Projects Who could build a hotrod without the power of the H.A.M.B.?

So I was thinking the other day I don’t know if I could build a car with out the H.A.M.B.. Or any of the other kool sites like ford barn, p15 d24 dodge site etc etc.
I know I probably could, I did build my first car a 47 ford coupe Pre internet but nowadays if a guy runs into a problem ya just dial up the H.A.M.B. and usually within minutes someone has an idea or solution. There’s a wealth of knowledge just waiting to be shared with just a few keyboards clicks.

 

I did it in the '60s in a very small town with little help.

 

Who would have thought.
Your best tool is a forum full of 'absolute tools'.............
Fun too...

Seriously though, this place is a gold mine of experience and knowledge, and I am thankful for it.

 

Every builder from the beginning of hotroding until now that doesn't know this forum exists.

 

Only took you a decade after we met.

 

IF I did I sure would have plenty of questions for my friends here and on top of that one does need not look further for period correct inspiration...it's full of it here...

 

When I'm looking at threads with beautiful fabrication it sure makes me aim higher. I could do it, but not sure I'd want to.

 

I built hot rods long before I joined the Hamb but I honestly believe that since I have joined the hamb and seeing what others have done has inspires me to improve my builds.

There are many members here that are always willing to help others with their knowledge and constant support, that is something lacking back when we were working in the garage,

Having the classifieds have also been a major plus. HRP

 

I think the HAMB has hurt my hot rod building! I'm spending a lot more time reading/learning/participating on the forum than I spend out in the garage actually getting something done. Besides, it's cold out there...and warm in here. I'm kinda delicate ya know

 

I've built a lot of cars both for myself and customers, but I've learned a shit ton from this place in a year. And met some great people! And a few not so great people, but that ignore button shuts them up

 

I think any of us who were building cars B.C. (before computers) could and still do it. My ol buddy Jim is 74 and just finished a neat 28 A roadster.....he doesn't even have internet! Has mad skills though...

 

I couldn't do it with out this forum.
My truck is a hamb product..thanks to all that helped.

 

i have to agree with others, the inspiration from the skilled guys here helps to set my goals higher. and, when i have a question, a google search with "hamb" at the end of the sentence brings up about 20 years of posts on the topic. it was done alone in the old days, but why make the the mistakes if all you need to do is search the hamb

 

I never needed the hamb, been building forty years. Tex Smith came in handy, the library, Hot Rod magazine, tech articles, my shop is still full of them.

 

I built my first hot rod (Model A coupe) in the mid-70s when I was a teenager and drove it to the '76 NSRA Nationals (which was two blocks from my house!). I had no idea what I was doing but it sure was fun.

 

I view this forum purely as entertainment. I haven’t cast aside my years of knowledge that I gained from printed sources and hot ridding friends to revert to the engineering of 50 + years ago. But I am entertained.
#radialtires
#basecoatclearcoat
#Speedwaymotors



Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

This place is a knowledge base, second to none. From high end stuff, to average Joe builds.
If I want entertainment, I’ll watch a ballgame or Netflix.

 

BOOKS, books before the net was even an idea. And a lot of trial and error.

 

Who read them to you?

 

Came for the parts, stayed for the laughs. Was building race cars and hotrods probably before Ryan could spell 'traditional'.

 

I'll say that my T bucket that I built and drove quite a bit in the 70's sure could have used some serous input from the Hamb or another group.
Back then I had club members and a few buddies to draw from, a buddy down the street who was an exceptional welder, another buddy who was a foreman in a machine shop that belonged to my next door neighbor.

I also had a serious collection of rod magazines and how to books. The same ones a lot of guys dig out to answer questions on here now.

I had friends who worked in parts houses and then one of my father in law's cousins bought one in town and ran it (McGregor TX) and that gave me access to the parts books there to hunt though and figure out. One friend would dig out parts catalogs for me when I asked and I had a fair batch of catalogs to dig though at home or at work.

Still I made a lot of mistakes that I might not have if I had had access to the Knowledge base that the Hamb has or one of the other sites. Simple things like a post war Ford front axle really doesn't lend it's self to running split bones with the ends of the bones running to the outside of the frame rails. We won't even go into the proper way to mount a Metal T body on a tube frame but I can say that brackets from the hardware store weren't the best idea.

 

Thanks for all the wisdom you have given. Be well in your own mind.

My Christmas card get there yet?

 

This place , like all the others , hell , the internet in general , is both a blessing & a curse !The car in my avatar was built 30 years before I had a computer ......

 

Didn't word that response quite right. I had a master welder/fabricator, who dabbled in race cars and hotrods, take me under his wing and mentored a snot nosed kid who was constantly under foot, with non stop questions. Bob had the patience of a saint, an endless supply of answers and most of all, the wisdom to let me make my own mistakes before he pointed out the errors of my ways.

Was that you? My postman mentioned something about getting the postal inspectors involved. Hope you left off your return address....

 

How quickly we forget a time before the H.A.M.B. web site. For many of us, we had several different hot rod types of magazines that you could write to and obtain answers, and within the pages, a wealth of different manufactures producing all types of products aimed directly at the hot rod market. We also had speed shops, back then, where we could meet other people who built their own hot rods and customs. We had the average "Joe" running a gas station that really did repair cars as their main form of income (not running a store as their main form of income) and would be building a hot rod at night after work. These are the people who built the foundation upon which we all build.

 

Ask Gene Winfield. He's probably been doing it more than anyone else alive.

 

Pre HAMB it was mostly trial and error, steep learning curves and sagely advice from my father, grandfather, and any other "elder" who was willing to share wisdom...and some magazine how-to's
Chappy

 

Before the Internet, we had magazines that were full of information. Traditional information.

 

Probably using lots of magazines and books like @J. A. Miller said. All builds are a journey and it’s not about the destination but the knowledge and friends gained along the way. The HAMB just makes it so much easier and fun.

 

Jack Fuller. Owner of Fuller's Frame and Axle. Dirt Cheap Hot Rods.