VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION Forum Questions Inquiring not Bashing

Mudbug, what you say is quite convincing, I can't
say I disagree with any of those points. Some of
the best deals I ever got on original parts were
from street rods. I have seen rods that are well
engineered and tastefully customized. I have seen
others I would be afraid to drive. It all depends
on who does the work. One of the things I like
about the old car hobby is that when it's known
you do quality work, the parts you need will appear. Have to go now - I just found out the felt
washer on my dipstick is the wrong color.

You do have a point there MBL, about letting one sit out in the field and rust & rot, "Hell no it ain't for sale,I'm gonna restore that one, some days, my damn kid (the kid is 55 so guess the geezers age) wanted to put a V/8 in it and dual exhaust, but it came out a six in 59 and by hoakey it will stay a six!" sound familar guys?

PS some folks say I am wishey-washey, but I am not, I am a combination man, I can pick or pull, I can hoe or chop, and I like C&W and Rock and Roll!

Thank you D2 and thank you Mack. The major reason I wrote this thread was see if their is a common ground between originalist and streetrodders. I found out that in most of us there is. Simply, the cars. The love of the cars. I'd like to take the time to share something with you fellows and if it puts a lump in your throat I understand because when I wrote the article it did mine. I know most of the VCCA does not read Streetrodder magazine but for just once I would like to make a suggestion. I am in the April 2002 issue on page 32 upper right hand corner. The article is entitled It's About The People. Back in the January 2002 magazine Brian Brennan, the editorial director wrote an article that impacted me and I know hundreds of other car enthusiast. Brian wrote this article on September 11, 2001 in reaction to the days events. He said how much it brought the importance of family, friends and the quality of life we share in perspective. How maybe all of us should take the time to tell a fellow rodder how great his car looks no matter how many rock chips he has or even when a fellow rodder walks up to a bunch of empty chairs and we say I'm sorry those seats are taken. I know all of you know exactly what I'm talking about. He also said the time has come to put all things great and small into perspective and to treat each other with respect due to a fellow HUMAN BEING rodder or not. Brian closed by saying it was time to go inside and spend time with the family; the car will be there tomorrow and he could finish it then. I could not think of a better more well written statement so I replied to his article and my reply was published in the April 2002 magazine. I'm not going to rewrite what I wrote to Brian, but please go read it if you guys feel you would like to see it. I basically said how important the little people were in this great hobby and how the grace of our Lord has given all of us the ability to be unique and diversified inviduals. I then thanked Brian for all his editorials and to the Streetrodder staff for delivering a magazine which all people, even those who are not rodders can enjoy, understand, and appreciate the meaning of a truly great magazine. I believe that this sums up my beliefs in this hobby and my beliefs on what we as idividuals should base everything upon. I'm sure ALL of you will agree with me. Again, if anyone would like to write to me personaly about any questions or comments please feel free to do so. streatrd@aol.com Attention Brent :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Outstanding. You just made my day. Thanks.

Glad it made your day Bill. Hopefully, it will make a few of our lifes. :) :love:

Junkyard Dog,

Maybe I'm missing something in your statements. Are you suggesting that I don't send in my registration forms to enter my 74 in national meets with the VCCA???? Are you suggesting that I and my "vintage" 74 have no place in this club??? If this is the feelings of many members, maybe I should re-think my thoughts of attending my 1st VCCA meet.

John

JYD is funny, and right at times, but his opinion is not the only one, and he speaks for himself, not the whole club! Bring your 74 out and share it with those of us who want to enjoy it.

Mr. Junkyard has the right idea - delete the word "vintage" unless you want to include your LUV truck as a vintage Chevy. My car, a 29 coupe looks completely stock except if you are a Chevy expert but it has hydraulic brakes, a 235 engine and a Chevy 5 speed OD trans. It is safe to drive on the freeway and it allows us Chevy people to drive a 70 year old car on the street every day along with the model A F____s. I am even going to install seat belts! If we don't lighten up, all of us old people who think a 67 Camero is a modern car will be dead. Do you have any club members in your chapter under 30? No, they are in a street rod club because they don't want to have to trailer their car to a tour. There is a place for those people who want to have car artwork, Pebble Beach.

John 348 and Harvey J: I think that you both should go back and re-read my posting of February 26th and carefully look at it. There was no opinion stated or implied on my part in that posting. I was asking a question, which is totally different than stating an opinion. The question that I asked was "Is a 1977 Impala a vintage Chevrolet?" That is a question, not a statement. That was food for thought for you fellows out there in Chevy Chatter land to ponder as part of the street rod vs. stock issue. The question has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not Harvey J can bring his 1974 to a Chevrolet meet, and no where in that posting does it imply that he can't. Again, that was just a question and in no way is it a statement or an opinion on my part, and I don't know how you could take it as such.

Also, everyone seems to talking back and forth as to whether or not street rods should be allowed into the club. I mentioned an idea of taking the word "vintage" out of the title of the club's name, thus making it the "Chevrolet Club of America", therefore solving the problem. Again, that has nothing to do with Harvey J's 1974 Chevy not being part of the club. That was for those of you who are talking back and forth about street rods vs. stock to consider, and again, no opinion was stated or implied from me either way on the subject. :confused:

Junkyard Dog,

I re-read your posting of Feb. 26th. I still see and read the following: "How about it, is a 1977 Impala a "vintage" Chevrolet? Stir the pot with those scenarios". :confused:

Because we are in cyber world, the rest of us reading these posts are not able to sit and converse with you in person. We are unable to see facial expressions or hear your tone of voice. I for one, don't know what you meant by saying "stir the pot with those scenarios". Maybe the intent was not there, but I think you were implying something....I just don't know what. You wanted to "stir the pot" about a 1977......I own a 1974.....only a 3 year difference in my math.

I'm not trying to start a war here...I don't even know you....and it's not my nature to get upset easily by something said by a total stranger. This hobby is supposed to be fun!

I don't know your age, and it's not even important. But, I am 46 years old. In many clubs, I am considered to be young! My 1974 is also considered young! We youngsters tend to get very defensive when we perceive that we might not fit-in or be accepted in the hobby that we enjoy. I don't want to drive to Maryland and New Jersey this year, stay at the hotels, pay all the expenses, just to be snubbed because we "youngsters" that have a 70 something car don't fit in.

That probably wasn't the pot you wanted to stir, but it sure stirred the noodles in my pot.
Peace.....and continue having fun....I know I will!

John

Harvey J: Again, that was a question for the dudes on the forum that were talking back and forth about street rods vs. stock to also stop and think about. A question is a question..period. If, in fact I had made a statement and/or an opinion about the subject matter then your rebuttal with your conclusions would have been dead on. But, your rebuttal was based on your conclusions concerning things that were never stated in that posting nor even implied....conclusions that you came up with on your own, and then you applied them to my question. Don't get me wrong here, there is no offense taken in what you or John 348 were saying......I just wanted to clairfy to you both that I posted a question to the forum and not an opinion or a statement. To put your mind at ease among my 1930 and 1932 Chevy's, I also own a 1968, a 1969, a 1970, a 1972 and until a few years ago I also owned a 1977 Monte Carlo.

Junkyard Dog,

I'll surely sleep better tonight! Anyone that at least owned a Monte Carlo can't be all that bad....even though you made a mistake and got rid of it.

Peace...John

Ha ha! Ya.....you are soooo right! I'm kicking myself now. Here's the story: I bought that car brand new...it was a special order from my local Chevrolet dealer. I ordered it with everything that was available from both the factory and the dealer. The car was Buckskin and Orange Metallic. It had the power sky roof and all of the goodies. My local Chevrolet dealer gave me the complete 1977 dealer showroom display when I bought the car and that included all of the literature, banners, posters, dealer's album, Chevrolet Mini-theater and the whole works. A truck load of stuff! I loved that car. When I sold it 20 years later it only had 911 miles on it! That's right....911 miles. At any rate, I had no choice, I had to sell it. I ran out of room years before and even though it was covered up, it was in the way, and, well, you know! Anyway, now I have a 40x60 garage, and I sure wish that I had that car back!!! :( :( :( :(

Which only goes to say....stick with what you like, sorry to here that Skip!

Thanks!

I think about that car often! :( :( :( :(

Hey you ole dog you. I have to stir your pot for just a sec. In another thread you mentioned how many people had signed on that day and it was a high number. I beat you ole buddy. Currently this thread I made had the most people in one day, 16 on the 26th of February. Anyways, hehehehe; back to you getting rid of the Monte Carlo. As most of you know I'm secretary for an antique tractor and engine club here in Louisiana. I once had a friend give me the brass tag off of an old John Deere he used to have. He scrapped the tractor at a salvage yard many years ago. Unfortunately for him and the salvage yard it was a major mistake. The tractor to date is one of the rarest John Deeres made and is very sought after in the collectors world. Trust me we feel your pain my brother... :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Hum........it looks like I owe you a beer now since you got 16 signed on in one day! That's great! Anyway, we all still hold the record for six pages of postings on the same subject! I love it!

Ya, what a shame on that tractor. I'll bet that dude is kicking his back side like this old mutt has been doing for several years now! Hey, there was no chance in sight that I would ever get a 40x60 garage, and the two car garage where the Monte was sitting was just too cramped. Besides, the daily driver (1969 Impala Sport Coupe with 400,000 miles) came and went every day and the doors opened against the Monte, and you know how it goes. After scratches and dings appeared (through the car cover mind you) I could see the handwriting on the wall, so I had no choice but to sell the car. Yep, as soon as it was gone, now comes an opportunity to build the 40x60 garage, and now I have plenty of room for the car....but it ain't here!!! Sold it to a dude in Pennsylvania, and it has been sitting in a warehouse for years kind of deteriorating. The last time that I checked on it, the car now had 912 miles and it was for sale at a price way beyond what I could afford, and the whole front end of the car was damaged as well. We have all made these same mistakes I'm sure.
:( :(

Hey here is a thought, A 32 chevy was only 29 years old when this club started in 1961, and I was just getting out of diapers, and my 60 Chevy was just a used car, the funny thing is many members still look at the a 60 as a used car. In 1961 I would venture to say a 32 was looked at as an "antique" The funny part is the 74 just does not command the same respect in 2002. As far as members making modifications to modernize their antique because the feel that a 35 year old car is not old enough for them, they should listen to themselves real carfully.

Well, the problem is that everyone defines a "used" car differently. Back in the 1960's in Los Angeles where I grew up, Dusenbergs and Pierce-Arrows were for sale on used car lots as "used" cars. Where they a "used" car? To non-car collectors they were, but to those of us in the car hobby they were not...even way back then, so I guess it all depends upon your point of view, and also where you live. Example: In parts of the country good quality 1970's cars are probably hard to find, therefore they are scarce. Here where I live, they are still found on used car lots since they are all over the place, and a lot of them are driven daily. Are they a used car? Yes, to the car lot owner and the general public. However, to most car collectors they are probably not considered "used" cars in their eyes. The term "used" car will probably never be defined by car collectors to the point where they all will agree as to what a "used" car actually is because of different interests, different points of view, body style and geographic location :eek: :eek:

A 1931 Chevrolet is a horseless carraige [almost]and a 1932 Chevrolet is an automobile [almost]. Think about how old and outdated a 1931 car looked in 1941. By the mid 60's the automobile had been invented. Before that it was a product still under developement. Remember when Buick said "When better cars are built, Buick will build them"? Engineering improvements have now become a matter of conforming to environmental and other demands.

I would hardly call a 59 or a 60 car modern looking in 1970, and I also would not say the car was fully developed by the 60's, so that is a hard sell to me compairing the 31&32 to being out of style in 1941. As far as the horseless carage goes, that is a little earlier than the thirties. And there all USED CARS, just some are used a little harder than others.

Hmmmmm, what is modern? It's the CURRENT perception of something. So, to me modern only describes current. Back then all those cars were modern. To tell you the truth, I believe that most people makes comparisons of ten years apart. For instance; when we look at a 2002 car, it's often compared to a car from the early 90's not the teens or thirties.

P.S. Where's my beer JYD?? :p :rolleyes: :p

I bought an Audi A6 Quattro, great car, lots of gadgets, my 1972 Alfa Romeo Berlina handles better, is more comfortable, gets better mileage.

Well, by golly I guess yawl all solved that question, What was the question? Maybe I have been watching too much TV, I wonder why I don't cry when I see a load of 77,79, 80, 81 Caprices all go by stacked one on top of the other and chained down on a 71 Kenworth headed South? When there are not any cars of that powertrain arrangement even being produced by GM, because of politics? The WAR on TERROR should be followed by a war on HORROR!(15 year old cars and older being bought back to be squashed and shredded) WITH MY DAMN TAX DOLLARS!!!

Post Script,
IMHO anything newer than a 1954 is a MODERN LATE MODEL car, that is because modern cars have a 12 VDC system and storage battry I thought everyone knew that! and Ultra Modern cars have a FM radio and an 8 track player!. LOL
So it isn't only your grandfathers Oldsmobile, that got shot down either but your grandson's also!!

Post Script II
Boy Howdy! I surely Do like that Editing feature Billy!

Hey Mack, I'm still working on getting that club going with you. I just need some time. I'm real busy with tractor shows right now. You know we say new cars will not be sought after antiques because of the mass production but guess what. Since so many are heading to the crusher now, how many will be left in 60 years, hmmmmmm...... My guess is not many. There will probably end up being more of our trucks and cars left than any from the 80's, 90's and 2000's. Main reason is because cars are not made to last. They are now made quickly and cheaply with an overpriced tag. In all honesty I believe our vehicles had more craftsman ship and labor than a computer aided robot shelling out many cars an hour.