99 percent of these "traditional hot rods" are not traditional at all in terms of what actually was done back then. Most hot rods were very regional, people in a certain area usually did similar things. And the pictures we see in the old hot rod books and magazines and from Hollywood films are always of the cars the magazine publishers and the writers wanted shown, not what was typical.
People used scrounged paint and materials a lot, and workmanship varied wildly. But never was anything made to look beat up, aged, or salvaged from odd places (e.g., bomber seats, riveted panels, aircraft or locomotive gauges) on purpose. People wanted it to look as nice as they could with the time, materials and skills they had.
People built hot rods because they had more time and energy and skills (or wanted to learn the skills on the way) than money. They used what they could afford for mechanicals. There were professional mechanics and machinists and upholsterers that catered to the hot rod trade, but no Chip Fooses or Boyd Coddingtons.
Look at some of the photos of the old dry lakes and early drag race and hot rod meets. No tattoos or tackle. Women, if present not dressed provocatively or in goth attire. Men dressed to work but neat usually.
If you could take photos of the modern "old school rod" gatherings back in time to these people and show them to them they would be baffled and probably a little upset.
