$800 for a pair of Rams Horns?
#19
02-23-2006, 08:47 PM
Wildbunch, I sat down to respond to some of the quoted material too, but figured you would be around eventually. Without getting too grandiose, the "us and them" mentality has been with us forever. It is partially responsible for the great advances and great disasters of humans.
Last edited by 46yblock; 02-23-2006 at 08:51 PM.
#20
02-24-2006, 05:57 AM
Senior User
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Maybe I can restate my thoughts in a different way and hopefully it won't be taken so personally.
The discussion of ideas fascinates and motivates...
The discussion of events informs and teaches...
The discussion of people and their actions usually is little more then gossip and judgement platitude...
The original statements that I commented on are divisive, as I said, because they create an us and them. "We" are the cool hot rodders that build our own cars, and "they" are the slick ums with money that buy and drive the prices up. One group are obviously the good guys, and the other are the bad guys. Based on that analogy, then any hot rodder that buys a part that he doesn't build or recycle himself is contributing to the "bad" side of the hobby.
This line of thinking also indicates that if a guy doesn't build his own house from scratch he's a "slickum"...doesn't make his own clothing then "slickum"...doesn't kill his own food "slickum".
I've thrown myself on the tracks many times in my life in opposition of social clicks. People that think they are better, smarter, cooler, tougher, or otherwise "in" over anyone who is "out". Anytime I see it or smell it, I speak out. This is the first time I've seen it here at FTE but anyone that thinks this way might want to just take a look at it. It's never too late to change.
The discussion of ideas fascinates and motivates...
The discussion of events informs and teaches...
The discussion of people and their actions usually is little more then gossip and judgement platitude...
The original statements that I commented on are divisive, as I said, because they create an us and them. "We" are the cool hot rodders that build our own cars, and "they" are the slick ums with money that buy and drive the prices up. One group are obviously the good guys, and the other are the bad guys. Based on that analogy, then any hot rodder that buys a part that he doesn't build or recycle himself is contributing to the "bad" side of the hobby.
This line of thinking also indicates that if a guy doesn't build his own house from scratch he's a "slickum"...doesn't make his own clothing then "slickum"...doesn't kill his own food "slickum".
I've thrown myself on the tracks many times in my life in opposition of social clicks. People that think they are better, smarter, cooler, tougher, or otherwise "in" over anyone who is "out". Anytime I see it or smell it, I speak out. This is the first time I've seen it here at FTE but anyone that thinks this way might want to just take a look at it. It's never too late to change.
#24
02-24-2006, 08:49 AM
Senior User
Maybe I can restate my thoughts in a different way and hopefully it won't be taken so personally.
The discussion of people and their actions usually is little more then gossip and judgement platitude...
The original statements that I commented on are divisive, as I said, because they create an us and them.
Furthermore, if you expect a supposed eschewing of personal attack to shield you while you engage in it a second time, I'm not accepting that, either.
"We" are the cool hot rodders that build our own cars, and "they" are the slick ums with money that buy and drive the prices up. One group are obviously the good guys, and the other are the bad guys. Based on that analogy, then any hot rodder that buys a part that he doesn't build or recycle himself is contributing to the "bad" side of the hobby.
For someone who so piously pointed out that someone was taking things seriously, your huge expansion of the discussion with things that were never said seems to be very indicative of a very thin skin.
This line of thinking also indicates that if a guy doesn't build his own house from scratch he's a "slickum"...doesn't make his own clothing then "slickum"...doesn't kill his own food "slickum".
I've thrown myself on the tracks many times in my life in opposition of social clicks. People that think they are better, smarter, cooler, tougher, or otherwise "in" over anyone who is "out". Anytime I see it or smell it, I speak out. This is the first time I've seen it here at FTE but anyone that thinks this way might want to just take a look at it. It's never too late to change.
Meanwhile, I still don't like the fact that speculation has driven the cost of Ram's Horns beyond the reach of most hot rodders.
#25
02-24-2006, 12:48 PM
Lead Driver
I remember the first set of ram's horn manifolds I bought. It was about 15 yrs ago and I found them under a seat in a 57-60 ford truck at an old yard I used to go to. I remember when I carried the manifolds up to the gate this good old boy said "we just raised prices last week on manifolds, yep we raised them from $5.00 each to $7.50 each!" I couldnt get the $15.00 out fast enough!
But nowadays they are getting harder to find as many of the good ol boy yards have dried up.
I have 3 trucks with rams on them and 2 extra sets. I'm not interested in selling them as if I needed a replacement I have no idea where I could find one for a reasonable amount.
Kevin Bigwin
But nowadays they are getting harder to find as many of the good ol boy yards have dried up.
I have 3 trucks with rams on them and 2 extra sets. I'm not interested in selling them as if I needed a replacement I have no idea where I could find one for a reasonable amount.
Kevin Bigwin
#26
02-24-2006, 01:09 PM
Senior User
I had a elderly friend who had been a noted mechanic and character around town for years. He was very eccentric and had been an old biker back in the 30s, had worked for the railroad running steam locomotives, and had many other experiences and memories that were great to listen to.
He'd built tons of cars and in his late 60s, had built a Volks dune buggy that had lots of neat ideas. Rather than having a body as such, he had a cowl and firewall only. The cowl was made of doped fabric like an aircraft wing, and was very light, while still protecting from water and dirt.
His old wrecker was very interesting. It was an old F3 that he'd put the axles and transfer case from a Coleman 4x4 heavy truck. He'd customized the front of it conservatively -- it was a real piece of work, full of original thinking, especially for a working wrecker.
The salvage yard (I bought a 6 from him to put in one of my cars) was full of wonderful stuff -- the sort of stuff you only see in old books. I recall a Nash twin 6 engine (It had dual spark plugs) and an F-Head Harley engine, complete with the little glass sight-glass in the crankcase. I think that those date from 1915 or before, IIRC.
This fellow had gotten pretty old (pretty forgetful) and had a very young wife; somehow the decision was reached to sell, and the entire contents of his shop and yard were sold and carted off. This wasn't something that we were unused to in the mountains: They'd left huge mining scars there (the place became a Superfund site) to provide the wiring for America's expanding cities. They got the electrical infrastructure, and we got a horribly scarred landscape, full of heavy metals and all sorts of other fun stuff.
He'd built tons of cars and in his late 60s, had built a Volks dune buggy that had lots of neat ideas. Rather than having a body as such, he had a cowl and firewall only. The cowl was made of doped fabric like an aircraft wing, and was very light, while still protecting from water and dirt.
His old wrecker was very interesting. It was an old F3 that he'd put the axles and transfer case from a Coleman 4x4 heavy truck. He'd customized the front of it conservatively -- it was a real piece of work, full of original thinking, especially for a working wrecker.
The salvage yard (I bought a 6 from him to put in one of my cars) was full of wonderful stuff -- the sort of stuff you only see in old books. I recall a Nash twin 6 engine (It had dual spark plugs) and an F-Head Harley engine, complete with the little glass sight-glass in the crankcase. I think that those date from 1915 or before, IIRC.
This fellow had gotten pretty old (pretty forgetful) and had a very young wife; somehow the decision was reached to sell, and the entire contents of his shop and yard were sold and carted off. This wasn't something that we were unused to in the mountains: They'd left huge mining scars there (the place became a Superfund site) to provide the wiring for America's expanding cities. They got the electrical infrastructure, and we got a horribly scarred landscape, full of heavy metals and all sorts of other fun stuff.
#28
02-27-2006, 09:15 PM
If they're expensive, it aint MY FAULT!
Here's a pair starting at a buck!http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4617368417
