i just got back from york pa and talked to a lot of rodders up there..i was asking several questions about what part was used, how they did it, and so on...out of the 300+ people i talked to about only 20 of them did there own work the rest had someone build it for them...now i`m doing all the work on my car (29 ply) and i`m not sure how to do half the stuff but i`m learning..my question is "who does there own work and who sends it out"?...

In the past, I have done everything on my rods. This time around, I bought the frame (stage III} and had the interior done professionally. Everything else was done in my garage at home. I still enjoy building cars, but it sure is a lot more work than when I was younger.
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Fred aka ZZFord or 33Highboy

I wont touch upholstery work or automatic tranny rebuilds.
And engine machine work goes to a competent shop but I do the disassembly and the new build-up.
But to be honest I never went for exotic stuff so doing work at home was easy once I figured out what I wanted to do.
Going to be pushing it a bit soon as Im going to try to do all the 28A frame work for a Jag rear. A big stretch from doing engine and tranny mounts, hanging a new rear to the existing suspension, etc.
Finished product will be a 26T coupe, 28-9 fenders, with a blown flatty
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Carl
Automotive gold is everywhere; you just have to learn how to dig for it

now that will be an awesome car when finished..the only thing i won`t be doing is the paint job...i do my own welding,fabricating,body work interior work engine/tranny work as far as painting i`ll leave that to someone who can fix it if it breaks...besides you don`t know what you can do till you try.....pat

I do as much as I can myself. I like doing bodywork, but there is some stuff that I can't do, like the tailgate on my '58 (compound curves...or something like that). I had the upholstery done, and installed it all myself. The part I like best is painting, although I'm still an amatuer (at age 51). My car isn't the straightest and the paint has a minor flaw or two (acrylic enamel), but it still draws a lot of attention at the shows.
My '41 Poncho is going to be the same. Luckily, the body is very straight, but the Nova sub is going to be a new one for me. I can tack things in place, but will have someone do the final welding. I also don't get elaborate with my cars, so I'm able to do quite a bit myself. I have a favorite machine shop do my engines now, and I'll replace the auto tranny going into the '41. I'm more into looking good, rather than burning up the asphalt. It also helps to 'really look' at the car shows and talk to the owners to see how they did things.

Phil
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One man's treasure is another man's trash.

I always build my own rods.They may not be as pretty as some rods but I am proud of my ideas and workmanship.There is no way a person can experence that pride you have for your ride if you don't do it yourself.Most true hot rodders have to sacrifice their time and other things to buy parts that they hope will work the way they planned.How could a person that has his rod built without these sacrifices have the same pride.To me if you buy or have a rod built it is just a status symbol.That should open a debate Huh...Ray
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Grump

First of all,I'd like to state that I do as much of the work on my cars as time allows and also only the areas of construction I feel confident in as I want a Quality product when complete.I generally leave the body work/paint and upholstery up to the fellas better qualified.I don't agree that I can't have the same pride in the finished car that a fellow has who did 100% of the work himself,after all it is I who worked the extra hours,or did that 1 additional job needed to earn the money to write the checks for the work done by others.Here's a thought as it relates to my profession,I'm a general contractor and build custom homes for a living.A couple sits down with me and we design the home,they pick out a lot and we begin.As the house is built,they make suggestions,change a few things along the way,and eventually pick out the colors,floor coverings etc to complete the home.When completed,they have the home of thier dreams!Should they not take pride in thier new home simply because they didn't build it 100%?How many people in the world have built the home they live in?Yet,I bet most are proud of the home they own.As in the car hobby,I frequently am contacted by a person who srarted construction of a new home on thier own,they soon realize it's a much more complicated undertaking than it looks,and want to hire my company to complete it.Just as in building a car,most of the time I have to undo/redo a lot of thier work which in turn costs more money than if they had hired us to start with.I see this happen time and again with hotrods.It's just my opinion but I think the wise man who builds a car is better off doing what he can do well himself,then perhaps,work some overtime at his job,or do something to earn a little extra income that he is good at ,and hire someone to complete the areas of the car that he is not qualified to complete.He will end up with a nicer ride,and in my opinion should be just as proud of the car!However,I do agree,the fellas that build thier cars from start to finish,are a very talented bunch!Fortunately,the world is full of people who are talented in many differant areas and if they choose to own a streetrod,whether they do 10% or 90% of the construction,I hope they are proud of the car they own and enjoy the heck out of it !!This reply started out a just a quick comment,SORRY!!! See Ya !!
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DARYLE

There are very few rod builders that do 100% of their work and I am one of those who don't.But I think a rod owner/builder has much more pride in his ride and with good reason.To compare a rod builder to a house builder is not the same.There is a big difference between a rod builder and a rod driver.There are a lot of so called rod builders that aren't confident with waxing their own rides. Would you call them a rod builder?
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Grump

Ray ! No wonder you moved to florida. I agree with 40. I can build a rod and I have built my own homes. But sometimes circumstances happen that change things. I have just as much pride and love for my rides as an adopted child. But sometimes when an opportunity arises you do what has to be done, be it buy or build. RP here peggys other half just kidding about the florida move
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Peggy Diegan

I don't do interior upholstery but did build my own console.
Don't do paint work but will do prep for painting. Anything on the engine I do except for machine work. Put in my first A/C this spring too. Do my own suspension work as well. Building up a new 355 SBC this winter to drop in my 47 Ford.

Fred, you sound like my idea of a street rodder.I also believe we are a dying bred....Ray
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Grump

I guess I should have put AKA erbssr with that Fred name....
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Grump

Do you ever sell these cars so you build another one? Or do you take it apart and reassemble into a differant car? Sorry after 25 years of dreaming I finaly bought mine. I'm tickled to death with it even when people ask if I bought it or built it. I won't hold it against you for building your own car if you don't hold it against me for buying one.
I can fix most things but design is the drawback.
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Mike J

I am forced to sell my rides if I want continue to build them due to lack of funds and storage space.But after it is sold I still retain my pride factor in that rod.I do not look down at folks who buy a ride but when they try to convince me that they took pride in building it I get upset.Mostly because they have no idea
how much of the builders soul is in that ride.....Ray

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Grump

AMEN TO THAT RAY.......

I noticed one common theme in this thread, alot of people didn't tackle the upholstry themselves. Well, I am going to write and submit an article in the next week or so, that may open your eyes. I am finishing up my very own tweed interior. I have gotten nothing but positve feedback thusfar. It WAS SIMPLE, and I want to share the pictures and step by step sequence with all of you. As far as my own work goes, I did 100% of my car so far, but won't paint it myslef. If I had access to a booth, I probably would try it on my own. Just as with the interior, I NEVER pictured myself doing it, but saw one person who did, and convinced me that it was easy, and I was determined to try. I have $300 in a complete tweed interior. But the pride and joy of accomplishing the job on my own, well, that's priceless!!!

mrwillys - That's a great idea for an article and I'm sure many will benefit from it. Please send it our way when you're all done.

Jason

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Jason Long
Streetrod Stuff Webmaster

Anything on upholstery would be welcome!
As far as other skills they did not come overnight. Lots of reading, watching the pros, helping out part time in a body shop, etc.
My favorite body shop recently closed and the owner retired. That forced me into buying a steel building and putting it up way out behind the house. At least I bought a bunch of machinery and tools from him but its going to take months to get set up. Once Im ready I hope to be able to offer space to other rodders so we can share skills, grunt work, etc. Bldg is 42 x 36 with a lift, paint booth and who knows what else.
My wife already thinks Ive taken this "hobby" to an obsession!
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Carl
Automotive gold is everywhere; you just have to learn how to dig for it

I really think most people could do an interior except for the headliner. That always scares me. I think that takes real skill.

I thought headliners would be bad too, but they are easy... if you get one made to fit your car. The bow channels are already there. You install your bows, and put them in their place on the roof. Of course, the one in my wagon was a snap because the roof is 'flat' and doesn't turn down towards the back seat.
Phil
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One man's treasure is another man's trash.

AMEN, Grumpy!! I'm always amazed at the number of people who have 3, 4 or 6 cars at one time.
I usually sell mine after it has been finished for awhile. That's the only way I can afford to build another one. I like to build em more than drive em & show em.
Maybe I should start building them for people who can't do it themselves.

Hey Grumpy! You have left us with what could and probably has been the "Great Debate"! That's the difference in what people refer to as a scratch build or a "kit". Some guys (and Gals!) think if you buy most of your parts from one source, you have a kit and many really look down their collective noses on the vehicle in question. Now for the "macho" types, "boy I scrounged every junk yard, back yard, news papers, internet and got a pile of parts and I MADE them fit one way or another. Seems like they think you have to pays some dues to be a street rodder!
I don't understand the mentality behind this but these guys usually end up with something from the mind of Rube Goldberg but, "I built it all myself" seems to be a theme of the "old days" when you had to use whatever you could find.
Now, here and in the present.....Yeah I bought most of my parts from Speedway (could be any other manufacturer) but the advantage is that they have made the parts to fit together with little effort and it's backed up with service after the sale. So the difference is that I didn't go on a scavenger hunt to round up everything and I'm on the road in much less time. The engine had outside machine work and I assembled it and also built up the rear end and became fairly proficient in working with fiberglass.
So here we are left with 3 choices...Build it yourself (with who done it parts), Pay someone else to build it, (which I can only say, go for it!" , or split the difference and buy what appears to be a kit (most parts from the same source) and farm out the bits you can't do. To me, upholstery work is a "Black Art!"
Anyhow, I've never slammed someone elses ride even if Boyd built it (!) but I look at the over all fit and finish just to satisfy my on brain cells on how it was "built".
Kit, scratch, or wallet, its still a street rod in the mind of the beholder and I don't care if I get tagged as a kit, the parts fit...... Fred

might triumphs over right
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Fred P.

Since I'm an automotive mechanic of over 30 years exp. I tend to do all my own work from rebuilding the engine and transmission to doing the body work from design to final finish. My work my not look top shelf, but given enough time it will have a style that no one else can have. I've have my runins with glass cutters that break it, and upolstery shops that take in work after yours and finish it before yours. If you do it yourself you can take great pride in the complements you get. It's a big "high" for me. Dave

ATABOY Dave keep up the good work....Ray
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Grump

My question is..Does it really matter? Ive seen them both, a lot of work goes into the kits, although not as much as the shade tree builders like myself. But you know what? I like to look at and ride in them all!

Far as mine and the fit!!! WOW!! I cannot tell you just what goes into making proper fit! I have a 49 F1 and am putting it on late model Mercury car frame. Ive already narrowed and shortened the frame. Now I have my motor and tranny in there with wooden blocks and duct tape while I get the proper fit for the cab and front fenders. I dont have any type of core support on the frame or anythign for the fenders to bolt to what-so-ever. So Ill be making tilt front fenders. Those front fenders have been on and off at least 10 times, and that just to cut out my scrap inner fenders for patterns for the good ones. Once I get close to proper fit, Ill create the tilt and the core support.

I may be a little more proud of my truck when I do get it done, but you know what? I still like them all!

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Damn, I wish I had more time.
35 Ford Pick-Up

sounds like another fine rod in the making..try finding parts to fit a 29 3-window ply coupe...talk about tough..when i got my car it had a shell and some beat up fenders that i traded with a guy from OKLAHOMA for a set of glass 32`s..no deck lid,no roof at all,when i got it someone had tried to make it into a roadster but failed so they just mig welded(a crappy job) at thatthe roof back on..i`m building my own IFS for it,made my own stainless tri-angulated 4-link,i could go on and on..i wasn`t knocking anyone about who does there own work or who sends them out..what made me mad was the guys and girls who i asked were telling me how to do it when they don`t know the first thing about there own car which they had built..as far as i`m concerned it`s still a street rod whether it be steel/glass...built from scratch or professionally done..when it comes down to it it`s all good.....pat good luck to all of you.

My question is..Does it really matter? Ive seen them both, a lot of work goes into the kits, although not as much as the shade tree builders like myself. But you know what? I like to look at and ride in them all!

Far as mine and the fit!!! WOW!! I cannot tell you just what goes into making proper fit! I have a 49 F1 and am putting it on late model Mercury car frame. Ive already narrowed and shortened the frame. Now I have my motor and tranny in there with wooden blocks and duct tape while I get the proper fit for the cab and front fenders. I dont have any type of core support on the frame or anythign for the fenders to bolt to what-so-ever. So Ill be making tilt front fenders. Those front fenders have been on and off at least 10 times, and that just to cut out my scrap inner fenders for patterns for the good ones. Once I get close to proper fit, Ill create the tilt and the core support.

I may be a little more proud of my truck when I do get it done, but you know what? I still like them all!

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Damn, I wish I had more time.
35 Ford Pick-Up

I've always built as much of my cars as my abilities would allow. In the 60's when I was a teenager my abilities were limited and a lot of the work I did then showed how limited I was. But with every mistake or total screw up came a lesson and as time went by I became better at things. I lived in the country and the only experts at fabrication were farmers or one guy that built and raced his own sprint car. He also owned the neighborhood junkyard and I hung out there a lot watching and learning. I tore a lot of things apart just to see how they worked. There was always a real sense of pride when I could put it back together and it worked the way it was supposed to. Unfortunately that wasn't always the case. Dad got real hot the year I took his new Simplicity rototiller apart and couldn't figure out how to put it back together.

In the 70's I built a few custom Harleys which is a lot like building a streetrod, and the pride I felt riding a bike I built is the same feeling I get now driving a rod that I built. After all those years of learning things the hard way without too many mentors, along comes the internet. With sites like this one and others that specialize we have access to almost any information we need to do anything we want to. Anyone with ambition and basic mechanical aptitude (and decent tools) can do almost anything they set their mind to. I've taught myself to be a pretty good body man, painter, upholsterer, fabricator etc by using the internet to put me in contact with people that are willing to share their experiences and knowledge. There are still a couple of things I pay others to do like tranny work and design of suspensions. To me it isn't worth it for me to learn these things since I only need a tranny every couple of years and proven suspensions are readily available everywhere. People that drive cars they didn't build feel good driving them, but I know what I feel driving a car that I built. There is a HUGE feeling of pride knowing that once it was just a pile of parts on the garage floor and now it does everything I want it to exactly the way it is supposed to. This past weekend while driving back from Indy Goodguys by myself I had the cruise control set at 70 with plenty of time to reflect on all the hours of blood, sweat and tears it took to get to that point. It just doesn't get much better than that.

I've bought completed cars and partially finished cars and there is no doubt that you can have fun and feel pride. I just choose to do the work whenever I can…it just feels better.

I have been working on other peoples cars most of my life and when I started building my first street rod I got really excited and then I got really depressed. I found out all the things I didn't know how to do like suspension and transmissions steering these things are real teckie. So I started trading this works real good for me I get to help do the things I don't know how to do and help/teach someone else what I do know how to do. This is what hot rods have always been for me I just never had one so I was always workin on someone elses ride. I really think reading most of the other responses this is what most of us do and in that way most rodders are the same breed. I sure hope I said this the way I think I said it...
Dr. Pepper

I do much of the work myself. I have lots of time now that I have retired. I'm not too afraidof doing anything at least once.
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Bernie