MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL

Some guy will start tricking his favorite rod-journalist into saying ,"Since Elmer, here, first employed a buggy spring and hairpins, and started the whole thing......" Maybe Hop Up should take the credit. Yeah, that's the ticket. I can see it now.............

"As you all know, real hot rodding got its' start right here in River City, center of the rod universe, and now the rod world as we know it revolves around that architectural wonderment known as The Hop Up Towers. Decisions are made by a committee of the coolest, most right on, pan-dragginist rod-monitors who hang out here on Wednesday nights solving problems and tackling the most vexing of technical challenges. Challenges like," How ya gonna get a twelve pack AND two bags of ice in that little would-be rumble lid?"

Yeah. In our minds.

SOME HOP UP TYPES GET TOGETHER-IMPROMPTU-AT MEL'S

This is probably just good, timeless styling/engineering that is cycling back toward the front. Certainly nothing very new, but some old solutions are new to bunches of us. How about the new book by Mike Bishop and Vern Tardel "How to Build a Tradiitional Ford Hot Rod." Experts probably don't NEED this book, as much as WANT it. The rest of us NEED it.The authors chronicle the precepts of using V8-era hardware on a Model A project, and get into everything so completely that I think even I could do most of it.

Experienced home-builders who want to 'cycle-back' will find all they need to know. Betcha some of them get caught up in it and try their own hand at the basics. Without doing a formal review on the book, since it will be reviewed everywhere else, take a Hop Up lead: Get the book.

But who will be heir-apparent to the throne of The Most Notable Hot Rodder if Boyd is, in fact, 'downsizing'?. It is obviously the So-Cal Speedshop, and it's prime mover, Pete Chapouris. Everything written-advertized-featured lately makes it clear to us that the next era of upper-end rodding that is visible to the main stream will come from Pomona The best thing about it is that the style is traditional, and there's an emphasis on driving the things.

That, then, makes at least three different communities of people who will be building, driving, and generally worshiping real hot rods and customs. There's the greybeards that have been doin' it this way forever, there's the Shifter/Hustler/Chisler guys who walk the walk, live it 24-7 and are, in fact, the real future of the hobby, and finally there will be the new ones who throw in 'cuz they can afford it, who will be guided into traditional styles because the big name icon shops aim them that way. That's OK, too.

On the subject of a younger generation taking the torch - there seems to be some good-natured distancing between the groups. Case in point: one Hop Up Dude takes pleasure in his son's newly acquired deuce roadster, replete in old-timey appointments, suede, and the kid's personal look that befits the car. When Pops invited the kid to hang his club plaque on the rod, the kid artfully dodged the ol' man for some time. "Why aren't you running the plaque?". "Dad", he said, "Don't you know the hot rodders' code? You can't belong to a club your parents are in."

Dad said, "Fuck him. He's out."

These guys crack me up. But come to think of it....it probably wouldn't have been cool for me to be in my dad's Rotary Club. (Although I'd like to be in any club with him now).

But these young galoots do know, don't they, where cool began? They really know that we coined it. Developed the art. Got it in Websters'. Pioneered cool in old iron. Hey, Man..........we're gonna be the first generation that grows old with rock 'n roll.....your kids' kids will see their Grandpappy lightin' up hides just to make a scene. Actin' up. The first generation that didn't ever really grow up. How can these chumps not wanna be in our clubs!!!!???

They got their work cut out for 'em if they're gonna be slicker than the original Hop Up Guys. They're Hop Up guys anyway, and they're totally cool, I know. Just give us a little credit for it!!

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