Whats the #1 question that pisses you off when the car was built ?

I get asked "when will it be done"

 

Oh and buy the way, the only thing that pissed me off is when they think its for sale at any price. One guy told me everything had a price and I asked him ' how much for your wife?' Almost had to punch my way out of that one.

 

The number 1# question is: "is it a kit car?" number 2# Who built it for you, and 3# what did it cost? Unbelievable!

 

"your off to a good start"
"what year hemi is that" as they look at my flattie
"where was the barn that you found it in?"
"where did you order your frame from?"
"how fast will it go"
and of course "how much money is wrapped up in it"

 

What year of ford is that Henry J???? What the hell man! And when are you gonna paint it? It is painted shit head!

 

from the "musclecar" guys looking at my flattie "how come it's got 8 spark plugs and 6 exhaust ports"

that's when I tell em how henry built em so good back then that the motors had 2 spare cylinders built right in so that if one "went bad" while driving it would automatically switch over to the spare. I get all kinds of OOOOHss and ahhhhs on that one from self proclaimed motorheads lol

 

#1 "Must be nice to be rich"-That one really pisses me off. It usually comes from the same SUV puke with two jet skis, a boat,a golf cart, and a Disney World bumper sticker.
The reality is that I've driven a 2000.00 rust bucket pickup to work everyday for the last 15 years to afford my stuff not to mention the sweat equity. I've put a lot of my personal vacation time into building my cars.
#2 "That chop looks a little wavy, he had a hard time keeping that straight"- This usually comes from the guy that doesn't know what end of the air file is forward and bummed a ride to the car show.

 

and the winner is.. Is that yours? When I am sitting in a lawn chair next to it at a show. I want to say "no I am just watching it for the girl that it parked it here"

 

The questain that always makes me chuckle over the years is "What year is your Duece?" no matter what I'm driving as long as it's pre 50. Seems as a lot of wanna-bes must think any rod is called a duece.
The questain that hurt a few weeks ago was a guy was checking out my 61 Olds as I'm gassing up. Asked me if I bought it new. Geez, I must look older then I think, he looked at me funny when I said "no, I was only 5 when it was new". Maybe it's a matter of milage, not age. Me, not the car!

 

I don't know how anyone who's ever messed with cars could answer the 'how much did it cost?' question. I know it seems like everytime I do anything on the Olds, there's about 2 trips to the auto parts store and a trip to fastenal all totalling $15-20 without fail...

 

"What year is your Fury?" as they stand in front of the hood with CHRYSLER in 1 1/2" letters staring them in the face. I think it's time to line the trunk with plastic, and make some of them "disappear"

 

"when is it going to run?"

 

The one that really got me was "Why do all that work?, a car is just something to get you from point A to point B.

Just no way that idiot would ever understand.

 

We took the car my students are building to a show this week end. It is still in mock up and people would ask "how do you steer it'.
I should have said "you don't, the front tires never touch the ground". I didn't think of that until I got home.

 

Some of these questions ARE lame, but why oh why would you be PISSED about it? I like eating my hot chili too much to be peaved at simple questions. Messes with the digestion, ya know? Most of you guys are far too young to be so grouchy. Hot rodders and custom guys are supposed to be aloof and cool, not crabby and pissy. My2¢ worth.

 

"Did it come that way stock?" or "thats not a stock color, is it?!" or "You really took away from its stock restored value by putting that engine in there" usually coming fom my fathers friends..I say "I saved the 6V 216 babbit its right over there" Thankfully we have reached a point where something that has a somewhat stock outward appearance but has been modernized mechanically is starting to be appreciated just as much as factory restored...I also get a kick when people look at the 53 Studebaker and ask "is it Italian?"..well, Raymond Loewy did live in Milan....

 

"......wow, nice Vickie......I didn't know they made them this year"

they didn't

"......is this a Duece?"

 

Not a question but a comment my wife overheard the first time we took out our '36 Ford Tudor built nostalgia rod style, "Oh, it's not old, its a PT Cruiser".
She wanted to kill 'em but I gave her the "ignorance is bliss" lecture.

 

Give THAT man a PRIZE!!

Chili hit the nail on the head!

 

Ok, I have got one.................
First car show we went to we overheard someone saying "little rich boy, daddy probably bought it for him" UMMMM Nope, Dad's been gone for 12 years now, look at the photo album and you will see that we built it ourselves................

Another one, a man in a suit and tie at a show came up and asked
"How Much?".........Not for sale............. " no really man, put a price one it"..................OK, .............first million dollars takes it home....
Shut him up real quick....................

 

I was hauling home a 57 Cadillac Coupe Deville several years ago, stopped at a gas station, guy walks up and says "What year is ur BUICK!" After telling him that it was 57 CADILLAC he responds with this "My daddy had one JUST like that. Except his was blue and a it was a 4 door. And it was a BUICK!" Some people really scare me.....

 

"What year is that?"
And then "What is it?"
It was a 50 Fleetline, but after a chop and some other stuff, it's getting harder to tell. Which is why I did all that work!

 

I get: "so where's your car?" alot.. of course if I actually got off my ass and finished one of them maybe that would stop....

 

"What's it worth?"
"Its worth keeping."

 

IS THAT ONE OF THEM THERE "KIT CARS"?

WHAT IS IT?

CAN YOU DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY?

HOW FAST DOES IT GO?

HOW MUCH DID IT COST?

And my all time favorite....................

IS IT DANGEROUS?

HELL YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

On the motorcycle I get a lot of "How fast will it go? or How fast have you taken it?" Then if I respond I get some comment on how dangerous my behavior is.

I had a coworker that always wanted to know how much my cars would be worth when I finished them. I really don't care I only build cars that I like. I never understood how the same people that get hung up on the value of my old projects would go out and buy new vehicles that depreciate to less than half their original price by the time they are paid for.

One I've been preparing myself for is "Nice Nomad" whenever I get my Plymouth on the road.

 

I have had a few I-diots try and explain to me that airbags are restraint devices and I MUST have hydralics...thats puts my knickers in a bunch....I must not know what the hell it is or whats in it....I only built the thing...

 

"what color are you going to paint it" i hate that, but at the last cruise in, one of the older guys who really digs tradition, and has a sweet 50 ford to boot, really made me feel good, we were talking and i was talking about repainting my car and he said "why? it looks cool like that, no one else out here has anything with that kind of character" this was in reference to my bad, weather-faded rattle can flat black job, which is my biggest bother with my car. but he was right, all the cars out there all looked way too cookie cuter

 

I must admit that I was caught a bit off guard myself the first time someone asked me to put a price on something that I really had not considered selling. The guy kind of gave me the creeps anyway. Maybe I'll use the million dollar mark myself sometime.

 

I guess I don't mind getting asked questions but I do have one guy that's been irritating the hell out of me. He comes over all the time and wants to cut my cars up and "show me how to make money". This from a guy that lives with a friend in a trailer for free because he can't afford nothing. This same guy is insisting I sell him a motor because he sold his extra motor for $75.00 and now he needs one.
I keep telling him nothing is for sale here and this is a private shop.