They just don,t get it

Had a young parts store runner deliver a part today to my shop ( about 19 years old ) ...upon looking at my 31 model A coupe he asked "whats that"....now, to an old guy (58) that thinks a 31 model A is to die for ,, that was quite a statement.......

I tried to explain for several minutes what a traditional / rat hotrod (mines not painted) was all about and how the model As and the 30s Fords were so popular in the 50s and 60s ...... but I could tell it just did,nt sink in with him so away he went....

After he was gone I thought a bit about our conversation and I realized that there,s a whole generation of young people that just don,t get it when you talk about traditional hotrodding ... For those of us about my age, those old rods are what hotrodding is about,, There,s a whole generation that thinks cool cars are metrics that sound like lawn mowers and come from the factory with a 300 lb. amplifier.......

To me when I look at my 31,, I remember the thoughts I had as a kid... The thoughts of someday owning a hot rod just like was in the books... Man that hole generation is missin out on that feeling, that dream, Its to bad ,,, and when you try to explain it ,,, they just don,t get it

 

At 36 years of age I am noticing a lot of the younger generation (not all by any means) have no clue about a lot of things that were not readily available in their generation.

Example being some 18 yr old kid asked me what Mtv was like when I was growing up, and he couldn't fathom the idea that cable tv wasn't even available until I was 16 or so and it was too expensive for most people to even have. He asked what we did without cable tv and I simply replied, "We went outside and got exercise and sunlight".

I know I am not really that old but it is amazing how it is looked at as though it was a spartan life.

 

I don't understand why you would expect everyone to get it. When you were 19, did all the other 19 year olds get it? Or for that matter, do all 58 year olds get it. What I'm saying is you shouldn't label a whole generation by one encounter. Best you can do is try to influence and encourage those in whom you see a spark of potential.

 

I know the feeling. To me a "new style" hot rod is a 55 or 56 Ford or Chevy with a 283 or 312 in it with 3 dueces and cut outs. A real hot rod is 40 Willis, or a T-bucket or a 32 Coupe. Oh well, most of them will never know what they missed. God it was fun back then

 

We had our heros and they have theirs.
They aren't missing out. They just have different expectations.
We buiilt these cars in our heads ever since we were 6 yrs old. First it was with a pencil and paper. Then model cars. After that it was finding a good set of lawnmower wheels and attaching them to an old crate and painting them up with flames running them down every steep hill we could find.
Hell I can remember our whole town of kids used to build these model cars and race them down a concrete drainage culvert right outside of town.
Cars arent necessasarily what they dream about like us.
My son is very much into traditional hot rods.
The torch will be carried.
Thats why Ryan works so hard to convey this message.

 

I think they do get the same dream just a different focus. If we all felt the same way it would be pretty boring. Now while I do feel that their execution of their dream leaves something to be desired, I think the parents of early hot rodders probably felt the same way. If someone likes tuners I don't try to convince them hot rods are cooler because no matter what you say their idea of cool probably will not change. A kid I know down the road is building his little nissan (I call him a kid but I'm only a couple of years older) I don't belittle him for working on his car or try to persuade him that my 50 is cooler I just help him out when he needs it and try to convince him that going fast is better than looking fast Plus its fun to stomp on Hondas in a race with old tech.

Primo

 

I will say this- it is definitely not JUST the younger folks it is MOST other people who are not car folks in general....ALL AGES!
We are on our own in this hobby and to most folks we are HotRoddin' white trash....

 

Being the father of a 18 year old girl and a 14 year old son I know what your saying. My kids get it and they love my hot rod. When there friends come over with there 4 bangers with fart cannons, music thumping and there pants hanging around there knees. I just step back and scratch my head and laugh at them.

Both kids help me with my ride when I ask for help. I have put a roller tool box loaded with tools for each of them. All the tools are stamped with there initials so that mine don't go missing. When they move out on there own and are ready for the responsibilaty of being an adult the tools go with them.

My master plan is that when I am to old to work on my shit they can do it for me.

My daughter is a pretty good welder with a MIG. She is defenitly a Hot Rod Chick and looks like a beauty queen.

 

To be honest, it sounds to me like you might be the one who doesn't get it!
When you were 19, you dug on the cars that you thought were cool...and you still dig those same cars.
Today's 19 year old kids are digging on the cars that are cool today--not those that were cool yesterday (for the most part).
When the muscle cars came out, some people loved them (modern performance..."From the factory?!"), rodders preferred hot rods.

I'm 35. I have a Coke machine in my shop from 1972--when I was 2 years old. To me, it's old and cool. To the 55 year old guy I worked with who was also into vintage signs, coke machines and memorabilia, he thought it was pretty modern and of little interest. He preferred the Vendos from the '50s that dispensed a bottle for a nickel, not my newer machine that spit them out for 15 cents.
It's all in your point of reference.

-Brad

 

Who cares. I know that I get it and that my kids do and will as well. And thats all that matter to me.

 

I would have to say please don't group an entire generation in with your part runner. I am a 24 year old mechanical engineer. The main reason I picked that major was for my love of cars and their designs. I just bought a 30 model A sedan to put a 4 inch chop and z the frame and let it ride 6 inches off the ground. I love the style. I built a cafe' racer last winter because I love the old school look compared to the crotch rockets all the punk ass kids ride. I have asked questions of the older generation all over the place to give me a hand with their knowledge because I am new to this game. No Help. Some I have gotten a look like ha. right. So here we are. The younger generation has their thoughts about the older generation too. My dad in full support. (OLD generation!!) ha. All that I want to say is. Don't group everyone. Its just not right.

 

I know what you mean. All ages shake their head at my truck. Oh well, I own and drive it.
I was born in 1967 and I got it when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I got to ride in the rumble seat of a chopped Model A. I remember going to the street rod nats in 75 and just missing Elvis. I have always thought the traditonal style rods were KOOL. I read all my dads old mags when I was growing up. Maybe it is because it is the way I grew up (cars shows and swap meets, body shops and the back yard Hot Rod garages). I have always loved old hot rods. I remember being at the shop my dad worked at when I was a young kid. (early 70s) I can remember the street rods that would show up. I remember when they pushed an old chopped and channeled (and lengthened) model A off the trailer for the owners son. Damn thing was purple flake and accented in silver.

 

I'm 57 and have had this conversation with some of my friends who think the younger generation just doesn't get it. I think the biggest reason is that there are so many more things to be into now. When I was a kid there was practically nothing on TV and it signed off at 11:00 pm. There was no video games, no computers or internet, hell, even most of the girls weren't aloud out more than once or twice a week. Telephone was a party line so you couldn't be on too long. I could go on and on, bottom line is that the world has changed. Cars were everything to a young guy back then, it's just not like that anymore, I raised 2 kids around hot rods and they love them, but their lives are so busy they can't really be bothered with an old car right now, they have enough trouble keeping a DD on the road.
I feel sorry for the younger generation really, they have so much more than we had, and yet they're missing so much, thank God I was born when I was.

 

In 1960 I was a skinny kid of 15 who thought he would die if he couldn't get a certain Model A coupe in town. I did finally get it and started working it over. Put juice brakes, 16 in wire wheels, found an overhead valve conversion on a Gleaner combine in Kansas and added it. All of my high school buddies wanted 56 or 57 Chevys or Fords, but I had what I wanted. Painted it with my moms vacuum cleaner sprayer. Put in white naugahyde interior. And drove it all of my sophmore year. Came home from a trip to Houston one weekend and my sis had tried to start my car and it spit back and caught fire. Burnt to the ground. Got sick on the spot.

 

I grew up around my uncle having street rods all finished and restored and I wasn't really into them. I was about 8 at the time. It wasn't until last May nearing the end of my senior year when I saw American Graffiti for the first time. Now ever since then I've been wanting to learn as much as I can about them. I've always been into trucks, cars and motors, but I didn't know too much about hotrods or the history. So ever since that movie I've been wanting to learn as much as I can about them. I only wish I grew up back then and had a sweet car. One day I'll have something setup in 60's style.

 

Well, now I don't know everything, BUT I will say that I really feel sorry for the "kids" today! When I was growing up in Davenport, Iowa, as I remember, our family didn't even have a TV set until I was 14. I learned to drive in my Dads new '51 Mercury! I can't help but think that any of us who grew up in the '40s and '50s were the most fortunate generation EVER!!!! The good times have been going downhill ever since ('course, so is my health). As far as the new generation that "don't get it" I've got to say that I've got a great friend in Sydney, Australia who's 19 year old daughter is building her own '27 "T" roadster, so it's pretty hard to classify EVERYBODY.

OK, that's all I got to say! There are some "good kids" out there and they are really hungry for us "old goats" to educate them. I know that I'll try as long as I'm still breathing!

Rock On Kids!
Wolfie

 

being younger then most of you, rest asured there is a strong "underground" contingent of traditional hotroders lurking in the alleys.

tim

 

I'm a 26 year old Hot Rod builder..and am into all types "automotive interests"...Its not that he doesn't get it, its that hes into something else..I got friends that are into Sport compacts(I'm talking really quick( read 12-10 sec 4 bangers-not the riced up crap) and they all drool over old Datsun 510's, early supras and Z's...I have to admit I had a Honda on Hydros, My 61 and 65 Comet, lowered and lifted trucks., plus not to mention a few very used up A's.....next time ask him what hes into..you may have the same blank expression on your face when he starts talking JDM, DJM, Ktech and LSD (thats import for posi hahaha) ...

my point is we're all in it together...

 

I've been downloading PDF files of Aleut Baidarka Kayak plans because they interest me as well as Rods and Customs and Recumbent Bicycles.
Broaden your interests!

 

You know actually alot of the "fast and furious" crowd around here sort of get it. I get thumbs up from them when I'm driving my 54.......alot of them are high school girls. I'm only 34 but I'm getting a early start on being a dirty old man!

 

some kids REALLY know their shit my "roommate" is 18... knows his shit and is buildin a 30 roadster..

look at johnny cola, TITS ASS COUPE!!!!

they are out there.. but ya gotta understand some just want other things.. im sure you grew up with a few kids that wanted a neat iroc instead of a sled or hot rod... hahaha,. knight rider!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Cruzin the public swimming pools for the HS Sweeties? LOL

I have to say that the girls when I was growing up looked nothing like the ones of today or maybe they did and I was to stupid to notice.

 

We're in the middle of a shift from a society that focuses on automobiles to a society that focuses on sports. Combined with all the other thigns that compete for our attention and dollar that makes the pool of interested and/or knowledgable people (young or old) much smaller.

 

I gotta say I am glad that they are into something that requires a wrench. I could care less if it is a honda, a jacked up truck or a 5.0 mustang. At least they are into cars. Most younger guys would not know where to start even if they were interested in older cars, and from what I remember and still see it is a rather tight circle, that usually has no interest in letting anyone in unless they can display the requisite hotrod coolness. I say rice away as long as it will get your hands dirty and your mechanical mind working.

 

One thing holding the young people up is the cost, I know and you know , it costs a lot to build a nice ride, not to mention years of tuning your skills to get to the point of building a car from scratch. Most young people see something that is broken and it is broke, we see something that is broken and it looks like a gem in the rough. Even if you start out with just a GOOD model A coupe body, you need 2 to 4 grand just for a body(depends on condition). Plus you will need a truck and possibly a trailer to go half way across the coutry to go pick it up.

 

Ha! Damn you guys! First off Binder how do you know I'm cruising the public swimming pools for my next ex wife...are you spying on me? And no you weren't stupid back then..I don't know what they are feeding girls these days but they weren't like that then! And to 51ratt...dude with the iroc and kitt comment you remind me of cruising main back home and seeing all the jacked up ( or is it off) Monte Carlos with Christmas tree lights wrapped around the axels and praying to the Hot Rod gods to come up with the funds to build the meanest, lowest chopped up rod!

 

I could not agree more, I am only 22 and into traditional rods and customs. So are all my buddies and the oldest one is only 25, Some of you like him but most don't!

 

But did you notice what was sitting beside him in the metric, with the mini skirt not quite below the buns, Victoria's Secret undies, a middi top, and no bra. "Missing out on that feeling, that dream"????? Hel-lo. ;-)

Just kidding Big Dan, I get your point.

 

i'm kinda in that generation (24) but i feel lucky that my dad brought me up right with old cars and harleys and taught me the value of good hard work. thanks to that i've been able to move up in jobs very quickly because most "kids" my age don't have a clue what it is. hell, most of my good friends are the age of my parents and i've been told on several occasions that i was born 30 yrs too late. i do try to spread the hot rods to as many ppl as i can though. i think i got a subaru lover friend of mine to start thinking about the dark side already...only took a couple threads on here with some car show pics and the sound of my hopped up V8