It was 1986 and I was 14. My buddy's dad had (has) a full fendered '29 A Roadster that he built in 1958 with a '57 El Dorado mill w/factory 2x4 bbls and a B&M Hydro. It was the first time the car had run in almost 20 years and it ran strong. We drove it a couple miles, and then he parked it back in his shop and it's sitting in that exact spot today. Hasn't been driven since - over 30 years later. Sad. Nevertheless, I knew that day I'd have a car like that one day and today I do (it's got a J2 w/ a '37 LaSalle tranny instead of the Cad but otherwise very similar). I still smile when I think about that day. . . Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hello, My first ride in a custom truck was an eye opener at age 12. A custom, Tahitian Red, chopped top, truck with white upholstery and chrome wheels. A short cruise down the street was awesome. Whee, living in an area surrounded by a ton of hot rods was nice to say the least. My brother’s friend had a black 34 Ford, 5 window coupe with an big Olds in it. It was fast and sounded like a pure race car, but it was a daily driver, weekend A/Gas race car, and weekly cruiser. That motor sounded mean and to get a ride in it was pretty fabulous. It was impressive to this young kid. That 34 Ford was the inspiration for my brother and me to get that old Model A and build something similar…but that idea got sold to finance his new daily driver/race car in 1958. The time between then and the 70’s was taken up with our Willys build, racing the Impala, a 40 sedan delivery, surfing, and cruising in the El Camino. So my experience was not complete until several years later. My first real ride in a famous, hot rod roadster was 15 years later in the late Jack Stewart’s 32 red roadster. That was a thrill in itself, let alone talking to him while going down the street. His roadster had been in many photo stories and we were just shooting the breeze. The ride was a little stiff, but smooth. Everything about sitting in the seats was intriguing. The wind in our hair, the feeling of being in the open with the So Cal sun shining on us, all made the experience pretty fabulous. I know, many people have ridden in an open 32 roadster down the highway, but for me, it was my first “open air roadster” ride. That was something. Not a beater 32, but a pristine, well built, RED, 32 Ford roadster! I was riding around in one of the best built 32 roadsters in the USA. But the ride… a 42 year old memory that still feels like yesterday. Jnaki That ride in the Jack’s 32 roadster was something that I could not reproduce or want to try. It was the moment that capped it off for me in the roadster world. Adios and thanks, Jack...
David,You and your friends should all be commended for taking the time to share your passion with people who have heath issues and confined to a wheel chair. HRP
a buddy in high school bought a channeled 33 Plymouth coupe for $850.00. had a 303 Olds and automatic. pretty cool car, though it was outdated with that old motor in it in 1976, but would be a cool ride today. he sold it for $1600 bucks a few months later when his Dad decided he only needed one old car and he had a nice 55 Chevy. then it disappeared never to be seen again.
Good for you, you are a Good Man!, makes me think I should organize something similar here, years ago, was heavily involved with snowmobiles/club (still ride/not much anymore)and every winter we/club went to a nursing home type place and gave a short ride to anyone interested, kids to adults, very rewarding to see their smiles. and as always, makes one think about how fortunate/lucky I and my family have been, that can change in a heartbeat.
I was 13 and my friend's older brother had a new '67 Barracuda, with a 273 and a 4-speed. He did custom paint work for a living and the car was awesome. He gave us a ride home from the bowling alley since it was pouring out. I sat in the back seat and loved the ride home.
Following along on this thread, reoccurring story, the feel, touch, the smell, the excitement of it, like anything, the real deal, seals the deal. Feel bad for people that are on the sidelines their whole life for whatever their reasons, reading and watching is not doing. Used to get teased some when I started racing and a old/good racer explained to me, remember, the back of the pack is still 1000 times better than any seat in grandstand, I always rembered that, I did get to the front occasionally, tons of fun and memories...... Like all old racers, " A Legend In My Own Mind" and "The Older I Get, The Faster I Was".
Well my dad was tough! He returned from WW11 with a purple heart and bought an Indian and a Buick convertible (Yellow and Red) He drank a fifth a day and had two jobs...bartender till 2:00 AM and Cabdriver till noon...the point of all of this is I grew up with hotrodding. Mom told me all of this and she cured him by pushing him out of a window, into the snow! Regardless my hotrod ding continued for 50 + years and started in the WOMB!
The first hot rod I worked on was a black 40 Ford Coupe. This was in the mid-1950's I was 7 and living in Hayward, CA. My older brother had to watch me one Saturday and we went over to a friends house. My brothers friend had an older brother who was working on his 40. As we were all gathered around the coupe. I was able to expand my vocabulary of curse words as he couldn't get a nut started on the threads. Since I was the smallest person he asked me to give it a try. ON in a heartbeat. So I got to put on all the difficult nuts that day. Didn't get a ride. Not long after that my family was visiting friends in Burbank, CA. Their older son got stuck with looking after my brother and I. So for dinner we got in his black 40 Ford Opera Coupe, I was standing in the back area behind the front seat. We went to Bob's Bigboy for burgers. How cool that was. A lot of years and cars have passed by since then. Think I will take my black 40 Ford Coupe to coffee this morning and swap lies with the other old farts Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
First fast car ride was in a 1957 Chevy 2 door with a 283 Fuelie 4 speed, Black & fast owned by Bobby Shanks a local neighbor who worked at Gearheart Chevy in Denville NJ what a ride for a 13 year old, Bought my first '30 A coupe that summer of '62....yea I know where I was in 1962!
The Jalopy Journal
