factory hot rods, growing old, and Pat Ganahl

I grew up in SoCal, and graduated from high school in '57, so I was around for the golden age of hot rods and customs. All the pictures that follow are cars I've owned.



When the Pontiac GTO was introduced, it seemed it was the first nail in the coffin for hot rods. Radical customs had already p***ed into history. Although the '37 Buick Century and the '55 Chrysler C300 had used the big engine/small body format with considerable success, it seemed that the newly-conceived "muscle cars" really stole the hot rods' thunder.

A friend of mine bought a Goat, and referred to it as a "factory hot rod" -- and it was. Why bother to sweat and bleed over an old car, when you could buy a brand-new, good-looking screamer for $4 grand or so with a warranty? Seems that lots of people felt that way, including me.

[Note: I realize that there were '50 Olds, '57 Chevies, Corvettes, Ponycars, and Super Stocks during the same decades. I'm not saying that GTOs were the whole factory-hot-rod deal, but for me they kind of epitomize the shift in attention that was going on.]

I lived for the next 30 years paying just a little attention to hot rods. There were virtually no customs to speak of. I was into sports cars, cl***ics, vintage racing, and other segments of the hobby.



In the '80s I moved to the Midwest. There I found that hot rods and customs were alive and well. This enthusiasm was being urged on nationally by the work of Tex Smith, Pat Ganahl, the L.A. Roadsters, and a few others. I re-connected with the enthusiasm of my youth, and re-directed my attention to the American stuff that had been my focus years earlier.



Now another 25 years have p***ed. In that time I've had 6 or 8 cars that fall within the HAMB's focus, worked on the design of a lot of toy products (particularly Micro Machines and Hot Wheels) with a similar slant, been to hundreds of shows and cruises, and generally paddled around comfortably in the Rod & Custom pool.




Shortbus photo

I'm proud of the cars I've had, and I'm not done yet, but I notice that age is messing with me involuntarily. Our daily drivers are a '99 Lightning and a '96 Impala SS, and they are the same kind of deal as the GTO was 40 years earlier: good looking, reliable, factory hot rods. The warranties are long gone, and parts are drying up like they do with old cars, but they're just so easy to live with.



I'm writing this because I imagine that there are other old farts on the HAMB with similar experiences to mine, and to advise guys in early middle age what may be headed their way. I'm not done yet, but my hot rod hormones aren't what they once were.

I'll conclude by saying that without that work of Messrs. Ganahl, Smith, LARs and their peers in the '70s and '80s, the rod & custom rebirth might never have happened. It's remarkable and inspiring to me that there are a couple of generations of younger guys today who are really interested in the stuff that was done back when, and who are upholding and improving the styles and techniques of that earlier era. Keep it up!

PS: Great credit is also due to present-day guys like ****an, Morton, Brizio, Tardel, and a gang of other chroniclers and craftsmen who fan the flames so capably -- but that's another story.

 

Good post, and accurate


P/S, I started at 13 with my dads old 57 2dr post 88 Olds...and it had the same width whites and no caps, just like yours

 

Tony, you've got the eye, and barring that Lotus 7 thingie (haha, but I'm sure it was fun) I'd say your stable of cars is incredible.

....and at the end of the day, unlike Ganahl, you don't have any 4 doors!!

 

thanks..great post,Ive only been doing this for about35 years,makes me feel like a rookie .......

 

From an older old fart(I graduated in 1951) to and old fart..GREAT POST!!!!
Nice bunch of cars!!!!and I enjoyed reading you story...

 

I'm a tad younger but the GTO was right in my wheel house. All you needed was a 1000 down or a daddy to cosign and you had a street racer. I guess we were just jealous. Later I tried to buy a 66 442 but I needed another 500 bucks or my dad to cosign. He wouldn't because of the looming draft. I never could get totally away from hot rods. I was working on a 38 Chevy coupe at that time. I loved the gas coupe and sedans. For a long time in that period it was hard to find magazines that covered our style hot rods.

You sure had and have some neat ****!!!

 

I coned my dad into going with me to look at a Red Dodge Charger,,it was equiped with a hemi and a 4 speed,,,,

We took a test ride , I was driving and my dad was the co-pilot,,,I eased the cluth out and we were on our way,,,

I was lile a little school girl,,all giddy,,,and my dad said turn at the next light and go out Greenville street,,,,In the early seventys Greenville st. had very little business or traffic,,,,

As we were just getting out of the city limits my dad said " Nail it"

Fearing what might happen I kinda half heartedly mashed the gas and put it in forth gear,,,no real head snapping speed in 4th and a low speed.

My dad being smarter that I had given him credit,,,told me to pull over at the next road,,,and get out ,,,He would drive back.

Dad got in the drivers seat and adjusted it closer to the steering wheel,,,fired up the hemi,,,slid it into gear and nailed it,,,,scared the **** outta me and I'm sure it did him too!

He ran off the side of the road and jerked it back into his own lane,,,caught his breath and with out missing a beat said,,,You are not getting this car,,,,You will kill yourself.

We pulled back into the Dodge used car dealership and he told the salesman thanks but no thanks,,,the car was too much for my son.

It was a quiet ride home ,,I was really down because I wanted that car.

The next day when I got off the bus my dad said he had found me a car,,,,I had an uncle in the used car business and dad had called him and ask what he had,,,I thought I have worked hard for the past few years at Sears and saved my money and as a cosigner my dad was gonna force me into buying a grandma car,,,a rambler or a valiant( nothing wrong with these cars,,just not cool in the 60's and 70's)

Saturday morning and dad says lets go to your uncle Harold's and see what hes got,,,,

Harold White's Motors was known for having THE CLEANEST USED CARS IN TOWN,,,,it said so on his sign and it was true,,,he also had good fishing cars,,,whatever that was.

As we pulled in the lot I saw a 67 GTO,,silver w/t a black vynal top 389 4 barrel car,,,black interior and like new,,,dad said he had made a deal with Harold and I had enough money to buy it outright,,,I was floored,,,

That was a great car,,,,I was happy and so was my dad,,,

My dad died in 1999 and when we were cleaning out all the things you do when you are clearing out a lifetime of memories,,I found a reciept where I had bought the GTO for $950.00,,,and a second piece of paper stapled to the back where my dad had paid my uncle and extra $600.00 bucks,,,,

He pulled a fast one on me making me think I did it on my own,,,and he never told me,,! HRP

 

Good stories!! and 50Fraud, nice pile of cars.

 

A ****ing RIOT, and one of the fastest cars I ever owned, with only 1340cc.

Yes I do. The Impaler is a moredoor. It's for double-date nights and grandchildren.

 

You, sir, have shown some great taste in cars for a long time. here's hoping you keep it up for just as long.

 

Great story 50 Fraud, although Im not quite as old, I can relate. HotRodPrimer, you too told a great story, made me think of my dad and smile, thanks guys.

 

Your track roadster is one of my favorite hot rods!! That thing just nails it for me. The rest of your stable is plenty impressive as well!!
Jimmy White

 

Amen to that!

 

Your generation is the one inspiring us!

This story deserves its own thread!
One of my favorite things about this whole hotrod deal is that it gives me something in common with the rodders that came before us, so I can just sit and listen to them tell stories.

 

Good storys Guys. I too grew up in SoCal in that time period. Would have
graduated in 59.
I always had older stuff though. Hell, I was in the Marines in 58. You had a
lot of my dream cars Fraud! I just had old Ford coupes and a couple of Mercs.
My first muscle car was a 427 64 Galaxie. A little faster than the Goats, Runners, etc. I love that 57 Olds. The first thing we did was take off the
hubcaps. When I used to wash my Mom & Dads 49 Cad Sedanette I
always pulled the skirts and hubcaps. Dad didn't like that though.
Anyway, I think you covered the subject quite well. Hope we get to keep on doin this for awhile. Quite awhile!
Ron

 

I just ran across this elderly thread, and liked it well enough to wake it up.

In the years since the original post, the '34 truck, the T roadster, and the '96 Impala have all gone down the road. The Lightning is still my daily driver, an OT wagon has replaced the Impala as the double date/grandchildren car, this got more or less completed...



...and this is on its way to becoming another phantom custom:



The Old Fart within me continues to seek comfort and convenience, so the '40 will be pretty much a typical street rod under the tin: MII, AOD, radials, all that non-traditional stuff. My enthusiasm for '39 transmissions, bias tires, and buggy springs has expired.

Clearly the traditional movement doesn't need my help. The HAMB, Mr. Ganahl, and the LA Roadsters are all still keeping the flame, and I enjoy looking at all those relics even if they don't fit me very well any more.

I hope y'all are continuing to celebrate tradition as well.

 

There's nothing wrong with seeking comfort. There's room in the automotive world for all types of builds. Traditionally themed cars are just one segment of a very large whole.

 

Great thread! I'm not a "trad nazi", but I understand the need to preserve the knowledge and traditions of the hobby.

Bottom line is, build it right and enjoy it!

 

Keep up the GOOD work Tony

 

50 Fraud, I love the 40. The stance and everything about that car is right. Keep up the good fight.

 

This has been one of my favorite pictures for a long time.

Thanks for reviving this post.

 

I love that picture too. By Dave Lindsay, it's the only picture I've ever seen of the two cars together with black wheels.

 

If he had shot the other side things would have been different.

 

Quite right

 

I think I took a similar trip thru years of cars / toys. 'Cept for those yellow wheels on that pickup. Whoa. Thanx for sharing, Gary

 

All of your cars are beautiful but those yellow wheels on that red truck. Yikes

 

You had some beautyful cars.Im to got a old fart inside me
that want comfort.I have had old"junk" whole my life till one
morning i woke up and realised i wanted fast realiable comfort
and bought a loaded Mercedes SL 500. Its got ewerything
including the kitchenzink........but its to dam perfect, you change
oil and tires and then what?? So i got my p***ion back for
Old "junk"moore than ever

 

50 Fraud, thanks for reposting. I missed this the first time, I really admire your style.
Your 40 is going to be killer! Billy is doing a nice job.

 

Agree with all....My '39 has an LS based motor and a 4L680E trans and a 12 bolt...I LIKE the modern stuff and A/C when it's hot, and last, but not least, 80-85 mph cruise speeds on the highway, where practical!!!