Inverted snobbery?

I'm a retired bodyman/mechanic/fabricator. I have built many cars for myself as well as others. I'm one of the few (I guess) that does it all. I feel very lucky to be knowledgeable and handy enough to do this type of work. I love old cars,I love working on them for myself and others. I really don't think it matters who built the car or if it's metal or glass. It only matters that someone truly enjoys it when it's done. I hate trailer queens. If you don't drive it, you might as well just have a picture of someone else's car in your wallet...

 

I have to build mine because I'm self employed and have no money. I would love to have a professional shop build the next project (62 Falcon).
My work will never be mistaken for a Barris creation but I am having fun learning many new trades and do take pride in my accomplishments. The only thing farmed out has been machine shop work.

 

Ryan, MetalShapes and everybody all make good points. When I was growing up, most rodders were just poor boys whose only way to have a cool car was to take stock stuff and make something distinctive, personal AND LOUD out of it. One of the points of pride was in being able to say how little money you actually had in your machine. Ya scrounged everywhere, and buddies often helped eachother, knowing that they'd lend a hand when the need arose. My biggest regrets are probably all the project cars that were available WHEN I just didn't have the dough or a dry place to keep them to work on them (rain sucks). I try to tell myself I'm lucky to have been able to hold onto one mild custom and one rod, especially when many are still looking for something they can afford and be reasonably happy working on and driving.

My point is that, regardless of any guy's desires and talents, nothing is cheap any more! He (or she) still has to put money into parts and processes to achieve the car as you want it to look and drive. So, some are in a position to do most things themselves, and others achieve pretty much the same end with a lot more hired help. We all do what we have to do, according to monetary constraints and constraints of time, family, job, etc. If you have funds available, but not so much talent, training or vision, then don't let the latter stop you from participating in the hobby! If I could just win the lottery, I -- like, I'm sure, most HAMBers! -- would have a huge pole barn, grease rack and 20 or 30 cars; and nobody I know can build manage that many cars all by himself in a single lifetime. LOL

The whole thread goes to show that hotrods, and how you reach your rodding goal, are a very individual matter. If there were a real, rigid "template" and guidelines for HOW it's done "properly," then a good deal of the challenge and the pride of conceiving, building, owning and driving would be nonexistent. We could all just drive factory stock machinery. Now wouldn't THAT be boring?

 

Judging by the amount of response this is a hot button topic and there are still insights to be gained from responses despite the repetitious nature of some. So thanks to Paul for posting it and thanks to Ryan for sticking with it.

 

PM me your phone number so you can drive the roadster in my avatar 500 miles through a possible snow/rain storm in November to a show in Scottsdale. Since when is common sense "fake" in your book?

 

It's been a blast, but may I respectfully request that this thread now be closed before it has a chance to take a wrong turn.
Paul