Are you a Purist or a Realist?

I joined the ford barn to help find parts to restore my 32 5window I injoy reading these posts I am a purist at this time un till the next project as far as original and safety you use comon sense you don't go on the freeway at rush hour with an old original car it wasn't made to do this in many ways
 
If it has 4 wheels and is old, I don't care about the motor, love to drive my stockers and my hot rods. I ain't worth a darn at golf.
 
I am proud to say that I am a REALIST... But then again I like things to look correct, to that end, I will improve and/or modify a vehicle for safety and reliability sake.
Do to the fact that I have owned my '36 Ford for almost 60 years, and that everything mechanical is '40 Ford or later, the car still retains it stock look and has all of the original accessories that came with the car... Radio, clock mirror, tools, etc.. Even the upholstery is original.
My '39 Plym conv. cpe is rated as being one of the finest examples of the surviving 36 cars that are know to exist, however, everything mechanical in the car is 2001 or later. My Plym has more stock accessories, radio, spot/fog lights, etc., than the average car has.
I am a purest when it comes to accessories, body parts, etc., finding that the aftermarket parts do not match up to original equipment.
 
I won't invent a new term to describe what I like and do....just an explanation of what I love....taking an old Ford Hot Rod from the late 40's, early 50's, and bringing it back to life....using real Ford parts and the speed equipment of the era. So, I guess I'm in 'Restoration' of ole Ford Hot Rods. My '39 Coupe came with the original Navarro heads & intake, twin 97's, headers, etc. and was not in very reliable condition when I got it. Rolled up my sleeves and starting getting dirty.....re-do this, fix that, rebuild some stuff and so forth. Had to search for a lot of original parts, and in doing so, also obtained every part needed to bring it back to 100% original...don't know why, but just had to. Am I a puriest....a realist....don't care......but I drive that '39 on the highway, dropped axle, big & little BF Goodrich, and I have no worries about doing so. I even received good comments from buddies in the car with me on how great it drives.......and that is the challange that has not changed in 50 years.
 

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fredshere said:
I joined the ford barn to help find parts to restore my 32 5window I injoy reading these posts I am a purist at this time un till the next project as far as original and safety you use comon sense you don't go on the freeway at rush hour with an old original car it wasn't made to do this in many ways
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Well said, I've driven 'em for many years, sometimes in traffic (I do avoid the interstate but some of my old cars would keep up nicely) and never had an issue.

Then again, whenever it snows nowadays everyone thanks God for front-wheel drive, as if you couldn't drive in winter without it.
 
I appreciate the purists for preserving history the way you do.

I live in an area where old trucks are still used on a daily basis, so I'd have to describe myself as practical. I don't know if that fits as a realist or not.

I want my trucks to look like they are old, but they are working trucks so practical repairs, upgrades, etc are a necessity. They've never seen a parade and don't sit in car shows. They get muddy and are scuffed - a few could even be described as battered.

If anybody is interested, here's a link to my current obsession
http://flatheadv8.org/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=2738
 
I don't know where I fall in. I'm building a 50 F1. I put a 302 with a C4 behind it. 9 inch in the rear. Upgraded to disk brakes. I think as long as you don't bastardize your ride with another make power plant is fine.
 
Purist or a Realist?..I'm going to have to go with neither.
I am an individualist, who loves old cars, be it original bone stock, and/or Hot Rods.
My efforts, time spent, cash spent, are for the sole purpose of pleasing me, not anyone else.
I've had many of both, and I find enjoyment in them all.
Old cars are as unique, as the people who build/drive them.
We all seem to share in the fact, that we want something to show off our personalities
 
I am with Paul & Rajo ,I am not againts hot Rods ,Every Man to his own .I prefer a stock old Ford We can only do 55 MPH here any way .A few minor up grades to make them safe and reliable .The challange is to make them run as good as henry made them ,


Paul/Woodinville said:
As long as I can get parts without having to sell my house I'll stay a purest. I'm really not into hot hodding I just like having an old car and enjoy trying to keep it running like new. It's a hobby, and as my wife says, it keep me out of trouble.
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DjangoRe: Are you a Purist or a Realist?
I appreciate both, although I am definitely a hot rodder. But at my house, it's a pretty gray line. I would rather look at bone stock pre-48 Fords all day long over some of the street rods that have been built with change for the sake of change and no appreciation of the period design. I would say my coupe is a street rod but only in the drivetrain and chassis. Other than the steering column and wheel, the interior is completely stock right down to the gauges. But then again it would be hard to put it into the same category as one that is salmon pink with aluminum wheels, bucket seats and a billet dash insert.
 
Ol' Ron said:
Safety is a very important issue here. Driving a 70 year old car in todays trafic is gross stupidy. If your going to keep them original then they become useless as transportation in the reality of today. Even the addition of "Juice" brakes isn't enough. I'm in the process of up grading a 47Int PU for my grandson, and the thought of putting this on the road gives me the shivers.
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I've thought a lot about this issue, and Ol Ron's got it pegged. I still have my first car, a '66 Mustang with factory disc brakes,and while I'm OK taking the risk, I'm not comfortable letting my 16 year-old do it.

With regard to the '37 Zephyr, it's fine on the country highways here with speed limits of 45-50 and little traffic -- the kind of driving it was design for. I've put over 5K miles on roads like that. But the couple of times I've had to have it on the interstate, even with the Columbia and in top running condition, were simply not fun.

Purist or realist? Mostly purist, but I've made some upgrades for safety (3-point harnesses, turn signals) and reliablity (solid-state voltage regulator, electric fuel pump).
 
i would be a mix bread...my car is untouched . only tube shocks and a glass pack is the changes for my car. you can tell by the avatar.
 
Realist,I like to drive my car without a trunk full of repair parts on board. The forum is loaded with question about why my car doesn't run right. I like safety,and relieablity. Don't like to working on my car on the roadside. Most of the time I have had break downs, It has been Old techninolgy parts that have failed. I would like to believe there is room in this world for both is exsist.
 
I hope you guys resolve this pretty quick! I'm spending a heckuva lotta money trying to get my car back to "as henry made it"
 
It looks as though the majority of the people here on the barn are Realists, with a few pro claimed purist who have 12 volts,mech brakes,etc,etc. looks like the true purist are as rare as a stainless steel model A.
 
Realist: I went 12v neg. ground, electric wiper, external coil, 12v heater fan, plan on adding 15" wheels, radial tires, 9" rear in, open drive line, tube shocks, and disk brakes.
 
I think I would be closer to purist. I have owned my 33 2 door sedan for 42 years, and it mostly stock except for a newer generator with voltage regulator and tube shocks on the back. I drive it around 500 miles a year, not on the freeway though. I don't know why people think mechanical brakes are so bad. The parts inside the drum are the same as the hydraulic, and the power source is the same (your leg muscle). If the parts aren't worn and they are adjusted right, they stop just as good as hydraulics. Henry said "The safety of steel, from pedal to wheel"!
Now those steel brake drums on a Model A are a different story, they heat up after one hard stop and after that you are in trouble. There are cast iron ones available now and they work much better.
I do like old style hot rods, but I sure don't like to see an original old Ford cut up to make one today.
I really don't like "hot rods" with sbc and a modern tilt steering column - seems like every car show has to have a bunch of those.

Jim S.
 
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