Okay, so Friday night wandering around the parking lots I noticed a LOT of kustoms and cruisers all over the place, many with out-of-state license plates. But when I got to the drags Saturday afternoon MOST of them were not there. Where did you go? Stay in Joplin? Was there a side trip to the Starbird museum I didn't know about?
Drove mine down the track.... did ok the first pass but I think it pulled a bunch of trash into the carb, it acted like it ran out of gas the next two runs. Then had to pull the top off and clean it on the way back to Joplin.
I am assuming they had to park where Mike and Billy had to park. They didn't stay at any of the hotels, Bill lives in the area and Mike drove down early Saturday. Bill drove High School Drop out and Mike drove the 66. Mike said once they got to the strip around noon (a very long line getting in) they had to park in the field and walk in because neither of them were racing, it's my bet that is where a lot of the customs went, because they weren't letting them park around the Pit area, (as in years past) there were just way to many cars racing to make room for the non racers. Carrie
Hey Dave, I thinks that I saw ya once but I didn't see the Chevy.....Very few kustoms this year ....but the ones that were there were kool. Flat Top Bob's Merc was way kool. Its a mild kustom just enought to improve the Merc lines..... Ryno had a killer Pontiac that I didn't take a picture of. Gold flake with dark green scallops, hopefully he will post a couple of pics. Also a kool work in progress Merc from Indiana. I have some pictures of that I'll post tomorrow. I saw a black Merc that I hadn't seen before......Itcruized in and I never saw it again. Happy Trails, Mick
Hey, Mick, I didn't see you! Were you at the hotel Friday nigth? There were at least a dozen really sweet kustoms I'd never seen before, plus dozens more I had seen before. Some really nice rides.
Merc and I were hangin out at the host hotel, I parked on the southwest corner. We got into town about 7:00 on Friday spent the night at the Days Inn. I was thinking the same thing. Lot of kool kustoms hangin around the host hotel. I had as much fun Friday night as I did Saturday.... I was talking to someone and I saw ya go buy and was going to catch up with ya and time got away from me. Anyway sorry that I missed ya. Happy Trails, Mick
dude rynothat looks awesome i just want to know if anyone got video of roothawgs car i want to see that wheel stand in motion
Hey Ryno, Thank you for openning up your shop for we could eat a donut with ya. Very kool idea!! Concerning the art work that ended up missing from your man cave I didn't take it. ha,ha, ha... The Catalina is one of my favorite customs this year. Happy Trails, Mick
Hey Ryno!!! Thanks for the Pics of the Cat. Mike was lookin at one someone else sent in last night. Butch Harness was telling Mike about this car at work yesterday, when he got home yesterday afternoon he asked me if I had seen any pics of it, so we jumped on HAMB and there it was!!!! These pictures are great, I can't wait for Mike to take a look!!! We both love what you have done here!!!!
Ryno is a ruler, and that's not just the donuts talking, or in my case eclair. I can't wait unitl next year.
Flat Top Bob Owens kool Merc. First time that I'd seen it in person. It turned out just like I thought that he would, a mild highly detailed kustom. Who says Merc have to be chopped to be kool...... Lot of guys are getting tired of the patina thing. I'm not. I don't know if I would do anything more to this Merc from Indiana. Sad thing I didn't get the chance to talk to him Very kool ride. another one of my favorites is this shoebox Ford Love this El Camino Jerry Derringer's (new HAMBer Wild eye) new project love the grill treatment. All I can say is pictures don't do this justice. The chop top is way too kool and it is Hemi powered with a five speed........ I bet this Sled will haul!! I was honored to have flat top Bob park beside me. The two Mercs parked together was kool to compare different kustom styles. Mild to wild... They're were more kustoms I wished that I would have taking pictures I got too buzy talkin Happy Trails, Mick
Thanks for the compliments . This car ('55 Desoto) has been a project of mine for the past 6 years since I was 15 years old. I still need to do some gear swapping with the 9 inch to accomodate the five speed, I still have not used 5th gear yet . But with the 2:42 gear and 5 speed, it does scoot down the interstate pretty well. There were some beautiful customs at the race and the hotel. I know my dad and I were helping out Tom Culbertson in his gold flathead powered rail all day saturday, so i just parked behind his pit
I love your Desoto. You ran beside me in Joplin Saturday night. Seeing it in motion is a sight to behold.
The Desoto was one of the highlights of the trip. It reminds me like the one that David Guymon built years ago. It is always kool to see tasteful chops on such a big car. Thanks for driving it up... Happy Trails, Mick
This Merc belongs to Gary and Brian, they're father and son that went in on halfs on this car. They live on the other side of Indy from me. Other than the chop, the way you see it is how it has been since the late fifties. It is a really neat car and they do drive it everywhere as well. The Black chopped Merc was one of the most georgess things I seen over the weekend, along with the tail light treatment on the black shoebox. Thank you guys for the more compliments on the 'ol Desoto. It was an automatic car and since I put the T-5 in it, I can't seem to stop driving it everyday, it has for sure improved the fun meter of the car. I was going to run it down the track, but then changed my mind. I rememeber running it back in May up in Muncie IN, it was hell getting it out of the hole with the highway gear... in result, I ended up breaking the left side exhaust dump tube from it banging against the bottom of the frame . I'd really like to put a Paxton supercharger on it maybe for next year's race. I don't know yet, we'll see.
Wow: Thanks for the compliment Stray, and to Vondust for the accurate depiction of our '51 Merc. I believe it's safe to say that this is the most fun Dad and I have ever had with a car. I'm a perfectionist, and he, well, isn't. This vehicle, as mentioned above, is the way we found it sans chop. The entire driveline is new (understandable given the length of time it sat), so it's a dream on the road. On the way back from the drags, we averaged 'well over' 70mph ( ) for the entire trip (including stops), and got between 17-19 mpg to boot. Not too bad! -KatsAss
You guys make a good team because the chop top is purrfect. She looks fast standing still. This was by far the most Mercs that I've ever seen at the HAMB Drags. Thanks guys for all of the back ground info, one of these days hopefully get he chance to talk. It is kool to see new kustom projects being built. good luck with the build. Happy Trails, Mick
im a hot rod freak, but that desoto got my attention for sure, while taking pics i noticed the three pedals and it hit me, now i know why i am drawn to it, sweet car. one day when i decide to slow down and build a merc, its gettin three pedals, makes everything so much funnert
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