Are decade style stereotypes over?

[KanelKustoms]

With all the new styles of cars being built, Rat Rods, High Tech, Tuner, Low Rider, etc type cars being built now is there a specific style that will be remembered in the future? Will someone build, say 20 years from now, an early 2000's style car or truck the way they could build an early 60's style car or truck now?

It used to be you had east and west coast styles, the "Witchita look", and various style differences within a localized area. But what about now? With the advent of the internet and technology, is there such a difference in styling from coast to coast. What are we doing now that will be remembered.

Any and all opinions welcomed, I'm just curios to what everyone thinks.

[Guest Davkin]

I beleive the style of the 2000's will be recognized as the decade of pro touring and donks and possibly rat rods. Decade style stereotypes will never disappear, it's the tendency of humans to compartimentalize and classify everything.

David

[Bernard Kron]

Great question!

I basically agree with David. Certainly the examples he gives (donks, pro touring and rat rods) all share the characteristic of an exaggeration or recapitulation of an older style while, in actual fact, looking different from it. For example, rat rods don't actually look anything like the jalopies and hot rods they are referring to. This has always been the underlying approach in rod & custom styles, at least since the early 1950's when "customizing" lost its earlier meaning of creating a luxury car look from a cheaper car. Each time we go through this we develop new looks and techniques which are original for the period and which we eventual associate with it (for example trick paint techniques of the 50's and 60's, the clean look of the 90's billet scene, etc.). One characteristic of the current decade that effects many of the contemporary styles is the huge after market industry that is a powerful influence on the evolution of styles - many modern styles have a dominant component of assembling major pieces from the aftermarket. Pro touring would probably be impossible without this, and certainly the advent of the steel reproduction body has strongly advanced the cause of New Traditionalism during the recent economic boom, i.e. the Rodder's Journal look.

Currently, I find myself wondering how the world of rods and customs will free itself from the slavery of the checkbook and charge card that it has created of late. I have no doubt it will and it will be fascinating to see how it does it.

Other areas of automobile enthusiasm are having to face the same realities. For example, observe the world of road racing and the challenges it has had to face for at least the last decade or more. Now F1 finds itself in this soup and is struggling for a new vision besides being a giant billboard for global financial expansion.

We live in interesting times...

[Jairus]

Don’t be so quick to dismiss, as the question was ALL ABOUT classifying specifically and therefore worth our consideration. History is written by the one’s who survive and lived “the happening†therefore it will behoove us to consider what is going on now compared to what trends came before.

Most trends start with youth.

Young boys… wanting the sharpest spear or coolest looking horse with which to attract the girl. Well DUH!

A trend that survives the ages is one where it appeals to a wide range of individuals and transcends the age barrier. Therefore is more difficult to apply to a specific era or time period in history. Open wheel street rods, Muscle cars, Pony cars and Customs fit this. The only way to identify a vehicle with-in a time period is by looking at the individual parts in these cases.

Case in point, Westergard Style lead sleds! They started appearing shortly after WW2. They were based on affordable cars that were over populating the used car lots and were purchased by youth of the period. Many of them surviving the horrors of war! Harry Westergard was the grandfather of customizing and owned a shop in Sacramento. His career spanned from the late 1930s to the late 1940s, and the hot rod and custom magazines like Hot Rod, Motor Trend, and Hop Up published photos of his cars. Youth of the era who wanted a cool looking car, but not necessarily a fast car, copied Harry’s look. The trend is still popular and closely copied even today by chopping tops, channeling frames, nosing, decking, de-chroming… etc.

Trends like this usually build slowly and if they do… have a greater chance of lasting.

On the other hand a trend that flashes on the scene will most likely die just as quickly! It is these trends that are more easily applied to a time period and thus is a “dated styleâ€. Resto rods, Customized vans, Monochromatic paint, Billet, Pro Street… etc.

The differences are as apparent as Rock and Roll vs. Disco or Blue Jeans vs. Chinos.

With this in mind… we can now consider the trends of today such as Rat Rods, High Tech, Tuner, Low Rider, Donk, Pro Touring… and the like. Do any of them appeal to a wide range of the peoples? Did the trend come along fast or build speed slowly? Was the trend based on some other more popular trend or was it promoted by industry (Donk wheels come to mind).

Low Rider is mostly cultural and began as an outgrowth of the Customizing trend mentioned above. It started about 1970 in the L.A. basin and has really never left. Although there are small pockets of interest all over the country. This trend is slowly fading out unfortunately as it was great for bringing communities together, saving old cars from the crusher, providing manufacturing trade to industry and keeping the Chrome and Gold plate franchise busy!

Pro Touring is a balance of Street machines and Pro Street. Logical construction on par with drivability. Seems to be easy on the eye and hard to tell from a stock vehicle. Most likely will continue as long as the Government doesn’t pass stricter laws on aftermarket parts and tax large displacement engines. I would say that this is an outgrowth of the Resto Rod trend and will probably re-surface in 10 years as guys start putting Hybred power plants in vintage cars.

Rat Rods are based on the vintage street rod trend with a touch of “hill billy slapped together in the barn†look. The trend started slowly enough but has unfortunately morphed into a cartoon of what it began as… which was a statement against billet and high dollar rods pouring out of shops across the country.

This trend, once it passes… will be identified with the end of the turn of the century and it is receding even now.

Donk was an outgrowth of the current lowrider culture where the “Make the wheels bigger than my neighbors wheels†became so crazy that they had to start jacking the cars UP to make room. Cars are not very drivable and wheel damage with the high cost of repair or replacement will soon be the end of that flash in the pan toot-sweet!

High Tech is already passed. Dead, gone, bye!

Tuner will always be associated with the late 1980’s. Once again it started with an age group of kids who purchased the first or second generation of the Japanese auto invasion off the back lots of the used car dealer. They of course started modifying them for speed or looks much like 1947. The trend came along slowly and culminated with a few Hollyweird movies, lots of manufacturing support. Once the publishing industry got behind tuners a bonified trend was born that actually began to influenced the auto industry, just like 1947 – 1955! I predict that in maybe 10 years we will see a resurgence of the Tuner craze as young kids, only now in gradeschool (provided their brains-of-mush are not twisted by fear of global climate change and carbon emissions) will discover that old Acura in Grandpa’s barn. The parts are still out there! The old magazines still exist. The movies can easily be rented….

It could very well happen!

Okay, that is all I got….

Edited February 19, 2009 by Jairus

[Casey]

With all the new styles of cars being built, Rat Rods, High Tech, Tuner, Low Rider, etc type cars being built now is there a specific style that will be remembered in the future? Will someone build, say 20 years from now, an early 2000's style car or truck the way they could build an early 60's style car or truck now?

All styles will be remembered, regardless of what you classify them as. The problem is identifying new trends that didn't exist before, and that's not easy. I'd say lowriders have had a significant following since the '50s, but in the last decade their popularity has exploded, so don't consider that a "now" style. Donk/boxes/bubbles are definitley a "now" trend, but I see them going the way of custom vans- losing lots of steam compared to their heyday, but still having a devoted following indefinitely.

As Jarius commented on, the high-tech/billet thing is pretty much dead- it was a very '80's thing and burned so hot so fast, it seems to have burned out. I would lump Pro Street in the same category, but both will always have a following, no matter how small.

Traditional rods (not a fan of the term "Rat Rods") have and will always be around, period. Ditto traditional customs.

Tuners are a tough one. There have been tuner-type cars for a long time, but they haven't had the huge following like they do now. I don't see this trend fading anytime soon, so only time will tell if it ever has to come back.

I'm sure some remember the Street Freak style that was breifly popular in the late '70s and early '80s, and is all but dead, save for a few people building retro-style or restoring and orignal Street Freak type vehicle.

I am always surprised monster trucks have contunued to be so popular, as it seems like a typical '80s, excessive style...but they're still going strong.

Pro Touring? I don't see them being all that different that street machine type vehicles, and those are pretty much the default "class" for modified vehicles.

It will be interesting once electric vehicles start to get a foothold in the market. Someday you might be building a retro 2010 Chevy Volt.

[E St. Kruiser50]

All styles will be remembered, regardless of what you classify them as.

It will be interesting once electric vehicles start to get a foothold in the market. Someday you might be building a retro 2010 Chevy Volt.

Believe it or not, some of the first vehicles ever, were electric .

Isn't it odd that we have gone full circle in the last 100 years of auto developement .

Back in the mid-60's Buick had a contract to sell pyramid shaped production electric two seat vehicles. Never saw one on the street.

Then noteable Honda, produced it's first production electric car, back in the late 90's.

Around 1965 a buddy of mine and a machinist, bought an old Fiat 600, a PEANUT CAR , we called it.

He tore out the engine, and made an adaptor plate for mounting a 10 HP electric motor.

We then tore out the back seat, and filled the area with a dozen large car batteries.

He installed a amp meter on the dash, and as he shifted he could monitor the amount of juice being used, and he used a reostate shifter to reduce the amount of amps being used as the car increased momentum.

It helped increase battery life, and could drive around 40 miles on a charge.

Very cool to ride in and pretty "Spunky".

Weird at stop-lights, as nothing was running and there was an eery silence, and "FEELING OF BEING PARKED .

[Harry P.]

New styles come along all the time, not only in the automotive world, but in fashion, architecture, everything.

It only becomes a "stereotype" after time has passed and we come to associate that style with its particular time period.

For example, pretty much all of you know the "Art Deco" look... swoopy, curvy, "aerodynamic". It was all the rage in the 1930s... they even had "aerodynamic" toasters! The Chrysler Airflow is a good example of a car done in the Art Deco style. The Empire State Building is a good example of Art Deco architecture... especially the top of the building, with its curved setbacks. When we think about the 1930s, as far as design goes, we think "Art Deco", and it has become symbolic of the era... a stereotype. But of course, back in the 30s it was all very new, groundbreaking and cutting edge. It was a decided break from the past, and was considered very "chic" and forward-looking.

Every new style will eventually become attached to, and a symbol of, its time, as the years go by. So the answer is, no, we'll never be rid of design "stereotypes", because all new design genres will eventually be linked to the era in which they appeared, and will become synonymous with that era... in other words, a stereotype.

[evilone]

I think that the rat rods,DONKS,and pro touring will be around for about 5-10 years then fade out.I mean the donks alone cost mre to build then a all out show lowrider.So if i was a gambeling person i would bet the donks will be gone real soon.As for the hot rods and other custome of the 60's they will be coming back real soon after all the greasers and the rockabilly chicks came back into the style.As for the west coast style V.S. the east coast style it is still around but now there is a new contender which is the south.There is the west coast lowrider(bright colors and lots of sun catching ques)then there is the east coast lowrider(Dark,plain,and basically for everyday use)But now the south has come up with their own style(a mix of the west coast and east coast).We live in a egomaniac timeframe (my car is better then yours.But look at that his is better then mine im gonna go to the shop and put another 20 grand in mine)So the battle lines will be drawn and it should become real interesting.I know the winner will be the west coast (our styles are way better then anywhere else).

[BigPoppa]

I don't see lowriding "fading out". It's merely going back to the more underground roots that it really came from. It exploded in the early 90s with rap videos and rode the minitruckin and compact car wave. Those same rappers came up with the oversized wheels and moved on and the compact cars moved into more performance aspects. Lowriding is experiencing the same "retro" throwbacks as other genres have had in order to get back to the roots.

I wonder what will be next?

[Jairus]

What we are all not considering is the wild card of Government intervention in the future effecting trends. Not to put too fine a line on the political talk... but the fact is that Washington bureaucrats cannot help meddling in the affairs of the auto industry. I love cars and all things with wheels. (Airplanes do have wheels you know!) But I cannot help but notice that as Government grows, it's influence on our favorite transportation device has and will eventually strangled the life out of it. Now that Congress has "Bailed out" Chrysler and GM (Ford refused), those automobile companies are beholden to congressional whims. :ph34r:

What started altruistically in the early 70's enforcing restrictions on fuel standards and particle emissions... has gown to the point where politicians are now suggesting that the sale of all after-market parts for cars be banned! (Oregon governor proposed this) What that means is that they do not want cars modified beyond factory specs. No more custom wheels on your new Esclade, no K&N air filter and certainly no bypass pipe for the cat!

I can see the pendulum swinging further to the left before it stops which most likely will include laws requiring the crushing of vehicles 20 years passed the manufactured date (Japan does that for engines)or any that do not meet or exceed emissions and fuel standards.

It's all in the name of saving the planet of course!

If any of this happens I am pretty sure that this will effect future trends in a big way regardless!

Now.. on a personal note, I have been vilified by quite a few of you guys for "Posting Political rants" on this forum. I understand that you want to keep the "room clean" of anything that is stressful. Yes I understand! But when the government takes away your toys and places laws on you that effect your hobby... I think you would want to know before it happens. Wouldn't you?

You/we have to be prepared. Of course... even if they take away and crush your 1969 Camaro, you'll still have your plastic model cars...

.... maybe?!?!

[Rob Hall]

Jarius, can you please keep your right wing delusional rants to yourself? They are irrelevant to the subject of model cars.

[Guest Davkin]

I agree with Rob, Jairus. While I more often than not agree with your political diatribes this forum is not the place for them. I don't understand why you so often feel the need to inject politics into many of the threads here, especially when such intrustions are unwelcome.

David

[Rob Hall]

One thing that is interesting about trends that come and go is often we see the same types cars from a given decade (like '60s muscle cars) done up in the style of a trend that is popular in a given decade. One current trend I like and like to build models of are the Pro-Touring style cars---'60s-70s cars with modern wheels, tires, brakes and often modern engines...I've been accumulating parts to do several cars this way in scale, vintage Mopars with modern 6.1 Hemis for example.

I also like building them in retro styles also, though, i.e. a '60s car done in a '70s or '80s street machine style.

One thing I do wonder, though, will the older styles of hot rodding die out as the older rodders fade away, or morph into something new? I.e. will younger people be interested in a style from 50 years ago or create their own---it seems to happen both ways---witness the 20 somethings that are into 'tuner' style Hondas yet there are also 20 somethings into Rat Rods, which seems to be a new spin on a very old style.

Edited February 20, 2009 by Rob Hall

[Guest Davkin]

Yes, I believe the custom car style most likely to be identified with the 2000's will be the Pro Touring style. However, that applies to street machines. In 20 or 30 years if someone says they are building a street rod or custom in the 2000's style, what would it be? Unfortunately the only street rod movement that's uniquely 2000's is the rat rod movement. Other than that the most popular building style for customs and street rods lately is actually the 50's style so in 20 or 30 years that style will still be the 1950's style hot rod or custom, not the 2000's. I'm not sure Donks will be remembered at all or at least remembered in similar regard as 70's muraled panel vans!

As for lowriders, their popularity has faded and surged at different times just like any other style of custom vehicle, but within the lowrider style there have been different styles of lowriders in different decades. An early 60's lowrider was essentially a mild custom with small Astro Supremes, then in the 70's they discovered hydraulics and started to get wild. While lowriders are experiencing a surge in popularity I'm not sure there's anything to them unique to the 2000's except maybe the advent of hopper competitions.

Street rods (hot rods) have gone through similar transformations. A late 60's hot rod looks doesn't look much like an early 50's hot rod, then there was the resto mod movement that Jairus alluded to and then the awful billet and pastel phase and now we've come full circle back to the 50's style being most popular.

I guess my point to this rambling is that each genre of custom vehicle has it's own styling changes throughout the decades.

David

[Bernard Kron]

Going back to the original question, ironically the styles that will be associated most strongly with the current era will be those that survive and evolve least successfully! If, for example, the cost of customizing or hopping up becomes more of an issue in the years to come, then the current fashion in "Tuners", the highly customized and accessorized imports so heavily promoted on television and at trade shows, will have to be reassessed. Either they will become symbols of bad taste and excess and fall out of favor, or will be idealized as symbols of glamor and a boom time now gone. Probably it'll be both, logically first falling out of favor and then being rediscovered for the elements that that people find attractive about them.

The reason I mention this is that this is the way that most styles ebb and flow and evolve. They are revived in new forms at a later date. Those styles that have the least going for them, have the least to offer in terms of potential future appeal, are those that we associate most specifically with a given era. But absolutely everything is reassessed in some form by future generation. Everything is grist for the creative mill.

Edited February 20, 2009 by gbk1

[Helipilot16]

I have never been influenced by "trends". In over 50 years of hot rodding, I have usualy built what pleased me at the time, disregarding what others considered "cool". In 1953 I saw my first hot rod in Maryland. It was a tail dragging '37 Chevy coupe. I wondered why it was lowered the way it was. I saw a channeled roadster in Rockville (my county seat) and loved it immediately.

I bought a Highway Pioneers kit of of a roadster and modified it to look as close to the one I had seen as an 11 year old could. My first real car was a '32 convertible (not a roadster) channeled the width of the frame. I lived in Colorado at the time, and there were other similarly channeled roadsters in the state. I was 15, and that's the last time I cared what others were building.

Now I have a couple of Cutlasses built for drag racing. Neither has been influenced in any way by what others are building. The 70 is also built for the street, and has been little modified on the outside. It certainly looks out of step with other street machines (15 wheels, for one example) but I don't care. It pleases me.

[evilone]

What we are all not considering is the wild card of Government intervention in the future effecting trends. Not to put too fine a line on the political talk... but the fact is that Washington bureaucrats cannot help meddling in the affairs of the auto industry. I love cars and all things with wheels. (Airplanes do have wheels you know!) But I cannot help but notice that as Government grows, it's influence on our favorite transportation device has and will eventually strangled the life out of it. Now that Congress has "Bailed out" Chrysler and GM (Ford refused), those automobile companies are beholden to congressional whims. :ph34r:

What started altruistically in the early 70's enforcing restrictions on fuel standards and particle emissions... has gown to the point where politicians are now suggesting that the sale of all after-market parts for cars be banned! (Oregon governor proposed this) What that means is that they do not want cars modified beyond factory specs. No more custom wheels on your new Esclade, no K&N air filter and certainly no bypass pipe for the cat!

I can see the pendulum swinging further to the left before it stops which most likely will include laws requiring the crushing of vehicles 20 years passed the manufactured date (Japan does that for engines)or any that do not meet or exceed emissions and fuel standards.

It's all in the name of saving the planet of course!

If any of this happens I am pretty sure that this will effect future trends in a big way regardless!

Now.. on a personal note, I have been vilified by quite a few of you guys for "Posting Political rants" on this forum. I understand that you want to keep the "room clean" of anything that is stressful. Yes I understand! But when the government takes away your toys and places laws on you that effect your hobby... I think you would want to know before it happens. Wouldn't you?

You/we have to be prepared. Of course... even if they take away and crush your 1969 Camaro, you'll still have your plastic model cars...

.... maybe?!?!

This too can be a strong point of why the auto world is suffering(here i thought it was the economy).It is really bad when the rich decide what i can do to my car and if i can have my hearse .To put it this way if they think they can haul my beautifully,somewhat prestine,egotistical,loud mouth in your face death wagon to a shredder then they will experiance a ride of a lifetime with my 3500 invisible friends(The other passengers from the hearse's working days) straight to a bottomless pit in the middle of nowhere.This is pothetic and i for one am a car guy and am planning to make a living off the classics.I am willing to make a stand against these political RETARDS and fight for my right to own a american classic.