I have been thinking alot about this for some time now, and have started this post 20 times. I'm still not sure if it's the right prefix or not. I remember the first rod I built. The nights after school doing body work, scrounging through junk yards for parts, piecing together a interior, and saving up all summer for a set of wheels. It was decent enough I guess, but it was by FAR the most fun I ever had on four wheels. Then as I got more involved in our hobby, I began to attend more shows than just the local stuff. I started Good guys, NSRA shows etc. And slowly became aware my stuff just wasn't up to these cats standards. And so as the years and the cars go by, I struggle to make each one better. But I also feel I've lost something along the way. Oh I totally understand the drive to push yourself. To try to achieve excellence. But lately it feels like I'm chasing a dream that can't be caught, there will always be something I could do better, different, or over. I look at the recent post by Bass, and that fantastic frame, or all the pictures of Live Wire. Then I feel like scrapping my***** and starting over. But I also think about 3W Larry and how much fun he is having with his Beater truck! And maybe it was the teenage innocence that made that first one so much fun ..... but then again maybe it is something else. A purity, the love of the machine I've lost. Maybe I've become to aware, and care to much what others think. Maybe I need to back up and ask myself what I really want. I don't really know if I'm expressing myself right or not, but as I type this I'm torn on the direction to go on my 54. I am thinking about paint, but the felts aren't great, there is a ding or 2 on the chrome, a scratched window, etc. etc. So maybe I will just shoot it flat gray again to look like a project in the works.... See afraid to just build a fun car!
Quit thinking so hard. Go with your heart. I've seen this sorta thing ruin the hobby for a few friends. Don't let that happen. Hobbies are suppose to be fun, not stressful. Just my .02 Edit: And who the hell cares whose standards your car is up to. It's YOUR car. Do YOUR thing.
Used to pour my heart and soul into them to be up to somebodies standard. Now I build what I want and if someone doesn't like what i've done==========
Its almost as if in high school the struggle and desperation to build a cooler car then your buddies is the most fun... once out of school it turns into "whos got the bigger bank account" that guy wins the street rod shows and they take the fun out of it bc they make u feel inferior to them. I drive a brand new car everyday and a trip to the mall in its self is a hassle do to me being scared some one will scratch it or ding it.. I say build a car you can act like a nut in and wont cry if the paint gets scratch of your fender gets hit
The older I've become the more I just want to cruise. That's why I pay someone to fix'em while I'm at work. Don't get me wrong, I'm an old wrencher but I would just rather do the little things now-a-days than the multi-week projects and in the process thow something. I leave it to the pros that have all of the equipment and such.
I like your****le.. It was fun back then,, I felt like I was on a mission to make the best that I could.. 25 years or so ago ago.. for some odd reason the novelty wore off.. around 91 , 92.. I Lost the drive to do more.. I got back into this about 6 years ago.. its not the same as it used to be..
Is it as fun as it once was? not without money it ain't.....dang mortgage payments, wife's needs, internet bill, etc... Of course I'm just kidding. Taking longer than I had hoped for, but I've come to the point that I'm in no hurry. It will be done when it gets done. And then I will drive the doors off it, meanwhile starting on the next one. The persistance post makes a lot of sense.
The one I'm building now is for me to have fun in. Oh yes it is my 1st. I've worked on lots of others. High dollar, low buck you name it. I'm far from a teenager I've watched loads of my friends build, rebuild and rebuild again cuz it didn't win here or wasn't as good as someones. Don't think I want to go through that. Don't care if I ever win anything with mine, just want to have fun in it. I agree with most of everyone here. Build what you want deeeeep down in your heart. If It ain't FUN then what the heck are you doing it for?
55 years old ,I have as much fun in the garage as I ever have had. Time spent wrenching with friends can be as rewarding as anything if you keep your expectation at a level you can enjoy. I build parts for riddler contenders but enjoy making a part for my truck the most. Gary
Only YOU, can make YOU happy. I used to worry about what everyone else thought, not so much any more. We can't please everybody so why try? I think you'd be really surprised at how much other people dig unfinished, not perfect, raw in its own way rods. As un-special as my car is, folks still seem to be drawn to it for what it is'nt. A high dollar perfect chrome, don't touch or lean on me kind of car. If thats what your goin for, thats fine too. A while back someone had posted about the zen , the pure enjoyment of just driving in you car, truck, whatever. Thats the truth. Thats the way. You had a good reason for buying your 54....go with it Bryan
You need two cars. Have the old reliable one that does nothing wrong, and never tear it down longer than a weekend rebuild. Then you have the car that you want to make really nice. As long as you always have your fun car, it doesn't matter how long the other project takes. The worst thing I ever did was take the engine out of my old reliable 39 Chevy. I haven't driven it now for 21 years. I have had other cars since, but none of them ever lived up to the 39.
For me, its more fun now than it used to be. Trying to build cars with no money and very few tools was tricky. And it was an absolute disaster if I tore something up or if a part went bad on the car. Now I can work on a car, or not, or switch to working on another one if I feel like it...
Don't STRESS over it!!!! Enjoy your rodz man!!! Winter sux YOU GOT TOO MUCH THINKING TIME!! _______________ "Lets tie him to the car and DRAG HIM"!!!!
i have been there (as most of us have) . my worst mistake was to buy/build a "SHOW" car . everytime i took it out , the paint got cheaped , it got dirty , i polished my***** of , never any fun or rest . sat out several yrs , went back to drag racing . now i own one car , 1931 tudor , nothing special , but a daily driver & the most fun ive had with my cloths on . i still take it to "outside" shows just to socialize . most of the time i dont even stay till the end . no way this car will compete with the 100k cars , dont care either . yes i have a little money in it , but in the running gear , not the paint/interior . this is my last toy , 63 + sick . i WILL enjoy this one to the max !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it goes to my son when im gone . my point , if its not fun go home ! when the fun is gone , there isnt anything left . please build a car that YOU can have FUN with . the '54 would be very neat , very easiley ...................... steve
I find it a bit odd that you question yourself in this way, Terry. You are one guy who goes his own way and goes real cool. Not only that, I was pretty sure your middle name was fun and still am sure. I'm a few years further down the road than you are agewise but still toddling when it comes to fooling around with cars. Lots of things seem less "fun" on my side of 60 just for the fact that the novelty has worn off leaving a patina of memories. Some "car talk", huh? Every one of these responses hold up in answer to your question... each one is valid. You can pick and choose from the lot and maybe find some sort of answer. For me, though, I think that your approach to your cars should be like your approach life. You are a thoughtful guy, Terry, but you're also a hell of a lot of fun... in a non-gay way, of course. himmelberg
I make my cars and trucks to the way I want them, and do not give a***** about what others think of them. I build them for me and my family, and if someone else happens to dig them, cool! I certainly ask for advice on various things on a project, but as for what others think of the completed product, I am the only one I have to impress. I've owned my '66 Dodge since 1980, and am the second owner. I basically redid the car, top to bottom, in 1985. It looks now, almost exactly like it did when I finished the car in 1985. The A/C hasn't worked in nearly 20 years, and I just got around to fixing a 23-year-old transmission leak. Point is, I have the car the way I do to please me. Period. Same with my current project, a '56 Plymouth wagon. I've been asking about wheel options from HAMBers, but the decision I make about that is up to me, because I have to live with the finished product. BTW, this kind of BS is why I gave up on being involved in car clubs. Clubs are for baby seals.
Great Post. My opinion , Build it how YOU want it . WHich way are you gonna have more fun with it , granted , some guys enjoy owning stock in mothers polish , but the majority of those guys will also name thier first born son Boyd . That aint for me , im gonna build it to thrash on . Whats the point in having a blown big block if you cant waste a good set of fire stones with it . I garuntee you The guys at mooneyham didnt intend thier blowers to get thier biggest workout underneath a polishing rag an da can of never dull . Build however you think youll have the most fun with it .
Perfection, Procrastination, Paralysis. You have to watch out for the three P's. I build what I want, when I want and don't care what people think. It's my hobby so I don't work on it until I want to. Looking back can only bring heartache. You only remember the good parts. Not all the***** you had to go through just to scrape up a couple of bucks for a part. I remember years ago going to a swap with maybe $20 in my pocket and scoring some parts. The 32 grill on my roadster the guy wanted $15 I got it for $12.50. Just do your***** and get over it.
I am having just as much fun... only I get to share it now with a wife and 3 daughters... It seems though, I think I like the car with the old**** paint... I enjoy driving without worries... I had one with nice paint, but I freaked out everytime someone got close...
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan press on has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race
Terry, Yeah- I kind of know what you are saying. You have expressed something that I have been feeling a bit of lately myself. I think as we get older and our lives, jobs, kids, bills, etc take up so much of our time that working in the shop on a project has taken on a different sort of feel than it did back when I was 17 and working on my latest purchase at 2 o'clock in the morning. Time meant nothing back then. I could run a D.A. sander all night, grab a couple hours of sleep and get up, wolf down a Coke and some cold pizza and get to school and spend the whole day feeling like I couldn't wait to get back out there to get at it again. It was pure passion and addiction. Painting gave me a high that I can't explain. And no I don't mean from the fumesJust laying that color down and seeing the results of my effort finally displayed in the reflected gloss was something my friends would never understand. You just had to live it. Fast forward to today. Time seems to go so much faster. I have been doing this car thing for almost 30 years now and my son is now the 17 year old with the interest in cars and mechanics. I am starting to see some of the same passion in his eyes that I had at his age and that is a great thing to see as a father. It helps keep me motivated. We have several projects going at the same time and tend to jump back and forth on them. But things take longer for me now. I don't work every night as other things have to take priority. It is every bit as fun though. Yes it gets discouraging but thats the time I walk away for awhile or just spend time cleaning up and maybe make a tool or do something else til I feel it again. I would love to make welds that look like the ones that Bass lays down. I'm sure there is hour upon hour of practice that has brought him to that level. I doubt if I'm the only one to have ever read his posts and felt that the standard had been raised a bit. And that's a good thing for this hobby. We should all strive to make the next bracket a little better than the last one we made. A little more creativity and thought into our next design. Getting better at what we do can never be a bad thing, but it shouldn't be discouraging either. Just do what you enjoy and forget what other's think. Work to the best of your abilities and strive to improve. Drive your car and have fun.
After 35 years of car shows and swapmeets every weekend 2 years ago I quit them both. Fun had left the building. Now it's back but it's at my discretion.For me it's now about old junkyards and cruisin' with friends.I like my beater old car.I like wrenching on it with friends or by myself in the evening. Find your happy spot in the hobby and swim in it.
build what you like, you i say! some will dig lt. some won't. mauxx nicks. I bought a Harley a while back. now i've got a few friends i didn't before. Enjoy your auto craftsmanship. And get a life.
Mr. "GOLDCHAINS", "THE BELLY*****ON BOYS", the "MY DOG'S BIGGER THAN YOUR DOG FOLKS" and the "YOU KNOW YOU COULD'VE GOTTEN A KIT FOR THAT DUDES" sorta killed the rod run and outdoor car show scene for me. I've built several cars over the years and have always been on a strict budget. Had to use what I had or what was available, for cheap, in the junkyards to build my stuff. In the beginning (70s for me) most of the guys were in the same boat and we were having fun. Somewhere along the line, big money and bigger egos seemed to take over and the guys with the beaters and the neat low-buck stuff kinda got kicked to the side. Seems like everyone is welcome here on the H.A.M.B. and that is making me want to get my old ragtop out again, and I thank you guys for that.
i don't know dude, i'm having the time of my life now! i too was caught up with the "keepin' up with the jones'" gig, and then i said***** this, i'm gonna do me some customs, and just cruise! ya gotta do it for yourself, and if people can't accept that, tell em' to move on. gotta look out for numero uno, everyone else (besides family) can go pound sand.
I guess I was never nice enough to care what anyone thought about my cars..or whatever I make. I grew up in the 60s..never knew that others made a difference in my hotrods. Just build what you love..drive it..enjoy it..do it again.. Enjoy everyday..it all goes away too quick..
It's called a mid-life crisis. Some guys buy a red convertible, a new Harley, or get a new girlfriend. Some good warm spring weather will do wonders for you too. Good luck.
The Jalopy Journal
