Has it really been 35 years since that flood? Reading the thread about driving in the rain and seeing the 1992 Nats mentioned along with Danny's video I realized that I bet there are a lot of folks on here that were there that day/weekend. Clarence had about 30 shakedown miles on it before Steve and I left Columbia, Missouri headed for Louisville. If this thread takes off I'll relate 5 or 6 more stories about that weekend. The most important is that we parked on the high side and although Clarence got rained on HARD it wasn't in the part of the fairgrounds that flooded. And the most relevant (for me anyway) story is that I met Sherry that day, along with her then husband and two children. Steve and I had waited out the rain in the main building and then went back to Clarence. When we got there another 1948 Ford panel truck was parked right next to us. When we made noise getting into Clarence two small heads popped up in that other panel truck and these kids told us please star right there 'cause their daddy wanted to meet us. That family was Tom, Sherry, Kylee, and Ryan. We and they went to dinner that evening along with several other Missouri friends that we were running with. After that we met at car shows all over the central US for several years. In 2000 Tom left Sherry and Lynda left me. No correlation, just coincidence. The following New Years Eve Sherry was going to call everyone in her address book to wish them Happy New Year. My name being Atchley I was the first one she called. We didn't hang up the phone until the sun was up the next day. She didn't get to call any of her other friends after all. Sherry and I got married in 2004. Maybe @HOTRODPRIMER will post the video here that he posted on the driving in the rain thread. Anyone else got pix or videos from the flood? Anyway, if you were there tell us about it. I only have a couple of pix of Clarence from back then but here's what it would have looked like then; except that the top hadn't been chopped yet. That's BenD standing beside it
We were there, I was in the vendor building the whole time and didn't realize it was going on till late in day,luckily our cars were fine
Bought this 47 Ford in early July, and had it together to drive to Louisville with my wife and 18 month old son. Had to stop in Indiana to have metal shard removed from eye, the after effect of working to last minute on car. (Yes, safety gl***es were used) . My wife drove the unproven car for next 2 days as I was bandaged over my injured eye. On the day of the rain, wife and son stayed back at the motel, aware of the forecast. I got there mid-morning, so lucked out, and relegated to distant parking on high ground. Lots of water came down!! Car was sealed with gray-green epoxy primer for the trip.
My dad and I drove down in the 31. We were parked in the area that flooded when the rain started. It really came down, we decided to drive over closer to the buildings, luckily put us out of the area that eventually flooded.
My wife and I were downtown with a daily driver and headed for the fairgrounds when we heard about the incoming storm. We parked in spectator lot and waded through armpit deep water at the animal barns to get to the vendor buildings. Once inside we watched the water overflowing the giant drains that ran like columns in the middle of the building. When the rain stopped we went outside to witness Boyd raising his cars up on stacked billet wheels, and lots of other people wading in waist deep water. Hundreds of flooded hot rods. Luckily my brother’s 28 coupe was parked on the high ground.
I was there that year but waited out the rain at the motel. Saw the aftermath when I got to the Expo Center.
Here is an old thread on it with a video https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ats-in-louisville-hell-and-high-water.274835/ Edit: that video was taken quite aways fron the worst area. Somewhere online I saw a video of the worst area.
I was there , 9" of rain in five hours. I remember going back to the motel seeing any place that had a service bay had a street rod on the lift changing all the fluids. I seen guys draining their fluids at the fairgrounds. I was parked in the lot adjacent to the amu*****t park so I didn't get flooded. I had my Stude back then.
This is what Randy Nash (Deuce Roadster) had to say about the flood. HRP Some folks in Louisville drowned. They tried to drive thru water that was too deep. I was watching the news back in my hotel room that night ( we stay at the headquarters Hotel ) and there was a new reporter man standing on a porch with water almost up to the floor of the porch. He was doing a on the spot report. I thought to myself ... big deal But as it turned out ... it was a big deal because it was a two story house and he was on the second story porch. Water was up to the second story on that home.
I was one of the lucky ones, I was driving our 40 Ford DeLuxe seda and the water reached the running boards but the interior remained dry, there was a guy from Virgina just a few cars below us in a '29 Model A sedan, and it was super low, he took on water and flooded his exhaust, I tried to tell him not to hit the switch but he did anyway, he did a lot of damage to his engine. I felt sorry for the guy, it was his first time out in the car and he was sick. Fortunally all 6 of our club members were able to drive back home. HRP
I remember guys changing all their fluids right there on the fairgrounds. Also guys drilling drain holes in the bottom of their doors.
My friend, Bob was there in his 38 chevy. He was a lucky one that was on higher ground. He told the story of people draining fluids on the ground also.
I was there in my 38 Chevy . I was on high ground and suffered no damages .How ever I lost a rear axle doing 65 MPH coming out of Beckley WV. I had to climb over the guard rail and barb wire fence to get the axle, rim and tire.The wrecker driver needed it to get the car on the rollback.
I remember walking by a 38 Chevy sedan that had just been pushed out of the water and the guy was trying to start it and it was hydraulicing, tons of water coming out of the exhaust. It was still on jack stands when I left for home on Sunday. I figured it was broke.
Inside the vendor building you couldn't hear it raining and nothing was said. It was sickening to see beautiful cars with water half way up the doors when I came outside.
I was there with my model a coupe and my parents with their 1991 nsra giveaway car. The model a had a dual carb tunnel ram. I went to start it after the parking lot drains were cleared and hydro locked it. Pulled the plugs me got it fired up. It started and ran ok but it always had a vibration until I went through through it and replaced a rod. This photo was after I pulled the tunnel ram.
Luckily also on higher ground that day, the lightning picture is my car. My son and I went for a walk after it let up and took some pictures when we weren't helping people push their cars out.
We were parked on the high side but were inside the building. I don't run hood sides so the engine got wet from the blowing rain. Pulled the plugs, spun the engine, and good to go other than wet drum brakes. Almost nailed a curb. We spent a lot of time working on a buddy's '34 Chevy coupe that was parked on the low side. Water got up at least a foot deep in the interior. We pulled the plugs and drained the oil and transmission fluid. He drove the car back home.
I was there and was parked on the high side. Our 35 was also in Des Moines a few years ago and had water over the running boards and inside the area behind the drivers seat. There was 9 inches of rain that saturday night at the Goodguys show.
...luckily my wife and I decided to cancel going at the last minute,...turned out that was a good decision...
Had the Jeepster parked with the top down. Was in the vendor building and had no clue as to the conditions outside. Finally saw someone walk in soaking wet. Ran as fast as I could out to the car to find my son had the top up, just no side curtains on. Luckly was parked on higher ground so wasn't the worst case.
Having grown up in Cincinnati, I went to many nationals growing up - then I moved to L.A.. In 92, I cam back to visit (and go to the Nationals). That was something else, surreal seeing the cars in knee high water - I remember trodding around in it and having soaked shoes all day. I also recall a couple of years where it was so hot that you could hardly stand to be out in the sun.
The Jalopy Journal
