The Motor Underground: A Hot Rod Revolution Ep. 2

[@dannypeter6565]

I have always been into the scene, i'm 63 yrs. old and have had drag cars, muscle cars and am just now building my first HOT ROD. I have a small garage and a smaller budget but I am doing what I can with what I have. Watching your videos makes me think that I am living in the fifties/ sixties and wish I was part of that whole scene, I love it. Thanks for sharing your stories and I will try and keep them alive.

[@danielstoner2843]

That's why hotrodding is always the right answer: you can still build one at home, starting with a bare garage floor. Can't do that with muscle cars or overlanding trucks or antiques or classics. You can literally build a car from the ground up...as long as you've got a roof over that ground!

[@dannypeter6565]

@@danielstoner2843 I have family in paso Robles but have never been there. Sounds like it was a cool place to be a hotrodder at one time. I’m from Edmonton Alberta . Cheers and thanks for the reply.

[@danielstoner2843]

@@dannypeter6565 You nailed it: it was such a special place and moment in time! I don't think we ever thought it would end--and I wish there was something that could've taken its place, but that never happened, of course...

[@bighoudini6130]

Let's shoot the shit drink some beers.

[@frankjones4094]

​@@danielstoner2843Spot on. Except it's still possible without a garage. I'm 69 and still build in my driveway on jack stands.

[@Wreckitralph54]

I remember helping that yellow car with the white walls on the the side of the freeway a few years back. His power cable broke off the battery and luckily I had a couple in my jeep that I used for a welding kit. It was cool helping him out and getting that hot rod fired back up.

[@Salamancametalcraft]

Damn, I miss those times. Brings back memories. I am glad I was around OC at that time.

[@OBrienTruckers1934]

Like Frank says below, episode 2 is even more enlightening than episode 1 and very well documented. I'm very proud that the Shifters came to me back in February of 1994 when we had only been in business for 16 years to have us make their car club plaques. And 29 years later we've made over 180,000 rod and custom car club plaques, many of which would not have happened if they hadn't opened the sport up to the younger generations that have kept it alive and growing 70-80 years after the hot rod culture started. Thanks Alex (Axle) for letting us help you. And please stop by World Headquarters again the next time you're in Massachusetts.

[@danielstoner2843]

AMAZING, Dennis! Hey, I might get there before Axle does--the Hemmings HQ isn't too far from O'Brien Truckers, right?

[@OBrienTruckers1934]

@@danielstoner2843 About 2 1/2 hours. Axle stopped by when he was here to DJ the rockabilly show in Sturbridge MA (9 miles from me).

[@mikemazz3377]

So glad someone is telling the stories and showing the real car culture of doing what you can afford and making gnarly rides from scrap

[@danielstoner2843]

That's really the whole thing, here: and Sinus talks about how these cars were never rusty for rust's sake. But, just like every underground movement that sees daylight, people get excited to join, but don't take the time to truly understand it. I was at the first Lonestar Roundup in Austin and saw a bitchin Deuce 5W coupe pull up in front of the Continental Club: red primer, wide whites, you get the idea. As I got closer, I could see something was...different. The owner walks up, beaming proudly, and shows me: it was a fiberglass body spongepainted to look rusty. He even pointed out the straw wedged under the decklid. He was all, "SEE? It's a BARN FIND!!!!"

[@johnbehneman1546]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! YOU MADE MY DAY!!! I LOVE THE RAT ROD MOVEMENT!!! IT IS ALL ABOUT BUILDING YOUR HOT ROD YOUR WAY. THEN DRIVE IT AND ENJOY IT. AND I ALSO ENJOY THE RETRO CULTURE THAT GOES WITH IT!!! IT IS THE 50S ALL OVER AGAIN. WITH ROCK AND ROLL AND BEAUTIFUL WOMEN. LIFE IS SHORT, AND EACH DAY IS A GIFT.

[@SuperKONR]

It's not an F-ING RAT ROD. Intelligence has been chasing you, but you've always been faster.

[@juanbarturen2726]

Hey. I found you by pure accident. I happy accident. I'm a 72 year old Hit Rodder. Got hooked seeing cars the older guys drove. Dreaming of the day. I had a $50.00 !950 Ford woodie with a demolished right side. I bought a 1956 Chevy 2 door wagon 6 cyl. Bought a 265 V8 thinking it was a 283. I got it running. Now I'm a retired old fart. I'm building a 54 Chevy truck.aka Ol'Beater...no Halloween car. A true build it with what you got. Keeps me young. Thank you for your Channel. JB

[@juanbarturen2726]

You made my day !!

[@jackthereefer1]

I like Billy's Majestic Z lamp. These cars were like punk rock was to 70's Rock and Roll music. It is good to see hot rods transform and stay relevant.

[@danielstoner2843]

Well said, Reefer!

[@paulygood6665]

🏴‍☠There is Never Enough "Betty Pagers" Best Ladies Style Ever😎🏁

[@johnbehneman1546]

TOTALLY AWSOME VIDEO!!!! A MUST WATCH!!!!

[@papasmodelcarroom8450]

Most EXCELLENT VIDEO just like #1 and can't wait till #3

[@dadsrustorations5103]

Great story’s. Humerus and history. Thanks for creating the rat rod…

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Really enjoyed, great vid!!!! 👍👍

[@johnbehneman1546]

THIS IS TOO COOL. THIS WAS ON THE COVER OF HOT ROD DELUXE. WHEN THAT DEBUED IN 1990. IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE RAT ROD MOVEMENT.

[@patlash8392]

Dang! This brings back memories! I got in a street race leaving the 1st Shifters party in Paso. It was probably around 1am. Elks lodge maybe? It was a pretty close race. I think I got him by a bumper. Barely got the 59 slowed down to make the turn onto Spring st!

[@danielstoner2843]

That's a lot of long-roof steel to slow down, Pat! Hey, speaking of which, did the wagon go to Japan?

[@patlash8392]

@@danielstoner2843In Japan now. I sold it to a Vw-Audi tuner guy from So Cal that liked old cars. He later put it on ebay.

[@jamesshepard4743]

I was in old town orange in the early 2000’s working at Mitchell’s Gas and those guys were a BIG influence in that town.

[@alscarbrough9979]

Some of my best times were in the 60s when I had a ford roadster. Never had the money to fix it up much, but what a lot of fun. That time Era was great to grow up in, cars were cheap, a kid could do a lot playing around with old cars. Loved it, 70 years old now but still driving an old car.

[@hemmingsmotornews]

The 60s and 70s definitely brought some great cars! What are you driving now?

[@nic_danger]

Well done, Dan.

[@V8Deuce]

WOW. If episode #1 wasn't amazing enough. I'm convinced that the Shifters kids (not kids anymore) were at the forefront of this Hot Rod & Rockabilly resurgence. What strikes me as amazing is that they were aware of Cadillac, Oldsmobile, Flathead, Pontiac, etc engines , at a time when that was unpopular. Could we go so far as to say that they were ahead of their time? I feel so. Lastly, the archival photographs and footage compiled blows me away.

[@SimmonsKustoms]

Killer stuff! Keep it coming PLEASE and THANK YOU!!

[@Profound_oz]

That's awesome what you're doing. Just so you know, the Shifters name has been part of this area since 1959. Auburn IN. Auburn Shifters EST. 1959

[@danielstoner2843]

Throughout American hot rod history, there's been a trend of club names appearing simultaneously in different regions. Sometimes, that came from the mail order industry in the backs of the magazines of the era: you could order a dozen cast aluminum "Sinners" car club plaques, call your club The Sinners, get your jackets stitched-up, hang the plaques from the rear of your cars and bobs-your-uncle!

[@ericmoraski9102]

Everything comes full circle! Kool don't die

[@53Peterbilt]

Love this! Hope there's more!

[@davidryan573]

Love the story, love the style of Hot Rod, I’m in the same boat with my’57, that’s why I call it “Lunch Money “ gets all my lunch money. Maybe put Frank’s picture on milk cartons, keep the series coming, thanks.

[@danielstoner2843]

Hey, that's not a bad idea!

[@Frank-sf1wh]

I love these cars! Always wanted to build one, but no money. So I’m building my old 63 dodge pickup. I found a 440 and automatic for it now it’s just finding time to do it.

[@icantintyou]

im building a 57 ford currently but love the stuff you guys are doing. so cool

[@joshuadille5005]

I love the old iron. It’s getting so expensive to even do that now ( at least around here) glad y’all started the vibe!! Love it I remember my dad always had gto’s road runner’s gtx’s 442’s . And he wold call them rats lol good stuff man

[@thekillercapricorn6334]

Hot Rodding never stands still

[@ATOMICROBOT667]

I ran with axle in high school in the 80s, we had a muscle car club around 1985-86 in Riverside ca. Even tho he had GTOs and was into muscle cars for a minute his heart and soul was always in the Rockabilly movement and Hot Rods!

[@nathangibson564]

Thank you guys

[@馬伕]

Chip Foose's commentary was insightful.

[@Atlas.X9X]

Very cool, good times.

[@alanparadis5061]

This is epic stuff man! Great job, keep up the great work!

[@hemmingsmotornews]

Thank you for the support!

[@CaptDesmo]

This is why Building Rods, Models, and as a 40 year old loves to play with HotWheels/matchbox cars.....

[@timweidner3335]

This was an interesting piece. I've recently fallen in love with the Rolling Bones style car and this group is as cool for sure. Thankas for sharing the video. Nice cars, interesting cats.

[@danielstoner2843]

The Rolling Bones guys are a great example of what's possible in a scene after it gets a few years under its belt - they definitely built an identifiable style for themselves!

[@paulreed6089]

@11:45 it caught air. Everything about that car is cool.

[@landiahillfarm6590]

Please keep these coming!

[@FreakyMalo]

Freiburger put Purple People Eater on the cover of Rod & Custom. Paso was incredible in those days, now it's just another fairground show. RIP Anthony Castaneda

[@V8Deuce]

I thought Rick Amado did?

[@danielstoner2843]

Paso can never be copied, but glad we were there to see it. And watch for the next episodes...

[@FreakyMalo]

​@@V8Deuce Amado shot the photos, Freiburger was editor and chose it for the cover.

[@V8Deuce]

@@FreakyMalo Gotcha. Thank you

[@joeyscoccia1257]

Kind of an odd question but can anyone tell me the name of the lamp to the left of Billy during his interview?

[@keithadamo304]

Hot Rods Forever 🍻

[@carlosalonso4809]

This is too badass! Love it!

[@32road]

Good one! Still can’t believe it’s been 30yrs now😳

[@timferriss905]

Did you interview kev Elliot. Who used to be editor of custom car uk. And the legend Tom Ingram. He used to run hemsby rock and roll weekenders, before moving to the states. Now of viva Las Vegas fame.

[@timferriss905]

Takes me back to all the little books that started to show up like rolls and pleats, dice ect.

[@timferriss905]

And how did I not mention piero and mad fabricators.

[@danielstoner2843]

We didn't interview anyone in the UK scene--this project was all about recording the origins of the custom car culture movement that spread around the world back in the late '80s/early '90s!

[@timferriss905]

Ok thanks for the reply kev lives in the states now.

[@CycolacFan]

Kev was also the last editor of Rod & Custom. He’d no doubt have mentioned the traditional hot rods being built in the UK in the late 1980s.

[@Anonymousdethroned]

Great series!!!

[@davidvonanderseck8649]

Wow Awsome video thanks

[@MsSeth24]

enjoying these episodes on the shifters, is there any more to come

[@danielstoner2843]

Yep--more episodes coming, so like, subscribe and keep watching!

[@jackperry9369]

Nice still hot rodding myself

[@lukasgarage956]

Legend has it Frank is working at SEARS.

[@danielstoner2843]

That WOULD explain his DieHard shoes...which are now collectibles, I would think

[@noverguy]

One of the cool threads here that we can see is that we are influenced by media. Any of us drawn to old media will be influenced by things that have become out of date. They mention in Part 1 that the second Stray Cats LP cover made them see something "new" that they had never thought of before and right away they identified with it as cool. They were drawn in by the LP cover with the A bone and its primitive features. This happens to many of us who are bored with anything we consider current. Music, cars and all types of art are completely subjective. We like what we like and no one can change it unless we say its okay do do so. For me it was the car magazines available in the late seventies. Got me started in ideas for cars. Then I got a bit older and attended my first Nor Cal car swap meet. What did I find? I found car magazines from the fifties and sixties. I bought all I could grab for a fifty cents each or sometimes a buck for a whole cardboard box full. I looked at every page. By 1985 I had Remington wide whites on my 55 Chevy and have never looked back. You guys are the best. Love these presentations. Love the conversations, stories and overall explanations of why things happen the way they do. As I heard in the recent presentation "Three Mile" the guy says "you can teach a lot of things, but you can't teach cool". Cool is in your blood or its not. Keep up the GREAT WORK! USA-1

[@shawnnorton2674]

Great series and seeing Ben Kahan’s name in the credits made my day, can’t recommend his KZbin channel enough.

[@danielstoner2843]

Ben's great--he's got the kind of focus it takes to do this stuff well!

[@adrianhskates]

Prounounced "Paso ROE-BLESS"

[@allantaylor3288]

I’ve really enjoyed these two episodes, is there an episode 3 coming up???

[@danielstoner2843]

Yep--more episodes coming, so like, subscribe and keep watching!

[@black88coupe]

Very cool

[@garycamara9955]

I have always liked hot rods, my first car was a 56 Chevy, I almost bought a Model A cabriolet, but a 56 Chevy from the neighborhood came up, factory black and white, black tuck n roll, Hurst, chrome wheels, 3/4race cam. I should have never sold it.

[@hemmingsmotornews]

Do you know where it went?

[@AmusedDaffodils-mz5rw]

The purple people eater I love that car

[@Loosensloppy82]

I went poopy on myself watching this waiting on the outhouse or the half pot beside of it. It stank so damn bad but it gave me an idea of a hobby so i bought 13 bowling ideas.

[@jacobzachary3101]

Need a episode about Rod Powell from salinas,ca

[@davidmatousek4483]

I remember as a kid in middle school lookin at the ugly heartbeat paint rods n the prices,n thought fuck,ill never havea hot rod,well,im 49 now and a see threw rusted 30 coupe is still more then i can afford,lol cheers!

[@20alphabet]

Thumbnail... Why is that guy urinating on the cool hotrod?

[@kooilari]

I wish they get Frank back!

[@danielstoner2843]

That WOULD be awesome, Ilari! Hmmm....we may have to start looking for Frank...

[@brucehensler9824]

I've got old eyes. What does the t shirt with Milner on it say?

[@danielstoner2843]

Milner Racing Team--that was the tee he was wearing in "American Graffiti 2"

[@kurtpoblenz2741]

I got really tired of the street rod scene in the 90s. No originality., just a sea of fiberglass 32 fords with a 350/turbo 400/ford 9 inch. I love my 33 dodge 392 hemi/727/8/34 , spray bomb paint job 👍🏻🤘🏻

[@danielstoner2843]

These are the cars everyone will trip over to get to "our" stuff, Kurt...

[@836dmar]

It’s funny how Foose thinks the only reason(said it about three times) we don’t have SRs is because we can’t afford them. Sorry, do your thing but I have never wanted that stuff!

[@jonhayden6235]

Excellent documentary, engaging and easy to watch a second time. Really pleased that @6:40 you included mention of a Texas band who spread the Shifters spirit and influence to those of us not on the West Coast: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5abY2yje6Z6fac

[@Cudaman1157]

I hate the term "rat rod". It gives this scene a bad look and not in a good way. These cars are awesome looking as is. Doing what you can, with what you got.

[@danielstoner2843]

It really turned into a four-letter word, didn't it? I don't think anyone hated it till the skull-shaped breathers and booger-welded rebar spider web grilles started showing up...

[@docsmallblock6584]

Talking about the 90's like that was vintage, WOW! Sorry shifters, decades ahead of you on the hotrod deal. I can't believe how they're talking about the 90's, that wasn't that long ago guy's. Now the 70's were cool with the car's, the 440 six packs 4sp car's! The 396 and 427 Camaros, Chevelles and Nova's (vettes too) but they were never really in that scene. They were too good for us(so they thought). I guess it's guys digging cars regardless of year's, too bad were talking about California though, geeze that state is just trashed now! Small town USA is where it was at, back when that one guy had the "fastest car in town"!! Good times, then later in the 80's I learned the pleasure of nitrous oxide, knocked the rods out of a lot of 350 Chevy's! But they were cheap! $75-$100 bucks, we'd just throw heads, cam, intake and a bunch of nitrous at them, beat all kinds of cars we had no business even racing, took a while before people caught on! Long live the American V-8!!!

[@creepyrat1]

I'll NEVER ACCEPT THE RAT ROD TERM. Hot rod always and will be.

[@JohnnyAFG81]

The true meaning of built and not bought. I never liked the term rat rod.

[@danielstoner2843]

It's definitely a "four-letter word" for most of us, but "hot rod revolution" can be a mouthful sometimes!

[@4bangerdean]

I don’t like the term applied to Hot Rods and I’m not typically interested in Rat Rods. Unfortunately people think everything is a Rat Rod

[@JohnnyAFG81]

@@4bangerdean I thought they were cool in the beginning to be honest. Then people started over doing them to point of literally risking there lives to be cool.

[@danielstoner2843]

@@4bangerdean If it's in bare metal, people are automatically calling it a rat rod--I've seen $250M bare metal cars being called that...

[@4bangerdean]

@@danielstoner2843 Exactly what I’m saying. If it’s 250k it’s not a rat rod

[@garycamara9955]

I have always liked hot rods, just not muscle cars. Although I had a 56 Chevy (didn't everyone) I dont like cars newer than the mid 30s

[@nic_danger]

Motors are electric, kid....

[@danielstoner2843]

You're too young to start yelling at the sky, Nic!

[@Mystic-l3r]

Primer has never been cool.

[@danielstoner2843]

Primer is always cool when it's done with the right intention!

[@psycleen]

all cars end up rat rodded

[@scottdickie908]

I hate the term " rat rod " call my truck a beater , or piece of shite.

[@danielstoner2843]

It's such a love/hate thing. I totally understand what you're saying--even my own '27 T gets the "Oh bitchin--a rat rod!" and I cringe a little...

[@shovelover]

ruined our freeking country

[@Mr19thcenturyman]

Have been searching "Gow Jobs". Helps a lot in recreating that pre war ratty look.

[@danielstoner2843]

Now you're talking that TROG-ish life!