Was sittin' here readin' the rant post about the high price of '32s...noddin' at most of the comments...but then it hits me...The only real reason we got started in Hot Rods was for the ATTENTION! It's the "Look At Me Syndrome". We love all the looks, stares, waves, thumbs up, and praise! It starts when you're a kid..."Look at me Mommy"! "Look what I can do!" We want our parents attention, friends, relatives, teachers, and most importantly...GIRLS!! How do you get the girls' attention? Cool wheels! It starts with roller skates and works its' way up to cars. A bad*** set of wheels gets everyones attention. The louder, the better! Then when you've got the girl, you want attention from others. That's why there's so many companies out there vying for your dollar tryin' to come up with the next neatest gizmo that will get you the attention you want. "Look At Me! Look what I have!" You want to stand out in a sea of sameness! You build an OLD car cause not everyone has one. Look at me! Then you go to a big car show and you're suddenly lost in that sea of sameness again. What to do? Build a more outrageous car! "Look At Me, Damnit!!" Look at how much money I used to have!! And THAT my friends... is why '32 Fords cost so DAMN ****IN' MUCH!!
I am just posting this so you would look at me...just kidding. I started with well,duh. but then I remembered that I built my first car so girls would look at IT rather than me.(I am not very pretty,ya know...)but aside from that,AMEN.
If everybody wants to be different how come everybody wants a 32? 32's are so popular cause it's the "cool" thing to do. 32's are overrated and I can say that cause I own one (for now). Clark
I guess your sorta right. Look at the guys that painted their cars pastel colors in the 80's. It was the "in" thing to do......didn't make it right! Clark
I like building the cars and having them for the simple fact of looking at them........I can make a part or a change to a car and just sit back and basically stare at it for the rest of the day. Some of the **** we have is built as models for us to look at and sometimes never leaves the garage. It not to say the cars don't get attention but I have never even had the thought cross my mind to build something that says look at me, I build **** that is cool in my eyes which always tends to be early period style because thats what I'm into. I would hope most of these guys aren't building cars to have people look at them I hope there doing it for the pure love of it.
I just built my car so I can get a better parking spot at the big events so I can give everyone else the attention they deserve for spending so much money on their cars. Hey! It's the least I can do! Seriously, I keep trying to tell myself that it ain't about the attention-- that I just enjoy having an old car. I like the way they look, the way they drive (mine, at least), even the way they smell. But even though I keep telling myself this, I'm just kidding myself! I totally dig it when John Q. Public gives me a thumbs-up while I'm zipping along, or pumping more gas in the tank. Even better when known "car people" give me the nod.
ok Freud, so then it's like wearing a giant foam rubber ***** on your head? is that what it means to you? well it does to me, it means the same as wearing a giant foam rubber ***** on my head. mommy, where is my big rubber *****?
I disagree. I really do hate the attention that old cars bring. I have 5 old cars... I rarely drive them because I hate the attention. I take them out around the block about one or two times every six or so months. It would be sad except for the fact that what makes me love them is that I can sit in my garage and work on them or I can just sit outside and think about them. I love the history in them... in the design and in the previous owners lives. Maybe I just need therapy, but personally I would much rather enjoy driving my car alone on a road then with anyone around. Nothing is creepier than having people stare at you... Well, maybe having 5 cars and not driving them? HyFire
Screw the 'look at me'.... (I'm fat, bald, and happy)... I'm more into: "Look at my car and the babe(s) d****d over it!" http://community.webshots.com/album/204378265kOvitP
Not for me! For me it's look at what I built. Don't look at me...look at what I think is a beautiful car. This is my idea of what a hot rod looks like. If you agree that's great, If you disagree thats cool too. You will rarely find me "posing" with my car. I can't get away from my car quick enough to satisfy me. I like to stand a ways off and watch the reaction that the car brings. I smile inside when someone stops and looks the car over closely. It makes my day when one guy points out some detail on my car that the other guy might have missed. After all, Ryan is my hero. He built all this for us and only a few of us can pick him out of a crowd. (I can't. He is a real person...right?) It doesn't always have to be ME, ME, ME. It's about the cars.
I call bull ****. To the guys that say they dont do it for the looks and the praise. Sure it may not be what its all about but it sure does make it worth it. I love driving my car and seeing peoples necks snap trying to look at it. It makes me happy and gives me goose bumps. When i drive my car im the center of attention even to the guy that bought the brand new vette so he could say look at me look at me. We all want attention sometimes its not kind of attention you want. like people asking stupid questions. and telling storys (i like hearing them though) Maybe im to young and dumb but i woudnt have it any other way. I hate drivng daily i hate being invisable. Or maybe i just have lowself esteem
what makes the artist create? seeing as how every artist's art is unique, I would venture to presume that we as artists, inventors, creative individuals do not all have the same reason for what we do or what we get out of it. showing off is only a very small part of it for me. I enjoy being creative. hmm.. so if I can't create life in my womb, 'cause I'm a dude, I must create in my mind and with my hands... and feel pride for my mechanical child.
im not trying to piss any one off. I dunno i just dont see how any one could not feel good about driving what they worked hard on. sure most people dont understand that you built your car with your own hands but YOU know. And why even have the cars if you dont like the attention. sure you like driving them but with driving something "diffrent" comes attention. Im not trying to be a **** but i just dont understand letting a couple stares and comments from stopping you enjoy your cars. But some guys would rather build them then drive them. I understand that, but like i said driving and showing off what you worked so hard on is a good payoff in my book. Bryan
If you're building & driving hotrods & kustoms so people will pay attention to you, then you need a life in a big way, I build & drive them because I like it, I don't give 2 ****s what anyone else thinks, same with my music, my choice of clothing, etc, etc. It's MY life. Reminds me of an old TSOL quote "live your life ignore the heroes **** the rest"
Exactly! Isn't that why the gold chainers pull up a chair and sit by their rods all day? So people look at them and all their $$. I dig the history of old cars.
Nope, drawing attention is the last reason I'd build anything. Everything I've ever done with cars has been all about the challenge and self-satisfaction of building something myself. Even when I raced, it wasn't at all about the "Look at Me! I just won!" syndrome. The fact that I knew on a given date, I did a better job of driving and car building that X number of other racers was where my satisfaction came from. The fact that others saw me do it was immaterial. Jan
That is why I always wear my superhero costume with the bright red codpiece. The chicks dig it! .......and TSOL is cool.
I feel the same way: I'd rather drive past/with people I know than a bunch of strangers, staring and pointing. No interest in 'impressing' a bunch of unknown quan***y people. No interest in having strangers walk up and try to talk **** about the car with me.
I feel great about driving what I worked hard on. But I did it because I like the sounds, feelings, vibrations, and odors of a hot rod. I could care less if someone else likes it - all that matters is that I like it. Attention doesn't stop me from enjoying it, but I don't really like attention. It's fine that others also enjoy it, but they can't come close to getting the enjoyment that I do out of my car. It's not showing off to drive it, it's me enjoying it. My favorite rides are on deserted country roads - the fewer people, the better. There are obviously others who feel the same way, judging by the posts.... Mutt
32's???? ****, I don't even look at 32's anymore. 34's maybe...36's most defintely, though what REALLY caught my eye was some 38's -- (D-cups, no less!) -- and now I'm married to her/them!! [CUE Homer voice]: "Mmmmmmmm....38's...."
The Jalopy Journal
