Hot Rods People. They're the worst...

My 48 Plymouth coupe has been on the road since 2012. We pretty much just drove it around locally the first year or so it made it onto the road. The car was a rust bucket (holes in the frame I could put my hand through (I have pretty big hands) and any place on the body that cou ld hold water was rusted out. The car actually started out with a chassis donor, and the rusty body was added to cover the chassis.
I had this brainstorm to build a street version of an early 60s dirt track car, and had a perfect donor chassis, so I started looking for a body to cover the mess. Being a Mopar guy, that body HAD to be a Mopar body, that was rule #1. Rule #2 was the body had to be older then the mid 50s, that was when the Mopar bodies got real long, I didn't want that look. Rule # 3 was the body had to have most of the sheet metal parts present, but the actual condition of that sheet metal was not important.
The idea I pitched to my wife was I could use the donor chassis, put a basic 4 point roll cage on it, then throw an old Mopar body over it. I would fix it up good enough to be safe to drive, and it would look like an old dirt track car. We could use the car to cruise around on nice sunny summer days, to get ice cream or cruise the local parks. I would build it dirt cheap, and if it lasted a year or two, life would be great! She about knocked my socks off when she thought that would be fun, and we should do that!
The search was on for a donor body. I found this one on a rat rod site for $200 (the going scrap rate at the time). It was about 80 miles from home, we went and looked at it, and my wife and I both agreed it was the perfect choice. I think the guy thought we were crazy (he may have been right).
A couple weeks later we showed up to drag our prize home. The project started the next week by taking measurements, making a plan, and start stripping the donor, which was still a running, licensed, vehicle. The project really took off when my beloved 50 Dodge 4x4 truck got totaled in October of 2011 (no lie). The insurance company from the lady that turned in front of me paid for a replacement work truck (it was a deal too) and provided funding for the coupe build. The work on the coupe was halted by winter weather, but resumed in the early spring. I did put the 4 point roll cage in the car, but one day when I banged my head on it 3 times, and the cage was laying in a pile in the yard.
The car was "finished" in early May 2012, complete with a brush paint job over the dents, rust, and my quick and lousy body work, and my hand lettering (yes, it was very crude), but I pulled that dirt track look off really well. The car actually worked pretty well! It was fun to drive, but not powerful enough to get me into trouble, and proved to be stone reliable. Seems that every week we drove it farther and farther from home. Every time we stopped someplace, it seemed someone was telling us about a family member or friend that had an old dirt track car in their past.

So I should tell you about the number on the car, and the paint job. Its important for the following story. The car is fake there is nothing but the rusty tin that existed before the 1990s, it was never a dirt track car. But it has run a few laps on a dirt track (we went to the Vintage Torquefest and I drove the "parade laps" on the track. You could do your 2 laps, then get back in line and do 2 more. I think I got 6 laps in that day). We raced dirt track years ago, but we usually had a different number almost every year. I didn't want a 2 digit number someone might think I picked to represent someone in NASCAR, so the 117 actually represents PS 117, the shortest book at the very center of the Bible. The two color angled paint job was a paint theme typical from the early 60 at our local track. The blue was some left over paint from the last time I painted my then wrecked pickup, the white was cheap white primer. The whole deal popped into my head over about two weeks of thought, as the car got nearer to being on the street.
One weekend in Aug, it was hot and humid (the car was a bit warm when the temps exceeded 85 degrees). We were cruising near Fort Dodge in Iowa (about 6 hours from home), and the heat and humidity was getting to us. We spied a Walmart and decided we should stop and suck up some of the stores AC for a while. We parked off to the side, near the end of their parking lot. About the time we were getting out of the car, we saw this big old boy trotting across the parking lot, heading towards us. Its 90 degrees and humid and this very big guy is about 3/4 of the way across the lot, waving and yelling at us as he is trotting towards us. We waited for him to arrive. Huffing and puffing like an old steam engine, between trying to catch his breath, he managed to ask "Where did you find Hal's old race car?"
This was not a question I had heard before, it kind of caught both me and my wife by surprise! I asked him, "What?" thinking I misheard him.
He repeated himself "Where did you find Hal's old race car?" Still not understanding him I asked him what he meant.
"This is a 48 Plymouth coupe, right? Hal's car was a 48 Plymouth coupe, the exact same colors, same paint theme, same bumpers, same number! Its got to be his car! I see you took the roll cage out of it, but that's OK, your driving it on the street! Where did you find it?"
What do I say? How do I tell him this one is all fake? I don't think he would have believed me anyway. "Well, I bought the car from a suburb west of Chicago IL, along a fence line." (the honest truth).
"Man, I don't know how it got way over there, but this has to be Hal's car!" By this time he was grinning ear to ear. "I'm so happy to see it again after all these years! I can't wait to tell my wife about it!"
At this point we are all sweating to death, so we wanted very badly to head into the store. "I'm going to look it over a bit before I have to go, if it was OK with me?"
"Sure!" I told him, "Just remember, I had to change a lot of stuff to be able to drive it on the street."
We have changed the colors since then (the blue is now red, and the white is a cream color), and I had a buddy that could actually do lettering paint the number on the car.
I think about Hal, and his buddy every now and again. my biggest regret is not asking Hal's buddy more about Hal.
Be nice to those people that want to talk to you about your car, even if the details are all wrong.

 

Everyone seems to have had an aunt that had a Rambler that was exactly like my Falcon (which still has emblems that say Falcon).

 

It would be interesting if you could find more information or even better pictures of this car, to see if it actually matches what you built.

I had my '61 Pontiac at a show some years ago when someone walked up and said, "That's Vern's car!" In my case it was true, the car did originally belong to a guy named Vern. It ended up this person had been a friend of Vern and had spent many hours riding around in the car as a young man. It was pretty cool to hear stories about the shenanigans they got into back then.

 

Well all right. The first time I entered a into a show was a Historical club,
with a survivor Tudor '24 T.
During the day I fielded comments as I could, being I was a new owner.
I found a toddler 4-5 yr old had availed himself of the nice roomy running board to rest his bottom, while waiting for the big folk to move on their way.
I snapped a picture of my guest, as the party that had sold the me the car showed up to inform me that the child should be kept from touching the the old Ford. I just smiled and greeted the passers-by. I still smile upon seeing the photo I took that day.
While out and about the neighborhood, one day I had to do a water check. pulling into a cul-de sac, I went about peeking into the radiator, and giving it a drink.
A young lad maybe 12 yrs old was watching, he said
"One question, where do you get a car like that?"
I directed him to the news shop and Hemmings Motor News.

 

When I was about 25, a guy we used to snowmobile with phoned my dad's mechanic shop because he knew he was into old cars. They were having a big party for his parents' 60th anniversary, and when they met and got married they had a red 62 Bel Air 4-door sedan. He was looking to surprise them by having a similar car stop by the party. The guy was wondering if my dad knew anyone who had such a car. Coincidentally I had that exact car, same shade of red too.

We stopped by the party at the requested time and the parents were thrilled, as it brought back a lot of memories, and the dad even went for a ride around the block with me. He was in his 80's and apparently talked about it for weeks afterwards. I got a thank you card in the mail a few weeks later with a nice picture of my car at the event. It was very rewarding to be able to help them reminisce.

 

MoPar? I thought you were a Ford guy!






Bones

 

We're all Ford guys in one way or another.

 

No idea who the numb nuts was that broke my outside mirror while I was in picking up "stuff" a couple of hours ago at my local Bomgaars (a sorta farm store like Tractor Supply).
It never stayed adjusted but at least it wasn't busted.

 

I "owned" ("had in my possession" would be a better description) a Ford for a few weeks once (only Ford I ever "owned'). I took it in as a partial trade on a Mopar I was selling. The people needed a car they could drive, the Ford was rusted too bad to fix. I believe it was an Escort, or something like that...

Someone came by and wanted parts off of it, I sold them the entire car. I made $50 more then I gave the previous owners off the price of the Mopar.

Before I knew anything about cars, I liked Fords, but once I figured things out, I corrected that.
F = funking
O= old
R= rotten
D= Dodge
Figured I might as well just own the rotten Dodge before it turned into a Ford. (why doesn't the smiley face work?)

 

I think with all this talk...really reinforces my ideal place to be is in my garage banging on something old and crusty...

MikeC

 

A little more info than we need...










Ok, so I am a dick but...

 

I was at Costco , a guy drives up in a super super nice TR6 . He exits and heads inside , lady comes out with 2 kids and a cart full. Unloads into the SUV . One of the brats shoves the cart down the lot it goes , Bam right into the side of the TR6 . She gets in and tries to leave just as nothing happened . I fried up the old Power Wagon and blocked her . She jumps out screaming get the F out of my way , I’m busy . I told her not moving until the guy with the TR6 , returns to his car to meet you ! She jumps back in starts blowing the horn . A Costco worker comes over and asks what’s wrong . “ Your truck broken ? “ I told him what took place and I wasn’t moving for him or anyone until the owner of the TR6 returns . He says “ I’m calling the police , lookin like they are going to be needed soon !” We they arrive , took my info , set me free . No idea on the out come . But damaging of people’s property and no responsibility to repair , lites the wick on the powder keg for me .

 

.....Absolutely! Good on you for blocking the entitled P.O.S.

 

Don’t engage in communication with
folks that are not worth your time.

That includes conversation - text - PM
and social media.

You must respect an opinion
for it to bother you.

Jim

 

I was at Lowe's.............

Guy coming across the parking lot with a lawn mower in his cart, and was about to tip over .
He was also drunk..........

I had just loaded my truck and was pushing my cart back to the cart corral. I quickly let go of my cart and rushed to help him. We steadied his cart and all was good.

Turned around just in time to see my cart rolling back and hitting my really straight 2000 Chevy truck and leaving a dent. Luckily it was a small dent.

No good deed ever goes unpunished..............

 

One of my best interactions:

I had a swamp cooler on the side of my daily car (sedan version of my avatar). Young kid, mebbe 6 years old walks up, eyes nearly falling out of his head and asks:
"Is that a rocket launcher?".

Sadly, his mum told him no before I could tell him yes Kids need to dream.

Cheers,
Harv

 

To your point... Here in Canada we have an election tomorrow. A month ago, tired of the antics of "friends" regarding the election (as well as social media wasting my time and not accomplishing things I wanted to at home), I disabled my Instagram and Facebook accounts.

I find it incredibly freeing, and have gotten a ton more done without the distraction. The unexpected benefit is that I'm not comparing to what others are doing and just doing my own thing.

Most apps, TV, entertainment, advertising, etc. are just trying to monetize your attention. If you don't give it to them you're better off.

 

And boiled potatoes with a beer.

 

Just a couple of miles from my house.
Great Pictures.

 

Well, I must be cracking up! I swear we had several conversations about FE Ford engines.




Bones

 

There are times, when a certain set of well placed words on a business card sized card, left under the wiper blade of the offender, or if even just handed to the potential offender, can say so much more than any true verbal altercation.
(Proceed with extreme caution)

I have a stack of these given to me to distribute, from the lady that runs the storage locker facility that has clearly marked parking lines.

Everyone's results may vary greatly!

​

 

I see lack of respect as the problem, not the solution. Maybe that's just me.....

 

Wasn't me, must have been someone else. All I know about FE Ford motors were the intakes were heavy and massive, and you could get them in a 352ci, a 390ci or a 427ci (there may have been more options). I have a few friends that swear both, at and by, the two larger versions.

 

I never park between the lines! I always, or almost always, park dead center on the line! But I do it in the back of the parking lot!
I do this because nobody knows how to get out of cars anymore! I do this because, I know if I am setting in my vehicle and someone throws a door open and puts a ding in my door, there will probably be an ass whooping occur! Either mine or theirs!
So , now, I just park in the very back and enjoy my stroll to the store! It is also better, because I never have to look for a good parking place!





Bones

 

Yep, occasionally, I do exactly the same thing, at age 72, with extreme discretion, and a quick survey of the territory, I feel its okay, plus I can put one of those dick cards on my own window to dissuade and inform the others, that might consider me to be a "dick" from my parking!
Too funny!
Thanks from Dennis.

​

 

“Does it have air?”

 

needed some parts for my offtopic '71 chevy 1/2 ton once. It actually was factory 250 I6 with a T350 trans. It is one of two options listed on the SPID and the truck has been in my family since '72. The guy at the parts store couldn't help me when he tried to look up my brake caliper in the system because "they didn't make a 71 C10 with 250 I6 and T350 transmission". He wouldn't take my word for it, clearly the computer knows my truck better than I do. I finally had to have him change the engine to a 350 to get my brake parts.

 

Got my ‘26T roadster going, model A frame, dropped I-beam, hairpins, fenderless, steel…red oxide primer, 350/350. No show car, but real clean and sits right…So tired of “Hey mister! Nice rat rod”…..I wanna say it is not a freaking rat rod, but it is so much easier and probably better to just say “thanks”. And my favorite, having my 41 Willys coupe called a Volkswagen..

 

Sounds like nobody taught him how to think critically when the computer doesn't immediately spit out the right part number.

 

I try to be patient, as they don't know any better and just want to start a conversation, but it's hard to explain that "back in the day" they didn't make all these different models.
So when I say "40 Ford", first they say they say "they didn't make cars in '44" and then I have to repeat and say "Ford, 1940" Then they ask "what model" and I explain there was only standard/deluxe, etc.

Now trying to explain what a '60 Chevy Biscayne is...... I just say "Impala".. they understand that.