Neighborhood cars as childhood influence(55)

davidh73750 · Jan 24, 2011

I can remember seeing this 55 being done at oldsmobile/buick dealer car lot (rex kenslows of Ponca City)back around 1980-81. I would often ride my bike up there and look in the doors. Sometimes I would walk in too I was less than 10yrs old. I don't remember anyone yelling at me to get out but then again we did have a 78 olds we bought new there. Looking at the rear quarters the tops might be 55 front fenders? Has a fibergl*** tilt front end. It changed owners around 89 and he often let his son drive it to high-school. The current owner has had it since probably 02 and it always sat outside, elements are getting to it and now he's selling it. I imagine that is enamel centari paint. Its still sporting the Dayton Sport tires from the 80's. I dig how the bench seat is cut out for the shifter.

jaz · Jan 24, 2011

Way back in 77 a neighbour had a 59 Cadillac and 61 - I was ten so that got me hooked on cl***ic americans

I know there considered to be $hit now, but just up the road was a Mustang II - which I also loved as all three cars were totally different to any thing else on a UK housing estate!

Ruiner · Jan 24, 2011

$20,000?!? Hahaha...I grew up with a neighbor that had a '40 Ford coupe that he met his wife in back in high school...silver metallic, baby moon caps on chrome wheels, stock flatty until it gave up the ghost and he swapped a 327 sbc into it...sadly he ended up selling it a few years ago when he came down with cancer and not long after that he p***ed away...and a few blocks away there was a '68 Chevy C-10 pickup that was friends with the guy that owned the '40 coupe, so I saw that quite often as well...

Belchfire8 · Jan 24, 2011

There was some college aged kids renting the garage apartment at the other end of the block from my parents house when i was about 13. One of them had a late 30's Dodge or Chrysler with no front fenders on it and a wicked sounding SBC in it, probably a 327. Not being even close to to street legal they would drive it back and forth the length of the block, open headers and all. I remember the thing would pull the one front tire about six inches when they launched it, that was the coolest car I had ever seen. About the same time I used to see a drab green '32 Ford pickup, chopped and channeled with a big hemi hanging out the sides cruising around. I later found out it was driven by a paraplegic with hand controls. that truck really got me hooked, i got to know the owners sons quite well in later years and also the the paraplegic owner, he had had polio. His kids rebuilt the truck about ten years ago, but sadly Don, they trucks owner, p***ed away this last summer, You should have seen the cool cars in the funeral procession, his '32 leading the way!

MoparMan4GZUZ · Jan 24, 2011

as a kid, I grew up with the neighbor's son having a red 1949 Plymouth Suburban. For some reason, I just liked it and I guess it sealed my fate as a mopar person. I still want one of those someday.

davidh73750 · Jan 24, 2011

and of course seeing the movie American Graffiti with my baby sitter shortly before this green 55 before really stung me with the sinister black chevy

davidh73750 · Jan 24, 2011

and now I am probably doing it to my son. LOL however my dad was not into old cars so getting him to take me to see old stuff was not easy.

themoose · Jan 24, 2011

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; ch****t=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Do***ent"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDO***E%7E1%5CSANDRA%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDO***E%7E1%5CSANDRA%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDO***E%7E1%5CSANDRA%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style>  </style> When I was a freshman in high school one of my friends got to know an older guy from across town who had a bright red 40 Ford coupe with a small block Chevy and a 4 speed. One morning while I was waiting for the school bus they came rumbling up with the coupe and offered to give me a ride to school. Smiling from ear to ear I jumped in and was immediately mesmerized by the sound of the exhaust and the feeling of being pinned to the seat every time the coupe accelerated from a stop. When we got to school everyone was watching to see who was getting out of the car. I felt like I could walk on water. That’s when I was bitten by the bug and I have never recovered. The thought of that Ford still brings a smile to my face.

Mac_55 · Jan 24, 2011

when i was little there were not really any hotrods that were notable running around this small midwest town for me to take notice of . My dads daily driver was a black 58 Nomad and that was all the hotrod i had ever dreamed of ha ha ha . Most of my real hot rod p***ion came from American graffitti and hotrod magazines growing up.

On a side note .. $20k ?????? LOL that thing better have a L88 up front and one in the trunk.

encswsm · Jan 24, 2011

MoparMan4GZUZ said: ↑

as a kid, I grew up with the neighbor's son having a red 1949 Plymouth Suburban. For some reason, I just liked it and I guess it sealed my fate as a mopar person. I still want one of those someday.
Click to expand...

My dad had a 50 Plymouth Suburbon two door SW in the 60's.. I loved that old car. he would work on it every weekend. One year he went away for 2 weeks for Navy Reserve duty. While gone My mom and the lady next door painted hot pink and gold Polka Dots all over the old faded grey paint.. He loved it...

As for influential cars when I was a Kid. In about 1971 the guy down the street bought a 1969 Daytona Charger.. I can close my eyes and see it as if it were yesterday. It was Petty blue with the wing stripe painted Tor red and a white "Daytona" painted on the quarters.. That car was Bad-***ed awesome. My friends and I would sit and look at that car for hours. It looked as if it could fly to the moon... When the guy that owned it worked in it he would let us kids help out. ( he had the coolest garage with a bathroom in his back it even had a urinal... Strange things you recall when you think back for memories). He had to leave that car parked on the street. Broke our hearts when it got sideswiped and totaled..

LOWDOWN2 · Jan 24, 2011

Summer of '57, my mother's uncle and his friend drove from Saskatchewan to visit us in Ontario (a very long drive before 4-lanes...). Driving a '56 Canadian Pontiac Safari. "That is one cool car!" thought I. I was FIVE years old...

I sure would like to know where that car is...

My father's kid brother, at age 20, bought a brand new Fairlane 500 Convertible, that same year. Paid CASH, after sellin' some cattle. "T-Bird 312", Smittys, Red/Red/Black...fast!...kool with a capital K!

I don't need to wonder what happened to it... Lost it in a poker game, '59...

So, from 5-on, cars were "the thing"...and still are... "Stuck in the (mid-) '50s..."

BeatnikPirate · Jan 24, 2011

In 8th grade, my Dentist gave me a spirited ride home in his Judson-supercharged MG TD, rounding corners on two wheels.

I saw my first Jaguar XK120. Bright red. It stopped me in my tracks!

In highschool, an older kid gave me a ride in his 48-Merc-powered 40 Ford coupe. The sound of that flathead with Smithy mufflers made a lasting impression.

As a teenager, I helped some guys in my neighborhood push start their blown Olds-powered Devon drag car for the first time. Holy ****!

A guy in my 'hood opened the hood on his 57 Ford post sedan to reveal a Lincoln (460?) engine with a wild cam and 6 two's!

1971BB427 · Jan 24, 2011

Better be two '55 Chevys like that for $20k or it'll be for sale a long time!

40Standard · Jan 24, 2011

in 1963, I was 13 and a neighbor down the street bought a white 40 coupe, I washed that car, rode in it, loved that car, months later he wrecked it but my love for 40 Fords still lives on

davidh73750 · Jan 24, 2011

1971BB427 said: ↑

Better be two '55 Chevys like that for $20k or it'll be for sale a long time!
Click to expand...

yeah I dont know where he got his pricing and it says "firm". Its been for sale for months. Last I knew it was still for sale but not parked out front anymore.

Gotgas · Jan 24, 2011

When I was 14, a neighbor of mine had a '70 split bumper Z28 with a 600hp 468, Dominator carb, PG, and 4.56s gears. It was his only car and he drove it everywhere. If he was around, he'd pick me up from school in it. I thought I was pretty bad***, crawling over a cage and putting on a 5-point harness in front of my friends. I know they're not Hamb-friendly but I still have a soft spot for those cars because of that old Z.

jim powers · Jan 24, 2011

when i was growing up in my neighborhood we had a 65 belvidere with a big block owned by a cop in town, i also helped the guy down the street put a 401 buick into a 53 ford customline, up on the other side of the neighborhood was a 61 chevy ragtop 348 with 3 dueces, not to be outdone by a 58 chevy with a potent small block and maybe the killer of all was a green 59 vette with a ibeam and a wicked 331 with a tunnel ram

truckncoupe · Jan 24, 2011

When I was in junior high school I went by a 34 Ford 5 window every morning ....still want one soooooo bad!

Squablow · Jan 24, 2011

My neighbor growing up had a '40 and '56 Hudson, a '60 Electra and a '58 Impala with a 348. This was in the late 80's/90's. He's still got the Impala, all restored using the boxes of NOS parts he bought in the late 70's and 80's. I think he's got the Electra yet too, I rode in it when I was a kid and I wouldn't mind having it but he wants a little too much for it IMO, if it comes up cheap maybe I'll buy it.

As for the '55 in question, it's neat, but I wouldn't say he's "selling it".

Sheep Dip · Jan 24, 2011

Our neighbor down the road who had a plumbing shop had a 48 ford P/U with a caddy engine, chrome reverse wheels and a bright orange paint job. He could fry the tires for a country block and I thought that was the baddest *** truck ever at about 13 or 14 years old. I was building my own truck at 15, must have been where it started

gotta56forme · Jan 24, 2011

In the early 70's, my family lived in San Mateo, CA when I was 8-10 years old. Across the street was the girl my age who taught me how to play pool on their family's pool table. Her dad had a root beer brown '64(?) Satellite that he drag raced. My memory is I sat in it from time to time and it had a push ****on transmission, although I think it was then a stick car.

Another guy down the street had one of the early Barracuda's that was turquois and hopped up riding high on Cragars. He barrell rolled it into the neighbors yard coming home drunk one night - totalled.

Guy at the near end of the block and around the corner was campaigning a quad headlight C1 'vette at the dragstrip. He used to see me sitting on my bike at the end of his driveway just watching him wrench on it in his garage - never would invite me to come any closer, or even speak to me.

Kid around the block had a Sierra gold '57 2dr post on grey five spokes. Great looking car. An all sierra gold '57 take me right back to the neighborhood.

Guy at the other end of the block had an open wheel hot rod, probably about a '27 T.

Next door neighbor had a new silver w/ black vinyl top '70 Monte Carlo SS with Chevelle SS stripes on it and Magnum 500's. I remember it well because I once let a tennis ball get too close to it.

The kid on my block I hung out with, his older brother had a real WWII jeep that he got off some retired colonel, admiral, etc. At least that's my memory of it. I can still picture the hood where you could see someone had painted out the single star on it. Remember joy riding around in that after he got it running.

A guy a few streets away had metallic lime green '59 El Camino on chrome reverse rims that I was nuts about.

I could probably remember more if I really thought about it.

I know it would be an exageration, but it seemed at the time every other house had a hot rodder or drag racer.

partsdawg · Jan 24, 2011

1968 I was 9 and growing up in Lexington MN. Back then it was still mostly farm fields and I could hear the rumble and see the glint of chrome from NorthStarr racetrack.My Dad took me to quite a few stock car races there.Neighbor kid with the last name of Thoney had a straight axle,slip front end,big block powered '55 Chevy painted purple.
42 years later I can recall those details and can picture where it sat in the yard.

brad chevy · Jan 24, 2011

On the back windshield it looks like it started at $10,000 and then he watched the tv auction and the price doubled.Born in 51 so growing up didn"t have to dream about hotrods,they were everywhere just like the front-wheel drive junk is today.

Surfrider · Jan 24, 2011

I grew up outside Washington DC and I can still see (in my dreams)the brand new 1959 Chevy El Camino...red with a white interior...the next year I saw a red 53 Studebaker Bonneville car in Hot Rod magazine...I was hooked on cool cars since then.

Got the Stude, just sold it. Stll want the El Camino!

www.highspeedmotorsports.com

oldskool. · Jan 24, 2011

Hey Guys, Being from Detroit growing up in the sixtys there were cars everywhere in my neighborhood. On one side of us was a 57 Chevy hardtop on the other side was a 55 Chevy hardtop 4 houses down my freinds dad had 2 53 Studebaker customs, next to him was a family of Ford guys with gl***top Vickis. The g***er thing was big and these guys had a 56 Ford g***er and a 63 T bird g***er. The oldest brother had a 57 vette. Down the street a girl had a 57 Chevy convertable that she sold and the next week it was a g***er.One of my teahers in elementary school had a new 63 vette. The gas station behind me had a early 60s rambler g***er. There were shoe boxs and 49 mercs everywhere. Then in junior high we had 3 teachers with new 68 vettes. It was funny they ranged from bare to wild and each car matched the teachers personality.I didnt realize how good those days were. I thought it was just normal to have such cars one right after another day after day. Ah the good old days!!!!!!!

oldskool. · Jan 24, 2011

I just remebered the 63 Imperial conv across the steet, 34 Plymouth coupe a few streets away and a 59 el camino around the corner and the junkyard at the end of the block with all kinds of 40s cars in it.I was too young and they wouldnt let me in. I guess it all started when my dad got a trunk lid from that junkyard for our 53 Ford.

mitch 36 · Jan 25, 2011

This is the ONE car that will always stick in my tiny mind. It was my neighbors GTO that he owned when I was in gramar school in the early 70's. I know its OT and more of a street freak and less of a g***er but I loved it. My old man would get so pissed off when the guy started it up cause the 400 in it was fairly radical and the windows in our houise would shake. It had an f-100 axle under the front and the rear axle was set up under leaf springs instead of the stock coils. Say what you will, I still wish I owned it now. Sorry for the small picture, I couldnt figure how to make it larger.Mitch.

mitch 36 · Jan 25, 2011

This picture should be better if anyone is interested !

davidh73750 · Jan 25, 2011

mitch 36 said: ↑

This picture should be better if anyone is interested !
Click to expand...

thats very cool you have a pic of it!!

RoadFarmer · Jan 25, 2011

He's dreamin' at $20,000!!!! You could buy Falfa's for $28,000 and its already done!

Neighborhood cars as childhood influence(55)

davidh73750 Member from kingfisher, OK

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jaz Member from London, UK

Ruiner Member from *G.F.Y* -Minnesota-

Belchfire8 Member from Port Huron, Mi.

MoparMan4GZUZ Member from OTHELLO, WASHINGTON

davidh73750 Member from kingfisher, OK

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themoose Member from Connecticut

Mac_55 Member from Shelbyville IL

encswsm Member from Covington,La,USA

LOWDOWN2 Member from Ontario

BeatnikPirate Member from Media, Pa.

1971BB427 Member from Oregon

40Standard Member from Indy

davidh73750 Member from kingfisher, OK

Gotgas Member from DFW USA

jim powers Member from new jersey

truckncoupe Member from owasso oklahoma

Squablow Member from Potter, Wis

Sheep Dip Member from Central Ca

gotta56forme Member from Seattle

partsdawg ALLIANCE MEMBER from Minnesota

brad chevy Member from webster,florida

Surfrider Member from At the Beach in Maryland

oldskool. Member from florida

oldskool. Member from florida

mitch 36 Member from Evergreen Co

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mitch 36 Member from Evergreen Co

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davidh73750 Member from kingfisher, OK

RoadFarmer Member from Shallowater, Texas ( Lubbock )

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