How tha heck did THAT happen!?

[tfeverfred]

So, you were born, the doctor slapped you on the butt. By all accounts, you were normal, but somewhere down the line, you messed it ALLLL UP! You became a darn hot rodder! How tha heck did it happen!? What was the moment when you knew you were destined to be covered in oil and grease, knuckles busted, broke and waiting by the mail box for that next part?

Me, I was in my teens in the early 70's and the cars cruising around were what would later be called muscle cars. To me and everyone else, they were just fast, bada** cars and it was nothing special to see one, unless it was a Vette or Hemi whatever. Then an older guy told us to go see this movie that had just come out. It was "American Grafitti" and I've had a love affair with hot rods and old cars ever since, but it was an ad in Hot Rod that had a picture of a T Bucket that got me steered this way. Ain't looked back and if there's a cure, I ain't takin' it!

What about you?

 

[VegasBruce]

I still have my American Grafitti poster tucked away in the closet, just waiting for wall space to put it back up.

 

[LumenAl]

It was the Kookie car from 77 Sunset Strip that got me hooked on T's initially...

Then as a young teenager, I saw my first one in person... It actually scared me when the owner started the dang thing up... it was just so foreign to have everything exposed like that! Many Many years later, (3 years ago) I finally bought one... then rebuilt it... Been having a ball ever since... however I've been into Harley Davidson's since the late 70's

 

[engine24355]

Well, for me it was my dad's 55 Chevy Bel-Air 2 door hardtop. Had that car for 15 years and had a 8 track...lol. We used to cruise around listening to "Bully Bully"...oh the memories. After that it was a long list of Impalas, Bel-Airs, Model A's etc. There were a few bikes along the way too, but the one I remember the best is the 1970 BSA Lightning...sweet. Thanks for taking me back Fred....lol.

 

[Coupefreak]

Hot Wheels, and American Grafitti got me started on my love affair with cars........and long legged blonds:lol::lol:

Vance

 

[tfeverfred]

.......and long legged blonds:lol::lol:

Vance

:lol: I wonder how many guys got into hot rods because of those ZZ ToPP MTV videos with the 3 hot blondes!? I know it had NOTHING to do with my desire to own a hot rod! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[Rick]

Back in 1967(boy am i old)I bought a 1936 2 door hump back sedan for $100.00 (no rust)And my uncle owned a body shop we,He chopped it 4 inches and chanelled it i think it was 6" and took off the running boards and moulded the fenders and the running board area into the body and get this HE DID IT WITH LEAD!!!!!A friend of mine had a blower for a flatty he gave me.It had a merc motor with a three speed no top loader here, but i shifted it with a hammer handle.It was by far the sweetest car i ever owned until...............My RATFINK.

 

[Yogi]

:lol: I wonder how many guys got into hot rods because of those ZZ ToPP MTV videos with the 3 hot blondes!? I know it had NOTHING to do with my desire to own a hot rod! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Naw Fred, it wasn't for the women....just a Lady UPS driver that brings all your parts huh?

 

[Coupefreak]

:lol: I wonder how many guys got into hot rods because of those ZZ ToPP MTV videos with the 3 hot blondes!? I know it had NOTHING to do with my desire to own a hot rod! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

When I tell people I have a '34 3-window Coupe, they ask....."what does that look like?"......I tell them......."remember the ZZ Top Eliminator album?" "the car on the cover is a 34 3 window"......and you can see the light come on above their head:lol:

long legged blonds, cold adult beverage, and hot rods........somebody pinch me. 'cuz I'm in heaven:lol::lol:

Vance

 

[Coupefreak]

Naw Fred, it wasn't for the women....just a Lady UPS driver that brings all your parts huh?

can't be the UPS Lady......she "slides right off":lol::lol::lol:

sorry Fred, couldn't resist the temptation............I warned y'all, I'm just a smart-ass at heart

Vance

 

[tfeverfred]

can't be the UPS Lady......she "slides right off":lol::lol::lol:

sorry Fred, couldn't resist the temptation............I warned y'all, I'm just a smart-ass at heart

Vance

:lol:You keep me on my toes, Coupe!:lol:

 

[Coupefreak]

:lol:You keep me on my toes, Coupe!:lol:

I'm here for ya Bro.:lol:

Vance

 

[norseman]

Well for me it started with the need for a new belt for my snowmobile, I was 11 years old. The family tractor at the time (1932 wc allis chalmers still have it) needed a rering bearings and the valves looked at. So I got to earn my new belt, by doing the overhaul myself with dad looking over my shoulder. I had about a 5 year headstart mechanically over most of the other guys in my area. Girls liked me becaue I could set points and keep their junkers running.
Took EVERY shop class I could thru high school and into vo tech years. Auto and ag mechanics and auto body as an adult education. Wrenched for a few years till I got bored with it. I have never had a welding or blueprinting class outside of high school and thats how I make my living now. I never really stopped roddin..

 

[all-world1]

For me at about 10 years old in '67, a bunch of us would bike over to the local drive-in burger joint and watch the muscle cars pull in. Then it's off to the gas station, and plaster the bikes with STP decals.

 

[Lowrollerchevy]

for me, dad was always doin his own repairs, i was out there helping him as soon as i could walk, i could read wrench sizes before i could talk

when i was older i was pulling pushrods out of his grand marquis for the head swap ... because i was small enough to sit under the hood to do it, and i was scraping the timing cover gasket case i was small enough to sit between the engine and radiator ..

later on dad started bring home hot rod magazines, a guy at work would bring in a box of the ones he had already read and give them away, soon he was bringing them in just to hand off to my dad so he could hand them off to me

from there it just got worse, lol

my dad was always the factory HP kinda guy, the 73 lincoln in storage is 460/c6/9" car, the 70 imperial is a 440 w/ a factory 4 barrel double pumper and a 727 auto.

one day i almost had him in a Baby blue / black stripe 71 boss mustang w/ the 351 .... was a very clean car for a very fair price, just needed to have the rocker trim removed or replaced and spray bomb the engine bay ..... they sold it the day pops decided to go take another look. hell, the spoiler was even at the factory correct angle (which actualy wasn't the angle it was supposed to leave the factory for that matter)


my dads starting to get into the modding side of cars, few weeks ago he was pointing out some stuff i could do to the 240sx project, which is a projects thats really just a gang bang of stuff we have around, stuff i can find cheap, and stuff i can make cheaply at work.

last week he dug out an inspection cover for the th400 going in a buddies car ... said we needed it ... this time he wasnt surprised when i responded with "but that will add weight"

i know hes becoming a hot rodder, cause the only person that can get away with screaming past my parents house is Alex ... my buddy with the turbocharged taurus that runs 12.79sec 1/4 miles, lol

 

[donsrods]

I don't know if there was any one defining moment, I think it was always in me. In school there were the Jocks and the Gearheads, and I hated sports, so all my Buddies and I talked about cars continually.

I also loved Grabowski's T on Sunset Strip, and would wait patiently in front of the TV every Friday night to see if they used it that week. First hot rod I saw in the flesh was a '36 Ford Coupe, no front fenders, primered, flathead with homemade exhaust and chrome motorcycle mufflers mounted under the doors. I couldn't stare at that car long enough.

My very first car was a '32 Ford 5 window coupe my Dad paid $25 for as an early Xmas gift when I was 11. But he "surprised" me on Xmas morning by buying me a "better" car, a '50 Willys Jeepster because it ran. When I found out the '32 was gone I cried and he was mad because he thought I was ungrateful. Dad just didn't understand hot rodders.

Over the years I have tried to figure out this obsession I have with cars and still don't completely understand it. Some guys like golf, some like fishing, I just happen to love cutting up metal.

Don

 

[Youngster]

This is a tough question. I can't remember a time when cars weren't a part of my life. I'm told one of the first words I spoke was "car-car". The only way Mom and Dad could get me to sleep as a baby was to take me for a ride in their '36 Ford. I'm just glad they didn't have a Plymouth or something.

The next milestone would be the magazine rack at the Rexall drug store. We would go there after school for a $.10 Coke and then sit on the rack and read Rod & Custom, Hot Rod, Car Craft, etc, until the druggest chased use out of the store.

Next was the "How to Build a T Bucket" series in the '64 Car Craft. and on, and on ,and on...............................................................

Ron

 

[Hotrod46]

My dad was Sergeant in the motor pool in the Army and my grandfather was a trained Cadillac mechanic.

They both were always doing something with cars as far back as I can remember. I always tell people that I was a teen before I found out that not everybody did brake jobs in their driveway!:lol:

My grandfather built and wrenched a couple of dirt and asphault cars in the sixties. He had a big workshop that was my playground when I went to visit. Having real race cars to play in was just about the best thing that could happen to a kid of about 7. He was always firm about never letting me race as I got older. I know now why, but it was hard to swallow then.

I would have to say "The California Kid","American Grafitti" and various rod mags got me interested in street rods back then. Nobody in this area had one and all my friends didn't understand why anyone would rather have a rod than a muscle car.

As a teen, it was dirt bikes that fueled my need for speed.

Then there was the time that my best freinds brother loned me his Austin Healey 3000 sports car. What a thrill for a 16 year old. I thought that car would fly!

Mike

 

[Track-T]

Growing up in L.A. in the 50's I got to see Norm and his bucket off
and on, Also the "old guy" (18) next door had a 29 RPU with a built
olds and a 37 slant back.
Girl friends brother had a 40 willys..
That started it for me, STILL loving it