How old's the oldest H.A.M.B. member?60+?Tell us a cool story

Im 70. I got a 48 Merc with a 331 Caddy engine when I was 16. The car needed a left tail light lense so dad told me where to get one. I went into Vivian Grahams parts for a new lense., told him what I needed. He looked me over then said you are Henrys kid". I replied "Yep". He looked out in the street at my car and said "thats Smittys coupe". I said "Yep" , just traded for it. He got the lense and said "Take care of that car, it has history". Never knew what he meant, and always wondered what he meant.

 

I am 71. Back in the 60's I was pretty good at speedshifting a four speed. I lived in a military town in NC. It was pretty easy to sucker a GI into a drag race. We would sneak out after midnight to the local dragstrip which was owned by a retired moonshiner and get off three or four races before the sheriff deputys would show up. My buddys would ask me to do the driving. These were the days of 348s, 409s, 406s, 396s, 427s, 413s, 426s, 389s, and 421s. One of the guys bought a brand new 63 Dodge with a 383 and a fourspeed. He had never owned a standard shift car so he asked me one day while hanging out at a local gas station to teach him how to speedshift. The car was equipped from the factory with a Hurst shifter. After explaining how to do it as we were sitting still, I fired it up and pulled out onto one of the main thoroughfares in town. I floored it and started swapping gears and peeling rubber. I went a mile or so and turned around headed back - again still peeling rubber and swapping gears. When we got out of the car he said it was fun and thanked me and commented how lucky we were that we didn't get stopped. I asked him why. He said "Because I have three cases of moonshine in the trunk." I said "You dirty son-of-a- bitch!.

 

Great stories guys! I'm 41 and haven't really done much other than fill the bed of my buddy's F150 up with water to make a mobile swimming pool. Water is heavy, and keeps moving when you stop. I did have a '73 Cadillac ambulance that I got airborne once racing it down my friends street. Other than that, not much to tell. Keep the great stories coming fellas.


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In 61 went looking for another flathead engine for my buddies 51 Ford Victoria so we could drive to T J Mexico from Sunnyvale for a Tuck and Roll job on the Ford. Found a motor on its side in a guys driveway and paid him Fifteen dollars for the engine. Four of us got the engine home and spent the following Saturday installing the new engine. Put in fresh oil and it fired up and ran great with zero smoke out the duals. On the next Monday the four of us headed for Mexico with 163.00 in our pockets and hopes of a new interior to follow. We had not one problem with the engine and didn't add a quart of oil the whole trip. That flat motor ran perfect for five years and never missed a beat. Now that I am 70 I am about to install another flat motor in a set of Model A rails and hope for the same results. Nothing like a smooth running flattie with dual Strombergs sitting in a Model A
Olie Olssen

 

I'll be 72 in July, 2014

4TTRUK

 

Old ? 41 is Old ? I graduated High School in "67 !!!!
Most days I don't feel to bad and I still work 60 hour weeks !!!
I can remeber cruising Candys Drive In with friends looking for somebody
to race ( street race ) on a stretch of undeveloped State Route O
outside of town . Now it is all subdivisions and houses !!!!!
I live out that road now , and think often of how stupid we were !!!
But it sure was fun at the time and we lived through it !!!

 

I'd rather read their posts than yours.

 

I turned 77 in March 2013. I have an almost stock '48 Cad tudor and a '35 Dodge pu thats channelled and runs a warmed over 225 slant 6.

 

pants on fire

 

bet you never thought you'd see a "3" in front of that .47

-what happened???

 

I'm 63, I remember in the late 60's early 70's when the Hot Rods & classics section in the Sunday paper want ads was 4 to 5 pages long!

 

lol!

One of my biggest kicks when I was a kid was sitting around listening to old timers tell stories,thats why I enjoy this thread so much

 

I'm so old I remember when suicide doors were just a little depressed.

 

soon to be father in law just turned 60. He tells me stories all the time, but the most memorable is of him and his father that owned a salvage yard. He reminisces about the cars buried out in the fields behind his house and all the cars he could beat on growing up due to an infinite number of replacement parts, cheap availability of gas, and laid back law enforcement

 

Okay, in 1931 my Mom had a '29 Model A roadster that Pete Dias (around the corner, in Santa Clara, CA; Indy mechanic for a flock of teams 20+ years) Pete installed a Winfield head, cam, and downdraft carb; Dual exhaust, car was a house afire!

She met my Dad in '37, in '38 they eloped to Reno, traded her roadster in on a year-old '37 Ford flatback tudor, the Ford Dealer's wife's 'demo'.
The '37 was 85 H.P., 21 stud V8, with a Columbia axle. My Dad told everyone it would do 85 in second...won lots of money, nobody knew what overdrive was! I was born in '42, Dad had joined the Navy after Pearl Harbor. He came home in '45, with a broken leg from a parachute jump.

I was 9 in '51, the year Al Marceline bought the '32 Highboy roadster from Sid Owen.
We lived in my Grandma's house on Lincoln St., Santa Clara; right across from the Carmelite Monestary.
A roar...then coming down the cement street, tires bumping over the tar lines between the 15 foot concrete seams...a black hot rod, high in back, low in front, no fenders, top "chopped" low, white canvas...Red flames were painted on the grille and hood, it was the neatest thing I ever saw! The driver waved at me when he went by...I was standing on the curb. I waved back...

A few days later, I was working on my bike on the front porch...the hot rod went by again, this time headed south. We waved again, and he pulled over and turned around, stopping in front of the house.
It was Al Marceline, he was in his 20s, I was his paperboy. "Hey, Mikey, how do you like my Iron?" I was overwhelmed...
"Hop in, I'll take ya for a spin..." He opened the door, I got in...Oxblood rolls and pleats, 3" wide...chrome floor shift, V8 knob like Dad's '37.
I remember him slamming the door, "It comes open..."
We took off, I could hear the tires spin a little, I thought he slammed on the brakes. I was 9.
What a Fastie! Wind up in low, fast shift to second..."Listen to the pipes, I'll back 'er off..." Big racket, the back rap...I laughed, thrilled to be there!
When we pulled up at Grandma's, he said "Maybe I'll take you over to Mab's Friday night...can you go?" I could, even if I had to leave home.
'Mabs' was Mabs drive in, a circular coffee shop with car service...Second one, the 5-spot in San Jose was the first.
I couldn't wait, all the hot rods (older guys, 20-30) that hung out at Johnny Freitas's Standard station would be there.
Mom had driven past Mabs on a weekend, saw the hot rods in there and kept goin'. We pulled into Johnny's station one night and some rods were there, she pulled out, thought they looked like 'trouble'. LOL Guess they did!

My big night came, Al (his nickname was "Boof") came up and I was waiting...jumped in and we were off.
Cruised into Mabs, there was a '31 full fendered roadster that I thought was just an old Model A...Boof clued me in to its 16" Kelseys, and other subtle stuff.
I was fortunate to have collected a whole 3 years of Hot Rod Magazine from a neighbor when I was on a Paper Drive for school. I read them cover to cover, but still had a lot to learn.
Boof introduced me to all the guys, (maybe 8 to 10, I remembered all their names)
When he took me home, I was elated to the top. I was IN!
Over the summer, I met the Soto brothers, Al and Louie. They campaigned an Austin Bantom, competition coupe, 304 inch flathead, ran at San Jose Drag strip ("Little Bonneville") I went with them, Donny Tebash or Boof would pick me up early Sunday mornings. (I was always waiting at the curb!)
Donny Tebash and his brother Dave ran Donny's '32 5-window, stripped and painted Fiesta Orange. The headers were home made, with 4" collectors up to the doors. I was fascinated by the construction, especially the welds. (I had tried gas welding, my welds looked like gooseshit)
After hanging around for 3 years, I was finally 12...and my Dad was killed in a truck accident on the job. Edward Keeble Trucking sent lawyers over, to help my Mom...she was distressed and frantic...she thanked them for their help, and concern. "Just sign here..."
and she unknowingly released them of any and all liability.

I was hanging out with the guys pretty steady now, (some of them said "Mikey's Dad was killed, let's keep him outa trouble...")
Ritchie Mignano, the United Motors metal man, heard that I had bought a '36 Ford 3 window Coupe, for $15 from Billy Souza. He dropped by Grandma's, came back to the garage, and saw I had the top cut, removed, and set back down. (I was sectioning in where I spread it to reach the windshield A pillars)
I had a nice Victor torch, so Ritchie changed tips...he showed me the #0, and coached me in the art of No-Warpage.
Two weeks...every couple of days, he'd stop by, showing what to do next. I was blessed.
The top chop turned out, but I had gone too far...5-1/4" in front, and 6" in back.
My 'Custom' looked like the turret on a WWl tank!
My Mom said "It's 'all body'...why'd you cut it down so far?" "So everybody could tell it was chopped!"
The '36 gave way to a Model A roadster my bud Jim Rose found in a field. No frame or running gear, just the body. $3. Cash. I picked it up with the '36 rolling frame, Jim and Eddie Burkhouse helped push it home!
There's more, much more. Jungle Jim Lieberman, Dave Zeuschel, et al...some of the funny stories are next, starting with the $5 Deuce frame, the $40 complete Model A Coupe we hot rodded at school under the shop teacher's nose... I'll be back.

 

I'm over 70 and started building rods in the 50's and 60's.
I could tell you some terrific hot-rod stories except I have forgotten all of them. Anyway I have got another build on the way

 

Apparantly I am 61...and still playing with hotrods..
Below is a true story way back in the mid 70's..

This was in New Zealand heading to a Road Runners Rod Run circa Feb 1975
Myself and JC (Jody Cook) head off in the T tub..289/c4..
Wellington somewhere the run is to be held.
The idea just might have been thought up by Frank Boyd or ???
Anyways, we are off from Cambridge..get to the outskirts of Levin and the tub is a little squishy in the rear end dept...stop, have a look and the right side tyre has not a lot of air in the dang thing. Press on and stop in the Main Street of Levin..Tyre, now, kinda flat. Ask a drunk local person about the free air dept at a gas station. Nope, all shut. Now this is 2 o'clock in the morning. Then a Police car stops.
"You boys ok?"
"Rrrrrrr no, we have a flat but need only a tyre pump".
"Follow me to the cop shop, we got one".
"Kool".
So we follow the Police car to the Copper Shop and pump up the tyre whilst answering 40 questions about T buckets etc so then they said we better have a coffee as well...
"Hell yeh, we could do with one alright"
Next thing I offered or he asked if I could take him for a squirt down the road..
"Not a problem".
So the Copper and myself sedately drive down the street, hang a left then a right onto the Main Street. He then sorta asked.
"How fast does it go?".
Yup, fukkame, now that is a dumb question to ask me. I showed him..Full noise down the main street of Levin, open headers an all..Whata a fukn racket, noise bouncing off the buildings...shit it was good and we were crankin...Turn around and quietly drove back to the Cop shop..He very politely (read: sedately) shook (him still shakn) our hands and said have a safe and quiet trip....by hell it was funny....Anyways, made it to the run, won the Faulkner Trophy (the gymkhana) and then had to drive home with a knackered diff (spider gears), caused by some twat doing skids and loops in the Paekareki (spelln misteak??) Car Park....My thanks to Road Runners and others who made it a great weekend.

 

I didn't read every post but I believe we have a winner! 86

Go man go!

Thanks for posting.

 

Lol

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It has been almost 5 years since I posted on this thread, about to turn 74 now. Can't compare to some of the great stories told here. ,,,But my recent " new" car purchase was a '53 Desoto with a Hemi & Overdrive.

 

I'm 64 and still work full time (not retired). I'm having a blast cruisin' in my '55 Chevy 210. Average 6,000 to 8,000 miles a year. Had the '55 for 7 years now.

 

"There's more, much more. Jungle Jim Lieberman, Dave Zeuschel, et al...some of the funny stories are next, starting with the $5 Deuce frame, the $40 complete Model A Coupe we hot rodded at school under the shop teacher's nose... I'll be back. "

Looking forward to more of those great stories Atwater Mike...
and thanks to all the others who shared....Trader Jack, you still out there??

 

AS we always said @ Millers SOHIO in Hartford, Ohio "First liar ain't got a chance "B T W this wuz back in the real early 50s. I had a 50 chebby vert wif a hopped up 270 Jimmy out of the stock car in it.Had 3 on the tree, bored,twin 97s,Clark headers.Power glide rear gears,Goodyear double eagles all around & a continental kit hung over the rear bumper. Bare kit was 75# + the tire & wheel. Got some real good traction. Streetraced most every saturday nite out of the Hickory drive inn ,Pa.,were we would pickup a good race, & head for the swamp road down by Wheatland,Pa
Any way had a good race going one nite & we were neck & neck & neither one of us was gaining or giving an inch. Holly crap batman here in the other lane is a set of headlights coming our way. We both stayed in it & in our lanes. When those lights got really close I just closed my eyes & held on. I was in the right lane so the other guy was supposed to give but didn't. After we had passed the other car I open my eyes & looked over to the left & the other car was still there & beyond that was huge cloud of dust. The oncoming car had went into the ditch & back onto the road. Everyone made it some how & we didn't stick around to find out who the other oncoming car was. He had survived & that was good enough. I didn't go back to the drive inn for a couple of weeks. When I went into the service my brother pulled the engine & to this day I don't know where it ended up. I tore the rearend up in Washinton DC & traded the car in for Dodge 4door wayfair.
Pic is the verte, me(in the back &Bill Wygant,my racing buddy)& me in my stupid years,still wasting my funds & havin fun @ 80. More some day,maybe.
Burn Out Bob

 

About to turn 59 and I ain't telling any "old guy stories" to entertain some kid that thinks the oldest HAMB member is 60+.

Go play with your video games or something.

 

subscribed

 

Who knew? You country boys are crazy!

 

Here's a speeding story from my 87 year old dad . . .

In June 1951, he was in St. Pete for work. My mother went into labor in Miami with my sister.

My dad: " . . . and coming out of Sebring, I think it was, there's a stretch of . . . I think it's poured concrete road . . . " (actually he's thinking of a long, straight-as-an-arrow stretch of US 27 just south of Clewiston, FL)

. . . "I had an Oldsmobile 98, uh, 88 Rocket, and I had that sucker wide open, I was standing on, I was literally standing on the throttle. And here's this Florida highway patrolman up on the bluff, trying to catch the speeders, you know. And I looked at him, you know it's one of those things where . . . and he wasn't that close, but I mean he . . .I, I knew he was there and he knew that I knew he was there and he's . . . and I'm . . . and I said 'Well, you're gonna have to catch me and shoot me to stop me.'

He saw me coming and I'm, I'm . . . I didn't come off that throttle any. And he waved his cap. I never will forget that, he just waved his cap, he wasn't about to try to catch me. I was goin' home!

And I was doing somewhere around, uh, the speedometer said 115. And that's all I could get out of that sucker! He must have just said 'Man, that guy is heading South!' "

 

I am only 64. Back in the sixties a buddy had a 48 Austin 2-door that he rolled. He wasn't hurt at all, but the car was in a ball and totalled. Cop was doing the paperwork and asked him what the value of the car was before the accident. $5 was his reply, that is all I paid for it. Cop said that wasn't enuff so said lets put down $25. How times have changed. Same buddy came down the alley one day on his old Harley, downshifted and cracked the throttle to impress us. Throttle stuck and he drove through the side of his Dad's garage. You couldn't pay for entertainment like that. One more. I was probably 15 or so and a guy down the street had a motorcycle. He asked if I wanted to help him. Always wanting to learn, I said yes. He said, here hold this spark plug lead while I kick it over to check for spark. I learned all about electricity that day. LOL

 

I posted on this thread when I was much younger. Maybe earlier this year?
I don't have any stories to add because I led a clean cut boring very religeous life.
I just wanted to add that today is my wife's 56th wedding anniversary and I gotta take her out to eat or she might divorce me.
Does that make me old?

 

I don't know what it makes you. But I believe a congratulations is in order.
Congrats on 56 years!



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