I have never owned a "Trailer Queen" but I have owned several (Mustang Fastbacks) that could have been. They were my daily drivers but they required a lot of covers and care.

I noticed one day that the younger guys were driving their not-so-perfect rides to to events and having fun while I was driving my 2000 Lariat and talking about what will be......

This next truck will get on the road as soon as it is road-safe. I don't care if I have a windshield....... I'm gonna drive it, and enjoy it while I work the issues.
Momma thinks it's sexy just the way it is.....

 

I'm going to do all the work I can on mine . I't theraputicfor me. I'm planning on my truck going through 2 restorations. The first one will get everthing done bumper to bumper, including paint. Then after some drive time and new parts collecting doing stage 2. Than will have my custom paint and other mods done. I plan to do it this way so I can work out the bugs and keep it driving down the road. Richland has a weekend show called "Cool desert nights". Next year I plan on being there. Kurt G Y-blocks rule.

 

I'm building my truck for "Me". although the Ol Lady has said she wants to drive it too I am by no means a body man or painter, but I have just enough skill and determination to make it right eventually. I like what Randy said, 10-10 sounds good to me.
Show trucks and trailer queens really do nothing for me, if I am too scared to drive it to the local Wal-Mart, then I don't want it.

 

Hello delrisinger. I have been to the AR school for the deaf when I lost my hearing. Not attending....just getting some tapes they had. You should check out the AR chapter here on FTE....

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum175/


Randy is more fussy than I am. I would be happy with one color and 50/50 looks. I know it will get scratched and dented. It was built as a truck and will be used for one as long as I have it.

It is not exactly a daily driver, but I will say this. My 2001 explorer has been parked for the last 2 1/2 weeks. I guess I should go start it at least.

As soon as some doctor/dialysis issues are worked out, I plan on using her to haul off tons of junk.

 

I was exactly like you. Wanted a truck that was "perfect". But the more shows I go to, I see people having fun with their vehicles and they are not quite perfect. So, I had a paradigm shift, and now when something is quite right, it does not stress me out. And, with this attitude, I have found that my work has actually gotten BETTER! I am proud of the fact that I have done this truck entirely by myself and intend to complete it by myself. I am actually going to sign up for a bodywork class, even though I have done some in the past, I need to learn to spray the right way.
Over on the HAMB, there is a guy with a magazine quality Lincoln that somebody hacked the frame on, its horrible. You wouldn't know it by looking at it at a show, its beautiful. If you build it yourself, at least you know what you have.
Its your truck, build it for you, not for somebody else.

 

hi,

its funny reading thru all these posts.. ive struggled w/ all these questions in the mind for yrs and yrs.. i bought my 49 when i was 15 yrs old.. im now 37.. i started the rebuild knowing a 1/4 of what i hardly know now.. all thru these yrs i look back at all the mistakes ive made on the truck.. and thats why it keeps getting put on the " back burner".. ive also never had any extra money to spend on a show quality rebuild..so everything ive done so far has been pretty much homemade..including a true mustang 2 front end i cut out at the junkyard..widened and welded in...also made up my own 4 link rear stuff.. found a used quickchange rear end and rebuilt that...all used stuff and not at ALL pretty... i got very discouraged w/ all of it a few yrs ago and again slid it back in the garage.. THEN!!!! this past 4th of july i went the to summer nationals here in MA for the first time ever... and i saw everything for beautiful cars/trucks... to some real beaters....yet i saw smiles on everyones faces...and that look of being proud of what they had regardless of its quality...and thats when i got the urge again to pull "Jenny" back out and try to finish her up... this truck will never EVER be in a magazine...but it will be a driver...and something i can be proud of saying i built.. some might walk away laughing and snickering about some of the stuff i did over the yrs.. but again.. i didnt buy the parts and just bolt them on... and i didnt pay someone else to do it... i think its time i become proud of what ive done.. and i think all of us need to be.. and thats all i have to say about that..HAHAHA.....

 

I have gotten older and wiser over the years and found that perfection is vastly over rated. If my old truck looks good from 50 feet I'm okay with it...

 

True dat!!!

Sorry, buddy. I just couldn't resist.

 

Me and my Son have had this debate over his Falcon. I finally ended up telling him when he's ready to do 80% of the work he can dicide what good enough is. So now it's painted and boy that good enough can stick out like a sore thumb. We look at it and remeber what we started with, and consider it will cruise his High School parking lot way better than the bus and we say "good enough". This all said , I've got alot more work to do on my truck. Even as rough as it is right now it's still fun to take to cruise night and it still get looks and good comments.

 

[QUOTE=rtcalabrojr]I cant stand people that pay to have a truck done and than claim they built it. I mean just because they put on the air cleaner! This truck is me and i will like it the way i want. Dont care if someone else does not like it. Its not theres! Build it and drive it! That is where i stand! RT[/QUOTE

Yes these people need to feel accomplished,and a need to feel a part of the cool group of car/truck guys that build their own trucks. My brother-in-law is 1 of these people,and it is because he really wants a show car--but realizes he does not have the talent. However he will be the 1st one to say---it's not that nice---or that is not as nice as mine!!!!Come on--he cannot even wetsand!!!!I have an ongoing problem with him--he owns a detail shop and that is his talent--cleaning cars---and guess who taught him how to buff a vehicle?? ME!!!
Now after 12 yrs of moving his corvette from body-shop to body-shop,he is actually facing failure. But--he will criticize my work,and he is sooo particular,he can never be happy with his ride!!!I can take it--but have usually always built 70 percent of all my vehicles,and they are my dream---I have had show cars---they are a prize to own--but not a fun thing to drive or use. 99% of the time my trucks,etc make me happy. I will always be looking at better trucks than mine.. I understand that----some people cannot stand to have their vehicle be a 10 footer----I ain't him!!!!Bill

 

well you guys know I never try to be different ...

but I seem to be just the opposite of most of you.

When I first started with my ragged out '53 I figured 'good enough to drive" was good enough.

But as I put money and time into it, and walked 200 miles thru the parking lots of the Grand Hotel every year, and realized what I could have with some effort, I decided I'm going for better than good enough.

It won't be trailered but it will be nice. It won't be a stock '53 ...it will be my ideal '53. Nice detail... paint you can step into ... something you will turn your head for on the road. It ain't gonna be cheap but if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it anyway ! I'm patient enough to save the money and do it right ! my idea of right anyway. Bought it in '95 and had it half built (or better) two times already !!! But, hey ? why hurry !

later
John

 

I agree with ff56 you only have to please yourself. This works as long as you can stand the ribbing you will get from the rich perfectionist types. I look at the trailer queen trucks in the MAG's as motivation to do a better job on my own truck and with lots more practice I may come close. Maybe even a 10/10, I liked that one.

 

Hi guys, I never expected to get such a great response to this thread and would like to thank you for the encouragement. I was interested in your views over this subject and to know that I wasn't the only one beating themselves up. I'm not intending to build a trailer queen, would like one but would have to drive it, I'm just impressed with the workmanship that was put into them and wished that I possessed some of that skill. This being my first project I knew that I was going to be doing a lot of learning, patience being the hardest lessen. Thanks again for your response.
John

 

John,

I don't think that what you see in the T.Q.s is the "skill" of one individual. Even Chip Foose has a 'team' of very talented pros doing his work. There might be a handfull of individuals that could turn out a true award winning vehicle single handed... but most of what you see when you're mouth is hanging open is the cooperative effort of several designers, artists and craftsman... and at least one friendly banker.

If I wanted something that you see on turntables or over mirrors. I'd just buy a picture of a truck. I want something I can drive and cuss when it breaks down. Something that I can leave to my grandson.

Most of the WOW cars are never even cranked or driven. Those chrome brake rotors give them away !!

later
John

 

I constantly have to remind myself that I am building a driver. I am a perfectionist to the nth degree, such is the lot of a jewelry maker, but I still want to be driving it this year. It will be far from perfect, but I plan to do a second wave of work on it before the final paint.
I asked a question recently on the local sportscar/autocross club's forum as to who likes hot rods. One hit it big in dot com guy who flaunts his wealth said he was having two built, a model A and a truck. My comment was that anyone who buys or has one built is a collector not a hot rodder! Buying a painting does not make one an artist! Trailer queens are for couch potatos IMHO.