What does "Traditional" mean in HAMB terms?

I was reading Ant's post about the Traditional Hot Rod book and got to thinking about what does "Traditional" mean in HAMB terms.

I am in no way trying to start a fight here, just a mature and rational conversation. So please lets not start flinging mud....

But, I have been posting here for about a year now and I have never encountered any hard and fast "rules" about what traditional actually means. What are the cut off dates for stuff on here? Piss poor time to ask ain't it?...after mucking up the board for a year with **** about an early sixties Fairlane....

Is the cut off date for what is acceptable here around the time of American Graffiti? Where were you in '62? Or is the cut off date earlier? Or is it generally before 1965? Or is it much earlier than that and I have been wasting a lot of space here?

Seriously.

My definition of traditional is pretty loose and really doesn't include the words "period correct". My definition focuses on a "hands on" "low budget" approach. And of course the look of an old hot rod. But to me, the early sixties were really a long time ago (ten years before I was born). And to me it was a high time for old hot rods......

Anyhow, I am just interested in hearing what the citizens of this board feel is and is not acceptable. What is "traditional" in HAMB terms?

 

Hang on..........here it comes.

 

to me,traditional means...sitting home on my computer,drinking beer,searching all over the world for parts,for my plastic car...and putting it all on my credit card....just kidding ya

 

Oops, I was afraid of starting something there with my answer. Guess the fuse has been lit. SSSSSSSSSSS

 

I'd say any trends or products that started at the time of the cheap knock-offs of Centerline wheels.

(The original solid Centerlines are cool in my book because they are real and pure compe***ion/performance oriented, not just bling.)

 

I think the actual dictionary definition can explain it without stepping on anyone's toes.

"Doing it the old fashioned way rather than doing it the modern way"



traditional

\Tra*di"tion*al\, a. [Cf. F. traditionnel, LL. traditionalis.] 1. Of or pertaining to tradition; derived from tradition; communicated from ancestors to descendants by word only; transmitted from age to age without writing; as, traditional opinions; traditional customs; traditional expositions of the Scriptures.

2. Observant of tradition; attached to old customs; old-fashioned. [R.] --Shak.


Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.


traditional

adj 1: consisting of or derived from tradition; "traditional history"; "traditional morality" [ant: nontraditional] 2: pertaining to time-honored orthodox doctrines; "the simple security of traditional ***umptions has vanished"

 

traditionaly i could drink tequila all night, but these days iam a ***** and only drink beer

 

Traditional means...... the time when everyone had a harry bush.

 

Awww, come on fellas....don't go "uh oh"

We are mature adults, we can talk about it rationally........(I think)

Here I'll start. What I have noticed is that there are really not many actual "rules" ***ociated with this stuff. But on here stuff like 70's cars, Volkswagens, and the like are definitely not welcome.

Again, I am not asking for a **** storm, just individual opinions on what is traditional and not.

 

Mike, when in the day did men have 'harry' bushes?
Oh you mean BGA, Before Grizzly Addams!

 

Traditional = black primer, red wheels and white walls.
Sam.

 

Well, I know my idea of :traditional" is wrong, cuz my car isn't "traditional", but here goes!

I think of traditional hot rodding as Taking whatever you have, and making it faster, using whatever means are available to YOU. Doing it yourself (or with the help of friends). And REALLY doing it yourself (fabrication, making parts work that won't usually, etc...). I also think the TRADITIONAL hot rods, would look like hell, as all time, money, and energy would go into making them faster, not prettier!

 

As it pertains to cars I'm not sure I can say what 'traditional' is, but I can tell what it isn't.
Let's say I'm looking at an open hood hot rod from a distance and it looks neat, whether it's gl*** or not. And as I get closer I realize it's got 4 bar front suspension and coil overs. And as I get closer I can see it also has a tilt column and high back bucket seats. Then I simply have to mutter to myself that that isn't 'traditional.'
Now some people will go as far as saying that plastic coated wiring means that builder went wrong.
And some people won't mind modernisms such as the above and still say a car's 'traditional.'

The truth of the matter is is that most of the cars I see down our way don't come close to fitting my myopic view of what 'traditional' is. 90% of them have the look but a set of white faced Dolphin gauges is enough to make me prejudiced. But that's just me and I can only speak for myself.

 

On the HAMB, a rusty 65 More-Door 9 p***enger station wagon with a worn out smoking 6-banger is a traditional hotrod.

A Camaro, G.T.O. or Chevelle is not! No matter what you do to them. Now if that G.T.O. was say a Catalina 4 door that needs a new floor, it'd fit right in...

For the Ford guys, a Shelby GT Mustang is not a HAMB car, but the same year Falcon Ranchero pickup with a 6-popper fits right in.

All the early 4-doors, wagons, and pickups are now cool. (Because that's all that's left) Hot Rods ain't what they used to be.

 

Smokin' Joe,

Ain't THAT the truth! ! !

I love early 60's cars cause I can afford them. Of course even that is changing!

JT.

 

Ummm...

<img src=http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid99/pf78a400e2c8548b3e337534d62701c49/f9f5749b.jpg>

Ha Ha Ha...just tryin' ta HELP!!

 

On no. not again

 

tradition is when the whole family sits down together for dinner,

in the family car

 

In answer to the remark about whiteface gauges. Hell it makes it a whole lot easier for some of us greybeards to read them. I have a heckava time reading blackfaced gauges sometimes.

 

Fat Hack,

Ummmm.....

I think you just killed any HAMB credibility I may have had...

 

Aw, just funnin'....it was about time for this monthly topic to roll around again, anyway!

(My feeble attempt at making it FUN?? )

 

VonTingler, I wouldn't call your car traditional(?) but I would walk over and look at it and say it's a pretty damn cool car. It's when details get awry that I scratch my head.
I don't mind white faced gauges myself, but Dolphin gauges are the ugliest things to down the pike in forever, they're just plain hideous. I'd rather run DAP ones.

 

it means: "just like the 50's bro"

 

not this thread again **** how often does this come up

 

A) Primer with no intention of shiny paint.
B) Mexican Blankets
C) The more 'in progress' it looks the better
D) Any combo with red and black

You can mix any of these to define that term. But in my screwy world, I don't think ANY hotrodder in the 50s or 60s wanted their car half-way finished. I think the goal was shiny paint, nice tuck n roll interior, nice chrome. Not rust aka 'patina', mexican blanket interior, and primer coats. Those were just all part of the build up process i'd think or if you couldn't afford to. I may take some heat for thinking this, but the majority of 'traditional' cars being produced these days seem built to emulate a hotrod in progress, not a completed hotrod.

I think this so-called 'traditional' way of building is just a rebellion from the goldchaining pastel painted days of the 80s and I don't blame anyone.

Any famous rod or custom from back in the day isn't primered with mexican blankets. I wonder why that is.

-Dane

 

seriously,
i like what Nads said in his last post... i think more in terms of period correctness. "traditional" is an intangible concept anymore.

 

Nads,
Thanks for the compliment, and I feel the same way as you about the traditional issue. I have grown to really love my Fairlane and I think it has a bunch of potential to be cooler. Shiny paint maybe.....(gasp)

Hack,
I know you were funnin' ! The sad thing is that about 4 years ago, I probably would have made that car look like that. :grin

Is it just the general 50's era then that the HAMB is shooting for?
(with a blind eye turned to entry level 60's cars?)
Honestly, I hope I haven't offended anyone with the sixties stuff....

 

I define traditional as anything you would find in a Hot Rod or Kustom magazine prior to 64.

Here's the catch though: If you are trying to duplicate a "true" late 40's style lakes A you can't run a 283 and reversed smoothies, even though those pieces would still be considered "traditional." If you're trying to duplicate a late 50's rod, the 283 and smoothies would be just fine.

All that BS aside, I don't see a damn thing wrong w/ running a 70's era 500 ci Caddy in your A or T, provided it's dressed right. It may not be period perfect...but it's bad ***'d.