I interviewed Coddington back in the '80s for a publication I edited...Some things (or people) don't change. Bill
its kind of an age old question and as human nature goes some people have no vision , lazy , dont give a **** the list is endless for reasons why... why does this dude have a career??
First ya gotta have a vision that's pure throughout the car. Second ya gotta have knowledge about what parts to pick Third ya gotta have the abilities to put it together. Fourth ya gotta have the greenbacks. Fifth ya gotta have a stable enough life to see it through. Break the chain at any of those steps, you're building ****. Doesn't matter how well you do the other 4, you're still ****ed.
THAT my friend is EXACTLY how it works - its begins with a vision and ends with having a stable enough environment to enable you to see it through. Along with everything else in between.... Theres a lot of **** thats has been built and there's fewer NICE stuff but its out there. Besides the **** makes the nicely put together rides even NICER !! A lot of guys really love cars but arent vision or detail oriented enough or are influeneed by others too easily to see it through to its correct incarnation. What annoys me? Seeing a ride built to a theme and seeing all kinds of parts added to it that takes away from the theme. Example...a 32 roadster with wide whites and billet interior/engine components or vintage running gear adorned with 1800 billet parts and 22" wheels ...u get the drift. Last nite I parked the Prom Queen (57 Bel Air wagon) next to another 57 wagon.....a fairly RARE sight in Oz I can ***ure you. This thing was a 210 made in to a Bel Air with half the 210 trim still on her,the other half was Bel Air, 4WD stance (terrible), Rally wheels with too small tires on it, billet steering wheel and column, velour interior(ewww) and S/S trim affixed with stainless steel screws wtf?? This thing had the potential to be a really nice car but component selection, ie: wheels and tires, STANCE and interior parts really ler her down....a clash of styles if you will. Having said that, everyone has to start somewhere and who can honestly say that the first ride thet they built is anywhere near as "nice" as the one they're currently pedalling? Still, a lot dont "GET IT" and probably never will. Rat
Whenever I look at an Ebay ratrod horror story,I notice the ad copy almost always brags about how their "car" always draws a crowd... You can buy cool,too,for only 20K Buy It Now.. The REAL reason their ****box draws a crowd is never fully explained
Build it when time and money permits, drive it when it,s street worthy because if you wait to complete it that day may never come. Lifes to short so enjoy it why you can. So many people have those really nice rides and are afraid to drive them fair of getting them wrecked or wet. Not everyone has the talent amd skills but you have too give them credit for trying.
There's a million reasons. I'm not one to judge other people's cars or workmanship, I'm on the learning curve myself. I just got back from the SF rod and customm show. There was one car that had the brake lines zip tied to the ****ing frame. WTF? and this is at a car show where everyone can see this is due to laziness and a lack of pride especially when compared to the quality hot rods.
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