Hot Rods What makes people do what they do?

Today, I was driving to the hardware store in the next town to buy a square 8-32 nut for the choke bracket on my '51 Ford. Parked in front of the coffee shop was a ratty looking coupster with an early hemi. I whipped in to give it a better look, and it was worse than I thought. It was a rod (I won't say which kind) with an early hemi, so I gave it the once over. It was an extended bell 331 with a 2-bbl and one of those inverted adapters with an late 30's Ford transmission. I stuck my head in the coffee shop and asked, "Hey! Whose coupster?" nobody answered, which should have been my first clue. The waitress then told me it belonged to a couple of guys about my age (70) in the last booth. I went down, introduced myself, and struck up a conversation. I told the guys that I had a couple of early hemis myself (my avatar is one) and that's what drew my interest. I said I noticed he had an early extended bell and thought it was kind of neat how the adapter worked. The guy who turned out to be the owner gave me an aghast look and said "No, you may have one of those little ones, but that there is a 426". I thought he was joking with me, so I started to go along with him. After about 30 seconds, it became obvious that he was dead serious. I listened to him for a couple of minutes about the fantastic e.t.'s it turned (we are about 15 miles up the road from Brainerd International Raceways) and the awards he had won with it and the stable of other quality rods he had at his place. I quickly extricated myself from the situation and continued on to the hardware store (they had the square nut I needed, so the day wasn't a total waste).

When I intruduced myself, I gave him enough information so he had to know I knew my stuff. What would cause a person to tell such outright whoppers to someone who obviously knew better? Even now I look back in disbelief. As I look back over the years, I have had things like this happen to me before, but never to this extent. What is with people anyway?

 

Maybe he just didnt know better? Maybe at 70 his memory isnt what it once was? I have had the "all hemis are 426" argument with MANY guys. Nothing to give a second thought to.

 

Maybe his past outperformed his memory! HRP

 

Well, the world is absolutely full of fools. You can't avoid them all. Better luck next time.

 

I have met people like that. I have even worked with one before. They are what is called a pathological liar. They have been telling lies so long that they no longer realize that they are lying. They actually believe what they are saying.

Either that or hes a f'king dumbass...............

 

He`s told that lies so many times now he belives it.
or He just does not know the difference , mabey he bought it
that way , and was told the LIE ???

 

Why are you worried about it? There are too many other things to put energy into beside little minded folks like that!

 

This one is easy. Its a checkbook car. He probably bought it as is, complete with the story of the 426 and couldn't tell an early hemi from a 2012 5.7. 2:1 the car's never seen a track, at least while he's owned it.

 

Vehicles tell a lot about the owner.

 

Some folks actually believe their own bullshit. Its a scary world out there! !

I once had guy tell me I was mistaken and that there were no hemi engines produced in the 50s. Dodge never had a hemi & the Asshole never heard of desoto either.

 

The older I get, the faster I was.

 

You must have broken the sound barrier on a bike, by now

 

That's the line I was thinking about! HRP

 

Not worth contemplating.

 

maybe you guys were both wrong and it was a 427 ford side oiler.

 

I used to work with a guy we all called S S T...super story topper. No matter what subject we talked about he always had a better, bigger, longer, been there done that story. Most, if not all Bullshit. Sometimes we'd make stuff up just to see what he'd say !!

 

I suppose all of you guys are right; what disappoints me is that for a fleeting moment, I thought I might have found a kindred soul up here, where they are few and far between.

 

these liars kill me. most just lie about nothing. the part I find odd is they think everyone believes them, when in reality, it makes everything they say suspect.

 

Used to work with a guy that told lies like that. He was always stronger, faster, better than anyone else. One night he got arrested at a club and told the cops that he was the son of the owner of the dealership that we worked for. Way to go loser, like they can't check out your story.

 

Ya know, I used to go along with yahoos like that, but I stopped doing that a few years ago. Now, when someone tosses out a line of shit, not only do I call them on it, I get PROOF they are wrong. I like to see them squirm and back track out of a lie. That crap has got to stop. No matter what you call it, a whopper, a white lie or bench racing, it's just plain lying!

 

I was sort of starting to feel for you but then realized you probably have excellent fishing up there, right? You can't have everything.

 

Hey, I just turned 71, and my memory's still sharp as a.....as a..... Hmmm.

 

"A 427 is a Chevy motor, dumbass"

That has been said to me a few times. I just laugh and steer clear.

Kevin

 

That's exactly right. Years ago I had a next door neighbor like that. He would come up with the most amazing stories. The more I humored him, the more outlandish the stories became.

I also dated a girl like that (very briefly) Everything that came out of her mouth was a lie. It was a habit. I think you're right, they actually believe what they're saying.

I really don't know what that's about. Some kind of mental illness, I guess. If they were trying to get me to like them more by inflating themselves, it didn't work.

As I get older I no longer have patience for it. Now, I just call them on it. It works out great.

 

"Quite!"

 

"it's a 426. yeah that's the ticket. Just ask my wife, Morgan Fairchild"

 

Maybe the two "seasoned" citizens had a good time at your expense!
Did you feel a little tug on your chain at some point in the conversation?
Some older guys are just wound like that.
KK

 

FYI.. Caddy engines [two in fact] and I believe the caddy trans too were used in at least one model of Tank, so yes the guys' caddy could be from a Tank....

 

Maybe he dropped 2 Viagra in the tank which boosted performance?

Don't you know who I was or better yet who I thought I was???

Glad u found the nut u were looking for and not the one you found...

 

You know what I can't believe? That you drove to the hardware store to buy a 2-cent nut.......!