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American retro scene?BenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Feb 12, 2007 11:46:18 GMT
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I was just thinking about this - we have members from all over the world who are into retro cars, but no Americans. Well, I think there was one guy who joined some time back with a sweet Toyota Supra, but hardly ever posts. So, why's this? Are old Japanese / Euro cars still viewed as shonky pieces of sh*t by the Yanks? There's plenty of interest in domestic retro stuff obviously, and a healthy Vee-Dub scene (as there is all over the world).
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Feb 12, 2007 11:58:32 GMT
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theres a big mini scene in america
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Feb 12, 2007 12:01:34 GMT
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from my observations of tat on the streets in the US (see a thread I put up about this last November) there just isn't a lot of it over there.
They have J pickups from the 60s & up, lots of them, but they are mainly covered by the minitruck scene. They have an active VW scene for sure. They have late model J-tin by the ton and this has its own scene.
What they don't have is a large quantity of 70s 80s euro/J stuff out there cheap and easily modified. And they don't usually have cross sectional scenes like ours. People tend to congregate along scene or even brand lines.
Another thig to consider, its as cheap and easy out there to get hold of a shonky old Camaro, Mustang, Aspen, Valiant, Malibu and wang a warmed over small block in it and cruise a "muscle car" on the cheap. Or buy an Impala or what have you for buttons and slam it or jack it up or juice it. Why would you bother mucking about with an old Civic or what have you when you can do that?
I saw lots of low buck rides out cruising, usually V8 powered or pickups though.
I did see a mint '67 or so Toyota Corona with mild custom touches though, But that was a one off. It was outnumbered by Cutlasses and the like from the same year by 6 or 7 to one. Thats before you even look at the Mopars...
There is a very hardcore scene around Datsun 510s and such but seems to be concentrated around California and its not really mainstream.
You do see a fair number of 240Z 260Z type cars out there but usually stock. (all the ones I saw were) although theres a fair number on HybridZ with V8 conversions.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Feb 12, 2007 12:16:54 GMT
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They certainly have a thriving classic Japanese scene. The Datsun 510 has been a mainstay for years, and from some of the show pics I've seen they take their old school J-metal seriously!
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Feb 12, 2007 12:20:47 GMT
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Their (aircooled) VW scene is basically ahead of the Euro scene now days...
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Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,537
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Feb 12, 2007 12:35:55 GMT
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And they don't usually have cross sectional scenes like ours. People tend to congregate along scene or even brand lines. I suspect that is the main reason. Here I think even brand loyal owners tend to show some appreciation towards other "scenes" but I feel that it is likely to be much more elitist in some ways out there. Each individual scene would be so much bigger that why whould they want/need to look outside it?
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Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable.
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Feb 12, 2007 12:47:44 GMT
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I often thought it was due to the size of the scenes. They have Mopar events where 100,000 people turn up, Chevy events of similar sizes, even AMC gets a big national meet. The street rod stuff put together by the NSRA there is immense. Once you are in one of the silos I bet its hard to see out. You do see a fair amount of "bashing" by people in one scene or another as well. Usually the Mopar guys bashing on Chevy and Ford and the Ford guys bashing on Chevys, the rot rod guys bashing the street rod gues, whatever. theres also a huge number of magazines for each splinter of each scene. How many trad rod mags are there now? And loads of street rod titles, and several Chevy mags, I even came across "Chevelle" magazine. Thats like having "Mk1 Escort Monthly" here.
I think a lot of it is down to "build whats handy".
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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