Hot Rods Quotes to live by...

Jim

 

One to make you think…

 

"Never kick an fresh turd on any day"

 

“Life obliges me to do something, so I read, write and draw…”

Hello,

All along, since elementary school, I wanted to be a jet fighter pilot. Seeing those jets take off from the Long Beach airport (and others), then from those floating aircraft carriers was creating an aura of excitement. But, as time moves forward, they become dreams and thoughts that eventually fade out.

My early art was shaky to say the least, but I kept at it drawing what I saw and knowing it was not the best artwork, like from other talented folks, but just transferring something in my mind to paper. Mostly without colors. Planes had vertical wings as the swept back art forms were daunting.

Even today, if I tried to draw a jet fighter, it would be laughable. So, cars, became more relevant as we saw them everyday and as a teen, used them everyday. But the envy of those that can just take a pencil or pen and look at a wall or paper and lay down some designs always enlightens me to no end. Talent is a given and is an awesome thing to have.

I was good at sports, but the future was not there, as I was relatively small at the time. My growth spurt did not happen for quite some time.

I found out in junior high school that some stencils allowed me to get at least a basic shape to start and then it was all freehand + a ruler.

From a simple art form, to put them together, to adding something else, changes the direction of the finished artwork. The results are endless… YRMV

Jnaki

So, today, I still love to draw, as it inspires me to be somewhat creative. Custom cars, race cars, hot rods and cars we would like to own all fall into the realm of art from a drawing board and tons of white erasers.


Yes, even a custom design, not around, to be our daily driver on our coastal cruises and errand days. Plus, it would fit easily in our small two car garage… and fit our granddaughter when we visit, shop, or go to dinner.
a 63 Nova station wagon...

 

Jim

 

"Fear is a choice."


Hello,

San Onofre Surf Club history goes back to the 30s in So Cal. The ability to ride those 11-14 foot long planks is to be admired. Some did not have fins for some method of control. That was a feat in itself.

But as a person who tried one, it was not the most fun thing going. The angle of the ride was good, but no turns and cutbacks could be done without fins. Those early guys are to be appreciated for their skills and continued effort to surf anything on any waves.
Flathead powered 40 Ford Sedan Delivery

The odd thing was, as I got better in my own surfing, 9-10 foot long heavy longboards with an odd assortment of fins was standard equipment. No one except for 6’8” James Arness rode 12 foot plus surfboards. Then, as the skill level and shaping technology came in the next development stage. Yes, I bought a 11’4” custom shaped Phil Edwards Model Hobie Surfboard that was the pinnacle of longboards and high performance surfing on a longboard. It was #4.

San Onofre was an all day event from early morning to late at night. We would get there early in the morning or after a session up the coast. But the salt air was already a factor. The thick coat of salt moisture always played havoc on painted surfaces and chrome. If not taken care of asap, then “rust never sleeps,” as Neil Young used to tell us from one of his LP record albums. There is nothing worse than a rusty set of surf racks on any car, station wagon or van. The chrome parts take an unnecessary hit every time one parks on the shoreline.

A couple of weekend jaunts to San Onofre allowed me to meet some great people and kids from all over So Cal. I even had a discussion with the giant of a guy (6’8”) from the TV show, Gunsmoke. (James Arness) He was a good surfer and we surfed together, although my surfboard, at the time, a 11 foot 4 inch custom longboard was overshadowed by the long 12 foot+ board the 6’8” surfer rode.

He was awe inspiring, but that weekend day, just a surfer, not a famous celebrity. We discussed fins while waiting for the next wave. Mine was a reversed fin with a straight leading edge and curved back. His was a normal curved front and curved back leading to a point. Discussions from the length of the base of the fins versus length of the fin causing drag when surfing. He was a big guy and needed speed while riding waves. My board was the latest in speed design from Hobie and Phil Edwards. (#4)

Jnaki

The southern end of the Orange County line at Trestles is well known. But for those that had access to San Onofre, it offered many different scenarios for community and fun. It was not the greatest place for high performance surfing, but the aura of the whole beach was the draw, not the waves.

Our introduction to the famous private surfing beach was during the heydays of 1960-63. We had surfed all over So Cal in plenty of great waves. But, this particular beach was a “private” beach surrounded by the Camp Pendleton Marine Base. Access was for the surf club members and their families. (or if your were a surfing, U.S. Marine.)

The best waves on the Westcoast were located just up the beach at Trestles, but this surfing beach had an attraction of some sort. It was not the waves as, how can anyone compare these rollers to the great waves just a long walk up the beach. As soon as you rolled around the gate and cliff side area, the place had a "feeling," of just being in the right place.

It was the atmosphere of families, relaxation, some good waves with the idea of a place to just kick back and have fun. We were invited to have access by some surf club members and it was a great place, different but, nice. We met many families and other surfers on the sand and out in the water. Surfing together makes good conversation between sets.

I was able to get over the fear of looking over my back, (aka the 1950s movie, "The Thing,") as I got free psycho therapy sessions out on the water and a couple of days of great surfing with a special person.

Note:
Over the years, it has gone from a private, secluded surf club, oriented place to a public beach for anyone to feel the vibes of the 50s and 60s anytime the surfing itch commands. The historic feeling is still there, but the times have changed. YRMV

“…About 36 miles South, down Coast Highway, past San Clemente, was one of the most unusual places to surf. It was almost a hidden, exclusive surf beach. Owned by the U.S. Marines on this part of coastal So Cal. It was next to the official coastal area set up for Marines to rest and relax in surf side cottages and use the stretch of beach that ran for miles South of San Clemente.”

“Many people took for granted, the privacy afforded anyone in the parking spots at the base of the tall cliffs. This photo was a common happening daily at the San Onofre Surf Club beach property.”

“The collection of the late 40s-early 50s shots from San Onofre Surf Club (private back then) are great reminders of one of the most exclusive clubs in So Cal. The beach was relatively hidden from the North-South Highway by the tall cliffs. The farthest Northern area of the club’s surf areas could be seen from the highway in a quick moment, as the traffic there was usually going super fast. From the Basilone Road overpass, with binoculars, the northern area waves could be seen. But the central “shack location” and main surf break, was well hidden by the tall cliffs.”

“The surf club beach parking lot was given access by going through the Basilone entrance and driving along the shoreline Marine Base roads. That beach was a fun place to surf, with rolling waves and at times, when the big south swells came, it was challenging. One of my most fun moments was to talk to James Arness, (Sheriff Matt Dillon of TV’s Gunsmoke fame) out on the water and surfing together. Despite being so far South of Los Angeles/Hollywood, his family and others from that city area came to San Onofre Beach to rest and relax.”

"He was the star of Gunsmoke and one of his first roles as an actor was the early movie, “The Thing.” James Arness was a giant of a guy and was the nicest person to talk to out in the water. We had a nice conversation and had mutual respect for the other’s surfing skills. It was psychotherapy for free. It gave me the impetus to get over the long standing fear of a “Thing” following me in the dark."

ANYWHERE, even in my own Long Beach hot rod garage backyard! (... I just talked to the "Thing.")

When I was a little kid, I saw the movie, “The Thing from Another World” in 1951. It was the scariest movie, ever, for a little kid. I was given the task of taking out the trash to the area behind the two car detached garage, where our dad always parked his big Buicks.

It was dark back there and even with a flashlight, it was totally “scary.” Every creepy sound from rustling bushes to a clothesline dinging on the metal support poles was a cause for turning around quickly. I was afraid of the giant “Thing” ever since.

But, after the San Onofre waves and the nice conversation out in the water in 1961, I instantly got over my fear of the unknown.

“My parents could not get over the fact that I was able to surf and talk to him during the whole day. He was a giant guy on a 12+ foot long board. It/he looked huge on a waist high wave. My 11'4" surfboard looked teeny compared to his 12+ foot board. Of course, he was 6’8” and physically big. 10 years later, his son, (Rolf) was a world surfing champion in the men’s division.”

Note 2: His son, just happened to be a World Champion Surfer later on in 1970. He spelled his name correctly (AURNESS) as his dad changed the spelling to make it easier for all of us to pronounce it on TV (ARNESS). YRMV

 

Another one from my dad
I was talking to a family friend my dad's age (75) about my vintage race car build engine specs etc.. the moan said I over the racing, hi-performance, hot rodding.

My dad looked at him and said "Holy shit I hope I never get old!"

 

Jim

 

Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Flattery That Mediocrity Can Pay To Greatness


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

 

Jim

 

Some Folks Spend Their Time
Telling Others How Great They Are
When In Reality …




Jim

 

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

Hello,

I grew up loving to draw anything on any surface, including our mom’s white walls in the back room near the kitchen. When she was busy cooking or prepping and wanted to see what I was doing, she had me playing in the little room attached to the kitchen and had an extra sink for washing clothes. But also, that is where our dad used to store his paint cans and other stuff. So, as wandering kid minds flow, those cans were just there for explorations.

A nice set of paint brushes were also there, but I had some smaller model car/boat paint brushes. No one told me I could NOT paint on the walls. They were white and nothing was on the surface. So, as my mom prepped and cooked, I drew whatever it was and filled in with different colors. Usually a boat as it was pointed on one end and squared off on another. Wow, an early Kammback design and I did not know what it was…

So, yes, after the “whatever” was discovered by my mom, I got the verbal threats and directions to another place in the yard and not in the house. But, those times were fun and it was artistic explorations for the times… At least, it was not on the siding planks on the exterior of the old Craftsman house!!! Yikes..

Jnaki

I am not an artist so to speak, but I love to draw things I like. But cars are my little side thing. I love to surf, but cannot draw a wave worth anything and make it look good. Forget coastal landscapes and scenery. For me, it is seeing a photo of a car or one on the street that looks interesting. Then as we got hot rod/custom car magazines, it got more involved in the hot rod world.

So, now 70 years later, I am still piddling around a design I like and make changes and shapes to fit my old crazy mind’s ideas. Most of the designs are ones we were somehow involved in, during our affected lives + family, growing up in Long Beach and the other coastal cities.

So, how about a funky Henry J from out teenage years into a cool one of a kind sedan delivery:
to this
to this:

to this custom car creation:

A chopped , lowered rake, custom sedan delivery for taking the latest short surfboards to the cool waves in So Cal. YRMV

 

There are no dumb questions, only dumb people who ask questions.

I don’t know who if anyone said it first but it’s one of my dad’s favorites.

 

"Whistling is like masturbation. You may find it entertaining but, NO ONE wants to listen to you do it"

 

It Is Your Life
It Is Your Choice
Choose Wisely

A great video …

@


Jim

 

Jnaki , your post reminds me of my short surfing career. Coming from Southern California, I envied the surfers of S.Cal while working on the ranch in Oklahoma!
Fast forward 40+ years, I find my self on Waikiki Beach for our 35 anniversary . Well my wife and friends went shopping, leaving me in our hotel. So I decided to go surfing.

I go to the beach and walk up to the rental place and ask for a board! The guy looks at me, 50 years old , 6ft, 240 lbs brilliant white, obviously not a surfer! He goes way in the back of the hut and brings out the largest surf board I have ever seen, not that I have seen many, but this thing was huge! Looked like an aircraft carrier!
So I listen to a guy getting lessons, for about two minutes. I take my board and paddle , what seems, like a mile out in the bay. I alway thoght those surfers sat on their board to look cool! I now know why they do that……..they are resting! That is work getting that board out there! lol

I catch a wave and fall, after about the fifth time I get up and surf for a short distance and crash hard banging my toe on some coral, breaking one of them! End of my surfing career! lol










Bones

 

Hello,

I should add: "Fear is a persistent choice..." My first day surfing resulted in 10 stitches to my inner lip as my teeth and lip met with a bang. I was paddling out on a big day for what reason I did not know. A wall of white water was coming toward me, so I got off of my board and both went under the tall white water rolling in on us. The board went straight for my face and the resulting knock made me a downward staring, floating object.

My friend paddled over and made me turn over, spitting a mouthful of blood. It looked awful and he got me on his board and pushed me into the next wave to get to the beach on his board. I was hanging on for dear life. He was swimming to catch my loose board that somehow kept its place after zonking me in the face. At the time, I had no clue what to do next. I did not want to keep surfing for fear of attracting sharks. So, I sat on the beach while my friend took the boards to the car.

Jnaki

As I got to the family doctor's office, he put 10 stitches in and I went home with a puffy face. My mom was horrified and said that surfing was bad and dangerous. No and Yes. Despite the glaring injury, she could not say anything as my friend was one of her favorite teens and she was friends with his mom. So, we all sat down for a nice lunch and for her it was bygones be bygones.

My friend was still welcome to visit anytime, but my brother was the one who would go surfing with him, not me. So, for the next months prior to Summer, I had no surfing at all. Since I did not drive, that solved that problem for my mom. But, my brother took me surfing during the spring of my 9th grade year and it had not stopped until 2003.

We all learned a lesson in "Fear." and learned to adapt in one way or another... YRMV

 

“Nothing to fear but fear itself” FDR
I had a fear of hypodermic needles, this was cured recently when I found out I have Hemochromatosis- a hereditary blood disorder, I don’t shed iron like normal people meaning my ferritin levels were sky high. These high iron levels attack organs and joints causing problems if not treated. The treatment, get a blood test and if the hemoglobin level is good then they drain a pint of blood on weekly basis until my levels are acceptable.I had such a fear of needles I could not watch even my dog get a shot, I would get queasy and light headed. Well I’m on my 18th week I think and I can watch them run the tube in and out of my arm no problem. My choices were don’t do the treatments and suffer the consequences, get sick or pass out during treatment or embrace it and move on. The treatment doesn’t hardly bother me at all now.
Like many of you I learned to walk through my fear.
Dan

 

Everyone has fears! What you do in the face of your fears defines who you are! I have an extreme fear of heights, but I will climb ladders and drive on Mountian roads. I was also the very first to repel off our new 100 foot ladder!

If you look close , in the lower right hand part of the picture, you will see the top of our cell tower, to kinda give an idea of how high this rig will go!





Bones

 

I don't have a fear of heights....I have a fear of the ground!!! Thats the part thats going to hurt ya

 

“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”

Hello,

These days are not like the younger “old” days of the past. It is obvious that the body ages and how you take care of it is a personal choice. Much like hot rods. How you take care of it allows satisfaction and the cool style lives on… How you also, build it, counts as much as the overall style and looks. After all, it is a giant puzzle and we are the puzzle builders.

But, as teenagers, old folks were seen at holiday functions and sometimes not at all. The teenage/20 something days were just as important to get a good start on life and our views to get to that point. Old age was not a factor then, as it is now for most of us. Creaky joints, no… not that kind… tired old muscles with only a small amount of yard work or car work of some kind makes us wonder where it went and how fast it approached us to this day.

Jnaki

So, for our own memory lane and acts for the future generations, reading and writing gives us a way to express our own history for the “family files.” When we found some of my mom and dad’s old stuff we had never seen before, it was eye opening. When we always heard… “I am older and have more experience…” yadda yadda yadda… As teens, it was the last thing we wanted to hear. But, many moons later, some of that statement ends up being true.

We all go through our own lives and our history may seem alike, with interests here and there. But totally, it is a similar situation for all generations, just in different times. No, we did not arrive in covered wagons in So Cal, just a big old Buick Fastback Sedan or in my wife’s case, a 55 Chevy two door sedan, packed to the brim from the "old homestead" in OKC.
OKC, one last winter season... After purchasing the 55 Chevy in Manhattan Beach, CA. the year before. Then, heading back to So Cal for the last time, to this day.
Two sisters hiding from the "kid" brother...

The days of old are still here, just in a different lifestyle and functions. Many years from now, our son and granddaughter will see the “stuff” we have accumulated, not much by today’s standards. But, it still is stuff. at least our two daily drivers still fit in the garage. Some of our old accumulated stuff moved on to other pastures and people who still like pack it in for what? Times moves forward and then, YRMV

These days, the days still count... ha!

 

“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.” – Twyla Tharp

Hello,

When I was in grammar school, my art work looked like a little kid did the drawings. A bowl art project freehand was skewed and looked like the oven melted the bowl. It usually was like a melted figure every time I finished the assignment. But, as funny as it looked, it kept at it.

In junior high school, we got into doing artsy stuff for our hot rod art work. No, not drawing hot rods, but the accessories, like early scallops. That was more my style. The letter “C” stretched out with a ruler made some nice scallop designs. Then, the letter “C” became the letter “S” and put together, became a long line of connected S letters that now supposedly looked like flames. Our art teacher was not a hot rod person, but a great artist. So, she helped us straightened out the row of “S” and soon it became some sort of connected flames.

When she did her own freehand, it was like looking at a magazine and the flames we saw on those early hot rod cars. Talent knows no boundaries…

Jnaki

So, over the years, growing up allowed us to continue liking art, as bad as it was, and also hot rods. Since we did not have a lot of money, artwork or at least what a car or hot rod was supposed to look like got put on paper, scrunched up and trashed when it did not resemble anything on wheels. But, it allowed me to continue what we could not afford and go with what was swirling around in my tiny brain at the time.

As the Junior H.S. art class turned into high school art classes, the drawings stopped as the so called hot rod art still looked pale compared to some of the girls in the classes that should have their artwork in showrooms downtown in Long Beach. So, it was other elective classes and no longer art classes. But the art continued on individual, note taking paper, notebook covers and inside of bound notebooks for each class, as was the requirement.

So along with the auto shop, metal shop and crafts classes, the art was kept alive… not for public view, but it/they made my day when all else starts a downhill spiral. YRMV

Note:

Our friend, Jack Ewell from Mickey Thompson’s Shop, was always good for some pointers and with that memory, the artwork continued.
Old Friday Art
His involvement from that point on goes with his co-workers and teammates from the early days, Bill Stecker and Jim Kamboor. The later 60s shows their collaboration in the top echelon of drag racing.

 

"America is all about speed, hot nasty bad-ass speed" - Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Actually, more accurately, that's a fictional quote from the movie Talladega Nights that, in the movie, was attributed to Mrs. Roosevelt.

 

It's still a good quote hahaha

 

Just about anyone reading this could have said it.

 

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”

Hello,

When I saw this quote, I could not stop laughing. In the long history of trying to draw anything, let alone hot rods and drag race cars over this long lifetime, I chuckle at the thought of “freehand” skills that are necessary like Norwell, Hotrodjack33, Weesner among the few that stand out. I also like the Dave Bell Art but, that takes too long to google-eye everything he has in each piece of artwork drawn.

So, through trial and error, I have many hot rod shapes ready to finalize, yet they get pushed to the back of the folder. Something catches my eye and then I call it up to change. If it is good and makes me want to finish it, so be it. It moves up in the Friday Art list. There are quite a few that need finishing, but eventually, they will get the final touches to complete the project for a future Friday Art post. So, weekly, there are art days and writing days along with messing around days... they are all a part of life, these days.

Jnaki

At first, I step back and ask would I build something like this? Then as the chuckles slow down, the straight lines and curves get started again. No, it will never make the art hall of fame, but who wants to? It is just a fun thing to do to spend time thinking back to our teen years and into the 20 something days when more freedom was in the making, yet hindered by the expense.
The weirdest thing I drew was this funky Studebaker station wagon "bat version" that tried to use the 57 fin on an earlier body without fins. It kind of looks like a stretched out "pixie," as my wife said, as she saw me drawing it. We both had a good laugh and then it got shoved back to the huge list of unfinished projects. Ha!

Art has no limits, except for a photo versus hand drawn art. Separate categories and should be noted… after the laughter slows down… YRMV