History I know you guys like old pics.......

This is Gingles Johnson, my grandpa, He was a BIG influence in my life. Some of my first good memories where goin' out riding on saturdays, sitting out in the yard listening to the race on sundays untill we fell asleep, and just hanging out. He is not what most of you will call a "hot roder" but he had a true fondness of all automobiles, and the man could drive like no one else.

I remember stories about how life was back in the day, how him and his brothers all went in together to buy there first car, a model T, And how they latter all went in to buy a lincoln so they could all ride into town in style.

One of my favorites was the story of the man that always walked down the middle or the road, and never wanted to move for any passing cars. Well they ran up on him one day, just strolling down the road like he always did. My grandpa and 2 of his brothers riding in the model T, paw riding in the passenger seat. They wound that model T up, givin' her all she had, and paw reached out his hand and slaped the dude square in the back of the head. The dude dropped and rolled (He was ok) but my grandpaw thaught is arm was broke, and it stayed swole up for two weeks. But the man never walked in the middle of the road again!

Paw died before he could see any of my cars, but I still think of him wenever I'm working on one, or whenever I get a new one. I think of what he would say to me, I think of him telling me more stories about his old cars, man I miss him. Well here he is standing proud in front of his lincoln , wich I think was big deal for a poor teenager in the 40's.

 

Cool stories and nothing can take the place of memories, nice picture, thanks for sharing.

Vergil

 

Thanks for posting. Looks like he was a cool dude...and still would be today!!

 

Great pic, and story. Third generation car guy and still in the blood, thats great.

 

thats cool, almost similar story for me, my g-pa loves his oldies, my grandfather is the one in my avatar pic...

 

I come across a bunch of old car pics in my ebay searches. quite a few are the same format.. someone you don't know in front of a car that you do not know the owner.

that's way extra cool when it comes with a story.

 

right on

 

Very cool pic and story! Was "Gingles" his real first name, or a nickname?

 

Everybody asks that, It was his real name, and its being carryed on.

paw=Gingles Johnson
Dad=Gingles Richard Johnson
Brother=Gingles Richard Johnson Jr.
and my week old nephew=Gingles Richard Johnson III

 

Nephew should be a race car driver, I can hear it now, Gingles III wins at Daytona !

 

thanks for sharing

 

Very interesting. I'd only ever seen that name as a last name. (See my sig )

 

Gingles Johnson wanted for assault in Matthews NC.

 

I think the statute of limitations has ran out on that one, and seein' as how paws dead, and the other dude probibly is too, they'd have a hard time with that one, HA. Still, it is a pretty funny story......

 

Big,
I also had a great relation with my grandpaw. They wrote the history book and its up to us to keep it alive and well in our memories. Although mine was not much into the car scene he supported me in my quest.

 

Good story.