I think about this same situation alot and find myself in your shoes from time to time. The thing that i think is important is that these kids have a passion for something automotive. They want to go fast and look (what they think is) COOL. Somewhere lurking in these packs of rice burning imports is a kid that a few years from now could be building the baddest looking Model A coupe, or 40 Ford, or chopped and dropped Merc. As years go by trends change, but Hot Rods stay true to their roots, and a few of these kids will get on board, and may be the next generation of true hot rodders. I dont mind taking time to talk to anyone who shows an intrest in my rods, because they too might develop the same passion and love for old Iron that I have. I run into just as many 30-50 year olds that just dont "get it". Helping these kids get their heads pointed in the right direction is something we all owe to the hobby that has given us so much. In my eyes this is how this culture will survive the years.
Yes its been about a month now since there,s been a response to this tread and I,d like to say it was an eye opener for me...It was great to see such a variety of opinions as to what differant ways folks of this group really do "get it" and to realize that this forum has such diversity........ Remember that parts guy that this thread was about... he,s been back a few times.... and he hangs around a little longer each time and I believe he,s starting to show a little interest and maybe just maybe he's, starting to 'get it'.. and if he wants to talk about his ride ,,maybe i'll show a little more interest...because of this thread........does that mean I might be "getting it"
Hey im 22 and i understand the what real hot rods are and have for a while. I have alot of friends that understand this and build traditional hot rods too, infact the next goodguys show you go to check out how many young guys are building Model A's in the late 50's early 60's style....ALOT! In this part of Ohio most all the young guys I know are building a pre 64 car and ditchin those hondas they drove in 2003. All of my buddies love going junk yards and driving around in the country looking for cars. We all collect 50s hot rod magazines and would give our left nut for a model A or 32 coupe hidden in a barn. It is starting to get big watch out for us young guys.....when im 60 im gonna be thinkin about the old days when everyone was building hot rods.....hell i think hot rods are more popular now then they were in the 50s!!!
Pretty much what the guy before me said. Im 21 and some of my earliest and fondest memories are riding in one of dads cars. They were loud they were fast and mom hated them. Alot of people my age just dont get it but alot of us do. If it wasnt for another money pit "vintage" project ide be wallet deep in a roadster project right now.
I as a young person am very involved with traditional hotrods and customs, i would never have it any other way. Although i may not have the experience and have lived through what some of you older guys did i read everything i can about the roots of hotrods. i am young, very young in fact barely getting to driving age, and even older guys dont "get it" as with kids my age that go to my school, they question everything from why i am wearing a big red club jacket to why my 54 has whitewalls. but hey old or young someone will always ask why.
hotrodbrad, one of my buddys built a 52 chevy chopped the top frenched the headlights and tailights, shaved the door handles, nosed and decked it, put a small block in it white walls, steelies and lowered it....cool right, well he drove a honda two years ago, same with my other buddy who just finished his chopped 55 caddy with packard tail lights, all the trim shaved and a 500 caddy motor and whites. My other bud is about to finish a 34 pickup that is chopped channeled and he built his own frame, used to drive hondas......and thats not even it yet i got even more friends like that....they are building some cool stuff man
I want to know when teh word "traditional",,became "the way",,I mean growing up it was always a hot rod ,or souped up...even cars without paint or 3 different color parts were still hot rods.It was about the performance,the drive train build..Those that were all shiney and customised were that customised or show cars.To me traditional ,just makes it so someone can crateak <sp > someones else work.Hot rods were to race,sleds were for [SIZE=-1]cruising..It has become fad and fashion anymore,,and the eleitism just turns my stomach...jmtc[/SIZE]
Speaking as a young guy who does get it, it sucks just as much when nobody your own age understands it.
Amen to that skankin' rat fink,I'm 21 built my coupe and do get it but alot of my friends don't they have chevelles and mustangs but are completly lost when i start talkin flatheads and nailheads.I start saying about tuning the carbs on my coupe and I lose them when I start adjusting on the second carb. they're not idiots just into something diffrent.just this morning had a guy with a '98 Z28 with exhaust at the gas station ask if my car was a '55 no itsa '31 but unless he was asking about what era it looked like it was from dunno.Then he asked how much horsepower it has and I told him around 400. "Thats it", he says," my camaro got that stock" wow thought Z's only had 320 but let him go on his way he thought the car was cool though just had no idea what it was.But someday I should finish it he said just got a good chuckle out of that.But he had what he was into and so did I so I'm not gonna dog on him. let em go maybe they will get influenced by afriend and start building their own someday.
1. Better than an import 2. Can you belive ANY male couldn't guess the year of a car within 25years?!?!? 3. Your car probably weighs a thousand or more Lbs. less than his, and with no A/C, or power accesories to drag the motor down, I'm sure it would have handed him his ass.
Im 50, and when I was in high school some of us guys drove hot rods. Sure, our money was limited, but we saved and scrounged for anything that would push out a few more horsepower or shine a little more or give the car a better sound. And once you feeeeel that engine rev and it vibrates your whole insides, you're never the same. Nowadays there just aren't the same cars on the parking lots at schools, so it's probably not the kids' faults that they don't understand. It's up to us to keep those feelings alive, and I'll try to do my part.
+2, I totally understand. I'm 17 and NO ONE my age gets it, or is even remotely close to getting it, or being into hot rods at all....what so ever. maybe one day they will see the light, they have to find it on their own I guess.
I'm just as tired of the 58 yr. old dudes that buy fiberglass body 32's right out of the catalog, have the local young 'un put a 10,000 dollar pink or lime green paint job, with a 7,000 dollar fake tuck and roll, ohh, gotta have the stupid billet steering column, with the self cancellers, and make sure there's a brand new LT1 in it, and don't talk to me, I'm too cool for you, no, I don't know what that part is, or where I got it, although I'm sure I paid for it right out of the gold chain catalog, but I had my buddy put it on for 65 bucks an hour, he treats me right, and I don't own a welder.
I agree...there is people in ALL generations that get it, and alot that dont...I am 25, and I grew up around hotrods, and grew up around hotrodders...its a way of life, but, there are people 55 years old in town that question me and shake there head, as well as kids 18-19 years old who do the same....I can imagine my father, who is 58, went through same situtation when he was 25...and then theres my grandpa who is 77 thinks were all nuts...ha
Then you have those of us at the other extreme. I'm a 56 year old woman and about the only thing that I do get are circle burners and old cars. I've never understood the need to replace perfectly good furniture because it isn't stylish, arts and crafts, the joy of cooking, keeping a perfect house nor much of anything that other women my age enjoy. The neighbors look at me funny when I haul in a "new" find on my stretcher and most likely think I'm insane. By devoting my life to cars I'm sure that I've missed out on some potentially cool stuff, but guess what...WHO CARES!... People and kids in particular are into whatever it is that they're into and I hope that they enjoy their deal as much as I always have "my thing". Jan
I am 30 and am a car guy. I like them all - including customs, trad rods, muscle cars, tuners, rat rods, imports, and domestics. I like the HAMB because if its DIY mentality. I like to know how my car works and be able to fix it myself. I like to have something different also that I can enjoy by driving every day. I like saving something just because it has some soul to it.
Hello. I'm 21 and I get it. Early this year myself and two buddies built a 36 ford pick up gasser with a 390 cadillac, homemade 4-duece intake and 6 inch chop. After that I had to widen the cut out of a friends model A sedan fire wall so we could squash a hemi in there. Lately I've been helping one of the guys from the gasser project with his 36 5-window. We officialy mated his stock frame with a 51 olds motor, knotched the rear for the most beautiful tail dragger stance you've ever seen, and are now waiting to get it all back from powder coat so we can chop and section the body. I had to straighten out the chop of a 51 Dodge when a couple of kids fully welded it back in... crooked. I've helped a friend chop his 53 chev, I cut and tacked another's (23years old and now has a chopped chev and model A sed.) chop on his 50 chev where I moved his bandline 7 inches because he wanted to maintain the bubble look. He finished up the welded and fine tuning and did an amazing job at it. This last week I mated 41 Pontiac fenders to a 42 chev, including recontouring the doors and rocker panels. After which I moved on and cut down a 56 ford pickup rear window to mount in the carson top. If you are wondering at this point why I am taking so much time to ruffle my own feathers. It's because, I am a little bit stunned to hear that my generation doesn't understand. When a friend I graduated high school with is one of the leading hot rod photographers in our area(www.aprilmayphotography.com). She's not only on staff with ck delux but rod and custom as well. If you picked up the last issue Old Skool Rods and find the 38 Bantam, April May took the pictures and I've had to take the body off that car so many times it hurts to look at it! But don't forget to keep an eye out for her in the January issue of Rod and Custom also(shameless plug). And then there is mr.wolf who's younger then we are and a far better pinstriper then 90% of the guys I've seen bent over deck lids at shows. Infact, most of the people I hang around, who have or work on hot rods and customs, are under the age of 30. My only point being: don't be fooled by one clueless parts runner. Younger Generations get it, and understand. For god sakes there was a kid in rod and custom who built an amazing model A coupe while he was going to high school! He even aircraft tied all his castle nuts for heaven's sake!
yeahh i just turned 18 tuesday....and the club im in "StreetAces" have about 5 or 6 people under 22 into traditional rods and kustoms. all i can say is i got my first car (50 ford) when i was 16 got it on the road a few months after that...been driving it last year( junior year) and this year (senior) the other kids don't seem to understand or even realize what the hell im driving. the types of cars the "car" students have in my highschool are probably broken down into 92% imports/7% mustangs/camaros and 1% old cars...my mild unfinished shoebox...
I have taken my 37 rusty pu to a New import and mustang show. And yes alot of there cars had some really nice touches, but some were questionable(just like my truck LOL!) I got more attention than expected. One girl (bout 16)was taking pics with her phone saying " My dad is going to love this!"
I came across something I never thought I would. Now this may sound racist, its not meant to but if you take it as such I don't give a fuck. Most of the Asians I have ever met are into 'tuners' never met one, especially a young one around here into old cars. That is until today! I met a 19 year old Asian chick that is way into old cars and got excited about my A project!! Couldn't believe it, I guess the gospel is spreading. You cant keep a good thing hidden!! Doc.
What is every one of us takes a kid to a local car show next summer,education starts at home. Our youngest son drove a 66 catalina convert in high school and collage! his girl friend don't get it her daddy got her a new neon. You got to get them when they are young Russ
Yes, take a kid to an old car show, even a Good Guys event. It all matters to what you are exposed as a child. There is a university that every August publishes a list of what that year's incoming freshmen have always had. Think about what didn't exist when you were a kid and what kinds of things you were exposed to either by your parents or by school. Try this list. When I was 18: 1. Astronauts had only been flying in space for 4 years. 2. Cars didn't have computers. 3. Computers took up whole rooms and you gave a computer operator a deck of IBM punch cards to run your program. 4. Gas was $0.25 a gallon. 5. Every car had a carburetor. 6. Fuel injection was mechanical and only on race cars. 7. Radial tires were rarely available. 8. Duece roadsters were only 33 years old. 9. To find out about hot rods you had to a choice of about 10 car magazines and not every newstand or drug store had them. 10. The first Mustang had only been available for 6 months. 11. Tucson had NO dragstrip and Beeline was two hours away. 12. Car shows were RARE. If we had one a year it was unusual. 13. Dragsters were normally running in the 190 mph range and high 7 second range. Rear-engine dragsters were oddball cars. 14. You still had a choice of flathead Ford V8 engines in the junkyard. They had only stopped making them 12 years before. 15. You could still go to a Model A restorers club meet and see three or four dozen A's of all models. 16. Your parents and grandparents had fond memories of going someplace in a 1930's model car. 17. A hot rod was a hopped up 1930's car with some V8 engine. 18. Imported cars were either European sports cars or Japanese cars. 19. If your car was broken, YOU could fix it without a manual or the aid of a computer. If you didn't know what was wrong, your neighbor probably did. And he was home after work for you to ask him the question. 20. If the phone rang, you had to run inside to answer it. And usually there was ONE phone in the house, leased to you by American Telephone and Telegraph (ATT). You couldn't just let the answering machine get the call. 21. Most things had vacuum tubes, or discrete electronic components like transistors, resistors and diodes. Sophisticated electronic chips only existed in secret government stuff and even those were pretty small. If you're interested the year was 1965 and muscle cars were just getting started because of the Mustang phenomenom. What are HOT cars now and how many hundreds of DIFFERENT things are kids exposed to that were NOT available when you were a kid. That's my nickle's worth.
the difference between now and then is that back then you didnt have to be a millionare to afford a hot rod.
very cool. Here is a picture of my first car (painted in flat white with red scallops by yours truly) and a group picture of all my friends' cars on our weekly A&W run. I don't remember why we all had our hoods open. It certainly wasn't to show off our spotless motors. I think we were compairing deadly wiring harnesses... After the painting, but before the trim. And look! My senior project (I held the same show for my junior project) Us Youngin's get it!
isthatacar, you fuckin rock, i really like that flyer...had my senior project at my buddies shop...it was great...beers,cigs and cars allday...i still got an a
Maybe he "just doesn't get it" the same way we all look at the rice tuners and "just don't get it". Different strokes for different folks. Actually I'm glad not everyone "gets it", otherwise all the rods would be bought up by now.
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