Who likes Street Rods?

[Mo_Gearhead]

I had not attended an NSRA event for several years. There was one recently held in Springfield MO. A few selected photos to follow.

It used to be that the cutoff point for entry as a 'street rod' was pre-1949. Apparently that has now been changed to the early 1970's? A natural progression I guess, since it will bring another twenty years of cars into the fold. As if I needed another reminder that Father Time is marching onward with me in his grasp.

That same concept (age) was apparent in the attendees. I only note this as anecdotal to this event but it sure seems to me that the vast majority of car owners were my age ...or older! There were a few young guys / gals, but I bet the ratio was seven or eight to one (older vs youth) in attendance, even as spectators.

It gives one pause to wonder - who will inherit (or eventually purchase) these older hot-rods and carry on these traditions? As has been pondered on other threads and in numerous discussions, it seems apparent to me that many of todays youth have little interest in automobiles - other than for their utilitarian usage as a delivery device - moving them from point A to point B with lots of comfort and a dozen cup holders. We now have vehicles that with the press of a button can parallel-park themselves and Google has one that drives itself. Progress(?) = in the eye of the beholder.

[Mo_Gearhead]

More:

[Mo_Gearhead]

I have to admit that I like (what some now hate) ...the rat rod. As a fabricator/welder I appreciate the trend. If I build another car, it will be one of these.







That last truck has an antique 'farm seeder' mounted where the tailgate was.

*FLAME AWAY* (I love the ingenuity and in-your-face concept of this new trend)

[Jim Richards]

Pretty cool hardware.

[Mo_Gearhead]

Oh yes - there was ONE Porsche in attendance.

*I assume they let it in - because it had a small-block Chevy stuffed in the back.

(No pic - I was too ashamed)

[R K T]

My 40 ford.....I've got a bad itch for a deuce coupe.

[bkreigsr]

yes please
...see a couple of Chip Foose's in the mix (one might be Boyd's)
custom wire wheels seem to be the 'must-have' if you're running a flathead nowadays.
Bill K

[scottmandue]

I do!

I think there will always be a market for 'old school'.... jazz, the printed page (books), classic cars and motorcycles.

While some kids are turning away for the automobile (a good thing IMHO because as the earths population grows fuel will continue to become in short supply as will room on the highways and parking spaces... but that is another thread).

When we went to see the Star Trek movie there was a big ol line for fast and furious so the hot rod gene is alive and well.

[GH85Carrera]

The National Street Rod finals comes to OKC fairly often. It is wild to see tons of rods everywhere.

[911dean]

If I didn't have the 911, I'd have a real hot rod.
Dean

[rcooled]

Originally Posted by Mo_Gearhead

I have to admit that I like (what some now hate) ...the rat rod. As a fabricator/welder I appreciate the trend. If I build another car, it will be one of these.

I like the back-to-basics rat rods too. I like this trend of looking back to the very roots of hot rodding and then adding a creative spin to it. The original hot rods were cobbled together from junkyard bits and usually built on a rather limited budget. The emphasis was on performance, not looks. If a part didn't make the car go faster, it could just as well be left off.
Modern hot rodding is all about famous-name builders & big bucks. The street rods in the above photos are nice enough all right, but it seems a bit daft to spend so much money building a car that's not really practical to drive.

[asphaltgambler]

I love the streetrods! The cut-off is pre 1949 but some shows are not strict if someone pulls up in anything later. My taste is for the more traditional cars of reflecting the late 50's early 60's style with the emphasis on performance. Like 4-speeds, 3 pedals in the floor sporting a hot Cadillac or Olds motor with mulitple carbs.

The $$$$ market though has really dropped out. You can buy a nice street rod for about 1/3 of what a really nice one would cost to build from scratch. Also most classic automotive dealers / resellers don't have them in their inventory unless they stole it from the previous owner. They just do not do well.

Concerning the Ratrod wave - I really dig it. I have been to a few large local shows and the scene is the freshest with ideas and execution that has been missing in other aspects of the sport for many, many years. People are actually having fun again!

[aigel]

Originally Posted by rcooled

I like the back-to-basics rat rods too. I like this trend of looking back to the very roots of hot rodding and then adding a creative spin to it. The original hot rods were cobbled together from junkyard bits and usually built on a rather limited budget. The emphasis was on performance, not looks. If a part didn't make the car go faster, it could just as well be left off.
Modern hot rodding is all about famous-name builders & big bucks. The street rods in the above photos are nice enough all right, but it seems a bit daft to spend so much money building a car that's not really practical to drive.

^^^

This. My chief complaint about the "modern" rods is that they are very very expensive and completely useless for daily driving.

I would want a rat rod that's built from all historic parts. No kit with a new chevy drivetrain.

G

[johnco]

everyone I hang with has at least one street rod/rat rod. most have 2-3 or more. I have a few. working on this one right now. should have it road ready in a week or so. I'm a low budget car guy but I have several friends with the big $$$ plastic kit car street rods. anyone with the money can buy one of those and the trailer to pull it from car show to car show. that's not my style but they are nice cars... even though they all look pretty much alike except for color and wheels

[cairns]

Count me in....I've been quite tempted by a number of rides for sale on this site:

StreetRodding.com

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by aigel

^^^

This. My chief complaint about the "modern" rods is that they are very very expensive and completely useless for daily driving.

I would want a rat rod that's built from all historic parts. No kit with a new Chevy drivetrain.

G

I view those rods like the silly over done custom choppers, are they beautiful? Yes (some). Do I appreciate the craftsmanship and artistic expression? Sure. Would I spend $50K on a motorcycle that is so uncomfortable you can only ride it 100 miles or less? Probably not.

[Jim Bremner]

I like street rods. I'm big on NON billet cars.

Rat rods are fine but I really like well built cars that don't scream built in the 1990's

My taste is non-cartoon and yes, there's such a thing as too much bling.
This picture is of my folks and their 1940 ford. They've owned it since 1961. Dad drove it daily till around 1978 ? This has the smoothest sounding Flathead motor it's got a stroker crank, bored .080 over and a decent cam. Just SMOOTH sounding. It's backed up with a Ford toploader out of my wrecked GT 390 car.

They also have a 1957 Fairlane that's getting rebuilt right now. Move drove it daily until about the same time. It used to be powered by a 312 but now will have a 428 CJ motor

Dad has a Steel 32 roadster waiting to build next. It will have a automatic in it so that Mom can drive it





Every car that I want has a common thing. Steel wheels.

[bkreigsr]

speaking of which - in case it was missed on the pick-up thread....

[Hawkeye's-911T]

By asphaltgambler: I have been to a few large local shows and the scene is the freshest with ideas and execution that has been missing in other aspects of the sport for many, many years. People are actually having fun again!

I agree with Asphalt. There was a time when all you saw were the 'grey-haired guys & gals' but lately here on the left coast (north of you), there seems to be ever increasing numbers of the younger crowd in attendance at these shows. You often see quite a few young people from the 'tuner-type' bunch hanging out & enjoying themselves.

Cheers
JB

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I don't know what you're talking about.



1931 Ford Model A
1964 Buick Nailhead 425ci, 6 Strombergs on Weiand Dragstar intakes