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What
difference does it make? All you see is the outer "skin" if you
will and the reflection of the paint. Unless you have a magnet,
who knows. If the guy that built the car did his "sanding" correctly,
with a block, you cannot tell the difference. So just let it go.
We
are all a little crazy 'cause we still play with cars. Why worry
about it. Do "you" like "your" car? Chance is, there are others
out there, just like you, that like "your car" also, be it glass
or steel. Just the thoughts of a foreigner...with a "hot rod type"
car...who enjoys the heck out of it...and all the people that Ihave
met because of "it". I guess we are all being operated by our inner
child.....what da ya think?
Rich
Horvath
Ohio
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Way
to go Frank. I to believe in run watcha' brung and I don't care
what atomic molecules are used to make it real !! The fact is that
I can't compete with big buck cars but I did the best that I could
with what I had. A rotten southwestern Ont. car with which to begin.
That is after a number of other pieces.
I used to make a living building for other people but found that
the satisfaction level went away pretty quickly, therefore, only
for myself and a couple of friends now. I'm certainly not in the
class of a Trepanier or Ida, but damn I sure do enjoy their work.
Your
absolutely right about real steel. If you can find one now it starts
out as a big buck car. Just as "God doesn't create anymore shoreline"
drove up the price of that commodity, "Henry only built so many"
drove up the price of real steel. The young guys coming into the
Sport / Hobby have to be able to afford the basic car as well as
family committments etc.or the thing will die a slow and painful
death. I watched what happened 15 or so years ago when anybody that
had a "nice" car was a greybeard. We need the young juice!!
Rochie
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First
off, I would like to say thanks Frank, for your views on this subject.
I would however, like to carry these ideas a step further.
I
find it hard to believe that many car show/cruise night organizers
limit participation in their events based on the age of the vehicle.
To me, this is nothing less than discrimination, and, as far as
I'm concerned, does nothing to promote unity within our hobby. Instead
of working in a constructive fashion to solve any and all possible
problems, some people have chosen to take a very narrow-minded approach
to this situation.
As
you stated previously Frank, it is the young hobbyists of today
who will carry on into the future, and since many of them cannot
afford to purchase and restore/modify older cars, they choose instead
to practise their craft on newer, more readily available vehicles.
In my opinion, this gives a wonderful diversity to our hobby. If
we alienate these people now, how can we expect them to behave differently
as they pursue the hobby and grow older?
In
closing, I'd just like to say that I thought that the purpose of
a hobby was to bring people with similiar interests together. It
seems to me that those people who do not allow all hobbyists to
participate equally, old or young, newer or older vehicles, are
defeating that purpose. Whew! Also glad I got that out of my system.
Jeff
Hazlehurst
p.s. My hobby car is a 1984 Monte Carlo SS which has been in my
family since new. The car is mildly modified and I only drive it
basically for car shows and cruise nights. I have won a number of
awards with the car, and I think I can safely say that it is a legitimate
show car and not some piece of junk, I am very proud of it and I
do not consider myself to be a second class hobbyist. That's why
I get worked up about the year restriction thing.
Unless
it's a speciality car show, to me a car show is a car show, let
everyone participate equally and let the spectators be the judge
of what's good or bad. I had intentions of attending a car show
in Whitby today which was a charity event to raise money for a local
Boy Scout troup. Fortunately, I subscribe to Old Autos and phoned
the info number yesterday, just to check, as I have learned in the
past that this can be a wise precaution. I was informed that this
show was open to vehicles 1980 and older. This makes no sense to
me. If you're trying to raise money in this way, why limit your
sources of income before you even open the gates to your show? In
so doing, you've alienated a current and possible future particiant
and you've created a certain amount of negative word-of-mouth regarding
your event. Anyway, I'm getting on my soap box again, so I'd better
stop now. I think that your website is a wonderful idea, I hope
you stick with it, and I hope it does well.(thanks
Jeff) The internet can be a powerful tool, if used constructively,
and I think you're doing a great job. Keep it up.
Jeff
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Right
on Frank! If we don`t maintain a good rapport with every one who
digs cars and are considered to be rodders, we only allow ourselves
to be to quick to point out the faults with the car in question.
If the car does it for you, then dig-in to it and get off on it.
Plastic
or steel will always be an issue with the diehards but when I see
a deuce hi-boy getttin' it @ 100 clicks on the 407 passing me with
the roar of a hot-rod tone I don`t give a rats xxx if it's plastic
or steel. One thing is for sure, the man (or woman) driving is real.
Its people that make cars not cars that make people.
So
all you hot-rodders out there lets get it together and quit the
whinning about glass or steel. I`m sure the rodding world will be
a better place to be if we all learn what it really takes to put
a rod on the road - desire guts and down right commitment - glass
or steel
Time
Bomb John (St.
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I
loved your article about steel vs fiberglass, show vs. go, grumpy
vs. happy. One other point that people forget is that many of the
steel cars (including mine!!) are steel but with many fiberglass
parts (eg. fenders). Does this make my car less than 'real'?
I was at the Goodguys show in Columbus Ohio this past weekend. Lots
of fiberglass and trailered cars but who cares! I loved them all.
I even passed a few trucks pulling trailers that gave me the thumbs
up.
Everyone has a reason for either trailering or driving. That is
what makes the world go around. The high dollar cars can give us
poor boys some ideas. I love them.
Al
Cook
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Hey
Frank, just read your article about real hot rodders. i couldnt
agree any more with u . When i went to build Suckerbait, I looked
for a steel 34..........found one, it had no floor,crushed roof(right
side), no pass. door and lots of rust!!!!!!!!!!!!! The seller wanted
7500.00!!!!!! and many builders told me another 5000.00 would give
me a cherry body. 12,500.00 just for the body!!!!!!!!.....never
mind the hood,grill,etc,etc,etc. Ibought my body for 3800.00...........figure
it out.
Keep
cruzin
Jeff
Norwell
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Hey
Frank Just read some of your replies.Hmmmm!!! very interesting.I
think if you don`t draw the line some where as far as limits on
the year of the car, you get an uneven balance of interest at a
show designated for e.g.Hot-Rods and Kustoms. Kustom cars have always
been cut-off at 1959...Hot-Rods are 1948 and down.This applies to
cars and trucks.
I
sympathize with Jeff's letter however there are designated shows
for the late model cars in his class. If there isn`t there should
be....I think he would carry a conversation much further with a
guy who owns a great Olds Cutlass and dressed to the nines instead
of talking about stroked-out Flat motors in shoebox Fords.
We
all try to find a balance in our day to day living but inviting
late-models
" SHOW CAR OR NOT" to an event designated otherwise is a mistake.It`s
like inviting the Raptors to play against the Leafs on ice.No way,
two different leagues yet still a sport and same entertainment .Maybe
someone should start a gathering of some fine Muscle cars and good
looking late models. That way I could leave my roadster at home
and hang with these guys for a day and see how it goes. Maybe Jeff
could organize it.Don`t forget to let me know the show date. I`ll
be there and so will a lot of other enthusiasts.
Time Bomb John St. Germain
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