In the past, a hooptie was an old
car, really raggedy or just worn, that had seen better days. A hooptie could be a
car that had been in a fender bender and the owner opted to fix the damaged body panels with mis-matched colored parts from a similar
car from the junk yard. In high
school, if your
car (no matter what it was) had four different make tires on its four corners, it was an automatic hooptie! If it had one different make tire amongst 3 of the same brand, you might still be driving a hooptie! At some point, "hooptie" began to get reserved for big ass American cars from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Lately, those few left over big cars from the 90s and 00s can qualify, but it must be
American. If it was a raggedy little
car or a foreign
car, it was a "beater" or a "bucket." A true hooptie must be
American!! There is a new additive to the term which is "Love." These days, most of us have a special affinity for big old Detroit-built land yachts, whatever the condition, that mom,
dad, grandma or grandpa drove. In fact, where would the "Low-Rider" be without a cheap or abandoned hooptie like a 60s Chevy Impala or Mercury Marquis? In the future, "hooptie" will mean a well-loved vehicle. It's a car that elicits looks and conversations. How cool is that? Hooptie: not an insult at all!!
I'm rollin' in my '64!! Well, right now, it's just a hooptie, but wait 'til I
trick it out!!
I just scored a bomb-ass hooptie for less than $1500!!
I'm feeling your hooptie, bro!!
Me: "That's a cool old
Cadillac, young lady!!"
Elderly original owner of
said Cadillac: "It's my hooptie!!"
(The preceding were real comments heard on the street!!)