American Lead

hello,
Can classic cars be considered an addiction? lol.... if it is i'm hooked lol. so does anyone want to discuss when they started collecting and tell us about your cars? just wondering what kinds of cars you guys are into and why?

well, I guess i'll start off. I'm 16 years old and i haven't even got my full licence yet. Me and da bought a 1955 oldsmobile and started restoration on that 2 years ago.... and with any luck it'll have a motor agin in a few weeks when i get my transmission back and put it in. But i also have 2 54 chevrolets, a 60's body shell that i picked up for free and a 70's wreck that i picked up for free to, I got these cars in a storeage building an hour from my house so my folks can't find out about them lol. so the 54 bel air will be back on the road for the first time in 43 years next summer.

so lets hear all about your guy's' cars and what you are doing with them?

Robert

gearheads78

I started young just like you. At 14 I cleaned about 10,000 bricks one summer from a late 1800's building my dad tore down. When it was time to pay me I wanted a 47 Plymouth 2dr sedan he had in the field. It sat there but my mom would not me bring it to her house. I spent the next few months dreaming and reading every Street Rodder and Rod and Custom magazine I could get a hold of. Getting closer to 15 I realised it was going to cost a lot of money to build my car in to a street rod. Walking through the grocery store a car on the cover of a magazine caught me eye. In big letters it said ROD BUSTER. It was a cool looking fenderless roadster. I bought the magazine and it took over my life for the next 6-7 years. The magazine was Hot VWs and I learned how similar the street rod world was to the VW world except about 1/4 of the cost.

I had my dad sell the 47 and send me the money to buy my first VW. Between then and about age 22 I owned a low estmate of 50 of them. In the late 80's they were laying around everywhere. I would knock on peoples doors and offer 100-200.00 to hall off the old VW in the back yard drag it home get it running and sell with in a week or two for 3-4 times investment. At one time I think I had 8-9 on them at once. (My mom wished she had let my bring the one car from my dads )

One of the best parts is I learned how in make them fast. In the last 80's all the rich kids at school had new 5.0 Mustangs and that really hating being beat up on by a VW bug.

Early 90's went to work for a speed shop and phased in to American V8 cars.

citcapp

Started at 13 my oldest brother was 6 years older then me and new nothing about cars and when one died he would just park it in the yard and walk away. My dad was born on a farm as was a self taught shade tree mech. He and I made a deal, He would teack me how to get them running and buy the parts. I would fix them after school and we would sell them and split the profits after the parts were paid for. Dad had a hand valve grinding vice. first car 36 chev burnt valve. pulled the head dad showed me how to grind the bad valve fixed the car and after parying for gaskest and parts we split $125.00 big dollars in the mid 50's. Did that with about 10-12 cars then took High School Auto Shop for 3 years. Joined the local car club and we built a 41 ****** with 6-deuces it was fast Then I stuffed a 389 GTO motor with tri-power in a 56 chev painted it orange and won lots of money at street drags. Ran B-monified product at the local strip and guess what first time I got beat was by a 400hp Volkswagon bug go figure. Got out of Hot rods for 30 years now I am back

gearheads78

That was embarracing huh? Made you leave the hobby for 30 years. Must have got beat bad.

citcapp

Made me feel bad at the time we became friends after the race. I went to his house and he showed me his motor stash. Had like 50 motors some built others as backup bored the cylinders so thin that the engines were good for something like 6 passes then they would fry. Great engine builder. After he beat me he took on a factory backed corvette. Didn't feel so bad after that. Kids and 4-wheeling, motor cycles took up the next part of my life always missed hot rods now I'am back and have to catch up with all you kids.

don71

Yes, classic cars can be considered an addiction. But there are worse addictions if you think about it.

You could also say that they feed obsesive compulsion behavior as well. So I try to not have two many.... Finding a place to keep them all, is tough.

My dream is to have a 32 Ford coupe...or the like and power it with an eccentric or often overlooked engine. You know, like a 330 olds, buick nail head or something like an early Cadillac. I know....whats wrong with a flat head? I want something different....hmm...maybe a diesal

Until then, I keep playing with these Olds A-bodys like my 71. I've had a few. Drove the first one home with a slipping tranny for 65 bucks. That was a while back. Did'nt let that stop me and I've been hooked ever since. Parts of all these cars still live on. Isn't that what Hot Rodding is all about?

Moderation is the key. Plan it, budget it, ...and just plane do it!! and make it work!!

When you get tired of it, take a break. It will still be there when you return.

daves62

grew up in the late 80's and i also had several vw bugs ranging from a 57 cal look to a 68 baja.I use to buy a lot of old celicas and 240z that just need some work and spent alot of time with grandpa wrenching on them then wed send them of to earl shives for a 99.99 paint job. i also had a few american cars back then 70 duster 340 6 pack,68 camero,69 charger r/t and old blue 73 Ranchero 351c 4v Shir wish i could have learned to do body work from him before he passed away.

citcapp