Enough of the Half Finished Trucks!

After holding a subscription to Classic Truck for several years during the build process of my 1954 Chevy 5 window and getting good information on modifications and products applicable to my truck, I elected not to renew my subscription.  It was not because I was almost done with my project but rather I got tired of seeing the coverage of the “patina” trucks increasing month by month.  

In my opinion such trucks do have a place in the hobby but they are only half finished.  Hardly worth full spread coverage and it seemed to be one every month somewhere in your pages.

Having resurrected my truck from a pile of rust within the cramped confines of a two car garage while dodging the Homeowners Association Nazis, and writing checks only to cover the parts/paint/tools/supplies I needed, I am not impressed with rusty trucks with air rides and crate motors.  Did they not read your article on how you can use a roller to paint your truck?

So thinking your sister publication Custom Classic Trucks would be different, I subscribed for a year. However CCT was even less satisfying than CT and hardly worth mentioning further in this thread.

Then one day I came across an $8/year subscription offer and re-upped with CT since I was not risking a whole lot of cash.  I was hoping the rusty and dusty truck trend had crumbled to the ground but it appears that $8 would have been better spent on road tolls.

I came to this sad opinion after receiving my second issue which included the 2008 Lonestar Nats coverage.  This was the first event I had DRIVEN my new completed truck to and I had a blast.  Track cruise, swap meet, bands, friends, cool rides, etc.   Anyway when I read your article on the show I was disappointed.  Not only did you include more patina trucks, you covered ones you had previously included either in your 2007 Lonestar Nat event coverage or within a monthly feature.  Same old, same old.  Yawn!.  Maybe it wasn’t the same truck but it is hard to tell them apart as rust is rust.  It sure looked familiar. Maybe it was the hay bale in the bed.  Seen one you have seen them all.

You even gave coverage to the rent-a-ride stock cars where you could have included another nice ride or two.  Missed opportunity that is unless you got a free ride out of it.

Anyway I was there Sat and Sun enjoying the many rides but from the pics in the article it appears you were only there on Friday.  Maybe I am wrong in that regard but you sure missed alot of the trucks I saw.  Fortunately though you did include some I overlooked.  As for my truck, it was just another small block chevy five window truck with an unpainted hood (pending completion of mods), and it was a target rich environment so you are forgiven for missing it…this time.

I guess you do have to cover the two extremes (gold chainers to the high tech rats) but you seem to ignore the trucks in the middle.  I would suggest focusing more on that core group of truckers but go ahead and add a rusty POS or one of the “Here’s My Check” trucks from time to time.

Maybe I should have had a hay bale or an old gas can in the bed of the 54.  Look for it next year.  The hood should be done by then or it will have a Mexican blanket draped over it.  Y’all seem to like those too.  

I hear ya dude!, and couldn't agree more. I'm tired of seein' them too. What really irritates me is all those high dollar trucks, that spend time in  a half dozen shops for this and that, and the owner hasn't done any of the work themselves, short of shelling out the dough. Where's the pride in writing a check for everything?  A big salute to all the homebuilders that do it themselves, with a little help from a buddy here and there to help lift or align something. SAAAALUUUTE!  

I dropped my subscription about 10 years ago.  I got tired of seeing a 56(ish) F100 on the cover every month.  

That being said...I couldn't care less what you build, or how you do it.  Just get out there, meet people, and have fun.  

If you happen to be a Saturday-afternoon-car-show-trophy-whore, then don't expect to see me at you event.  I'm going to be where the beer is cold, and the people friendly.  Oh yes, and the trophys we cherish are the ones with good times and good stories attached, instead of gold plating, and bronze engraving.  
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1949 Chevy 1 1/2ton, home-built hydraulic wrecker.  Rustoleum industrial black, with flames.  Flamethrowers out 5" dual stacks.
1962 Chevy C-20, 402BB, 4-speed, 3.90 positrack. Hauls my camper.... among other things.
Kaiser M35A Deuce, 4x4 4 wheel steering *work in progress*

I'm not a beer drinker, but you nailed everything else to a T. Ain't nothing better than a good time with friends, and talkin cars and trucks with other folks who enjoy the hobby.  

I'm with you there guys. Definitely enjoy that interaction with the TRUE builders, no matter what stage the truck is at.  

I absolutely agree. The trucks I appreciate the most are the home built and often garage painted budget rides with some originality but also some degree of effort and craftmanship. Pulling a truck out of the pasture and bolting in anything that runs and slamming it on the ground does not take a lot of ability. I think it is a bit unfair to the people who put in those long weekends and usually years to "finish" their projects. I look at these trucks at car shows which often win awards and feel ripped off. BRING IT BACK WHEN IT'S DONE. I can't wait until this trend is over.
At the same time their is the other end of the spectrum which are those trailered trucks with owners built with cubic dollars some as much as 200K. I have yet to attend a show which separates home built from professional built, billet and plated everything.
Come on Classic Trucks and give more appreciation to high quality budget built trucks. There are plenty of them in your readers rides section which you occasionally hide one in the back of the magazine with low quality photos.  

Now you know how I feel, you spend so much time building everyone elses trucks that you can't get your own done. Now it's time for me.  

The same 'Fashion' is over here in the UK.  

the whole rat rod trend has moved into every corner of the hobby whether it's cars or trucks

i understand that in some point in every vehicles resurrection it looks like a rat rod but that should be a temporary phase of the buildup...at some point you should either finish it or sell it to someone who will

it's amazing how a few guys that are uninspired to finish their vehicles can cause a "me too" trend that permeates the entire hobby

i agree 100% with the opinions of the "checkbook" builds...it's great the a fellow has a career that can generate so much cash...he learned his profession, why can't he learn a few wrenching/welding/body work skills  

This same sentiment/argument is in all the on line blogs and will never be finished.  I personally don't care who is parked next to me at a show as long as they love the hobby.  At the same time I don't feel just because you can afford it you should get the same oowwww's and ahhhhh's as the guy (or gal) who put in the bolts themselves.

My rat rides are because I have other projects on the table at the present time.  when they are completed the rat rides will see paint too.  What I do know from shows is that some shows like original, some muscle, some rats, and some street rods.  The trick is to bring the right truck to the right show.

I love driving my 53 best because it is all original and I built her in my driveway myself from frame up and she's done.  
07 GMC crew diesel
53 3100 original
53 3100 rat
51 3100 streetrod
49 F1 panel

There is something about a pickup truck.It,s something I can not explain in words.
  I am going on 60 and I have always had a pickup . I learned how to drive in a '48 Studebaker. I had a '53 F-100 in High School . I go to the cruise-ins and the little & big shows . I have seen the trailer queens and the rats. If you are a real trucker you will always have a truck. Some one I met at a local show once said "Not having your truck to drive is like going outside without your pants". I am sad to read that someone is going not read a mag. because there is not the type of trucks in it they want to see. Years ago ,I used to cringe every time there was a Chevy in the mag. But I have grown out of that .. All trucks are welcome next to me at any show. We are the minority at every show. We have to stick together. Would like to see some pictures of that Tejas 54...!!!!!  

Your right on how words cant explain how it feels to drive a truck. I remember my first truck and compared to my dinky daily driver it doesn't match up of how great it feels to drive. Trucks in general seems to be shrinking with this rep of being less fuel efficient, but these people who say this one have never driven a truck and second have never had anything heavy to haul. I remember hauling 28" custom wheels and there is no way a 4 banger was going to do the job....  

I didn't know Honda had a Pickup, whoops thats right they produced that Ridgeline. Man they must have been smokin' dope.  Honda and truck do not work in the same sentence. I hope I am well down and buried before they try and call it a classic.   Just shoot me now................  

Some import companies just shouldn't do it. Honda is one of them and Mitsubishi is another, there raider was a clone of the Frontier and is looks horrible. My father-in-law has a 4-door Frontier and it has to be one of the most cramped trucks to be in. At least Toyota got smart and started made a truck that mimics the F-150 and Silverado.  

Spot on .... I cant agree more. I dont know what is worse the rust/rat trucks or trucks that never get driven and the pompus asses that own them and think they walk on water because they paid $80k+ for truck worth $35k.
There is one around here that was at a show last year and got caught in the rain before going back to the trailer in order to collect his trophy and he was almost in tears.  It is a nice truck and has been in a few magazines but it does not even have weather striping in it to keep air and water out if he had to drive it.