If you didn't build the car...

johnny37

johnny37

Well-Known Member
OK, here's something that has been bugging me for some time, and it came up again recently in a magazine I picked up. A fellow I know as an acquaintance bought a car from a friend of mine. The friend I know built the car, ground up from a pretty rough car to start with, but well worth doing. Late model SBF drivetrain shoehorned under the hood, 5 speed trans from same car used, all late model suspension including the IRS transplanted and then put on air, 4 wheel discs, on and on. The car drives and rides killer. I've been in it, and I know of some new cars that don't ride as nice. Here's the question. If you buy a car, (hot rod, resto, whatever) and it ends up as a magazine feature, do you take credit for the build (even though you did NONE of it) or give credit where credit is due? Guy who bought the car makes it sound in the article as though HE did all the work. Absolutely no where was any mention given of the history of the car's build. This kind of thing really browns me off. I know I'm going to see teh fellow who has the car now, and he'll mention the coverage. I'm just not sure how to handle it. I want to tell him off, but not sure what good it will do, other than maybe making me feel a little better getting the rant out. Of course I'll look like a bit of an ass, but then again I've never really cared about that before. What do you guys think??

I bought my 37 off b-bob, and will always say that without him, I might still not have a rod. He started the "fixing" of my car, installing the Mustang II front end, the motor mounts, the trans mount, the rear end, the steering, the brake pedal/master cylinder assembly. I installed the motor, wired the car, ran the brake lines, a whole bunch of little time consuming things, and did some re-assembly. And asked B-bob a ton of questions over the time I was doing all this. B-bob was also the guy who put in the front suspension, the rearend, the steering and the motor/trans mounts in my '52. Couldn't have done it without him. Bottom line...credit where credit is due. I didn't build the car, I built some of the car. All the tough stuff was done by my friend b-bob. I better not forget it. Slap me if I do.;)
 
Just leave it alone. You know and most others will know real fast when they talk to him that he duz not know how the build went. He will sink his own ship without any help..
Hugh......................................PTP.
 
Well, for starters Johnny, I think you know Archie (aks Jughead) the guy I bought our tourin from?? (bought 99% of all his rebuild parts through OCC) I have never laid claim to doing anything to the car other than spending much time waxin/polishin the car (so much so that he swore I had repainted it), so why would I try n hide the fact that I LACK the know-how to complete the rebuild he did, although SOME of it was done with the assistance of his students in the auto body shop at the school where he teaches????

Moreso, when asked, I give more credit to Wayne Fagrae the original builder....in 1958.

I am just the current 'car sitter' of the l'il gem, till I can pass it on to someone who will cherish it as I have....
I'll get offa my soap box now.
 
Johnny i bought my model A pickup and a beautiful as it is and what i changed to personalize it, i still never built it.
when people ask if i built it, i tell them no , but the guy who did did a hell of a nice job and i would sure like to meet him ! ;)
 
Ford built my car, Davey Joe re-arranged it a whole lot(with help from others in PG).All I did was some re-assembly. But I did get the "trophy" ha ha ha

Your right some people take way too much credit for something they did not do and could not do.....why?
 
P.S. , i think guys that take credit for things they didnt do just have small penis,s

ha! no net nanny!
 
iffin I made out a list of all the people who have helped me with my T coupe, I would look like I didn,t do anything myself.

wait a minute!!!! maybe I havent :eek:
 
Johnny37,

Well I would leave it alone what goes around comes around. I am no mechanic and a lot of you know it. I am very proud to say Bill and Neil Lemon Built my coupe. But if you ask me what parts I have and where i got them from. I can list them all off.

Cheers
PeterB
 
Lets see,I didn't build my 90GMC,my 54 F100,our the Merc.I improved upon GM's work on my 90.The 54 was built by Ford,hot rodded by someone else,and now I'm makin' it my own.The Merc was also built by Ford,and I'm now makin' that one my own and to my personal taste.
I don't take credit for someone else's work,and I'll be the first one to point out someone's handiwork or even an idea.I feel that if you buy a completed car,you should give the props to the builder.Taking credit for someone else's work is the just wrong.To me that on the same level as lying!
 
well I'm one of the lucky one's
every one i've ever helped in any way has alway's given me credit for it even the little things i've done
so no complaints here with my freinds and anyone thats helped me along the way gets the credit they deserve as well no matter how trivial
for those that take the credit for nothing well i don't have the time of day to get angry with them sooner or later they always trip up "I've seen it"
so Johnny let it be it'l come around and feel good that he's not fooling you K
 
real good topic johnny!!..... i don't build cars..... "WE",..... build cars!! each rod that comes outta my shop here is a culmination o' the heart an' soul of a helluva lotta freinds!..... that goes right from parts,... ideas,... labour,... an' any other kind of input you can think of!!.... (including piles of beer!!)..... yeah, we've sent cars down the road (more than once) that showed up in the pages that the new 'owner' seemed ta build all by themselves, with "no" credit given to the folks that poured their hearts in it!..... they usually sink in their own poop bud!!.......
 
IF tou check my intro thats exactly what I meant ,,,the 41 was built by a small group of friehds in dj,s shop and it was built in a hurry ,,,,,,4 days round the clock.....jts
 
Johnny if you have a look in the Under Construction section you will see that I have even at that early stag given credit to those that deserved it.

When a Magazine did a feature on my 33 there is a list thanking the ones that helped along the way, how ever I did not mention how a couple of guys ripped me off like there was no tomorrow with faulty work and over charging what was the quoted price. One guy who used to be a friend and he was starting up a business building rods so I gave it to him to do some work on and I am not kidding at all, I gave it to him because he had tried to do himself in not long before and so even though my 33 was very close I thought it would give him a kick along and it was all work I was going to do myself but he promised me he would have it ready for a run I wanted to take it to more than a mad dog needs a flogging. It turned out every single job he did had to be re done and that takes more time than just taking your time and doing it yourself to fix someone elses muck ups and his price was way over what he quoted. So it turned out he was telling people that went to his shop he had done the work on the car before he had even done anything to it. How do you think that feels.

When the mag did the story I thanked those that did the right thing by me (I think Sqhd has a copy of that mag) and never mentioned the poofters that clipped me. Mind you the word of mouth soon lets folks know what went on when it came to the exhaust and the other guy.

I didn't mention in the article I don't think where I had bought a lot of parts from The Old Car Centre either, and as Buick 55 said when you read it the story looks like I didn't do anything but I can tell you I did put a real lot into it but never mind that's life.

I'd just say something to the guy like I see they did a story on your car and that magazine mucked up who built it, don't those guys get the truth mixed up. Then just leave it at that rather than causing too much of a rift. Next time he might just tell the way it really is. If there is a next time.

I know why you tell everyone B Bob built the car (37) because you don't want to own up to painting it PINK!!!!! and calling it Dusty Rose, by the way I like that car big time and even took a pic of it at Deuce Days. Personally I wouldn't call it Pink either.

The bloke that bought my old Roadster pickup even put my name as builder on his board when he shows the car which is very flattering but he need not have done that even because the way I feel he owns the car and it is his now but all the same it was nice of him to mention me.

Keep cool John and don't let it get to you too much after all you and others know th ereal story, Cheers, John
 
I would not sweat it either..Fact is you know and he knows you know ..lifes to short..to get yer shorts to tight.. fatchuk
 
Johnny,
there are so few people that CAN actually build a complete car. Everyone of us has to give credit to someone for their help or talent. But I'd like to ask you a question.

Will this matter in two weeks??? AND how will it impact YOUR life other than letting this dufus get under your skin and raise your blood pressure??????
Life is too short to be angered by some dink, like McCartney said "Let it Be"
Wayne
 
i had a problem like that years ago, when i was married i had a 34 ford three window i built,looked just like the california kid for me, and built a 54 chev pick up chopped tubbed with a big block i built for the wife. well you know what happens when a divorice happened! had to sell the toys, the 54 went to some guy that changed the colour and interior made it in the magazine and took all the credit that he built the truck, boy was i upset. but yea i dont like people that take credit for something that someone else put there sweat and hard work into.
 
Did I really build it??

Rochie said:
Johnny,
there are so few people that CAN actually build a complete car. Everyone of us has to give credit to someone for their help or talent. But I'd like to ask you a question.

Will this matter in two weeks??? AND how will it impact YOUR life other than letting this dufus get under your skin and raise your blood pressure??????
Life is too short to be angered by some dink, like McCartney said "Let it Be"
Wayne
Click to expand...

Wayne, you touch on the very point that even I have to step back, and examine WHO built my '41 truck.

Was it ME??

Well, I dragged home the body and the TWO frames.
(the two eventually were integrated to form one good one)
The welding together of the two frames was done by a pro welder.
(I can't weld worth a damn)

I sandblasted the cab, fenders and the final frame.
The sandblasting of the cab was my first mistake.

The body man that agreed to take the body and fenders and straighten the "dings" told me, "You should have checked with me first; the warpage you caused is going to cost you BIG time!"

Six months later, (he told me he was only going to work on it during quiet periods) there sat a smooth, bright yellow cab, and a pair of front fenders.

The frame had been powder coated - local firm - along with the running gear.

Engine; a friend who built flat heads - in one of the local engine shops - sent me searching for a usable block. I went through about seven engines before I found a usable block.
He then built me a "killer" engine.

(A side note here; That was 25 years ago, since then I build my own flat head engines)

I think your getting the drift here; Upholstery - an Upholstery shop.
Glass - a local glass shop.
Alignment - an alignment shop.
Brake drums - an old "coute" at NAPA; instructed me on setting up early Ford brakes. (I ran the brake lines)

Now, the WIRING I did do myself. (Heck, I was in the business)

So ... bottom line. Did I build this truck??
It wouldn't EXIST without the help of both friends AND professionals!!
 
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DD,.... that is "exactly where we come from over here!!.... i'm thinkin' most o' the crew here are on that wavelength. well put...........
 
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