2+2 = An Absolute Blast!

When it comes to math, my life has been two parallel, but opposite universes, if you compared my experience in a "then verses now" scenario. When I was in high school, I sucked at math; didn't want anything to do with it, except when it came to automotive. My teachers would be astounded that I could use and memorize the automotive formula to calculate the cubic inches on a V-8, but yet I failed Algebra 1, (I took it again during the summer and passed), then barely squeaked by in Algebra 2. By my junior year, I had had enough; not just with math but pretty with the whole school scene. Looking back, I can credit one teacher who passed along one of the biggest life points in my entire 50+ years on this planet - you've got to do something you really enjoy to keep yourself out of your head. As a result, a great deal of my free time was filled with radio (and working at a professional radio station), theater, as well as tinkering with hot rods and old cars. I know the combination of those three kept me out of a great deal of trouble.

Until the new millennium hit, math kept me in a prejudiced state of mind in regards to classic Detroit iron - mainly when it came to the 4-door sedan and wagon varieties. It's possible, like many of you, that we just didn't consider any hot rod with more than two doors. At one point, two doors meant cool. Today, cool is open to a much wider interpretation. Yes, there may still be some unspoken "more cool" factor with these rides. But the other side of the coin is, almost any 2-door hardtop or even sedan with a small block V-8 from the early '70's on down, is getting priced out of reach for the average enthusiast who has bills to pay and a family to look after. Now more than ever, cool is what's left and what you do with it.

Take a glance at almost any hot rod, street rod, or rat rod magazine. There are mind-blowing rides of every description that wouldn't even be considered 20 years ago. Some examples I've seen in several of the latest issues that I receive in the mail every month; a '58 T-bird, a '62 Olds Dynamic 88, and a '69 4-door Chevy Kingswood wagon that does 9's in the quarter. It's more than the old mindset of "Dare To Be Different", it's dare to throw the old norms away along with the status quo. But, if you think about it, isn't that what hot-rodding is all about anyways? When you truly consider it, it's what has kept our hobby alive for almost 70 years.

Most of you already know, (and there's been countless articles written about this as well), that there are some serious advantages of buying a 4-door sedan and/or wagon. The big pluses are price, more accessibility, V-8 power availability, and similar platforms (chassis, suspension, and steering) with their 2-door brethren. If you scope Craigslist, Racing Junk, or other classified ad websites, you'll find some cool examples of what's out there. The main thing is, don't get discouraged - like always, there will be sellers out there that aren't breathing oxygen. But, below are a few of the deals I found just this afternoon without even trying:
 - 1968 Buick station wagon with factory 400ci big block V-8 in decent shape for under $9000
 - 1965 Ford Galaxie 4-door with a 428 V-8 swap in nice shape for $8900
 - 1962 Chevy Nova 4-door, 6cyl, auto, needs some work, but a driver for $2700
 - 1980 Chevy Malibu wagon, very nice, runs low 11's in the quarter for $10,000.

I ask you - what other ride can you purchase, turn key that needs nothing, that will run 11-0 in the quarter, and still be driven on the street for $10K? Try doing that in a Camaro, Charger, or Mustang. That's just it - you can't. Not unless the car and over half the parts are given to you for free. I'm not knocking these classic rides, or hot rods that sell for north of 50 grand. It's about thinking outside the box, making the most of what you have, establishing new rules for cool, and not giving a shit of what other people think. Because guess what? They're not thinking about you anyways.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave