Fashionably Fabulous--A FADS Catalog (In Progress)

[Dr. Cranky]

All right, now that I have your attention, I need a favor from everyone. Could you help me catalog all those fabulous fads (yes, as early as the 40s and 50s.) and beyond of both the real automobiles and their versions in miniature. What I mean by "fad" is a school or movement in the way folk have personalized their cars, weather hot rodding them or customizing, or even the extreme of decorating their vehicles. I was born in 1962, and I grew up in Los Angeles, just a skip and a jump from where Big Daddy had his shop. Anyway, I grew up right smack in the middle of low rider culture.

Keep it simple: All I really need is the description of what you remember, something that influenced the style of the times (remember curb feelers of the 70s?).

A brief description and a couple of pictures whether of a model or a real vehicle . . .

And no, it doesn't have to be in any particular order . . . and remember also that within certain fads, there are also sub categories . . .

Since I came up with the thread, I will take my own medicine:

Everyone knows Doctor Cranky and EYEGORE go cuckoo for Rat Rodz . . . which happens to be one of the latest crazes . . .

Rat Rods (LONG LIVE RUST!)

It also doesn't have to be a 30s Ford to be considered a rat rod, right?

Edited September 21, 2011 by Dr. Cranky

[scalenut]

[scalenut]

ahhh the 70's

[Tony N]

Hey Virgil

I hope this is what you want?

I went to High School in Nor Cal in the early 70's and we were all into Muscle cars' mostly Chevy 's. My buddy had one of the quickest cars in town, a red 70 SS396 Chevelle with a LS6 454 in it and a B&M turbo 400 trans. He said it was a 396 when he was street racing it. I have to admit the cars all looked alike as far as personalizing mostly factory stock looking with Mags and jacked-up a little in the back, but everyone had a Garter on the passenger side sun visor ( like the ones you see the Groom removes in Weddings). My buddy had six Garters or more, the girls loved him. Everyone had to have at least one Garter made by your girlfriend on your sun visor to be cool. I had only one on mine and I married the girl that made that one.

We also use to put all the speed parts decals or stickers under the back side of the hood, this keep the car clean looking and kept a low profile from the cops and other street racers. You know stop light to stop light racing.

Tony N

[Dr. Cranky]

Thanks, Tony, yes . . . but we are also looking for pictures . . .

Who remembers all those catalogs that allowed you to change your VW into a Rolls Royce front end, and modify your Mustang . . . the 70s were not my favorite decade, but they sure did make a lasting impression.

[Harry P.]

50s "kustom" Usually has moderate to major bodywork (frenched headlights, different grilles, chopped tops, etc.), often with flames or scallops, usually lowered.

Lowrider Usually (not always) a full-size car, often a Chevy, with hydraulics, elaborate paint schemes, often with murals, generally stock engines, over-the-top sound systems.

Dry lakes racer The original "rat rods," stripped-down pre-war cars (often Ford), made to go as fast as possible for as cheap as possible.

"Ricer" Typically a Japanese econobox tricked out with elaborate body kits and huge rear spoilers. May or may not have mechanical upgrades. Loud, obnoxious muffler is a must!

Donk The less said, the better.

I'll let others add to the list...

[Dr. Cranky]

Thanks, Harry . . . Good contributions . . . I hope over time, folks will contribute subtleties in terms of the different kinds of schools out there.

[Harry P.]

Art Car Generally stock, can be any make or model, but elaborately painted and decorated with all sorts of things... doll heads, bottle caps, pretty much anything you can think of.

[Dr. Cranky]

I have a couple of books about Art Cars and I have to say I love the craziness behind them . . . people who make and keep them are truly gutsy, if not totally out there, or both.

[von Zipper]

I was born in 1963,and had the doobie-ous experience of growing up IN Detroit,MI.

There were alot of cars like this around there back then---

I think they were driven by the Chiefs of the Smackahoes Tribe ?........

[Dr. Cranky]

Personally, I would drive that car in a heartbeat . . . I love those headlights!

[Tony N]

Is this better? J.C Whitney add from Hot Rod magazine Jan 1961.

TonyN

[Junkman]

Is this better? J.C Whitney add from Hot Rod magazine Jan 1961.

TonyN

THAT'S where Milner ordered his front fenders!

And here is a fad I remember well:

BTW, only American fads, or do you welcome international fads too? Actually, the buggy craze was international.

Edited September 21, 2011 by Junkman

[Lownslow]

someone has their donks all back wards this is what the scene is really about. high end wheels,candy paint,custom interiors,big engines,and stereos.

the rice burner of the scene is lifts and lambo doors with a stupid theme ignorant people associate this with the current

kdonk trend

this is a real donk.

keep in mind they saved cars people wouldve just thrown out and saved muscle cars from dying in garages

[Lownslow]

these are hardly seen outside of Houston or Texas

theyre called SLAB(Slow Loud And Bangin)

a majority of the scene revolves around Candy painted Cadillacs with Appliance wheels generally called 3s or 4s in vogue tires and as of late a company has started producing 17 through 22 inch versions with the new thing called Gorilla Pokes which is about a 12 inch extension on the hub. a common modification is castle grills and continental kits some cars getting 1990 fleetwood front end and trim.

the wheels cost around 5 grand

heres a seville with a 90 upgrade

traditional slab

modern slab

[Dr. Cranky]

Yes, you are getting it. This is all wonderful. All the cultural aspects of automobiles fascinate me . . . gosh, I remember those catalogs . . . my father would get them, and I would pour over them. The stuff you could get for your vans and cars . . . CURB FEELERS! Now, come on, that's the best of 70s technology when people took pride in their wide white walls.

[Chuck Most]

Street Freaks and street driven 'axle' cars, anyone?

Yeah, a few too many Chevys, I know.

[Chuck Most]

And I'd like to expand on the 'van' issue....

[Chuck Most]

[Dr. Cranky]

Chuck, that last van did me in. Wow, great food for the imagination.

Folks, remember you can also post pictures of models, if any fit these categories . . . Thank you for keeping this thread rolling . . .

[Jantrix]

Okay lets not forget mini-trucks. Since the Chevy Luv, we've been customizing them.

I have to say they have never been my cup of tea, and when they are cut up to the point where the utility nature of the bed is lost, then they become ridiculous to me. But people love them.

Also back iin the mid 90's there was a trend on the east coast where folks were building up small 4-doors and extending spindles/axles to push lil 14 inch wheels OUTSIDE the wheel wells. I've never known what they were called. But I used to see them often on the side of the road resting on three wheels.

Edited September 22, 2011 by Jantrix

[Bernard Kron]

Kandy Kolor wheels and chrome wheel spiders:

[Dr. Cranky]

Thanks, Rob and Bernard--these are wonderful additions . . .

[Greg Myers]

[Greg Myers]

After looking around I realized there could be a thread just for interior fads, I.E. shifters: