Taking my 33 that I've had for 39 years to my forty year class reunion

Taking my 33 that I've had for 39 years to my forty year cl*** reunion... Curious about the reaction... most of the car guys were into muscle cars and couldn't understand wanting an old style hot rod... when I was building it from left over hot rod parts most were building "Resto Rods" and even the restorers wouldn't even talk to me... chopped and channeled wasn't a 70's fad... I referred to the car as "Odd Rod" because folks didn't get it... car hasn't changed but trends have...

 

Cool...I drove my 50 chevy delivery to my 35th. Thought I'd be the only guy with a hot rod but I was wrong. Our cl*** was only about 150 but we had a big block model A coupe, a T bucket, a slammed 58 chevy and a few more..it was a blast!

 

"couldn't understand wanting an old style hot rod"
I think you've identified why you haven't seen them in 40 years.

Might as well drive it, maybe they've come to their senses by now.

 

x2! Hahahaha!:d

 

I should have ***led the thread "should I go ******* to my forty year reunion" and it would have been more interesting... I'm sure the car has weathered better than our bodies... same paint since 89... I did change from 35 wires to Kelsey's and repro hubcaps and mirror... touched up the frame and repainted the block in 09 for Glenmoor... looks pretty much the same since I had it in the L.A. Roadster show in 91

I've been so busy with other projects this one doesn't get much attention... no good reason why - it fired right up and was ready to go after some dust removal... I figured I going to have fun tonight even if I don't remember anyone or still don't have anything in common

 

Very cool.

 

I don't care what anybody says, that will be cool.

Your cl***mates will be talking about it until the next reunion.

 

Let us know what their reaction was.

 

Great looking car.Always neat when someone has kept a car that long.
My 35th cl*** reunion is also this year.I wont be there.When they were sending out invites for the 10 year reunion I had my wife send back a note that said I had p***ed away.A buddy backed up the story.Havent been bothered since

 

Now you're the envy of the neighbourhood!

Way to hang in there.

 

Sounds like fun. I took my 51 Merc to my 20th 27 years ago and it was the same car I bought as a sophomore in high school.

 

Going to cl*** reunions is an eye-opening experience on many levels, not the least of which is how one's perceptions of how things were back then vs. how they really were and how all that differs from how they are now. I'd bet money you'll be way more popular than you ever thought you were, with or without the '33. But the '33 probably guarantees it! Have a great time!

P.S. Awesome ride!

 

Is it finally paid for???? Hahaha... cool beans...

 

I'm planning on driving my 34 PU to my 50th graduation reunion in October.

I drove my 62 Corvette to our 10th reunion but it was only a used car back then.

 

If they don't like that there is something very, very wrong.

 

Time sure changes folks... didn't recognize most of them... kinda remembered some after reading the name tags... others didn't register even after reading the name tag... only one person connected me with the car... mentioned it to a few folks in conversation and they hadn't even noticed it or asked if it was the blue one... so, time didn't change thier interests much... glad I went but I could have missed it and thought as much about... the shocking part is 31% of our cl*** had p***ed away...

The bright note was after everyone cleared out I was still in the mood to do something... so, I drove downtown to a local hang out... pulled into the lot by the outside patio and heard cheers when I shut it down... someone yelled "what an entrance" and I was greeted by a line of handshakes and hugs from the ladies...
Dr. Phil states "an ex is an ex for a reason" and I guess the reason I never kept in touch with my cl***mates is the same - I had little in common with them then and I have just as much in common with them now...

All I could think about is why don't I drive my hot rod more often instead on spending all my efforts on the too projects that don't run...



I'm hoping to have the 27 pained and running for Detroit Autorama - next Feb



Chopped Ranchero is stalled big time... not a clue when progress will begin again



And stamp stupid on my forhead... this was an original 20' showroom ride that I tore down fot paint.. and has been setting like this since 91

Thanks for sharing my stories... I'll have to do an update in 10 years if they have another one that I'm around for, Thom

 

Is the willys yours also????

 

Just the Fords

 

Interesting story. I learned when I returned from the U S military & went to the old hang outs that you can return but you can never go back. Things were not the same. I graduated in 1951 & have never made a reunion. Somehow I don't miss it either. Back then when I came home in the wee hours of the morning from street racing or a date & drove past the high school the guys would just be setting in their rides having a cool one.
I'd just fly by & give them a toot on the horn. Sunday AMs @Millers SOHIO station I would meet some of them & listen to their BS of how much fun they had last night. I would just grin & say UH HAH.
I was running a 50 chev vert with a 270 jimmy bored & 2 97s with jets drilled 3/4 race cam,lincoln intake valves, mallory dual point dist & nicson intake with clark headers. Had a continental kit hanging over the rear bumper. That 100#s sure made the goodyear double eagles get some grip.
Ahh the good ol days

 

I can relate to how you feel. I never had anything in common with my cl***mates and never really liked many of them. When we are in school, we are more or less forced into relationships with people who live near us but share few interests. Once we get out we are free to pursue interests and ***ociate with like minded people and we make real friends then.I didn't go to my 40th reunion because I did not miss anyone nor care enough to re ***ociate with them.Life is so much different after high school and you realize that those times weren't really that important.
Kudos to you for keeping your high school hot rod. Many of us wish we had done the same I am sure.

 

Thanks for the stories and comments...

My high school interests were art & cars... I got along fine but when you are into something it is a focal point of what you want to talk about and share ideas... learning and sharing is a natural progression... finding someone that wanted to talk old style hot rods never really happened in the 70's around here unless it was someone talking about the thier past... I moved around a lot and Calif was great... I still remember the Street Rodder Nostalgia drags held at Fremont... I joined a 50's Ford club and indoctrinated into the 50's music... somewhere it all changed and the types of cars I was interested in became cool... after I moved back to Ohio in 92 I still remember a buddy who helped me with my car saying he thought I was crazy for building the 33 back then and how he loved the car now... I've owned fourteen 57 Fords since 73 with most of them being wagons... I thought they were a perfect ride and no one paid any attention to them which meant you could drive and leave them anywhere without any concern... now they are popular too... go figure

 

My high school graduating cl*** was into hot rodding big time. But at our last reunion (30th), no one gave a **** about what we drove there. They only cared about the drinks and the sushi waiting inside the place. lol.

 

I took my bucket to my 20th http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a25/swade41/train.jpg and caught up with people that were a little to good and had a little to much money to be bothered with the poor kid. Funny how things turn around and the hot girl with the fast 68 camaro that dad built was very talkative after all these years.
I was still me and still drove an old car, and they didn't mind this time around.

 

When I went to my 25th reunion, I drove the 39 Ford pickup that I have been driving every day for 17 years and no one noticed even though I parked in where you couldnt miss it. Like others said, I have nothing in common with those people.

 

I couldn't help myself... I just had to check out how nature worked its magic over time... The older the cars get even the less popular ones look good... I can't say the same about my cl***mates...

 

I plan on taking my Willys to my 35th reunion in September. For some reason I was included in the planning of this thing. So the only suggestion I came up with was put the picture from the yearbook on the name tag of each person. It'll be the only chance in hell that I'd know anybody. As was said earlier people sure do change in appearance over the years.

 

eXstreamliner - what a gorgeous hot rod.

Since I am ignorant about such things... the removable hard top, is that an aftermarket/custom item or what that an option back in the day?

That is really neat, the airstream looks pretty spiffy as well.

-W

 

The 33 Cabriolet was an old hot rod when I found it in 73... it was channeled (floor tourched out and relocated higher in the body - no gaps filled)... the doors were capped and top convertable top was long gone... the top windshied channel was leaded in... the bob shell fenders look like they were made from oil drums... typical of the 50's it was about going fast and looking cool... the multiple paint jobs saved the body from rust... I re-channeled to car with a new floor and really didn't want a convertable either... what I really wanted was a coupe... so, I found a tudor sedan and the top was made with a channel to fit over the rear section... the top was cut up and recontoured to make the removable hard top... it is secured in place by 57 Bird latches... someday, I may put windows back in since the channel is still in the doors...

 

eXstreamliner - that is neat, thanks for the details. That removable hard top looks great on there.

It looks like a very fun car.

-W

 

When I go to high school reunions, all my friends (non-car guys) ask if I've ever finished the car I was working on back then. I always tell them no. I've had that car for 30 years, but it's never driven once. Lots of other projects get in the way.

I hope to actually drive it to a reunion before I croak.