Off Topic Hot Rodding

Seems ridiculous to me that a bunch of muscle cars, VW's, mini trucks etc would be allowed but something like a custom that visually looks traditional but has an LS or MII suspension wouldn't be allowed.

 

Yep Anthony they make kits to install distributors on just about anything, just throwing ideas for what might and might not be allowed. I don’t have anything against any engine.I love almost everything including the newer retro muscle cars 700 hp off the showroom floor WOW. I know the one thing we or least I don’t want is a pissed off Ryan and end up with the whole thing shut down.
Dan

 

I’m not posting any of our electric powered projects.
I’m good with that

 

How about not posting any vehicle that needs a laptop to tune it?

 

Anthony , I get what your saying but lately everywhere I turn I see LS engines stuffed in everything. Honestly they are flat out FUGLY. I have built several including a twin turbo one in a Mustang. It just seems that if someone is going to hot rod something now the automatic choice is stuff an LS in it. People used to harp on too many SBC's but there was still SBF's ,Mopar engine's of all sizes and any other engines from the big 3. I used to joke to my friends that one day I'll be like one of those old fogey's playing with Ford flatheads ....It seems I've reached that point but I'm ok with it

 

Still don't want a flathead though...

 

I’ve got a 283 and a 292 6 on the stand.
A couple early Hemis, flatheads and stove bolts littered throughout the shop.
I’ll plan to play with points until I can’t but an engine is an engine.

 

I like that.

 

I think OBD-II is the tipping point, as it enforced by law a fundamental change in engineering thinking, from a self-balance approach to a choreographed approach. The change also happened internationally pretty much immediately, through various legislative measures in different places.

Thanks, @RodStRace . That enables me to pin down an end date for my Contested Age historical concept.

 

I'm also reaching a point of, "Come back Datsun 120Ys! All is forgiven!"

 

Oh, and one can only attach Alliance tags to ‘65 and earlier!!!

 

Been a hot rodders since age 16 when I bought a nice 40 ford deluxe convertible for $250 with a flathead ford v8(am 76 years young;so that was 60 years ago) 2 years later my modified flathead was so hopped up,it didn’t always run(words my mother used) and sold the better looking 40 for $400 after adding a new top,fresh paint,and 4 recap tires from Monkey Ward. Over the years built many engines for myself and 15-20 customers(always strong flatheads).Recently,sold all my goodies,bits,and pieces that pertained to flatheads(owned,bought,sold traded over 40 flatheads over the 60 years). The hot rod urge continued when I stepped “out of the box” and purchased a neighbors car with a different style of hot rodding. Car is a 55 ford 2 dr sedan(original paint,never in an accident,factory tinted gl***,very nice original style interior) powered by a 4 cam Lincoln(all aluminum v8 DOHC with matching 4 spd o/d) stock frame cut OFF at firewall and entire frt clip from the same Lincoln inserted inside original frame rails giving the car rackpinion steering,anti sway bar,Lincoln hydro lock power disc brakes,power steering,nearly complete a/c. Needless to say,it is the best “sleeper” I have witnessed in my 60 years of hot rodding. Looks like a 55 ford, but runs,stops,drives like a 95 Lincoln mark 8 which was the initial donor for the transformation. Went from 60 years hot rod flatheads to 4 cam Lincoln(commonly referred to as pre-COBRA) in one week. I still peruse the HAMB twice daily, but don’t buy or trade near as much because of the newer purchase(owned 55 approx15 months) and is my daily driver hot rod. Thanks to the HAMB for allowing me to “branch” out with my newest fun ride. View attachment 6065353 View attachment 6065354 View attachment 6065355 View attachment 6065356 View attachment 6065357

 

I'm good with a '73 cutoff....

 

I want to Thank Ryan for starting this thread, no one else would. It's nice to have a place to post when you have a 32 which is an old NSRA and Goodguys car but isn't far off traditional lines. So I don't think anyone should criticize him at all as the main part is still intact; you sure don't have to look at Off Topic Cars, it's that easy.

 

“Honky *** Message Board”
This name has no reference to any particular vintage or style of automobile
to me it reads as an open market for open minded individuals to express themselves

so why not have separate areas within, so everyone has a place to play

Hotrodding and building customs is Not about rules and limits, it’s the total opposite.

 

I appreciate the new sub-forum. I have been a LONG time lurker, but seeing as I cannot afford an ON topic car, I have been hesitant to join, since I couldn't really participate. The new forum at least gives me an opportunity to participate and interreact on cars I see and know more about than the traditional hot rods I love. With rods, (traditional, old school type builds not the art cars) being popular, the chances of me finding and building one (especially with no garage space or a shop) is slim to none.

So thank you for having a space that allows me to feel comfortable to join

 

I really don’t see the new OT forum being any different than the Antiquated forum as far as having any affect on the Traditional stuff
Dan

 

I predict there will be a lot more work for the moderators.

Has there been thought about new ones coming on board to help with the task?

 

So in the new section discussing IRS, IFS conversions, clips and such will still get yanked? Aftermarket EFI problems, electronic ignition setups? Just curious.
I like your idea but you’ll still find me mostly wandering around in the original jungle.

 

The 2 others still exist but they're much more difficult to fit in narrow engine bays. I'm on a couple of Comet FB groups and fitting any Ford 4 cam engine into anything pre-66 involves reconstructing everything from the cowl forwards. Not so with an LS. Same issues apply to fitting a 3rd gen Hemi in say early to mid-60s Mopar compact body.

 

I like the 1970s barges.
The potential is there. All of them have decent brakes, good engine blocks, good trans they just need the camshaft timing fixed, egr deleted, dual exhaust installed and some other bits to make them great cruisers.

 

I am not really a Chevy guy but I have to say everybody that hates that motor is stupid, a good design is a good design.
The LS makes power it has great aftermarket availability and it is relatively compact so it fits in most engine compartments, my only issue with it is it is a damn ugly engine but it's perfect for a car where the hood is always closed.

 

This is just my opinion but it's somewhat well thought out and I am trying to keep my personal biases out of my thought process.
If there are going to have some basic rules for the off topic section why not make everything off topic vehicle have a rolling year rule and make it old enough that most people will agree it's a cl***ic.
A rolling 35 I think would be ideal meaning this year is 2024 so years ago that 1989 next year will be 2025 so 1990 will be ok a rolling 35 would allow a young man or woman that is in their twenties be able to relate.
What I mean is I was born in 1978 when I was a 20ish year old guy I viewed a car from the early '70s as a old car and a car that was made from around the time I was born until now is a late model car, well I am now middle-aged a 1978 vehicle was 45 years ago, that was a long time ago for most people, to put it into perspective, Burt Reynolds was driving a firebird and Suzanne Somers was a hot young woman (both RIP).
Another example is I am not really a square body fan but you got to admit when you see the trucks they are cl***ic now so square they stand out in a sea of lexan headlight cars, same goes with a bull nose ford pickup.
And if we are trying to get new people into the old car hobby they need to have access to obtainable cars and the cars can't be old "grandpa" cars that are wore the F out if they are reasonably priced, it needs to be cars that a young guy (or girl, for the five girls that are actually into cars) can go knock on somebody's front door and pull a rusting wreck out of the driveway or back 40 where it has been slumbering since 2001 when it was a late model car that just wasn't worth fixing.
The idea is to grow The hobby and even though I don't have a family I really like the idea of making it a family affair where the whole family goes out cruising or to a show and even if I am not a fan of late model vehicles they are all part of the hobby and they all help grow The hobby...
Using myself as an example again, at 20 years old I would have never have thought of building a Model A banger, if it wasn't for the 1950s traditional hot rod and rockabilly scene taking off in the late 1990s I would have never went down the historical path of what really started it all but now I couldn't picture not owning at least one A engine and it's old even by most HAMB standards. My point is when I was getting into cars it was magazines that pointed cool out, today it is the internet and this site is part of that and a 35 year old car is a gateway drug.
I'm going to struggle when I see a 1988 Honda Civic built totally traditionally 1990s style but it's going to happen and those guys will eventually want to build something else just like I did back then.

 

I like the Crown Victory front floor , full ch***is swaps on 60s Ford pickups...Saw one closeup a few years back and the truck was sweet...All the modern bells , whistles and injected..starts in any weather with turn of the key...Pickups are the easiest because the beds can be shortened or stretched...

 

I think it’s a great idea. Some of us long term members have already said or read almost the full spectrum of traditional rods and customs. In the 70’s, muscle cars with Cragars or slotted mags (and 4x4’s) were a big deal. That being over 40 years ago, it’s very nostalgic. I could talk a bit about the good times in my youth. Hundreds of cars cruising around the square. A few head out to that long straight stretch of highway just outside of town. The kid with the flashlight almost gets run over. Maybe run out to the old tower, blast some Lynyrd Skynyrd and party. . .