There are a number of folks on the HAMB whose comments and opinions I enjoy. I see posts by many who mention the help and encouragement they get from other members. I don't get to meet too many of them but today, I had the pleasure of meeting @pprather. Back in the middle of November, I bought a set of wide 5's from a fellow near Chicago with no real idea of how I was going to get them to Tennessee. I had seen a number of posts by Phil Prather and knew he lived in northern Illinois but didn't know where in relation to the location of the tires. I took a chance and reached out to him, and it turned out that he was only 20 minutes from the fellow who sold me the tires. When I offered to pay him to pick the tires up and hold them for me until I could arrange transportation, he refused payment and said he'd be glad to do it. He was leaving for an extended stay in southern California and wouldn't be back home until this spring. He said if I wasn't in a hurry for them, he would be coming to the Gatlinburg, TN area in April and would bring them with him. He messaged me a few days ago and we set up a meeting close to Knoxville for today. He and I showed up within minutes of each other and after moving the tires to my truck, we had an extremely pleasant conversation during which he again refused payment. His thinking was that he had to be in the area anyway so why not help someone out. I hold him up as an example of what I think the brotherhood of the HAMB both is and should be. I know there are more out there like him, I just haven't met them yet.
Phil is a good guy, he has stopped by and talked to me at the reunion the last 2 years. The goodfella's here outnumber the asshole's by far!
Years ago we used to do relays all the time and my house was a lay over several times. If you don’t mind waiting on a part or whatever it really is the bomb because you end up meeting lots of folks and building a network of friends that watch out for stuff that you might
Bought a hood through here from @pkhammer and he delivered it to Carlisle no charge, unfortunately timing did not work out for us to meet but he went out of his way to leave it with another vendor there so I could pick it up. Thanks Greg!!!
This really is a happy place. FYI I go to Rockford IL at least once a year if you buy anything else up there Allen
I enjoy reading posts like this. The HAMB relays were a lot more common years ago, I helped on a few. Bob
Absolutely, if anyone needs anything in the Northeast Pa. ( I-81 corridor) region hit me up I can check it out for ya.. Also if you need something from here to Florida or vice versa , in November I will be taking the Auto train down. If it will fit in my wifes (new)Traillblazer I will transport it. Will be in the Central Fla. area. Remember the Train runs between Lorton, Virgina and Sanford Florida. No stops between.
....Thanks for posting this, Alan. Yes, Phil is a great guy for sure and exemplifies what a sense of community this place really has created. The Hot-Rodding brotherhood will remain alive and well as long as gentlemen like him are a part of it...Don.
Yes, we meet some really good, like-minded people through the HAMB. @Bangingoldtin has been a great resource for me on both knowledge and parts as I prepare to build my first Nailhead. We live about 4 hours apart, so this week we met for lunch about halfway and swapped some stories, got to know each other better and swapped some parts. I am sure we will do it again. I have also had the good fortune to meet @Fat47, @i.rant , and others at car shows. It's always good to get to know people who enjoy the same things you do.
Sharing our interest's with others to my mind really make it all worth while, things like the HAMB relays help cement the community. Well done to those who step up!
This group was created back in 2009 to fill the need for a relay group: @ https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/social-forums/hamb-relays.183/ It has (16) pages. After reading this thread I just bumped it. Jim
That is what makes the HAMB so special. A group with like interests and willing to help out. @rockable, I too enjoyed our meet and hope to do it again.
After you pointed out the "Social Forums Tools", I figured it out. I am now a card-carrying member of the "HAMB Relay" forum. I guess I had a severe case of Rectocranial Inversion .
Yep, lots of great folks here and Phil is one of them for sure. I have had the pleasure to meet Phil and many others here and haven't come across any that I can think of that weren't good folk. To be honest, many of my best friends in life were met here first and then in person at some event or when picking up or transporting a car or parts. I rarely show up at an event anymore without a trunk full of parts for a few folks. Seems that living about 5 miles from Nostalgia Sid's makes for opportunity to haul dropped axles or cores regularly as well. I just showed up in Springfield last month with some bones, a bellhousing, some shift levers, and a temp gauge for a 36 Ford (which I forgot to give to my buddy even though I remembered to give him the bellhousing he needed.) HAMB relays are way better than shipping in that we get to meet new folks as well as not having to spend the money on shipping.
I'm down east all by my HAMB self, but if anyone needs to plan a drop-off/pick-up along I95 in eastern NC, I'm 40 minutes off the beaten path! Otherwise, not many reasons to venture off said beaten path....Minimal HAMB-friendly stuff out here, mostly squatted trucks and wrapped Chargers!
As mentioned...headed to Dewey tomorrow with a few axles as well as a couple other things for HAMBers. Don’t pay attention to the daily that I am hauling stuff in. Kind of a last second decision to go...
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