Have you guys with not perfect trucks been snubbed?
 

I notice when I drive my 56 to some car shows I feel a little snobbery sometimes from guys with perfect cars or trucks. I know that they have a lot more time and money in theirs than I do. I think this comes from the "rat rod" movement. These guys hate the rat rods, which I must admit I'm not fond of, either. My truck is not a rat rod, it isn't made to look "ratty" with old rusty door knobs or chains attached etc. It is simply a old truck with mechanical upgrades but no body work. However I have not made fake patina to make it look aged, it just is aged. You guys get this feeling? I'm not trying to complain, really. I decided when I was putting this truck together that I wouldn't make it perfect as I did the Cutlass. I'm not afraid to drive the truck down gravel roads, etc.

I stopped going to car shows , to many with big wallets that did very little work on their rides , looking down their noses , at someone that has spent years doing all their own work . The other thing that always bothered me , was the crowed that would stand near your ride , and discuss all the thing they think you did wrong , and when you ask what they are driving , they reply a Kia , You built it to please only one person , if you are happy with it , that is all that matters , Drive it and enjoy it .

That is one reason that I would never enter a show. Mine will never be a show truck but what it will be is a safe solid truck that will look nice but and fit the bill for me. When I had it running last time before I started ,swapped out the axle for a M2 suspension I would get all kinds of thumbs up. The best thumbs up are from little kids.

It's happening here in this forum. I won't mention names though...,.,.

Back in 2012 a group of us on this site where talking about our dislike for car shows , This gave a guy in Blackey Ky an idea to invite every one to his home for a weekend git together . This turned into Truckstock . We had members from New Mexico , Michigan , Virgina , Illinois , Tenn, Ga , and other states come together in a little mountain holler, for one of the best , weekends I can remember , There were show trucks , everyday work trucks and every thing in between , We picked on each other , but not on the trucks . Since then we have gotten together in Ohio, Pa ,Illinois , wisconsin Ky , and Tenn , Nobody had ever met until we showed up at Doc's place now we are good friends . IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE , GO TO ONE OF THESE EVENTS ,DON'T PASS IT UP , Truckfest is another name for this groups weekends . Abe is putting one together in Pa this September , and there is a rumor of one in Wisconsin in 2020

When I had the 48 I took it to a few car shows, and I definitely got that vibe from a some people. I never let it ruin my fun. When the guy I parked next to glared at me like I was some nutbag, I told him, "Don't worry, that rust isn't contagious."

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I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it . Some simply don't know any better and then there's the ones that would frown at a $500,000 custom build . I must admit that I look at vehicles and think ( to myself ) what things I would do differently . I took my unfinished 53 to a car show last year for my own motivational reasons and seriously questioned my decision while going and while there . Towards the end of the show some of the organizers came to me and thanked me for bringing it . I though they were just joking until they explained that they had allot of positive comments from people who had no idea what it took to get these things running .

EBEAR I like the idea of an unfinished truck as you can see what has and what is being done to it. We get a lot of ideas from them. I remember years ago of a truck that had a flip hood with just a rod going from fender to fender and held up with a stick. I has made a not so positive comment on it and then thought well he does what he can afford. I like seeing his truck at the show now and I no longer make snide remarks. We all can learn from every build we see.

Dave my thoughts exactly. When I first started on my truck it was going to be a show truck. The first show I attended was in a park and the guy I happened to part next to had a model A truck that was trimmed out in Model A car trim, all decked out. He had a large sign in front of the truck giving some of the trucks history and what had been done to it with the price tag of $40K+. I asked what he did to it and he said he had it shipped from California directly to a restoration shop and they did all of the work, the only thing he does with it is wax and polishes it for the show. Right there I knew I was out of my league, I did all my own work and had spent a little over $3K. Right there I knew I was out of my league so I only went to local small shows mainly to get good parking and a place to store stuff on the grounds.

Again, Truckstock 2012 will be remember for many years. When I'm a dottering drooling old fool in a wheel packed away in some nursing home (maybe not long from now) I will remember TS'12. BTW, where did you here the rumor about Truckfest 2020 being in the great state of Wisconsin?

As many here know, I despise rat-rods, at least what today has become rat-rods, when they term was first used way back it meant a vehicle that was put together using whatever car parts you had on hand. The old times had pride in their vehicles and would try to build the best vehicle they could. Today the term has come to mean to build whatever horrifying piece of crap you can with the most shock value you can get no matter how unsafe the thing is. I also don't like the "patina" phase for the sole purpose to have a truck look like it was dragged out of a junkyard. I do enjoy seeing a truck that has been used for work and still has a decent paint job even faded and chipped. I think it's silly to make a faux patina, to do all that work to make it look like crap is, to me a waste of time and money when a person could make a truck look nice. The other thing that gets me is when someone defends their "patina" scheme by saying "it will only be original once". First, it didn't come from the dealer with faded paint, rusty panels and dented up so it's no longer original. Second, most of the guy I've conversed with have boxed frames, dropped front ends, narrowed rear ends and bib block Chevy engines stuffed under the hood. I'm pretty sure no Ford "originally" came from the factory with a late '90s Chevy engine.

I enjoy stock trucks the most no matter the condition. I especially like the trucks that the owners have put their own time and energy into.

I took my truck to the monthly car club cruise in last Friday. It was parked next to a sweet 67 Vette. Mine looks good at 50' but up close you can see the little things wrong. I had just as many compliments as he did. And he like my truck too. I built it with my hands for me to drive and enjoy....look as much as you want...go away if you want to nit pick!

Don't know if I will ever enter any shows with it. I didn't build it for that.

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I can hardly wait to be snubbed. I will look upon it as a form of flattery.

No such thing as a perfect truck ,vehicle , car . Back in the mid '80's I was involved in the ISCA World of Wheels as a participant for 3 yrs . At the Miami show Kay & Steve Levi had a '52 Austin Delivery that was 2 points away from perfect . It was out standing & a major trailer queen . Will not add how I placed during those yrs . as to not have some one jump on the thread & start some s*^- . Bob , how would you like a RR to run into your truck due to an unsafe build issue / item ? I.E. a non working neutral safety switch . This is not over yet . My wife & I know what we have & will continue on w/ the journey .
Go thru the same crap at many car shows ( 23 this yr. so far ) when some one starts picking it apart that has no idea of what they are talking about . Most of the time is a reply like Dave said " What kind of normal vehicle do you have or drive here ?"

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Kevin , trying to stir the pot?

The biggest problem in my mind is that the term " rat rod " has become completely undefined if it's not shiny it's a rat rod to many reguardless of how or why it's that way . Would I do a faux patina ? Highly unlikely , but then of course I am a bodyman by trade and it's hard to change the spots on an old dog . Would I build a vehicle with an upgraded drive line - interior and leave the exterior as is ? Entirely possible . I have learned to appreciate the work that goes into " almost " all builds and try to keep my negative opinions of the finished " or not " product to myself .

He and everyone knows how self centered you are, I think you do a fine job of stirring the pot...