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So whats the "new style"??

2K views 27 replies 11 participants last post by  dinger 
#1 ·
Just curious what everyone thinks. Has there been any new styles so to speak in the last couple years? It seems like Hot Rods had some pretty distinct styles over the years, Classic 50's Kustoms, wild 60's show cars, over the top 70's styled, 80's styled cars, 90's with the pastel paints, Billet made a huge splash for a while.

Looking back on it may be easier to see what the trends are. But right now I can't really put my finger on any new styles? What do you think?
 
#2 ·
styles

Oddly enough, it seems that in my area..(detroit MI)...the fastest growing "style" seems to be a throw back of sorts to "ratrods". Find the roughest, rusty looking old heap and throw a performance engine in it. Everyone seems to be building these weathered looking, slammed old coupes with the nostalgic wheels and bizarre exhaust systems. I've watched in shock as they sell at events for ungodly amounts of money....disbelief! When a fully restored Chevelle classic pulls the same money that an old 34 Ford coupe that looks like it was just dragged out of some farmers field brings...it kind of makes you scratch your head. Maybe I'm doing this all wrong! LOL
 
#4 ·
LS transplants for sure. at the shows I'm noticing the 50's style rods that are chopped and with loud candy/metallic are winning all the shows. if it's a loud green, purple, red, it will place higher than the same car that's say black w even an awesome buff job with no swirls.
 
#6 ·
A friend of mine put his bike in a bike show...Nice bagger with small fairing and absolutely flawless black paint. No one looked at it. Had it repainted the next year in a dark teal and silver...it draws a crowd everywhere; and he had a different guy paint it, its a good paintjob but not flawless..

Real bodywork afficianados will 'get' a mile-deep looking black paint job; most people cant see orange peel anyway, so hit em over the head with bright colors LOL
 
#7 ·
Style

AutoGear....I have to face it....I'm getting old and out of touch. I'm becoming a dinosaur! I suppose this is how my peers (and parents) felt when I jacked up my Nova and put those N50 tires on the back when I was 16. Guess all I can do is keep doing it my way...cuz thats the way I like it. Better come up with a new paint scheme for my S-15...perhaps a loud green with gold metalflake combined with a neon purple...that'll get me noticed eh?:nono:
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
style

Hmmm...that link has some awesome stuff. Thanks. Now the wheels are spinning....maybe it is time for a change. Something modern yet retro...My wife is not going to be happy to see me sanding down the paint on the s-15. I'll have to blame it on you to keep from sleeping on the couch for a month:boxing: Trick is to show her a few ideas and get her to think its all her decision. She doesnt get mad when she participates and feels included.
 
#10 ·
Unfortunately the only "trend" I see over and over is the "frame swap". There are so many styles today a mixture of so many I don't see that overall pastel paint of the eighties or smoothies of the nineties or resto rods of the seventies, it is a pretty cool mixture of everything right now.

Brian
 
#12 ·
the TREND OR STYLE today is.. USE IT.. don't let perfect get in the way of done,, E.I. drive that sucker.. instead of the over the top paint/interior/engine.. it's mild runners you can live with and enjoy..
that the world doesn't end if the vehicle gets a paint chip..
lsx swaps are big because it brings power and mpg bolted to an o/d trans.. allowing them to drive these cars more..
the rat rod is a fad.. that will not last.. as they are a r.p.i.t.a. to drive..
the style todays is put miles on it.. DRIVE IT..
 
#13 ·
I can agree with that. I was recently asked why I wasn't priming and blocking my trunk. I responded by saying it's a trunk and some things might get tossed around in there while I'm driving.

Are we sure this new fad you speak of isn't the results of "redistributing the wealth"?
 
#14 ·
the powertour and cruises like this that get people to drive their car 3000+ miles in one shot.. changed the game..
and more and more started looking at that garage queen and say'n WTF it sits here 340 days a year.. sells that and builds a car thats used more in one year than the last ones where used in 10..
not all that long ago.. a car mid build but driver would be laughed off a cruise night or show.. today it's cool to have it out and about..
yes there still are the cars that the owner parks the rig a mile away and drives it in after a week long detail and then hours on the show field to make it so clean.. it looks silly.. really.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I do notice people are building a lot of Gassers and I'm perfectly fine with that trend :)

It does seem odd the new trend is doing nostalgic builds... Not really new at all. Actually I think if I was to start a new project it would be a early 70's style metal flake T-Bucket :D You don't see much of that around here.

I think in 10-20 years we will look back and call it the era of the Rat Rod. But really I would say its a pretty good time, lots of people going completely different directions.
 
#17 ·
My guess would be that, since we are going through '50s styling right now, that the sixties versions will gradually come along.

That would be shiny paint... early mags... pie crust slicks... maybe some metalflake... fuzzy dice... spinner knobs... etc.

I am starting to see a small number of early arrivals in the last couple years. It will be mostly older builders, since the available budget seems to enhance the attraction for rats to younger builders.
 
#20 ·
If history repeats itself, what you are about to see is cars of the 80's being modifed and the new muscle car era blast off. The new Camaros, Mustangs, Challengers will be modified to be a bit different from the next car, be it wheels, paint, radical or not so radical bodywork, and bolt ons. Hot rodding the traditional cars all but disappeared in the late 60's, early 70's, vans were the big deal, muscle cars, and the work of a few guys like Trepanier. There will always be the guys that take a late model car and make a sleeper from it. Dare to be different was a popular slogan then and I think it will come back around. Rat rodding will die off, there are only so many ways to polish a turd, it's still a turd. Budget builds will be popular always.
 
#21 ·
I think now that the resto venders have sold all they ever going to for 70 chevelles/55-57 chevy's/mustangs 64-70/camaros they will move to the unloved 3rd gen f bodys and fox mustangs and g.m. g bodys.. with new floors,skins,etc and interior bits.. as the drivetrain parts are basicly already covered.. and the older cars there are only so many left to fix up.. that they'll retool to these cars or slowly die off..

think you'll also see more kit cars, no matter if it's an brookfield body or a FFR.. with different powerplants.. the kids will build this with turbo 4's and subaru flats.. and be as fast as the v8's , and tho won't sound like a v8 rumble.. they are used to the pissed off bee hive sound.. and will carry that into the builds of vehicles with classic style.. proof of this starting is the fact that FFR already has a car with the subaru turbo 4 mounted midship..
 
#22 ·
As a 3rd Gen owner; its already coming. Hawks 3rd Gen and a couple other specialists are catering to them; and to some degree the mid 80s to early 90s vettes as well. They have one of the most active forums in ThirdGen.org as well and a wealth of knowledge over there for LTx and LSx swaps and even turbo 6 bangers as well
 
#23 ·
Trends? Around here there are just a few basic car folks.

Old guys with money enough to buy a brand new Camaro SS, Shelby Mustang, SRT Challenger (or a new vette) and prance around like hot stuff.

Old guys with enough money to have a toy in the garage that they only drive when it's a sunny warm weekend. These are the folks I see in the car shows and cruises. I doubt they go through a tank of gas in a year. Car shows around here are full of cars I NEVER see driving in town.

The late 20's early 30's crowd that decides to buy a 4th gen Camaro, GTO, Mustang GT, Nissan z, C5 vette, Suburu STI, Mitsu EVO, etc because they are the same price as a used sedan. These are everywhere because typically it's their only car. Also this age bracket grabs a random VW and slams it as crazy low to the ground as possible just because - seeing a lot of that lately again.

Most teens and early 20's. Rattle trap buzz box 4 banger something or other. Also a lot of riced out V6 mustangs/camaros. They don't have any money for nice things.

Rat rods aren't very popular around here, probably due to our Ohio weather where it's cold a lot - and our roads aren't great either.

I've also noticed not many folks build their own stuff. If it doesn't come out of a catalog they're typically lost, or paid a shop to do it for them. Going for an obvious DIY project car is obvious look with my Nova. It's slowly coming around from looking like a heap to being respectable.
 
#24 ·
Trends? Around here there are just a few basic car folks.

Old guys with money enough to buy a brand new Camaro SS, Shelby Mustang, SRT Challenger (or a new vette) and prance around like hot stuff.
I can't believe the amount of these cars that people will drive in and display at local car shows. And I am not talking about get togethers at the local drive inn. I am talking pay to enter car shows. I don't care if it's the latest 2013 Shelby that they are making 200 of, it isn't interesting enough to me to park it among the street rods and vintage muscle cars.

Brian
 
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#27 ·
Amen to that! You dont need a car show to see crap like that...I can drive to my local car dealer and see a whole fleet of cars like that.
I will take it a step farther. I went to a local gathering Saturday. They had a great turnout... beautiful weather... and a sprinkling of old friends. I looked at the VERY small number of creative cars, then left after only about a half hour!

The reason?... It looked like a show based on "generic street rods", and "USED cars"!

The cars of the forties and newer had one-color paint, and very little in the way of interesting detail... and the rods all looked just as uninteresting. They all seemed the same except for maybe the single color choice, and a couple accessory choices like wheels.

What ever happened to rods and customs??? Where are the chopped tops, body, lights, and trim changes, unusual power plants, striking paint, outrageous interiors, and surprises that show some creative thinking? It seems today's builders lack the desire to make their cars strikingly individual or unique! Are they afraid of criticism, so they do something that has so little character that it cannot be criticized? No! A set of nice lug nuts, or a one color pinstripe is NOT enough! ...and primer or gray paint has almost NO personality at all! All I can say is... "HOOO-HUMM. I think I'll go home and take a nap."

I got obsessed with rods & customs in the sixties. Rod and custom guys were seen as "rebellious", so I am used to cars that scream at you, and beg you to walk around them and take pictures. Today the cars seem to lack that key ingredient.

I respect each person's right to build what they envision... but for me, as and an observer, the hobby is getting very conservative and boring.

Thanks for listening. "Sadly Disappointed" {:-(
 
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