Where have all the stock cars gone????

[Mr. Belvedere]

The last month I went to two major car shows and saw maybe only a dozen all stock automobiles at each. How many times can you see a chopped thirties car with a blown cheby 350 w/mustangII front clip and still find it interesting?!?! I just walk by the rows of modified tri 5 chebies and ferd Mustangs, unless they look all original, which is rare. Most rodders get their stuff from the same catalogs they all think there car is unique but they all start to look the same to me after a while. Now don't get me wrong there are some truly incredible rods out there, but the bulk of them are not, at least to me. I'd rather see an old original like some I have seen posted on this site, looking like they were hauled out of the field yesterday with gobs of patina or, like what a lot of you guys do here i.e. hopping up flatheads or period hot rods. I am not against anyone doing what they want with there own ride, it just seems like no one can leave there car stock anymore, part of the reason I go to a car show is to get a flavor for what the past was like. It is sorta like when some one buys and old home guts it, and puts in all modern stuff, problem is they gut the charm out as well, I have to ask myself why not buy a modern home in the first place? I suppose they want the modern amenities with just the old look? Ironically the cars that seemed to get the most attention were the original cars anyway, probably because the are somewhat rare at the bulk of the shows I've seen lately. Thats one reason I am glad that there are clubs like the POC helping to promote keeping some cars stock. O.K. your turn, I kicked over the bee hive and I am now running for cover!

[BobT-47P15]

I'm with you. If you read the hamb....those guys are sort of in the same mode with the old school hot rods they like. Many are looking for a 32 Ford coupe or roadster, or building a little low sitting chopped off pickup. Their individual tastes and talents get into the picture, of course, but there is an overall similarity.

Likewise, the nicely finished rods and customs you find are nifty....to a point.

I've noticed in watching ebay ads for street rodded 46-48 Plymouths that many guys want to smooth off the dash and install some new cookie cutter gauges. Sure, they are probably more accurate, but I'd rather see the chrome and old gauges that give these cars their character. ( I do like to see all kinds of cars......enjoy the variety and the creativity of their owners. I just like some things better than others.)

This roadster was nice, at a local cruise-in.

But the one that was most fun to look at was this one. Nowhere close to stock, but has lotsa patina.

Just my 2 centavos worth.

[Norm's Coupe]

The last month I went to two major car shows and saw maybe only a dozen all stock automobiles at each. How many times can you see a chopped thirties car with a blown cheby 350 w/mustangII front clip and still find it interesting?!?! I just walk by the rows of modified tri 5 chebies and ferd Mustangs, unless they look all original, which is rare. Most rodders get their stuff from the same catalogs they all think there car is unique but they all start to look the same to me after a while.

Before I go on, just let me say I also like all old cars, original and modified.

That said, you said in your post after awhile all the modified cars start looking alike, and it gets boring looking at them for that reason. That's a valid remark because I sometimes feel the same way. However, you'll see a lot more variety looking at those rods and customs (even if they all have the same equipment) than you will looking at an all original cars. Original cars will always look all alike, or they wouldn't be original. That holds especially true if you are attending a marque show such as an all original POC or Ford, etc. car show. To me that's worse than attending a mixed make car show. For example at the POC or Ford show, that's all you see is old original Plymouth's or Fords. That gets old to me REAL fast. For example, how many old Plymouth, Fords, etc. can you look at before they all look the same. Not many.

Again, nothing wrong with the marque car clubs, but you have to admit there is no variety there.

[Don Coatney]

I attended an early Ford V-8 national meet in Virginia earlier this year. Here are a couple of pictures from that show. Interesting that everything there was not bone stock.

Here are pictures from a national POC meet. Everything there is not stock either.

[Uncle-Pekka]

Hi Richard,

I agree with you 100%.

I am not a restorer (do not have enough money, skills, patience, time... required for that fine art), nor do I want to judge what fellows do with their cars, BUT...

...an old car is a comprehensive experience to me: I love the period styling in forms, but the quality of built, the torque and sounds of a flat head six or V8 are essential ingredients of the dish. Also the BIG steering wheel without power steering is part of the fun. With one thing replaced by modern substitute the flavour is gone. If I want to enjoy modern car performance and ease of driving I just have to drive a modern car. no point for ME in building a modern car inside a classic hide...

Still I like & appreciate period true hot rods and kustoms when they are made with taste and period speed equipments. Line is impossible to draw and each and every of us have after all tastes of our own.

[Plymouthy Adams]

what you are complaining about is about as equally bad as the guy who is showing a "restored" car that is so out of whack it is pathetic..

I am guilty of the custom scene..I like the body styles..you can have the antiquated mechanics and lack of creature comforts...and building it your way has a lot to do with the entire experience...so far I plan to keep the 54 on the correct theme with original driveline...but it is no sacred cow...AC is a major advantage here in the deep south..gotta be something in the V-engines..even all the little J-car imports now sport V8 and V6's...

[Mr. Belvedere]

Before I go on' date=' just let me say I also like all old cars, original and modified.

That said, you said in your post after awhile all the modified cars start looking alike, and it gets boring looking at them for that reason. That's a valid remark because I sometimes feel the same way. However, you'll see a lot more variety looking at those rods and customs (even if they all have the same equipment) than you will looking at an all original cars. Original cars will always look all alike, or they wouldn't be original. That holds especially true if you are attending a marque show such as an all original POC or Ford, etc. car show. To me that's worse than attending a mixed make car show. For example at the POC or Ford show, that's all you see is old original Plymouth's or Fords. That gets old to me REAL fast. For example, how many old Plymouth, Fords, etc. can you look at before they all look the same. Not many.

Again, nothing wrong with the marque car clubs, but you have to admit there is no variety there.[/quote']

Yep, mechanically speaking you are right, especially on the early ones. But bodies and trim and interiors change year to year, plus you don't join marque specific clubs for variety anyway do you? BTW, on the coupe, I say keep it and modify it to your hearts content, you can do alot with 20k. Then come out west and join our region of the POC. We have some modified cars in our group!

[PatS....]

The last month I went to two major car shows and saw maybe only a dozen all stock automobiles at each. How many times can you see a chopped thirties car with a blown cheby 350 w/mustangII front clip and still find it interesting?!?! I just walk by the rows of modified tri 5 chebies and ferd Mustangs, unless they look all original, which is rare. Most rodders get their stuff from the same catalogs they all think there car is unique but they all start to look the same to me after a while. ..............................Thats one reason I am glad that there are clubs like the POC helping to promote keeping some cars stock. O.K. your turn, I kicked over the bee hive and I am now running for cover!

I guess I don't get it. Don't like the rods 'cause they are all the same, but like the stock cars because....they are all the same?????

I just like the old cars.

Get 'em running and get 'em on the road however you like 'em.

Everyone has their own reason for having an old car. While I may not do to my car what you have done to your car, I still respect the fact that the old car has a new lease on life. They haven't been stock since they left the showroom floor, and "restored" has completely lost all meaning.

They have to make the owner smile.

Others are free to like 'em or not.

[Mr. Belvedere]

Hey Tim, you might like this then, I took these at the car show I attended last weekend, maybe some inspiration for you?

[Plymouthy Adams]

its clean...!!!!!! lots and lots of mods made and we have not even seen the engine bay...

[Young Ed]

Nice but I'd ditch that monster tach. Interupts the smoothed out dash.

[Norm's Coupe]

I like that 53, except for the dash. Dash would look good if they would loose that tach sitting on top of it. That should be either in the dash or hanging below it, or put it in a console under the dash. Don't like those things sticking up like that on the dash or steering column.

[Mr. Belvedere]

Sorry, no pics of the bay, the owner was nowhere to be found. BTW, its the only the second time I have ever seen a 54 at a car show.

[Mr. Belvedere]

I guess I don't get it. Don't like the rods 'cause they are all the same, but like the stock cars because....they are all the same?????

I just like the old cars.

Get 'em running and get 'em on the road however you like 'em.

Everyone has their own reason for having an old car. While I may not do to my car what you have done to your car, I still respect the fact that the old car has a new lease on life. They haven't been stock since they left the showroom floor, and "restored" has completely lost all meaning.

They have to make the owner smile.

Others are free to like 'em or not.

My main point here is that there are too few stock cars at most car shows the rods seem to way dominate what you see anymore, anything can be redundant. And you are right, restored has lost all meaning just go on e-bay and see what different folks call "restored".

[Plymouthy Adams]

Norn..is a 54 Plaza only has the 53 taillights..the grille and trunk says it all the 54 has the pushbutton rear latch..the 53 still had the ole twisty turny handle..and yes the tach is out of place...but was correct for the period these were heyday...the dash lost all its charm but he did keep the horn center...all in all a good balance of old and new...

[Young Ed]

Tim could those be the 54 lights without the backup piece? What's the difference?

[Norm's Coupe]

Guess you are right about the trunk lock. Had to look for myself. This is a 53 Belvedere that my brother had in 1960. Was all decked out for the annual rival football game between Male and dupont Manual HS, Louisville, KY held every thanksgiving day back then. That's me standing behind the car, was in the Manual marching band.

Period or not, still don't like that tach on the dash of the 54.

[Don Coatney]

That's me standing behind the car' date=' was in the Manual marching band.[/quote']

So Norm;

Is this where you learned to march to the beat of a different drum?

[Norm's Coupe]

So Norm;

Is this where you learned to march to the beat of a different drum?

Don, don't know about marching to a different beat. But.....did learn how to do the Charleston while playing the music at the same time. That was part of our Half Time Show.

[james curl]

I will walk by any over restored car or one with a $20,000 to $40,000 paint job that can only be driven from their enclosed trailers into the show grounds. Just attended the Good Guys show at Ft. Worth, Texas and saw a large parking lot filled with enclosed car trailers. I will go out of my way to look at modified cars that someone has put a lot of thought into but not much money. I believe in doing things on the cheap. Anybody can use their credit card to buy parts and assemblies from the hobby vendors, this does not take a lot of skill. To design a part then build and install it is what the hobby is about for me.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Tim could those be the 54 lights without the backup piece? What's the difference?

Ed..the 54 has a round center section..if you did not get back up lights, you got a dummy lens there...the top brake/park lens has a slightcurve to match the top of the back-up section of the bezel...Either set is nice in my book..but the 54 looks like a bit more attention to detial that make the difference in the two years..54 got lots more personal attention in my book...even the Plaza models I have seen had the dummy out lens...at first I thought it could be particular to the Plaza's..

[BobT-47P15]

54 Plymouth Belvedere/Savoy tail light lense

[Normspeed]

Another clue that it's a 54 is the ash tray. In 53 it was under the ignition key. In 54 they moved it to the right side.

Norn..is a 54 Plaza only has the 53 taillights..the grille and trunk says it all the 54 has the pushbutton rear latch..the 53 still had the ole twisty turny handle..and yes the tach is out of place...but was correct for the period these were heyday...the dash lost all its charm but he did keep the horn center...all in all a good balance of old and new...

[blueskies]

How many times can you see a chopped thirties car with a blown cheby 350 w/mustangII front clip and still find it interesting?!?! ...problem is they gut the charm out as well...

Precisely why I have this under my hood, though it isn't stock by any means... I find it quite charming...

Pete

[Mr. Belvedere]

Are you kidding, I am completely charmed just lookin at it, I would call this modified charm! Your car doesn't qualify for my little rant! Most people go the Ferd or Chebby way cause its easy, cheaper and lots of aftermarket for them.