Yeah! It feels good when someone really appreciates whatever you're driving... I'll share one that happened the other day at the Barber Shop... Stayed after my haircut to BS with the older guys, when one of them (82 years old) looked out the window and commented on the old Ford outside... My '39 Tudor I said it was mine and he came out to check it out and tell me nice car and then noticed the dual exhaust... He questioned me about it and was really happy to hear that I kept the flathead and had put Smithy's on it... When I started it up he said it reminded him of the old days, very cool! He stood there in the parking lot while I took off too... Of course I hammered it a little on the way out for him and me too! Made my day!!!
I was walking out to my car one day and a couple old ladies were standing looking at it. I walked up and one asked if it was mine. I told yes and she started to laugh. Then she told my one of her high school boyfriends had a car just like it a 48 Dodge. I was shocked she know what it was. Then she turns to her friend and says " I thought the back seat was alittle bigger" The was the funniest thing I ever got from a "non hot rod person".
Yeah i get people coming up to me when i'm out in my Customline saying they used to have one just like it back in the day, and they're stoked i've kept the original flattie etc Best comment i've got so far was pulling up to a 7-11.....father and young son out the front. I get out and as i'm going into the store the son says 'Dad!....I want one of THOSE'......Dad replies with a laugh...'So do i' And this is over a ****ty $1200 car!..haha
I like the reaction at the gas station when I drive my brother's Studebaker... "Are you going to fix it up?" No, actually I am going to maintain it. We drive it back and forth to Detroit. "What? That's too old of a car to drive that far." So I guess in the 1950s every day was a car show and nobody actually drove anyplace? Nonetheless, truckers and others in traffic slow down when they see a Studebaker with a cl***ic PA plate three states away, especially when it's like 4 AM. Guess it's out of it's element.
if you guys wanna have some fun,stick a CB in it and listen to the truckers! loads of fun when i had my COE...
seem's like i get the same thing everytime - " is that a 32?" - oh well.... it's still ton's of fun seeing the look's and reaction's from people. mike
My best experiences come when guys come up to me and say. This is what I was dreaming of as a kid back in the 50's. Or a younger guy will say.... you nailed it.
I think most uninformed folks think any hot rod without fenders is a T bucket. But you just smile and thank them for the compliment.
Kinda along the same line, I ran out of space at he shop here a few months ago so i took the 40 coupe over to my 89 year old mom's house to store for a while, was over there a few days ago and her elderly neighbor was outside and he says " Hey Jack what year is that old car in your mom's garage?" , so i say 1940 Oh he sez your mom told me it was a 1957 chevy! God love her.
Last Sunday, went to a small show to p*** out 'Thaw' flyers. Damn, surrounded by shiney street machines w/tons of billet. The only things there older than '63, were a '55 Chevy post and a 'T'-bucket. After I parked, a bunch of the old guys came over, to check out the truck. Hell, I opened the door and told them to have a seat and try it on. Everyone of them told me not to change a damn thing, and many wished they could drive theirs daily. See, we don't have to worry about folks sittin' in 'em, rubbin' up against them, leanin' on them. A photog actually ASKED if he could bring a couple models out to a park near me, and do a shoot. The billet/shiney/street machine crowd was all over it. Many recognized the 283 w/vintage 'Vette air cleaner, and appreciated the fact, it DID NOT have an automatic in it. It's a blast when your efforts are recognized and appreciated. It's also alot of fun at Home Depot, with 2x4's stickin' outta the bed, too.
Dropped off some do***ents to a client yesterday a local department store. I was driving the tub because it was a beautiful day, today it's chilly with 25 MPH wind. As I was getting in to leave a lady next to me pulls who I ***ume is her granddaughter out of her car seat and they stand there looking at the car. Little kid is pointing with a big smile on her face. Grandma says, "Cars" is her favorite movie! We talked about the movie for a bit, Then since the car is a bit loud I warn her that it may starttle the litte girl, probably about 2years old. She thanks me for the warning and moves away a bit and they both watch as I start up and drive off. Very cool. Of course now the poor girl will grow up and marry a hot rodder, have greasy parts in the sink instead of dishes, and never have any money. lol Maybe it wasn't such a positive experience!
I think the best complimentI ever had was at NSRA South about 4 years ago in the 48 Poncho. I was leaving and had the top down. As I was going through the gate I saw a guy get up from his lawn chair under the tent and follow the fence to where I pull out. As I got straightened up I looked over to see him standing behind the fence with his fingers through the chain link and heard him yell...."now THAT is a cool car". It wasn't just the compliment...it was the effort he made just to let me know he liked my car. 48 Poncho
here is one of mine... The truck is not perfect, it still needs some work done on the doors, and stuff. But I pulled into a local cruise night, and parked it. I instantly had old timers guys coming up and talking to there buddies. And saying "That's how we used to do it" pointing to the baffles. Or when a non car guy knows what the valve covers are because he had one in high school, telling me Not to change it. Its also cool when people recognize the tiny details. I love the eyes on little kids, when they see it. Just that one *****le in a kids eye, or that one non car guy that just gets it. That's what it is all about.
Most of the time, we get thumbs up from other drivers. That's cool enough for me. Once in a while, you get the guy Brandon described who said "you ruinned a good old car." The reality is that that car was a rust bucket to this guy when it was sitting in an isolated field, abandoned, enduring the elements, and returning to the earth. Now, it has graduated to a ruined car. Seems to me that we (I mean all of us) rescued that "rust bucket" and brought it back to life. Good luck to John Q Public. Don't try to understand him. Now I've got the urge to take my rod out for a drive and stretch her legs out for a while. Keep on rodding. RGV
I have always been curious how so many people know what Bonnie and Clyde drove? They never say that's like a John Dillinger car.......
Great stories. I drive my coupe almost everyday, sunny Phoenix ya' know. I get lots of looks and smiles, surprisingly a goodly portion from 30 something soccer moms. I was riding a mid 40's buddy down to the hardware store and we were stopped at a redlight. Big guy on a Harley with a babe on the back goes thru the intersection. Her eyes never left us till they were all the way across. My buddy says "I'm not used to women checkin' ME out." I had to laugh. Dave-31 A coupe-DRIVER!
I get one of two very different comments from "p***ers by" about my 1935 sedan........#1 is "nice.......is that what Bonnie & Clyde drove?" and the other "is that a Plymouth?" I never can figure that out. By the way, my grandkids have free access to our cars and frequently get to go "for a cruise with Papa".
Thanks for the stories guys! My best one is from 4 or 5 years ago. Had an older (than me) lady of 38-39 ask me if my car had "gr***backs" after parking it. I told her it sure did, gave her a quick nod and continued into the restaurant for a cup of joe to go. I come out to find her standing almost where I p***ed her before staring at my car. She trots up next to me as I'm heading for the car and asks if she can hear it run because her boyfriend had a car in HS with "gr***backs" and she loved it. She stood behind it for a while then immediately headed for the p***enger door and asked me to take her for a spin. I innocently fishtailed it out of the lot and took it to redline a couple times for her before dropping her back off in the lot. She asks me for a cigarette and sits in the car for the full smoke after I park it and tells me how I made her day by taking her back to when "Billy football player" used to drive her around. That's the end of the story, no Mrs. Robinson ending here. It was just cool to have someone randomly into the feel of a powerful car and trusting enough to have a greasy mofo like me cruise her around the block.
I pulled up to the local Movie Rental place one night and an old lady asked me what year my Buick was. She then said "That thing was popular back when I was popular!". Got a pretty good chuckle out of that line.
When I drive my truck downtown, I get a lot of homeless people telling me " bad*** ride man!" ....."that's so cool!"......"I love your truck".... I don't know what to say......except, maybe......homeless people get it.......
The Jalopy Journal
