History Feeling Nostalgic about Nostalgia or remembering the Traditional hot rod boom of the 90's

I think I can relate to being traditional. After all, I'm 78 and have been wearing 5 ****on 501 Straight Leg Levi's since I was 11. I wore them before they became cool and the fine people at Levi Strauss decided they could be made cheaper and less expensively somewhere other than the USA. Sound kind of familiar, what with all the brand new Chinesium parts available for your "traditional" car? I wore them when the trendy designers came out with all the variations of what they thought were cool and I'm still wearing them. The only thing that's changed with them is the waist size. I've never been able to have the car I wanted when I was younger. I know what it should have in it and a rough idea of what it should look like, and I've known since before I could drive. I started a bare bones 27T roadster that I soon found out that I wasn't going to fit in, (that waist size thing again) and changed over to a 29-roadster pickup. The pickup is going on the same frame with the same drive train as the T. The idea is still the same, just an adjustment so the car will fit me.

 

No REGERTS…I skipped the tattoo craze!

 

What you are forgetting is that the 'history of hot rodding' didn't end at any particular moment in time. It is an ongoing thing, right up until the present moment where we are discussing this very concept. As such, all of your so-called "invaders" are part of the fabric. All things mixed together get us to where we are now, in this exact point in hot rodding.

Nothing has killed the idea of 'traditionally based hot rod building'. We are still here doing that very thing each and every day. No one will change our minds, and there will be others who come after us to carry on. The other side of the coin is that there will also be the 'street rodders', the 'rat rodders', the 'restorers', and all the others that fall in the gray areas in between. There is room for everybody. No one is trying to take your seat. Everyone is just out there building and driving what tickles their pickles. If 'period correct' is your drug of choice, it has not been ruined for you. Build away until your heart is content, and extend to others the respect to do the same.

All of the pigeon-holing that happens in our world of hot rodding is it's most clear and present danger. After all, no matter what camp you are in, we all do it for the same reasons. You can be a single-minded, dedicated protagonist of the 'traditional' hot rod philosophy that you love so much without trying to tell others they are doing it wrong.
There is real cool stuff out there everywhere.......

And, if they are covering their Teslas with rainbow colored adult novelties, at least they will not be ruining all the old stuff before we can get our hands on it..........

 

I think my message is somewhat being misinterpreted, I want to see the period correct/traditional style car style cars and the car enthusiast lifestyle grow and continue after I am gone, and I even if I don't like a style, for example pro-touring it doesn't mean I can't respect the work and craftsmanship it takes to build that style car.

My objection is to the superficial nature of how and why these people have come into period correct/traditional style car style cars.

As I said I and many of the young crowd got into these cars because they spoke to us, people my dad age had uncles, older cousins, older brothers with hot rod and remembered them, or they were the first cars read about in their early teenage years as they became interested in cars and wanted to build cars true to what they remembered, the real deal old hot rodders dug their cars out, or built recreations of the cars they had in their youth.

None of these examples did it for the approval, acceptance, or paise of other people we did it because we liked it, and as I said we studied and learned the dos and don'ts, the history.

I and my many of my friends including guy in there 70s and a couple of real deal old time hot rodders have been told what we are doing is wrong our cars are not correct, we don't now the history by people who just bounce from one trend to another without learning how or why they are doing what they are doing other than it is the cool it thing today.

The opening of this video sums it up perfectly-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=101...ZeEo9YKY278-QI&v=3LYoHpkti9Y&feature=youtu.be

 

Cool video, but surprising you use it to highlight traditional style building.
Did you watch and listen to all of it? Especially the bit from 4:10 to 5:00. The guy builds what the guy wants to build.

I get your p***ion, I really do. I'm here with you. Traditional style is the duck's nuts...... for me.
Thing is, I like some other stuff too. Cool is cool, no matter where it pops up.
Let them do them, and we'll do us.
Being negative towards another man's idea of fun doesn't seem like it advances our cause in any way.
Just sayin'.......

 

Yes, he made a big error too about the parts of the 40s were junk because all everything was going to the war effort. There was no civilian auto/motorcycle production outside of essential service

I have no issue with people building what they want we all have styles we like, I am an oval tracker and a big fan of east coast hot rod, I am not a fan like hi-boys, chopped cars or the tech-no style, if someone wants to build a car that style it's theirs not mine.

What I take issue with is the recovering Boyd/Chip worshipers who have who had no interest in vintage style until it started stealing their thunder, that have come in and pontificate about how wrong what we are doing is how wrong our cars, how wrong our knowledge of history is which in many cases is family history, or was p***ed down to us from the people who were there and did it, while sitting behind a car on an Art Morrison ch***is with all modern running gear, high back bucket seats, A/C, tilt column, billet etc.. and they proclaim traditional because it's got flat black paint and white walls.

I have seen some people who want flat black look and the modern stuff as well, but they will say the car isn't traditional/period correct. I don't have any issue with that.

Their seem to be two extremes-

Any car that isn't built in the "cl***ic" west coast style with a banger or a flathead isn't a "traditional" hot rod or the opposite as long as it looks like a "traditional" on the outside it is.

The truth is there really no such thing as a traditional hot rod because every car was different! Everyone had a different style, a different manner of building and problem solving.

Then just as now if you gave 5 people identical period correct cars frames and parts and told them to build a traditional hot rod you would get different looking cars.

There was a thread a few years ago about someone wanting to change from a Suicide front end because it wasn't traditional.

Not traditional?

 

I like it here because it suits my taste both in hot rods and customs/kustoms.
I like cool cars, and in my eyes/to my taste i like drop axles, bias plys, whitewalls, skirts and so on. Im amazed that all this startet as early as it did, that folks where chopping cars the day after they got their new car at the dealership.
I dont **** on people with generic smallblocks and pastel colors, but its not my taste. But i will find something good to Say about their car regardless. Here where i live people are way too strickt and full of additude. The rod guys Get bashed on by the vette crowd, the high tec guys Get **** from the old schoolers and so on. Or, not Even that. Everything gets talked about behind their Backs.
And everything gets called hot rods….
To me, if im really strickt, a hot rod is a ROADSTER from 28-32. But Im ok with other bodys also. But to call a car AFTER 34 a hot rod is wrong, IN MY MIND. 35 and newer is to me kustoms.
But in the end of the day, we are all in it for cool cars, the whole scene. Thats whats cool with it, regardless.
Just my 2 cents of ramble.

 

That hits the nail square on it's head. Diversity has always been what drives it, and is a good thing. I guess the only 'traditional' bit is the use of period correct parts and building to achieve the look of having been on the road during a certain period in time.

I don't know exactly what draws me to our style of cars. All I know is that feeling I get when I see, build and drive them. Like a kid at Christmas!!! What I don't do is try to dissect and compartmentalise it in an attempt to understand. It is what it is, and it makes me happy. If your so-called "Boyd/Chip worshipers" get the same feeling from their cars as I do, I think that is a great thing. We are not all the same, and we certainly don't need to be.

That's it right there........

 

I just admitted in another topic that I'm a snob. I'm a multi-faceted snob. I often exercise my right to remain silent too. I grow weary of seeing a line of the same old credit card hot rod parts on so many cars. Still, I give a silent tip of the hat that they're having more fun than me, theirs is done. See, there's this snob ****head demanding ****er making me build the car/cars I build. Every damned morning and other times thru the day, right over the ****in sink. There he is.

I always thought part of "get it" in all venues is that some of the knowledge lamented a couple comments above are needed so you can. I want to build an OT rad street bruiser too before I check out. A dreaded 'C' word all big block and noisy and less than a show car. Stupid fast. Takes knowledge of those efforts too. But you know what is NOT traditional? Going ****in home when the street lights come on! Lawn chairs! Tired old same ol same ol doo-wop or Beach Boys blaring away and just sit there and suffer it. How about take a nap, then get up and go roll the same ol same ol haunts like you used to? THAT, my HAMB brothers and sisters would be carrying the torch. Next thing you know you'll be 10yrs younger and p***ing knowledge off to a 20-something tuner kid. Just 1 will do, we don't need a crusade. Amirite? Who's in? Maybe I'm full of **** AND a snob. Heh, thought I forgot din'tcha...

 

I feel ya bro!

 

It's not the fact these people have these style cars, it is their disrespect and the know it all at***udes that many have brought with them.

When I first became interest in these style cars, I learned studied, observed, and showed respect.

I as I said I had a long family history in oval track racing, and had knowledge of other forms of motorsports, muscle cars, and hot rods.

I didn't come into vintage style hot rods and claim to be an expert (and still don't there is always something to learn or someone who knows more) or p***ed my personal options or taste off as fact or history.

The people I am talking about only experiences/knowledge of cars is what they were directly involved in.

I have seen, heard and had people argue hot rod and racing hot rod history and even confronted with the facts in print, historic photographs that proves them incorrect they refuse to admit it.

I had someone tell my cousin and I about our family member's history at Fonda Speedway which he had completely wrong and when we explained it to him, he tried to argue with us and that we were wrong!

I have seen people look at legitimate built in period built untouched racecars and hot rods then go up to the owner and tell them what they need to do to make it historically correct!

That is what I object to, and why I have gotten back into oval track race with vintage cars.

Everyone is friendly people are willing to help each other out, they share knowledge, tools parts, and work on each other's car.

It was what this whole thing was and should be about.

 

Yeah, they just won't listen, right ???
You can't beat information into some people with a stick..........

 

Which is period correct, tampons or pads?

Labels are a *****. If anything in cars is truly "you know it when you see it" it's the stuff we like here. Worry not my friends, there's stupid or ignorant people in just about all venues. My car will NOT be 100% back-in-the-day but it sure will respect the vibe unless you really dig in. There were no gas shocks, HD sway bars, and surely no 600W amps and 10" subs. Yeah, respect means I'll hide that stuff for the most part and the average Joe No-it-all nose picker wouldn't know if you explained it anyways. We donn neeed no steenkin labels. We get it.

 

I am not against using modern parts. I am running ARP 460 Ford rod bolts in all my 261s, but I hide them whenever I can.

However, we at a very strange point where there seem to be two schools of thought.

The first is that the only traditional, period correct call it what you will are bangger or flathead powered west coast hi- boys.

There were as many styles of bulids hi-boys, channeled, chopped, not chopped, full fendered etc..., as there where engine choices.

The second school of thought comes from the trend chasers who are building of more often paying to have the same style of car built they had in the 80s and 90s.

Modern aftermarket independent front and rear suspension, billet tilt columns, power windows, A/C, Power seats, E.F.I.-LS ES EI-EI-O engines, have them painted flat black and put it on whitewalls and proclaim it a traditional 50s hot rod.

It's their car they can build it however they want, there is absolutely nothing traditional about these style cars.

These guys don't get it, its not skin deep.

 

Funny this was the first thing on my FaceBook feed-

 

I am not a fan of the high tech style builds but I can respect the workmanship in them and seeing Chip Foose give respect back is great!!

I speak a lot about revisionist history and how 25 to 30 years ago how these cars were wants non where the people who built them!

Early on in this thread many said it never happened and young people and premiered cars were always welcomed, well this video shows that I wasn't the only one who saw the distain for the early style hot rods, in the 1990s!

 

I’m now 82 and it’s been 52 years since my first tech feature appeared in ROD & CUSTOM. This whole thread is much ado about nothing! Build what pleases you and piss on the critics. Ask 100 HAMB’ers to define Traditional rods and customs and you’ll get 100 different answers.

 

What he said! And not to be a hypocrite I still believe my car will always be a fit for activities that are limited to the early style. And frankly as I mentioned earlier I am a bit of a snob and tend to personally dislike confused cars. That cheap thick wood rim spoke wheel on a car that might have come with a nice one (GTOs for example) is like standing in a wedding party with your fly open. I get it that a 4-500 dollar new wheel isn't for everyone, but certain things just stick out. Period style but digital gauges? Steel wheels, but they're modern 20" and those fake vintage Ford hubcaps don't fix it. See, confused. But like I also said before, we should p*** the torch and be kind to the sincere few who wanna play in our sandbox. Sincere means we know what we're talking about and they listen. The mopes that wanna challenge and argue need not apply.

 

Traditional hot rods changed quite a bit from 1940 to 1965. What years do the revival traditional cars span…has an end year for that span been determined yet?

 

I agree with you in principal but disagree with your cypherin'..... ask 100 of the general public nad you get 100 different answers...... ask 100 HAMB'ers and you get 117 different opinions!

 

Thank youuuu! Couldn't agree more.

It must be Sunday, there's like five threads bemoaning the 'good ol days', etc etc...

 

When I started this thread it wasn't to start a debate, it was simply a matter of looking back at my youth my memories and how the cars were, and what the sense is now compared to what it was then.

I have also repeatedly said I have no issue with people building what they like or want.
.
I also pointed out that there is no such thing as a as traditional.

My objection is the revisionist history that has come into traditional hot rodding-

That is the problem people are p***ing of their own options, personal believes as fact and or painting hot rodding with a broad brush, and the true history of hot rodding is being lost!

 

Your perception-subjective. Settle down and enjoy your definition of a hot rod.

 

Here's the whole issue with this gig. If you could get into Mr Peabody's wayback machine and go back to, oh I dunno, 1963. I submit you won't see a single traditional hot rod.

 

While looking online for images of "traditional" hot rods from the beginning to the mid-60's, I ran across an article on the Motor Trend website from 2013 with 39 pictures and explanations of hot rods and their changes from 1918 until 1959. In order to define "traditional" hot rods, you have to actually determine what you want a vehicle to look like at a particular point in that time frame. I would suggest that anyone interested in this discussion look at and read through this article because there are definite changes over the course of 41 years. If the link doesn't work, look it up because it's relevant to the debate going on in this thread.

The History Of Hot Rodding - 1940s and 1950s (motortrend.com)

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The History Of Hot Rodding - 1940s and 1950s
Hot Rod Homecoming
Larry Chen - photographer; Thom Taylor - Author; Wes Allison - photographer; Hot Rod Staff - photographer; Hot Rod Archives - photographer
Aug 22, 2013
This is the most unusual issue of HOT ROD you've ever seen, as it only has one story outside of the monthly editorial departments, and we've pushed aside several of those to save as many pages as possible for this singular tale. It's the story of hot rodding itself. It's far from the complete story, we admit, but is a remarkable living history as told by 144 surviving cars featured in HOT ROD magazine from 1948 through the '90s. These special cars and about 130 newer ones gathered at the HOT ROD Homecoming in March 2013 at the Fairplex in Pomona, California, to celebrate the 65th anniversary of HRM. It was the world's largest collection of historic feature vehicles, and many were not the hero cars that have been vaunted over the past half-dozen decades—instead, the show was thick with small-town rides, hot rods that haven't been in public in many years, cars that have been used regularly, some that had been freshly restored, and others that were barn finds or survivors.
The genius was in the remarkable mix that had attendees proclaiming the Homecoming to be the best show they'd ever attended. The not-genius of it is that, as we disclaimed, some facets of rodding history went unrepresented at the Homecoming, leaving blank chapters in this issue's chronicle. Filling the voids, we've authored a few timelines as a primer for the new generation and a refresher for the graybeards. It's all one story, but with multiple characters, plotlines, sidebars, and tangents. It's the basics of hot rodding history as you've never seen it.
HOT ROD thanks presenting sponsor Chevrolet Performance and co-sponsor Edelbrock (celebrating 75 years in 2013) for helping make it happen.

 

My comment was a hook. If you really could go back to 1963 you'd see fresh cars and older upgraded builds too...from 1963. They're not traditional...yet. All of this hoopla above is trying to label or define someone's choice. Restoration spe******ts have it easy (almost) cuz we see and fix and repurpose old **** all the time. I even use old stuff to do it sometimes too. Can't see that though, it's just a little extra frosting on my cake. In living irony, or maybe dichotomy is more accurate, that skid mark of restoration vs modification peeks around the corners of your shops or garages. There are scores of new traditional styled cars that I'll submit are so well built and engineered its impossible to fathom anything like that EVER existed in the day. It had to happen. Too much good stuff and talented builders for it not to evolve. An industry paying attention (the good ones) to what has always worked and backfills a refreshed desire to visit hot rod roots. Labels are like name tags at some lame gathering.

Where's Mr Peabody...