Hot Rods Quotes to live by...

In my younger days when I was just starting out building race cars and hotrods my buddy gave me this backhanded compliment, "Much as you fuck up, you're bound to get it right sooner or later." And I've been proving him right ever since...

 

“…Well, I’ve been afraid of changing
‘cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I’m getting older too” …Stevie Nicks

Hello,

Ever since we met in college, our lives have evolved and being together is still as important as it was when our eyes were twinkling during the 20 something era. (they still twinkle, too…) At the time, we did not know there was a connection, but over time and family history, we have come to find out at two years old, we both lived in a small trailer, but +/- 1300 miles apart.
OKC at two years old...

Her life was being a single kid for a couple of years until her sister popped up. I grew into a family with a rambunctious, sometimes mean older brother, by three years, that was the ruler of the house. So, our lives were similar, but different.
Long Beach, CA 2 yrs old

Her mom’s first car was a 1939 Pontiac


My dad’ first family car was a 41 Buick fastback sedan…

So the connection was still in the GM family.

Jnaki

Through all of our trials and tribulations, we have come through fairly OK… wonderful son, fantastic granddaughter. Our lives are simple and good, so there is nothing to complain about from our end. Frustrations, oh sure, but, it is all working out well, going on into the senior years…YRMV

And, there is still a "togetherness" going on in our lives... Yes!!!


“Even children get older

And I’m (we’re) getting older too…”

 

“Blustery cold days should be spent sailing against the wind and challenging your life skills.”



Hello,

It is not a shove in the face, but living in So Cal all of my life has given me plenty of cause to sit back and reflect on… “how in the world did that happen?” We grew up in the, then quiet neighborhood of the far reaches of the Westside of Long Beach. It was quiet until the Lion’s Dragstrip was built about a two block distance to the dead end of the dragstrip. Could that have influenced us as little toddlers and pre teens?

As a teenager, we met plenty of new kids from all over the area. Our little enclave of kids were from one elementary school that fed into a junior high school that had three other elementary school feeders. Then our junior high school fed into the big high school that also had 3-4 other junior high schools feeding into the big campus. The high school is still standing today and is one of the most recognized schools around.

We had our share of cold days from the snow in So Cal of 1949 to the constant cold to freezing weather every winter months. Not as cold as Fargo, ND, but cold enough for So Cal residents. Then as young teenagers, we took up surfing without wet suits in 40-50 degree waters in the winter and 60-70 degrees in the summer with cool off shore winds to lower the body temperatures instantly.

Jnaki

But, as a bravado teenager, I learned to sail a 8 foot dinghy for part of one summer. Then by the end of that summer and the next summers, I was sailing on an 18 foot Malibu Outrigger in Alamitos Bay, near Belmont Shore. We got so consistent that in the beginning, I was taking a dive when the outrigger was going up in the air.

By the end of the summer, we had it time right to have me hanging on to the small outrigger and our catamaran was skimming over the smooth waters of Alamitos Bay, to the cheers and delight of girls on the beach. Yes!

But as crazy as it sounds, brave teenagers decide to go to Catalina Island on the 18 foot Malibu Outrigger Catamaran. We stored our food/drink supplies, change of clothes and off we went with the prevailing winds giving us a fast trip outside of the breakwater. Of course, we had never been outside of the breakwater longer than it took to go to the next entrance and into the L.A. Harbor areas.

The winds and wave swells were very strong and cold. So, we pushed on until we were about 5 miles outside of the long breakwater. When two large waves and now, the howling wind started to bash us a little stronger, we though we were tough guys on a great adventure and pushed on. When the Malibu Outrigger bashed down to the bottom of several tall waves, it was getting a little too much.

So, we almost flipped and decided to turn around for a fast run back to the safety of the breakwater ad large bay. We did sail against the wind and yes we did challenge the elements, but we felt we lost the battle of the day. We did enjoy the challenges of the weather and its surging waves, but we liked riding on top or in the waves at the beach, not being thrown up and down by the swells and surging ocean.

Note: As the years passed and my wife was now involved in sailing as much as I was, our sailboats were a little faster and more secure with each model we had. Our last one would have easily handled the larger swells and did so on a crazy windy, huge swell day while going up the coast from Newport Beach to Long Beach.

People thought we were crazy being out there on that particular day. Our plans and reservations were made and a little extra windage and swell scared us, but we use our skills to overcome the fear being slammed against us. Even our little dog was a brave soul fighting the elements to get where we wanted to go for our vacation.

We certainly challenged our life skills on this powerful adventure… cold, windy and a little wet. But not behind the ears for us… ha!
1959-62
During that time, as teenagers, our cars were the solid support we needed for our weekly cruises to the teenage hot spots. But on the weekends/summers of hot days, it was the cool blue waters of the inland bay or ocean surfaces.

 

Jim

 

6 phases

 

Carlin:
"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?"
"Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body."
"When you step on the brakes your life is in your foot's hands."

 

Another Carlin-ism.....
"You can prick your finger but you'd better not finger your prick"

 

For Fuck Sake....Daily affirmation in Ireland...

 

not necessary !!

 

“What we fail to remember, is that there is more than one possible outcome to any situation, and the factors that led to the circumstances, are far from completely within our control.”

Hello,

We were happy teenagers with the whole world ahead of us and to what road makes up the ideas that lead us one way or the other? No one told us other than the school counselors that we were in line for good jobs, family and possibly college. But, what to study and get really involved in for our experiences?

Being teenagers in the late 50s and early 60s had a ton of possibilities. Naturally, the first cars for most teenagers help the history move along this line. college? Isn’t that where people go to play football/basketball then go into the professional leagues? Hours of studying that we did in our own junior high school through high school proved that there was something other than hot rods and drag racing.

As much as we did during our early teens, something was leading us to where we ended up 60 plus years later. Still, “Alive and Kicking…”

Jnaki


Along the way, a chuckle or two for me. My wife says that I was looking in the wrong direction after our hot rod build/race days. No one was going to pay for me to tour the world surfing and writing about the adventures. I had some sponsorships, but not enough to get out of So Cal. Ha! So, I asked my mom for some support. She had one heck of a laughing fit and said that if I did not go to college, I would end up in the military. College it is…was for the best track to the future for me.

So in thinking of ways to get by in this cruel world and all of its future roadblocks, I kept looking and continued to do so to this day. Meeting my wife was a once in a lifetime encounter. When it happened, it was something that slapped me in the face and pushed me to be a better person.

We continued our relationship leading up to getting married, that was the whole ball game. Then, hot rods and photography came into the forefront, again. Being together, we could attack the world with our own ideas and see which way we would go into the future.

Circumstances are there, it is just the way you adapt to the “stuff” and get along in the world with others. The old saying… “play nice with others…” works in the long run… and what a long run it has been. YRMV

 

Jim

 

"Losers make promises they often break. Winners make commitments they always keep." – Denis Waitley

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

“Life is about three words: : IT GOES ON...”

Hello,

During our turbulent teenage years of disappointment and roadblocks was part of our growing up in the Westside of Long Beach. The changes are that life does make it so we will just adapt and move along to search for new horizons. It is a process that everyone goes through. At the time, we thought the whole world was going to collapse on our tiny brains… but, with a few modifications, life went on to different choices and we are still around.

When I was standing on the starting line at 9:00 p.m. for that last elimination race for the C/Gas Class trophy, we felt proud of our accomplishment for that day. We beat some great opponents and was looking forward to winning the whole class that night. Then as he flames shot out of the windows and then seconds later, a huge ball shooting out of the driver’s door was something we were not expecting.

As the announcer and the whole spectator side audience stood up to see what happened, we were shooting down the dragstrip in the 58 Impala to the impending doom. By the time we got to the flaming wreck of a pristine 40 Willys Coupe wedged into the chain link fence, we started spraying the extinguishers at the fire thinking my brother was still inside.

He was down past the finish line being loaded into the white Pontiac Ambulance of Mr. Childers. I arrived just in time to hear the words of Mr. Childers saying to me that he would stay with my brother until I (and our parents) could get to the local hospital, a few miles away.

Jnaki

It just seemed like the whole world just stopped and changed our lives. It took almost two years of recovery and rehabilitation for my brother to get reinvolved in the surfing world. When he was ready to go outside for some new direction, he chose surfing over a new build. Then as things got a little more clearer for all of us, the direction changed again into desert motorcycle racing for the both of us. Surfing/Desert Racing Motorcycles, we were outdoors, again... Yea!

The desert motorcycle racing was shown to our mom as a recreational part of desert camping and exploring. We did camp the night before the races and we did explore the different parts of the desert environment. We did it, like racing full bore scooped down behind the handle bars on part of the El Mirage Dry Lake, on a part of the two lap 100 mile overall race course. So, we were truthful for our parents concerns.

Later on, we had our further adventures with our desert motorcycles in what was called "European Scrambles" in various races at closed courses in the countryside locations, like Hopetown Movie set, etc. Still adding in the "camping"... long distance races out in the high desert locations in the So Cal Mojave Desert.

But, as we found out, our mechanical endeavors did not stop with the explosion and rehabilitation, it just made us go in a different direction. Various obstacles pop up in everyone’s lives to make and adapt to the changes… so… “Life does go on…”

 

Desire is the Key to Human Performance. -Me

 

Here's a few I definitely relate to these days at 75, "Getting Old Sucks" "Aging Is Not For Pussies" "Golden Years, My Ass" But life is good, Thankful to be here as nobody is promised tomorrow.

 

The 6 p's. Prior planning prevents piss poor performance.

 

Jim

 

If all else fails, get a bigger hammer.

 

"Heat it with a torch, then heet it with a hammer"

 

When a lesbian comes out of the closet, no more mandates.

 

if you can step across it , you can fill it. - my senior class metal shop teacher , RIP mel allison

 

green is ground the world around - abh1 bob "zing" lavinge

 

Everywhere you go..........there you are!

 

Was there ever a man so brave,
to talk back to his wife, when she told him "to behave" ?

 

"Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, much of that comes from bad judgment."



Hello,

During the recent downpour weeks that hit So Cal and then moved Eastward gave us some food for thought. We had seen plenty of Ascot style racing around a dirt track. Slipping, sliding and doing some power slides on a muddy track looked like a lot of fun. It was a form or the modern day “drifting” without all of the frame and suspension modifications. We had a few close calls moving under control or out of control, towards a curb and drainage culvert.

Just find a huge dirt field, plenty of moist soil, or days of rain, and that the surrounding buildings or factories are not there to call the local gendarmes. ( A good thing a power wash place was just up the street from our house and it took a few coins to get the sedan delivery back to “clean” status.)

There was such a large field near our house on the Westside of Long Beach. We lived on the final edge of Long Beach to the West. If we walked across the huge dirt field, we would be in Wilmington, CA. Home to the famous car clubs, The Road Kings, Pharaohs and Vulcans. (not the San Fernando Valley Road Kings…) There are the famous nighttime gas flames shooting out of the tall pipes for a nightly display of “fire” works. Otherwise, the stink permeates the air for miles, which we still all smelled the remnants, even with the burn off every night. But, it did look rather cool with the flames shooting out of a tall stack.

But, there are/were several large fields separating the edges of the oil/gas refineries and civilization. It gives a buffer for whatever would happen at those factories. Those fields were our playgrounds when we learned to drive. The dirt trails became wider car track roads and the bumps were the “jumps” to make things interesting.

The field(s) was/were relatively hidden from the major roads and even the roads inside of the refinery property. Sometimes the adjacent blacktop road under overpass was used by truckers for a respite from the long road trips. Besides, the diesel truck shops, parts and repair places were just down the road. So, we had a “field day” activity place all to our own.

We could have called it "Teenage Wasteland..." If the song were written back then...


Jnaki

We could push our bikes through the neighborhood until it was close to the hidden dirt field. That way, no cars were there and we could always ride away afterwards, heading home a few blocks away.

During the desert motorcycle racing days, including the newish “European Scrambles,” we set up the same track used for our rainy day slip and slide car track. Our European Scrambles track had larger jumps and banks to use as a practice field for the hour long constant lapping of one curvy track.

It was good for us as no one was around. But, then several long haul truckers were using the shady area under the PCH bridge as a place to rest and relax. They did not appreciate a hot rod whizzing by slipping or sliding or a 250cc two stroke Greeves, accelerating towards the jumps and curves. We eventually got shut down.

 

This would quiet many who think they are way more than they are!



God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

"Losers make promises they often break. Winners make commitments they always keep." – Denis Waitley

 

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. Einstein

 

no matter how much you shake and dance the last two drops go in your pants

 

Those people who think they know everything really irritate those of us that do! Bones







Bones

 

“Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality.”


Hello,

We grew up in a different world than most here on the HAMB. So Cal was a very unusual place. As we got older and realized what was going on in our community, others across the USA according to the newspaper, saw So Cal folks as weird. Well, we probably were or still are. Ha!

As teens, our lives were influenced by what was near to us. Lion’s Dragstrip, the ocean and harbors were the main influences. By the time 1955 rolled around, Lion’s Dragstrip was being built and for the next 17 years, we would hear the roar of the race cars with every weekend wind blast from the ocean towards our houses, that were on the eastern side of the property.

It was a constant. So, we adapted to the noise by joining in on the fray. Being participants was totally different than being a spectator. It is nice watching others race, but when it is your chance to do some racing, it is another whole ballgame presented to you. The sound, the anticipation, the losses leading to the improvements to winning, and the thrill of the acceleration of the vehicle all makes the moment something else. It is something no one forgets. Or wants to forget.

Perhaps all of these years later, my brother probably wanted to forget those moments we all welcomed into our lives. Despite putting up a good front or show for others, he probably wanted to shut out that moment in his life. He did well using other means of noise, power, excitement and mechanics in his desert motorcycles, string of family cars and then those huge 1000cc street motorcycles for the speed thrills, on his long state crossing road trips later on in life. I was able to ride one of his 1000cc+ motorcycles by myself. It gave me a thrill that time was flashing by so quickly that it was actually, scary.

Jnaki

He did his best to put up a good show during his life. So, we all saw “reality” that he wanted us to see. “Since we could not change reality, we changed the eyes that saw reality." Thanks for the real life experiences, James…
Two brothers 1961

To paraphrase the old popular surf oriented song…“Tell the teacher, we’re surfing…” Surfing, (Westcoast) USA and Baja, Mexico…