OK, so I'm at the old parts store making my wish list for the '55 and I get into a discussion with a couple of car club guys. I tell them I'm in the middle of building a street rodded '55 Ford F100 and they immediately tell me that my truck is too "new" to be called a street rod. Deciding that they were both somewhat **** retentative, I just nodded and walked away. So folks, what is it? What are the definitions of "Street Rod", "Hot Rod", "Custom" and, heck, let's throw in "Muscle Car", too? seein' as I'm older than my truck, I better get caught up on the terms before I'm too old to remember.

 

Magazine definitions call it street rod 1948 and older. 1949 to 1964 (<--I think) as customs, 1965-1972 as muscle cars, and so on. Add to that tail draggers, bombers, low riders, tuners, mudders, antique historics, rat rods, traditional hot rods, so on so forth. I would just call it your '55 F100.

 

I think your initial reaction was the best one... just walk away.

Deffinitions are a grey area at best. Some people just dont feel complete unless they fit into a certain segment or can define the diff segments. We are all car guys/gals why cant we just be one family. If you really want to know so you have an idea what they are trying to spew at cha here is a good link that talks to your question.
Red Hot Hotrods-Hot Rod Classifications

I would say that those car club guys knew what you were saying but made a choice to flex thier smart muscle so they could feel superior.

 

The NSRA has attempted to re-define a street rod as a pre-1949 car. To a large degree, they have been successful. However, the term "street rod" has been around since the 1950's (two decades before the NSRA) and the term was not limited to pre-1949 cars before the NSRA took it upon themselves to re-define the meaning.

The original meaning was a hot rodded car that was not intended for racing. Can a truck be a street rod by that definition? That's always been a topic of debate.

 

A "street rod" has a Ch*vy up front and wax in the trunk. A "hot rod" has a flathead up front and tools in the trunk!!!!! LOL Tom

 

A lot of it is coming from the current legislative process in a lot of states. Check out the current issue of Street Rodder....there is a GOOD article in there about what is going on.....you will be surprised. There are now 'official' designations determined by year and equipment. Its getting freakin rediculous....all to control what we are doing.
Not to long ago, I went with a friend to a local builder and the topic came up and we got into a light debate about it with the owner after which we had to walk away .....its scary to me how there are so many people...many in the business....who are clueless about what is going on.
BTW its your truck.....and it is what YOU want it to be. My .02. Regards.

 

A street rod is painted to match the colors of your wifes sweaters.
A hot rod is a go fast machine - Strip, track, street
A Custom has had body mods that sweep, extend, chop, channel, section and hopefully present an appealing view.
Rat Rods should be used as backfill at sanatation plants.

 

WHEW - are you lucky! You could have ended up in "car club jail" or something! LOL

I would have asked these two guys if there time couldn't be better spent walking around their neighborhood and enforcing the HOA rules!

 

"some people just don't feel complete unless they fit into a certain segment" IMO = sheep

 

Ignore the Stepford car guys.

 

I don't take any of this too seriously; just wanted to vent. I just didn't expect to run into the "you have to check the right box" mentality with respect to trucks.

 

Hotrods are supposed to look like they're going 80mph when they're standing still. Customs are supposed to look like they're standing still at speed.

 

Next time say I DRIVE A REAL TRUCK [FORD] LOL

 

Streetrod=interior, engine, running gear (maybe IFS/IRS) out of modern car, latest state of the art electonic toys, big shiny wheels, and the owner brags about billet this and billet that (can we just say little pieces whittled out of bigger pieces?) in a magazine article. Think Chip Foose, Boyd Coddington, et al. AKA checkbook hotrods.

Hot rod= less about the bling, and more about the go, as already stated. AKA built it myself!

Just, please, don't call your pickup "restored" when done. To me that means returned to the condition in which it rolled off the dealer's lot.

I don't care to see an ad that reads "1950 F1-completely restored SBC, 350 auto, Duster clip, bagged 9" Ford rear, AMC Hornet bucket seats covered with leopard skin print velour, Dodge'em Viper wheels, and 2010 Toyadda Putz puke green paint with magenta pinstripes"

Don't ask me how I really feel about the wrong use of the word "restored".

 

i only see two claassifications chainer aka **** retentive , with more money than brains , and the rest of us . sad part is we all do so much dain in fighting it's a wonder the "man" hasn't been able to outlaw all of us ......................... yeah i'm guilty of it too . i like to pick badly on tuners ...................................