Breaking with tradition...what have you done?

I just drove a friends car tonight and he has those really white lights...they are not the purple/blue ones...they are just REALLY white. I was amazed at how much more I could see while driving.

This had me thinking...I leave for work in the dark and drive home in the dark...my 52 chevy is going to be my daily driver...man I would like to find some of these lights and put in my car as long as they looked stock in the day light.

what have you done to your car for what ever reason...that breaks the unwritten rule of you can't do that because it is not traditional or period correct.

 

I think it all depends one what it is your building, you know? Obviously the Goodguys don't care too much about tradition, so they bolt anything on the car they can, no matter how goofy it might like. But other guy might want his '32 roadster to look as if it would have been built back then with the same parts.

I honestly like a little bit of new and old. Customizers of the 50's and 60's used anything they could get ahold of... hydros, new electrical gadgets... anything to make their car something that broke the mold. And while I love the traditional look, I think it's up to us to continue that tradition of trying to constantly break that mold and reinvent car building.

Of course, this is coming the LORDZOFVISORZ here, so take it with a grain of salt I guess.

 

What about trad stuff on something newer? I put a jockey shift and cool home made short over under pipes on my buddies '02 Softail. Amazingly enough Kojak put it quite eloquintly. I say doit, good head lights are a must especially were it gets real foggy.
-Jesse

 

GM one wire juice maker.
Chrysler Hemi backed by a Chevy TH400 and a Ford 9" all in a Plymouth.Makes the hardcore MoPar guys nuts just thinking about it....
-Bugman Jeff

 

The Rocky 33 had halogen headlight kits replacing the standard sealed beams. Also used a T-5 overdrive tranny and 2002 air in the gennie firestone rubber tubes..

 

I say go for it.
Traditional?
The guys that started the car movement that we call traditional, were not about being traditional, they built cars designed to look better, of go faster, sometimes both.
They pushed the envelope.
They would have used the lights you describe, had they been available.
Jim

 

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This had me thinking...I leave for work in the dark and drive home in the dark...my 52 chevy is going to be my daily driver...man I would like to find some of these lights and put in my car as long as they looked stock in the day light.



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There is a Halogen sealed beam out there that is a direct bolt-in to your car and looks totally stock - except for the cast in word "Halogen" on the lens.

When my 32 was first running, it had the old style headlights. The black pavement ate up the yellow looking light (with 13.2 volts on the system) and you couldn't see jack.

I put a pair of the Halogens on and it was a tremendous improvement.
I don't have the part number handy, but they are easy to find at Wally World and other places. About $9.00 each.
A very worthwhile investment.

If you're running a highboy or similar, you'll end up with them adjusted a little low due to most times highboy headlights are mounted low, but they still work well.
And of course, high beam will really do the trick when you can use it.

The headlights on my 32 are 21" off the ground - measured to center of the headlight.
California law a few years back called for 24" minimum and that would make for a better light setup both for you and the oncoming drivers.
I think California law is now at 22" - and maybe 20" - off the ground to headlight center.
Regardless, I haven't been stopped by the gendarmes for too-low headlights.

Not a problem with your Chevy height-wise, but the Halogens only come in 12 volts.

I stuck a pair of them in my 50 Plymouth coupe as well.
It made a big difference there.

Get a set and you'll see.

Was that pun?

 

I'm planning on using a T-5 behind the flatty in my 31 coupe and I phave halogens in the guide lights for it.

But...

I have the 60 Raunchero sitting here for the next project and my mother's 73 500 caddy sitting in the shed keeps calling to me...

 

Shit, I'm using GM's first all-Metric engine...the lowly 2.8 60 degree V6 in my 49 Chevy...mainly 'cause they're cheap, reliable and so small that fitting them into damn near ANY car is a piece of cake!

The car will retain it's closed driveline, stock 49 drum brakes, a late 40s/early 50s Chevy truck manual tranny hooked to the 2.8 bellhousing and the shifter for the four speed tranny coming up from the floor.

With the exception of the floor shift and the hanging pedals, it will be just like driving a stock 49 Chevy...except that the power will be going to through the vintage "traditional" drivetrain from a modern, smooth and trusty V6. If you don't pop the hood, you'll never know!

"Hiding" newer technology in older tin is nothing new...and plenty of us are still doing it today...from 5-speed trannys behind flatheads to halogen lights to alternators dressed up like generators or false drum backing plates covering discs. I want my car to have the look and feel of a 50s ride, but with a more reliable engine...one that can be serviced easily on the road with parts-store stock! When you slide behind that big wheel and fire up the unmuffled V6...then work that vintage tranny through the gears...you won't know or care what's REALLY under the hood...at least I wont, and that's all that matters, right?!

 

I'm running Basset roundy round wheels on my basically 60s custom '53. They look truckish without lookin' like wagon wheels, and they are the lightest steel wheel on the market.
As far as the lights are concerned, I might not go with the high intensity lights, but the halogen sealed beams are the shit. Easy swap, and don't really change the look of the ride.I don't like the high intensity lights because I drive on the same road with those guys. Nuff said.
In the late 60s I put some aircraft landing lights(pencil beams) in some A buckets, then put the lenses over the front. That was cutting edge for the time. Wasn't even close to legal, and probably wouldn't come close to todays traditional, but it worked like a champ.
The thing to do if you could find them would be Lucas Flame Throwers. Don't think they make 'em anymore, but you can still get bulbs for them. Gives you tradition and light in one fell swoop.

 

is it ok to use "flubber" is that traditional?

 

I remember an article about the Neikamp roadster when Jake was restoring it. Jake had Bill over to look at his old car. Bill saw that he was going to put a flathead back in the car and ask Jake why he wasn't going to use a SBC. Jake explained that he was doing a COMPLETE restoration and that was the engine Bill had used during the first buildup. To this Bill replyed, "If there had been a SBC around when I built it thats what I would have used". He realized that there had been better power plants developed since he first put the roadster together and thought that you should use the best you had available to build a hot rod. I can't see any reason not to follow that same thinking today. We have better brakes, better tires, better paint, etc., etc. why not use them while "TRYING" to remain true to the overall design and appearance.

Frank

 

My T-bucket lakester will appear as traditional as any of 'em. That's where the comparison ends. Iron Duke with side-drafts and Offy-style header ahead of a T-5, early ford rear with '37 wide-5's converted to disc brakes (all 4 corners), all aluminum body, etc. I purchased one of the items for it on eBay (gasp !) last evening (photo).

Oh, yeah....the entire car will be round tube space frame completely designed in Autocad....

 

I run a Mallory Dual Pt. and am also going to an MSD box for my flat head. Also went to 12volts and a 1-wire alt.makes my ride kinda non-traditional,but it runs much better now.

 

I am running an Optima gell cell 6V battery and I usually keep a couple of naked High School girls in the trunk...
That's about it...

HC

 

In my current project I'm using a dual master cylinder and residual pressure valves. But that's the only thing not "traditional". I think the sacrifice is worth it.

Everything else is pre-1955.


alchemy

 

I added 2003 air to the Firestones on the Rocky33

 

oooh, I almost forgot... I use febreeze from time to time on my seats.

HC

 

Seatbelts, modern headlamps and hydraulic brakes are all improvements that are barely noticable aesthetically but make the difference between a driver and a curiousity piece. I say do it, I did and I'd never go back.

 

You know I would not beat myself up for being non-trad if is a part that is going to save you and/or your hot-rod from being a steaming pile of twisted metal laying in a ditch beside some SUV that just hit you or visa-versa.

I changed my Buick from a 6v to a 12v. I am also putting in a master cyl from an S-10 to replace my single cyl system (with NO proportioning valves).....I mean as it sits, if I lose pressure to any wheel I lose pressure to ALL of my brakes. It just makes sense to change and add the proportioning valves. I think I am going to add seatbelts too. Does that make my car non trad? I don't care. It's safety and common sense first.

 

[ QUOTE ]
I think it all depends one what it is your building, you know? Obviously the Goodguys don't care too much about tradition, so they bolt anything on the car they can, no matter how goofy it might like. But other guy might want his '32 roadster to look as if it would have been built back then with the same parts.



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That's true but not necessarily an us or them situation. I'd like to change the few repro parts on my sport coupe but the P/U I'm putting together has power disc brakes! I'm building for long distance touring on the interstate so some compromizes have to be met. It'll still have a generator though Make what ever compromizes you are comfortable with.

 

My take... is if it doesnt change the look of the car... and improves the driveability then go for it.

Unless your talking about running a fake fuel pump or something to disguise the electric under the tank... that i'd just as soon put a block off plate on.

That and running dead carbs... might as well use all that ya have on the intake instead of just the centers!

 

Jerry runs those light that C9 mentioned. They look pretty much stock when they're off, but turn them on and you can stand in front of them and see your bones. Bright as hell.

 

The sealed beam halogens are ok but I REALLY wanna see. I use those H-4 [I think} bulbs in the reflector kit that actually replaces the sealed beam. The lens furnished is flatter than a sealed beam and I love the look. Different candle power bulbs are available from 50 or 75 candlepower or watts to a retina searing 150. I don't see real well at night and these things help a bunch. I usually get the ones that are legal on the dim side and feloneous on the bright side. Great for running through corn country all alone on the 2 lanes. These things will fry a deere at 100 yards, no problem.. I see JC Whitney sells the kits too. A wonderful investment. I've run these in the last 4 or 5 cars I've had.

 

If I itemized everything on my car it might sound like a street rodders shopping list.

Or an early Seventies to mid Eighties street racers list at best.

Big block, Tilt column, disc brakes, ladder bars, coil overs, bucket seats, cable shifter, halogens, blah blah blah...

It’s the overall concept and construction that makes it stand apart from the mainstream street rod crowd.

Or at least that's what I tell myself.

the next one will be truer to the past, but still not one hundred percent pure.

Paul

 

I DIDN'T put a 350/350 combo in my rod. Now that has got to be breaking with tradition

Hey, wrong picture, but what the fuck.

 

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The sealed beam halogens are ok but I REALLY wanna see. I use those H-4 [I think} bulbs in the reflector kit that actually replaces the sealed beam. The lens furnished is flatter than a sealed beam and I love the look.

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I had a set of those in my 51. I bought mine off Ebay. Paid less then $45 for the complete set including bulbs. Had Glass lenses but plastic housings. They worked good till one day i noticed condensation building up inside them. I drilled a hole in the housing to let it breath,but by that time the reflective material had started to peel off inside. I've got a set of the halogen sealed beams that C9 mentioned and they work good to. I just don't care for the lettering across the front of them.

 

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I usually keep a couple of naked High School girls in the trunk...

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I just gotta get some of those the the RPU!

JH

 

I'm running disc brakes & a th350, but my car is "new-stolgic" rather then traditional.
jimv

 

I used H4 headlights on my 29 track roadster. I kept the stock old courved symetrical glass however. Didnt like the EU-standard H4 flat glass with the assymetrical light pattern.
Worked out great. I even built in the turn signal lamps in the H4 reflectors.