here should be enough. I consider my stuf to be a rolling monument to a great world power.
My 53 Belair is almost bone stock(lowered 3" and has dual straight pipes) and I love it. On another note, here is my buddy's 58 Delray for some inspiration.
Im only 25 and I can respect and enjoy my stock 50 chevy 2 door sedan straight 6 3 on the tree. Its just cool the way it is.
I sure get it. I too have driven completely stock, mild custom and full blown hot rod. My current daily driver is a stock '67 Couger which is loads of fun as a stocker. I can't imagine any custom mods on it. For me, some need to be left stock - others beg for mods.
My Acadian Wagon is near stock. I plan on doing some more mild custom stuff to it, like lace paint and metalflake on the roof, and maybe some '60s style hubcaps, but that's about it. The stock 6 (with some chrome on it now) runs great, and is fast enough for me. It's a Wagon, there is only so much you can do to it, and I like the way it looks and runs.
My '64 is bone stock except for replacing the generator with a alternator. Its 48 years old and stock today is different. By weslake at 2010-01-23
When I first bought my car I was thinking of many mods, but after realizing how stock this car was I changed my mind and decided to take care of piece of history. It is what I like.
all old cars are cool in my book. there is not an American car made before say 1965 that I wouldn't mind driving as a clean stocker.
I've tried, god knows I've tried... But evil high H.P. engines and all the stuff that goes with them seem to find me and follow me. They become available at my weakest, most money loaded times in life. Then comes the denial stage, the sleeper. Ya, that's it, looks like something grandma and grandpa would wheel to church, you know simple, but with a huge heartbeat... Soon after I go completely off the wagon and the decent into hot rod hell when I realize that going around turns fast is just as important as straight. Ya, I've tried, god knows I've tried...
Well... I drive my gal's '63 Comet a lot, and it's very stock looking even though the wheels are sized up to 14s. It has most of the trim too. It's nice to drive something that can go over speed bumps! My '58 Ranchero doesn't even look very low, but speed bumps kill it. Plus I already had the same Comet as a custom, so it's not like I'm curious what it would look like... The Comet's also hiding a 289, but it LOOKS stock.
My 54 is stock down to the 6 volt system. I was going to go with a V8, MII, etc.... but once I started driving the car, I just like it. It has personality. It will be getting a couple of changes done, ie lowered front coils and some new tires, possible the interior redone, but nothing big.
I just wanted something 'comfortable' with all the options and toys that we come to expect today ... I get a bit of ribbing after "Driving Miss Daisy" came out ... How many cars came with P/S, P/B, P/W, P/S ... with a 230HP 5.7 L and 4 speed auto back in 1954 as standard equipment ? Sure wish mine had come with AIR !!!! The spec's are very similar to the Town Car beside it ... but no electronics/no air ...
Mine car was stock when I bought if from the origial owner. I drove it that way for 20 years. Then I needed to rebuild the engine. But I found an engine from a later car of the same make and decided to do what I might have done to the car if I had had in high school, and had some money to do stuff. So the new motor got brored, milled, and dual carbs on a fenton intake. Aside from that and some after market wheels with trim rings and baby moons, and some seat covers and door panels, its still got what it left the factory with.
Well, I've been doing this since 1966 and I have gone from hot rods to stockers, back and forth many times. I own and operate a small backyard resto shop and most of my work is bringing 53/54 Skylarks and various 50s Caddies up to "stock" perfection standards. My current cars include a 700+ HP 63 Ford Galaxie (yes, modified) and a stock as a stove (right down to the narrow whitewalls) 63 Meteor S-33 260 (164 HP) four speed. Pretty much one extreme to the other. I enjoy both cars thoroughly. Enjoy what you have. Like what you like because YOU like it not because "someone else" thinks it's cool.
I bought my very stock, locked in a shed for 50 years, '36 Plymouth coupe with the same intentions - make it the period hot rod I might have built on a high school kid's budget in the early 60's. The original flat 6 had a rod through the pan and block, so I immediately replaced it with a bigger, rebuilt '58 Dodge 6 as it was spring and I just had to drive it that summer. One thing led to another - rebuild the brakes, then the trans, add a lighter flywheel, rebuild the generator, the starter, the fuel system, carb, etc. It appears dead stock, and isn't far from it, but I've developed a relationship with the car, and a respect for the design and quality of the old stuff. With the bigger engine, it stays up with traffic, is dependable all year round, and is a hoot to drive in it's own right.
My Vicki is mostly stock, still a 8BA with 3 on the tree. Except for the drop spindles and blocks it appears stock. There is a 4bbl and Ebrock heads on the motor, and the 12v conversion, some teeth up front - wouldnt take much to put it back but I do like it this way and enjoy driving it. Although I've threatened to loose that damn 4-11 rear. So, I guess my vote is mild changes do make it fun - nothing wrong with the OEM car though.
Brandon, That pic of you and your wife re-creating your grandparents pose is perfect! For me, my car is stock because it is more than just a car. It is a link to something that was a part of my past, part of my family. I want to keep it and give it to my son. If he wants to modify it, then more power to him. But for me, she will stay as she is.
I drove a bone stock '50 Desoto in high school (all the way back in '04) and was the coolest car in the parking lot by a long shot. I had my pick of cheerleaders so tell me a stock car can't be kool!
I'd love to have a real old-style sleeper. I've got this vision of a very stock-appearing '37/'38 Buick Century or Roadmaster coupe with a thumpin' 320 I-8, a 5-spd and a posi. Tall blackwall bias-plys. Mohair and woodgrain. Stock shifter mated to the trans.
I don't "drive" it yet. I will be restoring a 57 Dodge D500 Custom Sierra station wagon. The D500 option included a 325 Hemi engine. Because of it's rarity it will get restored, but likely nothing else I have will get restored.
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