I read about one rod being built in midwest style.Another in north east style so on and so forth.Can anyone explain the different styles and maybe show examples.I'm reffering to pickups mainly but 3windows and five windows also.Thanks guys.
For a good look at how New Englanders built them back in the 40s and 50s, check out a book ***led "Cool Cars, Square Roll Bars". Here's an example...
Thanks.That is a sweet looking ride.I'll see if I can find that book.How is the new england style different than a cali-build style?
Im no expert on the matter but what I have found in reading old mags is, the east coast style is channeld un chopped. The west was chopped and channeld or unchanneld. The midwest style is "pro street"
[ QUOTE ] never once have I had hush puppies with bbq... [/ QUOTE ] never dude.I do every time I eat at Parkers or Bill's or any of the other great places.
[ QUOTE ] Im no expert on the matter but what I have found in reading old mags is, the east coast style is channeld un chopped. The west was chopped and channeld or unchanneld. The midwest style is "pro street" [/ QUOTE ] That really depends on what neighborhood you live in. Around here its a caprice moredoor, daytons, and metalflake green with a gold (pronounced goad) top. If memory serves me it seems that way back when the east coast cars more often had fenders than the west coast cars. Even if they were just bicycle fenders. More often than not the style was/is affected by the law. Like in some states when they had the headlight hight law. The lights were mounted up high (bug eyes). Less to do with style than to do with escapeing the local constabulary.
Yepper. It's a law thing. East coast: Channels but no chops. Fenders mandatory. Not too low due to **** roads. West coast: More liberal laws + better roads = channel, chop, lower ride height, open wheel. Midwest: Beats the hell out of me. Death rod maybe?
[ QUOTE ] Midwest: Beats the hell out of me. Death rod maybe? [/ QUOTE ] UM, I think that the "Left Coasters had the Death rods style nailed way before it made its way to the midwest...at least the scarry cars for sale on egay seem to be mainly from that parts of the world..." Midwest style is a sensible version of the left coasters with piss off pipes/loud exhaust. Ground clearance on a Cali car inch and a half midwest car four inches...
Another difference in the styles was that West coast had wide open fast roads and lots of dry lakes & drag strips. Also warmer drier climate. They got more roadsters and chopped coupes. East coast had wet winters, more conjested roads and laws on fenders, windshields, headlights etc. I think that caused more cars to be built in the show car styles. More chrome, metalflake paint, wild colors, overdone interiors. Out west it was more about speed and less restrictions so the fenders came off, interiors and extra stuff like bumpers came off. Paint was still shiney in a lot of cases, but more in the Black, red, yellow, white standard solid practical colors because of all the time in the sun and dust year round. Out west, you can see for miles. Back east, you can see to the tree. Sun fade and candy bleed on paint isn't as much of a factor. There were show cars in California too, but not as much unusual colors and things like flake on the street cars. Here in Idaho, a candy red over gold paint job would look like **** in a year. The red would bleed out of the top of car and fade on the fenders. Same paint in Boston would probably last 10 years. Shade from trees, buildings and garages would save it. In the west everyone pretty much parked in the driveway or on the street and shade was sp****.
All talk so far has been about rods- I think Custom style cues are more blatant from coast to coast. It seems teh West Coast customs are more clean, with no trim, graphics, or anythign like that. Skirts are for the wheel opening only, if at all. East Coast style is more "gaudy", with wild graphics, chrome doo-dads, continental kits, etc. East Coast sees more full skirts, cruiser skirts, etc. (to hide bad rusty quarter panels maybe?). I grew up on the East Coast until I was 18, then moved to SoCal. These observations are my own, but I'm not the first to state these opinions. Scotch~!
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