Hot Rods READING: LOW DOWN Circa December 2006 - TIMELESSNESS!!!

I know many of you are Goodguys members and know that I work on the Goodguys Gazette. One of the hardest things I do each month is my column, Low Down. It has been in the Gazette for years and is always written by the current editor (the HAMB's Jim A, for example). It's hard because a lot of people say it's the first thing they read and that they read it every month. That's pretty embarrassing and carries a lot of weight. Plus, I usually run out of room. This piece below is a perfect example of that - I could have gone on a lot further. I'm in no way professionally trained as a writer, I just say what's on my mind.

I was digging around through some old files today at work and came across my archive of old Low Downs. I thought I'd share one. If it is well received, maybe I'll make it a regular thing...


Low Down
December 2006
KIRK!

Timelessness

During my thirteen years in the garment industry as Art Director for a few major corporations it was ingrained in me to identify and predict trends. I became pretty adept at it and still find myself doing it today out of habit. Predicting trends successfully involves observation, perception and some amateur psychology, but witnessing them as they happen is something everyone does.

As hot rodders, we’ve all seen trends in our hobby come and go – some good, some bad. But by its very definition a trend is temporary, and when we look back at them we’re often thankful for that fact. Some things seem like a good idea at the time, but their appeal may be questionable as they become history. I won’t go into specifics because we will never ALL agree on what was, or is, bad. Plus, some people get attached to passing trends and never move on. This is fine and adds to the individuality of our hobby and gives the rest of us something to talk about.

I don’t want to talk about trends, I want to talk about hot rod and custom ingredients that are timeless. The definition of timeless is: "not affected by the passage of time or changes in fashion." How can an object possess this, almost incredible, ability? Is there scientific theory behind it? It’s these things that interest me most. Why do I feel an attraction to certain old hot rod photos of the Bonneville Salt Flats, dry lakes and car shows? Is it that they represent a simpler time? A time when anything was possible. A time when you didn’t need fifteen corporate sponsors to be competitive in racing and you didn’t need to spend more than the median price for a house to wow the crowds at a national car show. All you needed was an idea, desire and elbow grease.

These things are definitely part of MY attraction to hot rodding’s past, but there is something deeper. There’s some mystical combination of form and function that just plain works. Certain lines flow better than others and cannot be improved upon. I can’t claim to understand the science behind universal attraction but I know it exists. I can feel it in my gut. It’s the tingle I get when I look at the Pierson Brothers coupe, the Hirohata Merc, Gray Baskerville’s deuce roadster, the California Kid, or the Chrisman Brothers’ dragster. The list goes on, and these are only famous cars. There are many that went unnamed and unnoticed and have disappeared into history but live on in grainy black and white photos from decades past.

I believe these cars reach this magical state when form and function find their perfect balance. It’s like getting the perfect stance or the perfect chop. Many will agree that just a little change either way and the balance is lost, but why and how is that balance appealing to so many? Some may say that we have been programmed by the media as to what looks good, but I don’t completely agree. The media exploits trends but cannot dictate timelessness. The media influence theory falls apart simply by looking at photographic examples of hot rods from the ‘30s and ‘40s, before the media even took notice of our hobby.

Back then, function far outweighed form when it came to modifying cars, but that function bore form that was beautiful and timeless. For example, the “right” stance stems from necessary performance modifications to improve stability and weight transfer. The “right” chop was likely reached accidentally while trying to cheat the wind. I would imagine that as hot rodders continued to take more and more off the top of their rides a golden moment occurred when someone stood back, felt that tingle in their stomach, and thought quietly about how that amount of chop on that car just plain looked “right.”

Hot rodders still experiment with new build ideas, and while the radical gets the immediate attention, the appeal is temporary and becomes dated. There is huge business in the “now” and it will always be that way. Everyone wants to see the latest thing. They want to see how far the boundaries can be pushed and often want to try it themselves, but whether you are a hot rod expert or are just an average citizen killing time at a car show, there is something comfortable, appealing and attractive about the “right” look.

I know full-well that this will cause debate, and that’s great, my goal with this piece is to make you think a little. I can’t pretend to have the answers and there may be no one who does. In fact, I don’t really want the answer. I want it to stay magical and primal. I want to continue to be awed as I walk among these things of beauty that are hot rods and kustoms.

 

Funny you should bring this up now, I've been trying to explain this to a few people about my current '29 Coupe build. Keep it simple and timeless... Great work!

 

couldn't read the whole post... your avatar kept looking at me.

 

Maybe you should put your pants back on then.

 

It's all about 1 : 1.61803399 !!

 

KIRK......that was a great read.....and the cars you chose to represent worked as well........very nice.....

 

Ah, the Golden Number.

 

WOW, he really was looking at me!

 

Nice one Kirk....

 

I was agreeing with you right from the title. In my new business the best advice I can give is "Keep it Timeless". When shooting cars for magazines the thought is the same- photograph timeless cars and the magazines themselves will be timeless. Your Timeless editorial is most certainly timeless. Thank You

 

Wish I could help, but I generally skip editorials. I've never been able to figure their purpose so I've probably read less than 5 of them, which mostly seemed self-serving and egotistical.

 

Um, ok. I don't see either of those in that piece, but maybe...

 

There is a point when timelessness does get redundant...........

Good read Kirk.

 

redundantcy is also timeless

 

I think the perception of the difference between timelessness and redundancy is personal and directly related to the level of immersion of ones soul in the subject at hand.

 

Like.... your post?

 

Pi, Phi, Editorials, Kismet, and of course lacquer fumes.
It's all about the numbers.

 

Damn...good answer Kirk. All philosophical and shit......

As with most anything....there can be too much of a good thing......

 

Good read Kirk I am going to have to subscribe to the Gazette I keep meaning to

 

Possibly, but I have yet to experience having too much sex, too much money or too many cool hot rods.

 

Make it a 'regular thing' please...I liked it...

It's hard to distinguish between too much sex and too many cool toys IF you have too much money...

R-

 

"During my thirteen years in the garment industry as Art Director, it was ingrained in me to identify and predict trends. I became pretty."

It all makes perfect sense now....lol


All kidding aside,
good post Kirk, real good! I honestly enjoyed reading it.

 

I always read your "hot air".

 

Amen Brother!! Man I stared at those two example cars in sheer bliss. The white Ford pickup behind the roadster is mighty tasty as well. Great perspective, had me take a trip and never leave the farm. Thanx!~Sololobo~

 

I think Kirk has the right look..........................

 

Good read. BTW, the gazette has improved 1000% in your tenure, (it was good before) and is my favorite mag (besides TRJ, of course).

I have a very tough work situation right now, and I'm stuck in a contract until next August. During the day when the pressure is at it's highest and I'm about to scream, I go into the bathroom in the shop and read the Gazette for about 10 minutes, and the stress just fades away. thanks.

 

Actually, exactly. My post was clearly egotistical and self-serving, since it was subjective. Maybe that's what editorials are....a chance for a writer to be subjective rather than objective......although I think I just stated the obvious. If an editorial was objective then it essentially becomes an article.

Kirk, I do like the fact you haven't wavered into advertorial territory...something that irks me about most editorials and why I don't read them.

 

We have some older goodguys gazette mags laying around the shop and I do have to say yes your "Snuggler Eye" has definitely improved upon the previous "festival of colors" that was once known as the goodguys gazette.

Kinda like the new rod and custom magazine in the past 2 years or so.


If this is because of your recognition of the timelessness of a certain type of vehicle then... hey that's cool.

Liken it to like a pair of vintage l"E"vis or and old (pre 60's) leather jacket..classic because it always will be.

Nice writin' by the way all literate and stuff.


Jerome

 

Probably more than that- the last guy sucked! (and was not "HAMB friendly")

 

Kirk!

I read that editorial first time around and thought 'This guy totally gets it'. This has been my 'leitmotiv' for many years and I really try and apply that timeless element to my hot rods and stick to the adage that timeless may never be 'in fashion' but it will never be 'out of fashion'. It should look as good in 20 or 30 years as it does today. There are cars out there that just have 'it' - like sexy - I cannot fully describe it but I know it when I see it.

How is it that so many people are blown away, for example, by the Robert Lomas coupe? Or the Hirohata Merc? Well, because they fit exactly what you describe.

This really was your finest editorial.