Dissing the YENKO!!

[tom406]

The same magazine (July '03 HOT ROD) has a great editorial by my favorite automotive editor, David Freiburger. He points out how, since the dawn of automotive tuning, people have fostered these divisions within the hobby. The Model A 4-banger tuners didn't think the flatheads were "hot rods", then the flathead guys didn't think the overhead valve cars were real "hot rods", then the overhead valve guys didn't think the factory musclecars were "hot rods", because any fool could go buy one, and that was a corruption of the hobby.

The language of the Sport Compact writer sounds about on par with how CAR CRAFT writes about the "ricers". Good natured or not, I don't appreciate the negative vibe from either camp. The hobby needs more cooperation to grow and defend itself from misguided regulations.

There's a new rush of people into the sport compact hobby, and most of them don't have "car crazy" parents or anything, so they're figuring it out as they go. Bolting stuff onto a late model is a lot less intimidating than restoring an old car. And for a 19 year old kid to try and find a real insurance policy on a 30 year old car (not just liability), particularly if their parents aren't willing to title it in their name and do some smoke and mirror job on who's the primary driver, is just about impossible. Hell, its tough for me, a 33 year old father of two, to get a regular primary policy on my old stuff, during the times when I'm "between" late model daily drivers.

The division isn't always money or age, its often experience. Some of the young guys will broaden their taste and do other cars. Many will leave the hobby in their mid-20's, like people always have. I try to be an ambassador for the old car hobby. In my time at the dealerships, several times we've sold an old musclecar to a young guy who drove up in a tweaked Honda. It's cool. The street rod and musclecar hobbies have enough cranky old farts, I encourage everyone I meet to try the wise old mentor thing instead.


Here's some common ground that everyone could appreciate. In AUTOWEEK a couple weeks ago, there was an article on a shop in Michigan that was doing Ford Focus SVT conversions. They were putting tweaked 400+HP Cobra Mustang supercharged 4.6 V8's into them and driving them through the REAR wheels, all without cutting the hood or floor. Looked factory and carried a warranty. Struck me as the true modern successor to the Yenko Nova [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif[/img]. It also cost $69K plus your Focus. (Clill, did you order one yet?)

[JoeG]

Old FARTS + New Farts = Hobby Survival. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

[68z302]

I have to agree with you whitetop.
It's the next Generation interested in different cars.
My daughters boyfriend gets a laugh when I bring home things for my Camaro. I just bought NOS points & condenser from a swapmeet and when he saw them he cracked up!
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif[/img]
He's got an '86 Dodge "Shelby" Charger with a turbo.
He stepped up from a Turbo I to a Turbo II & added a big Volvo intercooler. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]
It's actually kind of neat. Black with a silver sripe. Factory Alloys with 50 series tires and lowered a bit.
And it has CS embroidered into the seats. (Future Colectable?)
He hates ricers too. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]
At least he's driving North American Iron! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif[/img][img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[Stefano]

There is an article in the latest(July '03) 'Motor Trend' which includes all three cars as well.

[JoeG]

KIND OF SCARY---Just recieved 7/03 Hot ROD issue, on the iside ,the flip - side, of the contents page is a picture of Hot-Rodder, Biker, and Musclecar/Supercar owner/restorer. ''One picture worth a 1000 words ".--Does ebay have this forum bugged??? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

[JoeG]

I KNOW, I KNOW --- inside. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/scholar.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[NovaStud]

"the steering is as much by blind luck " what a complete dumbass! the car was ment to go strait. the only purpose! not tuning corners. there are way to many ricers in st. louis

[Belair62]

I have never heard the term "fart pipe" before.Thanks guys. That is the best term for those things ! I bet most of us would have one of those pieces of crap if we were turning 16 again though.