Sam's comment about every HAMB member being only one removed from all the hot rodders in the world got me thinking about a guy I meet a few years ago. I was sitting at a table in a bar with some RRT/HAMB guys a few years ago, it was a Friday nite during the Detroit Autorama and we were sitting in Cobo Joes, a sports bar, across the street from Cobo Hall. Next to our table was a half wall that had stools on the other side. There were a couple of guys sitting at these stools. After a while shy me said hello and started a conversation with them. They were from ColoRODo and had car t-shirts on. Naturaly the conversation revolved around hot rods. I asked if they had a car in the show. They said their buddy had one in the show that was a Riddler contender. We chatted alittle about that then they asked me if I had one in the show. Told them no but one day my "project" will see the inside of Cobo Hall. They then asked what I had and I told them I had just purchased a 47 Olds convert. The one guy, Royce, said isn't that a coincidence, the gauges in my 36 came from a 47 Olds. I then asked him where he bought them. He said, "A swap meet in MN" I said to him "From a guy named Steve Hendrickson?" His mouth dropped wide open and he said "How'd you know?" I then told him that those are the guages out of my Olds! What a small world! We got a great laugh out of it, exchanged cards, alittle more chit chat, then went our own ways with our buds. Fast forward now to this past Aug. in Wendover, UT at the State Line casino parking lot on Friday nite. I pulled Big Olds in and parked. Got out and started walking toward some HAMB buds that were on the other side of the parking lot. As I was walking, about 4 hot rods in front of Big Olds was a black primered 36 convert. I proceeded to check it out as I p***ed by and low and behold it has 47 Olds guage cluster in it. This is too cool I thought to myself. No one was around though. I walked over to Roadstar's roadster and planted my **** on one of his tires and watched the 36. After a while the owner appeared and I walked over to him. I put my hand out and said nice to see you again. He shook my hand but I could tell he was having trouble placing how he knew me. That was ok cuz I could remember where we met but I couldn't remember his name. We both refreshed each others memory, had a good laugh, and he showed me his 36. WAY cool, the guage cluster looked great in his dash along with the glove box door. Chatted for a bit more. He told me about his current project a roadster pickup that he will be debuting at the Detroit Autorama in 2005. He said it's going to be a Riddler contender and will knock everyones socks off. I'm looking forward to it. Of course I had a photo taken of us together. Well, you'd think that would be the end of the story. Nope, it really is a very small hot rod world. This past Oct, while at the Hunnert Car Pilup, HAMB member ThirtyFivePickup hands me a CD of photos that he took at B'ville. Once home, and I started checking them out, I was floored. Mike, 35PU, must have REALLY loved Royce's 36 cuz he had about 2 dozen shots of it on the salt! Which a couple of the shots I captured and place in my Star Photo albumn online. Well, shortly after that I get an email from a guy in Wyoming, at WyoTech, named Brick. Seems he saw a link to my album as he was lurking on the HAMB and saw his friend Royce's 36 in there along with a few shots that I took of HIS hot rod on the salt! As it turns out he's a bud of FltBlk, B***, Big Ric and a few of the other TX HAMB boys. I do believe Sam's statement about every hot rodder in the world being only one removed from knowing each and every other hot rodder to be completly true. It really is a very small hot rod world we all live in.
Cool story,and a cool lookin 36!!!Now EVERYBODY SING... its a small world after all its a sm....aw nevermind
Denise,it is true that all of us are only one person away from knowing all hotrodders,but you are only one person away from knowing EVERYONE and having a pic of them.Can't wait for summer so I get to see everyone again. Take care, DAN
Haha! Dan said it right. I'm doin my best to meet everybody on the HAMB IN PERSON. In fact, I believe I met Dan in a gr***y parking area at the Minnesota State fairgrounds about 2 minutes after I met you, Denise...
I couldn't agree with you more Denise.I had an experience this past September that backs that up: When we went out east for the Ty-Rods show we got there late Friday and the following morning had the option of attending a parade to honor the Little League All-Stars from my home town or go to a swap meet/car show.Well that was a no-brainer! We get there and after parking the car and jawing with a couple of friends that came over I started around the swap meet area.One of the first people I run into is a rod builder/photographer friend who hustles me over to meet this guy who is a fellow striper who just moved to M***achusetts recently from San Diego.I look at some of his work(killer!)and we're talking shop and I ask him whatever prompted him to move to such a horrible state from a great sunny one.He mentions that his wife has relatives there even though they don't live very close.I ask what town she was from and he tells me.It's my old home town!It turns out that I had gone to school with his wife and she lived right down the street from me!And what was weird was he remembers her telling him that she knew a guy who did the same thing he did(pinstriping).WEIRD! Also if you see Tom May ask him how we came to know each other;almost the same scenario. Ray
all i know is i seen that 36 last summer up in loveland or something, and it is cool in a way that pictures can't describe! i know i spent longer looking it over than any other car there that day.
A Long distance commercial once stated that "We're only six people away from knowing everyone in the world"...! Well if anyone knows Denise..., they're only ONE person from knowing everyone in the world...!!! (and she's got pictures to prove it...!)! "It's a small world..., But I'd hate to paint it...! Mark
HEY! i remember that! Cherryblossom and i were at Cobo Joe's with you when you met him. how cool you ran into him again and what a sweeeet car he has. i can't wait for this years Autorama but i really can't wait for the 2005 Autorama cause i too know someone who will have a Ridler contender there that year. it's just about time to make plans for this years show is'nt it Denise??
[ QUOTE ] I'm still waiting for our mud wrestlin match!!!! [/ QUOTE ] I don't usually ever regret doing something or NOT doing something as the case may be, BUT I do have just one regret from this p*** summer and that is not taking you up on your offer to mud wrestle. There certainly was enough mud in the So-What encampment to cover both of us from head to toe and it probley would have been the highlight of the weekend. Trust me when I tell you I won't let an opportunity like that p*** by me again!
Well, I don't get to meet many HAMBers, but I designed the t-shirt you are wearing in that photo. (I just wanted to play along )
Since you designed it, I'll tell you what most guys tell me when I'm wearing it....... "It needs 2 E&J's on there" as they point to my chest
In 1975 needed money sold my sporster and gave my best buddy John my extra parts. 9 years ago I hire Joe to work at my shop.7 years ago me John and Joe go to a swap meet together find out Joe has my extra rear cyclinder on his bike.Yes small world, cool beans.
[ QUOTE ] Mike, 35PU, must have REALLY loved Royce's 36 cuz he had about 2 dozen shots of it on the salt! [/ QUOTE ] Hmmm? What?? Naahhh, just had some memory left on the ole digital cam.' I LOVE this car. Sits damn near perfect. The guy musta thought I was a nut. Thanking him for bringing it to the salt. I was rollin around on the salt taking low shots... having a ball. This is one of my photo/art things on the wall in my livingroom... yup, I like this car...
Denise -- Gets a little weirder yet . . . I remember when I was selling those pieces at the swap meet; didn't think ANYBODY would be interested in '47 Olds gauges. So this guy comes up and starts lookin' 'em over, and I think he looks familiar, so we start talking. Don't remember how we figured it out, but it turns out I'd featured his '37 Ford club coupe a couple years earlier in RD. He ended up coming back later and buying the extra Olds dashboard, too -- glad to see he made good use of them! Steve.
The Jalopy Journal
