my english teacher bought a new blue '69 Z-28/302/4-speed ...when I joined the Air Force 6 years later, I found an identical one on the base For Sale lot for $1300 and bought it...wish I still had it
I remember changing the tires on my 20" bicycle because they were worn down to nothing. Me and my friends would cover some serious ground all summer. Good memories.
I witnessed the last nuclear bomb test that was above ground in July, 1962. This would give any kid the creeps. In September our family always went to the county fair in Pomona. In the same buildings that are used for the GNRS today, were vendors selling bomb shelters to be put under your back yard. And one month later we had the "Cuban Missile Crisis" where we were all just hours away from blowing up the whole world. Every old guy in town had one of those white Civil Defense helmets in their rear car window. I had just turned 12, and honestly, didn't think I would live to be old enough to ever drive. Seriously. "They" were the "good old days", but not all of it was wonderful.
I was always afraid that there would be a snake down there in the two-holer, and it would latch on to mine. Used to keep our beer in the creek to stay cool.
HAHA, try sitting at the light at Belmont & Palm with your windows down at night now. You will either be accosted by bums begging for beer/crack money or mugged/stabbed/shot..........possibly all three.
early in '68 I lived in Manhattan Beach, Ca...I was 12. At the end of the street was a burger place. I saw my first Candy Apple Red paint job on a new Vette with Cragar SS's and chrome side pipes...
I remember; dipping a finger in the radiator then licking it to test for anti-freeze, blowing dust off asbestos brake shoes, spraying polyurethane two-pack wearing a 'respirator' made from kitchen paper. It's a wonder I'm still here!
putting fake a/c ducts from JC Whitney in your car. then roll up the windows and try to look cool. what a dumbass I've been.
Wow , This thread is like a time machine for me . thanks for bringing all the memories back guys. Damn I must be getting old because I remember most of the stuff mentioned on this thread.
i was 10 years old the first time my dad ran the '55 chevy up to 100 mph for me, then said dont tell mom. 13 years old the fist time i opened up the 4bbl on dads 429 ford, and he came running out of the house yelling what are you doing! ahhh to be a kid again.
Racing my moms Bel-Air Wednesday nights at Fremont drag strip for 12 bucks. The tech inspection was a guy who grabbed your seat belts to see if they where secured.
learning to drive on a Ford 9n golden Jubelie tractor..and taking it on the highway and getting in 4th gear and thinking how *ucking fast I was going....getting picked up from school in my dads '71 chevy 3/4 ton hugger orange 402 bb truck and riding in the back with my brother at 70mph...earlier going to Whataburger in our '68 camaro, me and my brother in the back eating Jr burgers and getting silver dollars as some sort of campaign or somthing....yes, still have the tractor, truck and camaro...the burger grease is the only thing that saved the seats.....riding on te back of my dads 500 Triumph on teh back of our land and burning the shit out my legs on it's high pipes....gotta love Liberty Hill, Texas.......Hans
OHHH, and after I built my first SBC at 15 for the camaro in above post...and racing my high school Spanish teacher in her E type with V-12...and spanking her...not literally
Learned to drive on a tractor to. Volvo Buster 320 ohh the topspeed was scary ha ha Got busted by the cops when i was 10 delivering cementstones to a house Burned my legs to on my dads ariel 650
Reminds me when my uncle came down from Topeka for a visit in his 440 Coronet. My buddy's mom had a 425 LeSabre. I just got my license and we talked them into letting us take the cars to the carwash for them...via the hiway at 100mph.
I'm 24-this is an awesome thread. Its great to hear how it "used to be". I honestly wish I could have been there. Thanks for sharing!
I know, that part of town is a desert now, but was once THE place. Racing over the big hill above the canal between Fulton and Broadway was exciting when you couldn't see if there were cars stopped at the light on the other side. Hill is gone now. First street car I ever saw pull the left front wheel was a Nova SS on Belmont at Fulton. And the Mars Drive-in is gone to make way for a seedy minimart, place looked like a saucer spaceship. No more Bob's Big Boy on the other end at Abby, Tropical Tees miniature golf on the Loop is now a hole in the ground, and I don't sit in Roeding Park at night anymore watching big block cars running each other on Golden State along the tracks. Used to sit there for hours watching cars I hoped I would one day be able to afford. Finally was able to buy a clean black '67 GTO in '72 off the Friendly Ford lot on Shaw.
In '55 ,,i was 12 ,,,my Uncle ,a Farmer ,, and my Dad ,,in the big City of Des Moines ,, got together and decided their two sons needed to learn the different ways of life,,so,,they traded for the summer ,,my cousin went to the City ,,i went to the Farm ,,I Bailed Hay ,,(never do THAT again) ,learned how to drive on my Uncles Ford 8N tractor,,picked sweet corn/ water melons/& tomatoes for my Uncles fruit stand by the hi-way ,,learned how to make $$$ change and talk to total strngers ,,and sell stuff ,, it was a great learning experience ,,
And the trophy goes tooooooooooooooo,,,,,,MAZOOMA. Helms bakery. The cabinetry in those trucks was oak. My neighbor bought one when they shut down and I got to hand him tools as he took it apart. I was 12 or so. I remember alot of this stuff too. AAAHHH the smell of real gas. Or real exaust for that matter.
The Jalopy Journal
