MAKES ME SICK

[Guest Kingoftheroad]

Like many others, I love originals, rods, restorations, customs, etc.. However, I hate seeing a nice car or a car worth saving cut up into a rod or custom. Hopefully, rodders & customizers buy something other then a classic, collectible, or antique to modify...

[DAVE A]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you won't be entering a hot rod at a AACA event. Maybe a local chapter you might, but it's not in the judging rule book.

Helfen;

It is exactly those local chapter events that I think he was referring to. Many non members do not understand the difference between an AACA meet and a meet run by a local chapter. For those that don't, an AACA meet is run by a set of rules that are set for judging unmodified cars primarily (the race classes are an exception). Meets run by local chapters are set up primarily as fund raisers for the chapter and do not necessarily follow the national rules. I know of a couple run locally that include classes for rods of various types because without them, there would not be enough cars to have a show.

[Guest 48buickkid]

I just read the add in question and I have to say which one of you guys that's mad about this would step up to whatever the asking price of this car is? It is a 4 door which is usually shunned. I think some four door body styles look better than the two door counterpart. Getting all riled up over a four door is about unheard of in any car circle I know of. Anyone have pics of the car in question?

[Scooter Guy]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you won't be entering a hot rod at a AACA event. Maybe a local chapter you might, but it's not in the judging rule book.

Why is their so much passion about stock cars on this forum or in this club? Many of us AACA members are refuges from other clubs that were taken over by rodders and customizers, One in particular that I was a member of was a club that was specifically set up for the purest and now 80 % is customs. So AACA is our last stop, do you understand?

I have modified cars myself, but you don't show up at a rodeo to rope steers on a zebra.. well maybe some would just to stir the pot. Those are the kind of people who just like to see other people agitated.

Of course you are correct. No, I wouldn't take a hot rod to an AACA show because I know that it doesn't qualify for judging and isn't what that particular club is geared towards. And that's all fine.

The AACA's stance on hot rods as an organization (which I have no issue with) and what has happened to some local chapters is a whole different can of worms and isn't something I got into at all. Don't get me wrong...I'm not advocating that the AACA is the place for rods and customs, just pointing offering up my opinion and my experiences and suggesting that perhaps some of us don't need to get so fired up and angry about rods and customs. If you had a bad experience with them, I'm sorry to hear that. My experience has been largely positive. They're car guys too, and the vast majority of them admire and appreciate our cars and our passion despite us treating them like the bad guys. Good for them.

I do absolutely understand how you feel as well as many of the others here, I just read these threads and think "gee...they're car guys too, can't we all just get along and not bad mouth one another?" They have their clubs and events and we have ours. We should be able to peacefully and harmoniously co-exist.

[keiser31]

Are we done, yet??? (click on it for live action)

[Guest 48buickkid]

I'm done!!!!!!

[smithbrother]

This thread reminds me of the construction of, (The Bridge To Nowhere) it too is going NOWHERE.

Enough is enough.

Dale in Indy

[GARY F]

i want to apologize to the guy that has the 33 pontiac. i did not mean to ofend him personally. i am sure he does excellent work like i see other guys do at the shows i attend that have street rods. i am 74yrs. old and have a soft spot for the 30s cars even though i restored a 63 Bonne & in the process of restoring a 63 Grand Prix.

[1937hd45]

Has anyone else seen the irony in the advice to a Packard owner in another thread? AACA Forum member ADVISED the guy to buy another Packard and hack it apart as a parts doner car!!!!!!!!!! Now, say he takes that advice, saves Packard #1, and the leftover pile gets sold to an evil "Hot Rodder" since no restorer in his right mind would look at the pile, does that poor guy get the same treatment at the '33 Pontiac guy? This is great fun to read, Scooter Guy, if I ever get to Texas I'd like to meet you. Bob

[Steve Braverman]

At least the man doing the work on this Pontiac had the sense to come HERE to AACA to try to put the discarded parts into the right hands. Too bad he's being crucified for it.

My two cents.

[Dave@Moon]

It has been a lot more common to see even true Classics like the modified Packard Darrin I saw a few years back on My Classic Car featured. Long time forum members may remember the "Lost Souls" thread that Dave@Moon posted. It was full of true Classics that were modified.

I think that one was in that thread, although I'd bet more than one of the 30 Packard Darrin s built is now a rod.

[Guest Skyking]

If people got this upset over real life issues, then maybe we could all accomplish something.............:cool:

[joe_padavano]

If people got this upset over real life issues, then maybe we could all accomplish something.............:cool:

AMEN!

[The Continental]

Sometimes turning a car into a hot rod puts some stock parts into the hands of a restorer some of which might even be restoring an old hot rod back to stock. Not everyone likes everything, and some cars have very few admirers especially in stock form. Sometimes it's a matter of a hot rod being built from parts or a car that would otherwise be scrapped. My dad just had to scrapped a bunch of older cars, and I'm about to have to myself. I'd rather see them or atleast part of them live on in a hot rod instead of being crushed and made into a Honda.

As far as staying true to the car in stock form anthing 1971+ unless it's ultra rare I'm for redoing the engine up to atleast get closer to 1970 specs, putting a same brand motor in, or redoing the bumpers. A classic shouldn't be punished in being restricted to having compression drops, big rubber covered bumpers, or badge engineered short cuts.

[Guest 37Packard]

Problem is it is illegal to modify a car ( unless the modified parts have a carb cert. number). In 1952 you could take a 32 Ford roadster and install a Olds or Cadillac V-8 and make it a HOT ROD. Try that today and you won't pass a visual for your emission test.

Emission test? What's that? Vehicle inspections? No way! Not all states make you jump through those hoops. We don't have either here in Kentucky.... :p

[Studemax]

Last I checked this is still America.

Whiners to the back of the bus.

I like and have owned both - rods and restored antiques.

As far as I am concerned - it's not ruined until it is crushed, or rots into tiny pieces.

Anything else can be saved by good metalworkers and money.

[mrspeedyt]

good points by 'the continental' and 'studemax'. i gotta agree. but i do prefer a modern rod to be a 'repop' body...or something that is in poor or incomplete condition...

Edited April 13, 2013 by mrspeedyt (see edit history)

[Guest]

Emission test? What's that? Vehicle inspections? No way! Not all states make you jump through those hoops. We don't have either here in Kentucky.... :p

You are very lucky that you don't have them, many states do. As in most things that are emission related including Cap and Trade, what happens in California usually ends up in the rest of the states. Somewhere in this forum I believe there was a question about taking emission parts off a car. The car in question was in Tennessee and Tennessee has emission testing in some counties. The problem arises when the vehicle is sold to a person in one of those counties that does emission test and all of a sudden there is a problem because the car will not even pass the visual.

As said before in California for example you may have a 69 Chevelle which is required to have all it's emission equipment even though the car is currently not being tested and this vehicles owner has thrown away it's smog pump, cast iron exhaust manifolds, ATC air cleaner, TVS switch for the ported vacuum distributor advance. Now this guy sells the car to a unsuspecting buyer and California decides to start emission testing these vehicles again and now the new owner can't get the car registered until all that stuff goes back on.

FYI; if your entering that Chevelle in a AACA points judged event and those emission items are missing there will be some serious point deductions.

[ted sweet]

the person removing those items probally doesnt even know the AACA exists

[LINC400]

You are very lucky that you don't have them, many states do. As in most things that are emission related including Cap and Trade, what happens in California usually ends up in the rest of the states. Somewhere in this forum I believe there was a question about taking emission parts off a car. The car in question was in Tennessee and Tennessee has emission testing in some counties. The problem arises when the vehicle is sold to a person in one of those counties that does emission test and all of a sudden there is a problem because the car will not even pass the visual.

As said before in California for example you may have a 69 Chevelle which is required to have all it's emission equipment even though the car is currently not being tested and this vehicles owner has thrown away it's smog pump, cast iron exhaust manifolds, ATC air cleaner, TVS switch for the ported vacuum distributor advance. Now this guy sells the car to a unsuspecting buyer and California decides to start emission testing these vehicles again and now the new owner can't get the car registered until all that stuff goes back on.

FYI; if your entering that Chevelle in a AACA points judged event and those emission items are missing there will be some serious point deductions.

Actually I see a lot of the exact opposite. A 1915 or 1935 is cut up, has a new crate motor, transmission, running gear, everything fresh out of catalogues. Very little is left of the original 1915 or 1935, yet it is exempt from all emissions testing and gets reduced insurance and registration fees because it is titled as a 1915 or 1935. They couldn't do that if they didn't chop up an old car simply for its title.

[LINC400]

I also get really tired of the "it's their car, they can do what they want argument". Yes it is true. However, most antique cars have outlived their first, second, and even third owners. They could go on for another hundred years or so unless someone happens to come along with cash, a blowtorch, and some bad ideas. Not all rods and customs are well built or creative. Many are hack jobs that look terrible and sometimes never even get finished. Thus destroying a car that future generations could have enjoyed.

Also, just about every TV show and magazine promotes rodding and customizing. I have people come over to me and tell me how my car needs to have 22" wheels, needs to be chopped and have all other kinds of tacky modifications done to it. And how I should paint over its extremely rare color original factory paint with flat black primer. They do the same to my friend that has a hearse that is one of 2 built. I do not tell them they need to undo all the stupid stuff they have done to their car. Obviously they have no respect for history, rarity, or my or my friend's feelings. So why should I be the one being told to "live and let live"?

Edited April 13, 2013 by LINC400 (see edit history)

[Chris Bamford]

We get a lot of rods coming to our shop with owners who want to sell them ... it has given me an insight into the phenomenon that only confirms the worst about what's going on, not the best..."

Thanks Matt, for that thoughtful and very interesting post. I haven't had much to do with rods or rodders directly, but had some half-baked impressions that were largely confirmed in your analysis.