Are We Having Fun Yet?
by Frank Colgoni

If you're like me, when you pick up your favourite mag (e.g. Street Rodder, Rod & Custom, Custom Rodder, etc.), you will invariably turn to the feedback from the faithful readers. I usually find it incredibly enjoyable to read what people have to say, both positive and negative. Recently, however, there were a series of letters-to-the-editor (a.k.a. "Rodder Mail") in Street Rodder (May & August 2000) that I found somewhat disturbing. I hope that the feelings from the "grumps" are not widespread

Essentially, the complaint to the editor was that "true" hot rodders participating in the "true sport of hot rodding" are "omitted" from taking home the glory when it comes time for the judging. The other old chestnut that surfaced was that "steel is real" and fiberglass is, for sure, not the plastic fantastic. Oh, and one other thing surfaced - favouritism at club meets. That never happens, does it? I'm not even going to go there - yet.

The grumps believe that "true hot rodders" with steel cars, with legit pre-1949 tags and who do their own work, should have a category unto themselves. In this way, they wouldn't have to compete with big buck plastic cars from big name builders where the only thing the owner had to do was drop some serious coinage.

Brian Brennan, editorial director of Street Rodder, really p----d off a few grumps by offering the opinion that the hobby should be about having fun (defined by the individual) and that separate categories, within categories, defeated the concept of competition. In other words, if you want to compete, then "you have to rise to the level of the competition" and that, by definition, competition is a test of skill. Valid points by Brian but not totally accepted by the grumps (understatement). Brian's point was essentially to do your own thing - period (maybe this is the true sport of hot rodding?).

A couple of the "true rodders" (is there a secret handshake for them?) mentioned that they had been rodders for 40 years and one went on to say that it made them "sick" to see plastic cars competing with "real junkyard steel". They probably don't eat quiche either. I think I understand what they are suggesting and this is where I start to get disturbed/sick.

Point one: 40 years takes us back to 1960. Were there big buck cars (relatively speaking) in the 1960's? Absolutely. I saw them myself at the local shows as they passed through town (usually in the dead of winter). We called them show cars then and many of them were show cars. That is, for show (only). Many, if not most, or all of todays show cars are capable, safe drivers in addition to being show cars. Like today, the cars of yesterday were the expressions of artists/craftsmen. And yes, someone does have to finance the hard work of these artists - who are also making a living. Letting top cars compete with one another is not an unnatural thing. It's no different from most open competitions. It becomes a matter of expectations. Most people viewing these cars understand that these are high-end expressions of the art form but it doesn't preclude them from enjoying all the other cars on display.

Point two: Even forty years ago, everyone dreamed of finding a "cherry" (read: mint condition) vehicle just over the hill or in that barn or...You get the idea. No one wants to deal with rust, replacement panels and the whole ugly mess if they can avoid it. Sometimes you can't. So be it. We all admire projects that preserve production line vehicles but give me a break about "real junkyard steel". Reproduction bodies (fiberglass and steel) pay homage to the past and allow for the hobby to continue. There is only so much real steel to go around. This leads me to my third point.

Point three: I think it's fantastic that there are people out there that have been in the hobby for 40 (or more) years but let's remember that it's the newcomers to the hobby who will be writing to the editor in 40 years. Also pay attention to what people are doing with these reproductions - building everything from the shiny to the suede, from the modern to the nostalgic. This is what the true spirit of hot rodding is all about - to be able to do what you want with what you've got. Even the folks at Pebble Beach have recently acknowledged that.

In closing, and on a personal note, while I always had a crush on a 1932 Ford, it took me many (I'm not telling how many) years to get one, or should I say two. I don't mind admitting that it was built using a fiberglass body. I haven't the foggiest where I would have laid my hands on a gennie steel body. We were building a coupe (also fiberglass) when this finished car (a roadster) came along and while it was a painful decision, we let the coupe project go and went with the finished car (and yes, it was a "show" car - hiss, boo). We also drive the "show" car regularly and it rocks. Just prior to these two car, I spent six years in messy, rusty restoration of a British "junkyard steel" car and only farmed out the paint. So what? It's all about different strokes, what makes sense at a particular moment in time, availability, opportunity and fun.

By the way, the British car was as close to a 100-point restoration as you can get and when I cruised her over to the club meets, the club executive-types gave me the snub big time. That was the first and last. By comparison, we've taken the roadster to many cruises and events and have had nothing but a warm response from the real true hot rodders who understand what it is and how it fits in to today's hot rod scene. Brian, your stage is bigger than mine so thanks for defending the open-minded position and If I may quote your response (again): "A mind is a great deal like a mousetrap-functions best when kept open!"

Whew! Glad I got that out of my system.
Click here to send feedback on this article.