What was the first NSRA Nats that you attended and what do you remember about it?

memphis in 1975 - went with my older cousin in his 1933 sedan delivery - went in the streetkhana with it, we laughed like crazy - most remembered that west coast guys brought coors to sell (you couldn't get it east of the mississippi then,) and got arrested for illegal sale, and it made the front page of the paper on saturday a.m. -

 

Tulsa 1976. I remember coming out of the registration room at the hotel and there was another primered 34 3 window almost a twin of mine parked bumper to bumper to it. I suddenly realized that I was part of something very big. Cruising the host hotel through all the streakers I passed Pete and Jake and they both yelled "chop it" which I did a year or so later. On the Saturday night Jake pulled up beside me in his yellow 34 on a freeway, smiled and took off like a bullet. I thought I was in heaven. I went to all the ones in St Paul after that but the first one stays in my mind.

 

Tulsa 1973. I was only 15 and none of my friends had cars, so I conned my parents into taking me. Remember Jakes' 34 coupe, Lobeck's flamed '40 coupe (think it was his), the t-bucket that won best engineered (had a Corvair engine mounted in the front), plus TONS of t-buckets. Wow it was cool; I vowed that my 1st car would be '48 or earlier and I bought it later that year - a '48 DeSoto club coupe. 2nd one was Tulsa 76. I have some pics; will dig them out and post them soon.

 

Letsee here...Memphis '71, Detroit '72, Tulsa '73...Andy Brizio's panel truck, Cotton Werksman's Ardun T, the event grew from ~3K cars upward. Cruising in Memphis in Kevin Maloney's blown Olds powered T touring was a highlight. Met most of the Conn. SRA and it made for a grand time.

 

I remember that, I still have a sticker in the vent window of the OL 55...................

 

I will be telling my grandkids about my first experience. I could never forget.
I just finished putting together my 37 ford that was still running the 21 bolt flathead. Driving that old tired engine for five hours one way in the 90+ degree heat. It stayed cool but at every gas stop, I had to fill it with two quarts of oil.
We went with friends who have been going to this show since its inception.
14,500 cars this year. Luck came our way and my ticket was picked for the giveaway car that year. Hamber, "whiskeyrunner" won the car the following year. We will have some tall stories to tell all the young punks in the neighborhood when we get old and gray. Every once in a while you get to celebrate good things in life!

 

I love that roadster PU they gave away a couple of years ago. Good to know a HAMBer won it !!

 

Wow. Talk about having a flashback! Thanks for the post...

 

About five years ago in Tampa, it sucked, I'll probably never go again.

 

St Paul '77. We stayed at the host hotel "McGuire's Inn". There were probably only 2000 cars there but at the time it sure seemed like a lot. The only car I really rememeber was an orange channeled '32 5window with orange tinted windows and a picture of an orange and the words Sunkist on the deck lid.

Haven't been to one since I took my '29 Coupe to Lousiville during the flood ('92). I got real lucky on that one. I'd been parking in the lower lot the previous days but on the rainy flood morning, we got up later and I had to park in a different area. Thank goodness because where I was earlier had a couple of feet of water during the flood.

 

Where are all the stories of how you (or someone you saw) made an ass out of yourself when you were young and dumb? and drunk! We all weren't choir boys! Maybe you should ask some of your friends. They might remember better. Hangovers dull the memory or so I am told.

 

I went to that one too. I remember that Topolino it had a Pontiac motor and kicked ass, it was almost as unique as the front engined corvair powered T bucket (remember that one). I have some pics of the event at home will scan and post as time permits.

 

My first NSRA was a t York in 1999. Drove down from Cape Cod with my wife. 95 degrees and too many 18 wheelers.

One of the most memorable things was meeting tommy for the first time.
The other most memorable event was meeting the Rolling Bones crew. Both friendships have continued to this day.

 

Got a little quick with the send button. My first National was Columbus 1984- INSET PICTURE- I was 15 I know I look 10. Freinds of the family bought me NSRA membership when I was 12. Begged my parents for 3 years to go to a "Big One" Still have the car and drive it all over. I like the big circus shows. But shows like the Showdown are still my favorites.

 

Mine was the 77(?) Albury nats. Someone poured some diesel fuel on the road for burnouts. Just happened to be at the main highway intersection between states. Nakedness and drunken behaviour in the streets. Police actually read the riot act. I thought it was pretty cool...

 

I dont even remember...I do remember being 5 or so in St. Paul in the emergency room because i was so sick. I also remember the flood. But I have this little thing from 1975. My parents were there in my dads 1948 Anglia. Just finished it, timed it in the driveway while my mom was loading the car then they went down there with no chase car. They didnt have any problems. My dad's first Nats was Peoria, he had just Graduated from Bradley and walked the hotel parking lot looking at the cars.

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Tommy, my first NSRA event was the first Nats East in Timonium back in 1974. I didn't have a rod yet so I took my 55 and parked it behind the horse barns. It was so cool. The whole town was over run with street rods, and American Graffitti has just come out, so we were all John Milner or Bob Falfa! The cruising was reet. Nats East has never been the same since they moved it to York, imho.
As far as making an ass out of myself, I'll tell you that story later. I'm looking for an old picture that goes with that story.

 

85 nsra nats, st. paul. all I remember was the humidity, and the bugs.

 

The last one in St.Paul Mn. 1988. Seeing Fat Jacks panel, Lil's 33 Willys(built for Mr.Gasket) and the rows of semi's with all the latest goodies. Every Hotel parking lot was a car show in itself.
It was great when the Nats. still traveled around to a different venue every year!

 

Made the first one in Peoria as a spectator, thought
I was in Heaven! Go the Model A done for Memphis
next year. Also made detroit in 72, Minnesota 74,
and Memphis again in 75. Drove the shit out of that
Coupe!
Rich

 

1982 the Minnesota Street Rod Association met us at the airport in a convoy of hotrods, nirvana

 

Missed the first one in Peoria, but went to the second one in memphis with my boss (body shop owner) and our wives. He was so impressed that he started planning to build a street rod on the way home. The next year I drove his chopped 30 A coupe, full fendered all steel car. He bought a wrecked Nova nearly new and used the complete drivetrain, of course we changed the rear gears so it would come out of the hole, put dual quads on a hand polished intake, and changed the cam. It had Sunbeam Tiger independent front suspension, with all chromed under. All work was done in house including the roll & pleats.
We didn`t win any awards there, but car was featured in colored pictures and write-up in (I think Car Craft magazine). Not bad for a one year build.
After missing the first year I made the next ten.

 

Great Southwest Nationals in '84 or 85 in Shreveport, La. Drove my Purple 440 powered T bucket. A total of 70 miles from home. LOL About 900 cars I believe. The next and last Nats I went to was Louisville in 93? I think? The one where all hell broke loose and it rained like crazy and everything flooded. People drowning and shit. It was a mess. I remember a bunch of people picking up Boyd's Alumacoupe and setting it on stacks of wheels to keep it from flooding.

 

The first Nats I attended was the first one in 1970. I was about eight months old. I don't remember any of it.

My dad and I have attended every Nats. A couple of times we didn't have a street rod to drive, but we were there.

See you in Louisville!!!

 

Babb's "house car" 30-31 AA truck sat for many years in a driveway of a house in our neignborhood here in Pasadena TX near Houston. I don't if that guy was the fella that was selling "Fresh Gulf Shrimp" out of it for years along the freeways but he wouldn't even let me look at it in the drive and had no interest in talking about or selling it. The tires were flat and the structure still looked solid but it did stink a bit.

 

my first was louisville in 1994.it was their 25th anniversary over 13,000 cars in attendance.almost didnt go a buddy came in from oklahoma and talked me into going with him.i was the new owner of a 1949 chevy pu basket case. was overwelmed by the cars ,crowd,the whole shebang. have been hooked ever since..................dave

 

My first was 1987 Nats East in York, PA. It was 96deg. and humid! But seeing about 5000 cars all together for the first time blew me away. But the best part was when my good friend, who now works for NSRA and IS the cheepest guy in the world bought beers for Gary(good guy) Medors and me when the three of us were shooting the shit one evening. N.N.

 

'78? Columbus. I remember watching a woman in a Vega rear-end a Model A getting ready to turn into the fairground entrance.

 

First one I attended was in 1972 at the Michigan State Fairgrounds in Detroit. Dick Wells - a longtime industry friend - was running the event side of NSRA at the time and asked me to be MC for the awards ceremony.

Two key things remain forever in my mind.

1. The had a HUGE bandshell there whereat the ceremomnies were held. As they began a guy climbed up the back, to the top, and hung his club's flag from the roof!
2. The guy who won the "Best Street Rod" category thanked everyone publically for his award; THEN he also publically gave the trophy to the second place finisher because that guy DROVE his car to the event. Very cool person. A forver moment.

Jon Lundberg