Event Coverage The Rockabilly Rumble East Hartford Conn...15 YEARS AGO, how can that be!?

It official 15 years ago today and tomorrow!!

 

It's hard to believe that time has flown by so fast! Thank you Robert for the trip down memory lane.... you may not realize it... but it was the July 2001 show that I first met Tom and the Road Rockets. The show has a very special place in our story... without that show there just may have NOT BEEN a "Tom and Naomi"!! Now the 2007 was where we debuted my 1957 Plymouth after her restoration and customization. Again, thank you for the trip down memory lane... it was a welcome read after a long hot day in the shop!

 

Robert, thanks for the memories. I was happy to see so many acquaintances and my sons Mike and Joe in Arnie Shuman's video. I was at every Road Agents event, and I wish that there were more. I intend to come up to Connecticut for the Fall Out, weather permitting. nick.

 

Thanks for the memories! A funny note. The old UFO was turned away at a few shows like AACA because it was considered too rough. This was long before the r.r. craze started. It was just a low dollar Hot Rod. At the road agents show, I was almost turned away too because of the wide 16'' dirt trackers on E.T. 3's. I said that I ran pie crust slicks back in Va. So he gave me a p***. lol My old coupe had so many different looks over the 40 plus years. I didn't take a photo of it at that show. But this is what it probably looked like at the time Robert. Had Sooo much fun. Great bunch of guys.

 

What great shows those were.

 

This show still sets the benchmark for all shows that have followed, and still has yet to be surp***ed. I agree with @Robert J. Palmer , the days of these kinds of shows are over. These shows here just happened to hit at the right time, starting before the RR thing caught on and before any of this was trendy and before the OG traditional rodders got too old. It was FUN. As awesome as the show itself was, the hotel parking lot was where it really went down. Utter mayhem that could not be replicated today because the police would definitely arrest everyone involved.

I'll have to dig up some of my pictures from home, which were taken on disposable cameras and developed as per the era before smart phones and inexpensive digital cameras.

Here was a picture of my 57 Ford and Jim Rawa's '59 Plymouth. Pictured is Nate Chin (who had a wild 58 Ford), Jim Rawa (center) and Chris Hali. This was at the Holiday in, basically behind the burnout box haha

Anthony White was kind enough to send me this picture as well of my '56 Olds, here pictured with blackwalls when Manny Bastio still owned it.

 

I think you and I met at the 02 or 03 Rumble, of two people into period correct who grew up at the same time less then 30 miles apart in upstate NY never crossed paths until adulthood 3 hours form Delaware County NY!

 

So, I did some mental searching, and I was wrong... We debuted Miss Modesty in 2005!! And yes Robert... we were neighbors our lives and never knew it! And here's another tid-bit... Doug Anderson and I were at SUNY Delhi together. Here are pics from that 2005 show! Enjoy! Thank heavens for external hard drives!

 

This is a great opportunity to let everyone know what a great guy Robert is! I always tell people that this automotive lifestyle that we live goes beyond joining car clubs... attending shows... working on cars and of course posting on the HAMB. Car people are an amazing breed and when we need something, big or small, our automotive circle of friends are usually the ones who are the first to step up and lend that hand. Robert is truly one of those people...During Hurricane Irene both our hometowns in Upstate NY faced a crisis that had not been seen before. Robert was instrumental in providing help to those that were in desperate need of shelter, clothing, toiletries and clean up... including me and my father. Car people will always go above and beyond to help fellow car people... it doesn't matter if you're into customs, traditionals, street rods, drag cars or anything in-between... we are all CAR PEOPLE. And it's because of great shows like the Road Agents show... the Road Rocket Rumble and the many others that have come and gone and those that are still here, like the Motorama 1962, that forge lifelong friendships!

 

I dug into my photos last night and grabbed these up. They are from various years.

This Model A was my friend Mike Politz's. He sold this car shortly after when he had his first child and has had a steady string of nice cars since, all full-bodied. This A had a nice 348 in it. His buddy Gerard owned that Packard next to it. That blew the trans getting on the George Washington Bridge and I've never seen a tow company respond to a call so quickly. Dropped us off in Fort Lee and didn't even ask for money. Crazy ****.


This Merc was killer.

Still one of my all time favorite 57 Chevs. Not nearly enough are customized.

Was a real treat to see Kopper Dust in person, a real deal Barris customized car.



This was the first year I got out to Connecticut. Must have been 2003. We had recently finished swapping the 383 into my Ford. Anthony White also pinstriped my dash under the awning at the hotel the night before. It was the first time I had anything pinstriped and I was totally stoked.


Jim and his T bucket were the stars of the Holiday Inn parking lot. He would come to the show with the T on a trailer and a truck filled with extra tires. He's do burnouts until the tires popped, then would throw a new one on a do it again. I forget what year it was when he was burning out at the hotel and he suffered what might have been the most catastrophic drivetrain failure I've ever personally witnessed. The bell housing sheared off the case of the automatic, the driveshaft flew out, the pinion and yoke were forcibly ejected from the side of the rear and I just remember the torque converter spinning like a top on the ground while the rest of us were still trying to figure out what the hell just happened.


This was the fist time I saw Tom Culbertson's Lincoln. It left a major impression on me.

Here are some more great cars, too.

 

Wow…got to ride around in this cool modified at Bonneville in the early 2000’s!
Thanks, Fin Head Ron.