Rain Dates And Delays

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, "... into each life some rain must fall". That is ringing more than true as I write this. It is pouring like a bastard. While numerous local meteorologists will mention that we need the rain, a gamut of vintage automobile enthusiasts wish the liquid sunshine occurred while we're working during the week. Looking back over the past two months however, I must admit, the weather has been spectacular here in coastal Maine. This has led to more car buffs than usual to bring out their Detroit iron that they may not have done otherwise. But what do you do when the skies open up, sometimes unexpectedly? We live with it, and drive our hot rods anyway.

While some enthusiasts will disagree with me, I will always give kudos to the "more hardcore" group who are not afraid to drive when the sky is crying. I remember when I owned my street / strip Mustang that was a borderline drag car - people used to ask me how I could drive it in the rain, especially when I knew it was in the forecast? Well, first off, the vehicle was water tight - even with it's aftermarket sunroof driving through a car wash. Second of all, it had wipers. That's what they were intended for. At times, it did get a bit entertaining keeping all the windows defrosted, because much of the original Ford HVAC system had been removed in the pursuit of speed, but I managed.

One of the biggest car shows of the season here in Maine is still taking place this weekend. The organization does not do rain dates. The only time they do, is if there's REALLY adverse weather in the forecast - like hurricanes, severe thunderstorms with hail, or tornadoes. Their theory is, if it poses a substantial threat to participants, then let's not be that stupid. But some moderate steady rain? No problem. This museum still believes in the creed of a vehicle is meant to be enjoyed as well as driven. Yes, the number of vehicles this year will be much thinner compared to previous years, but a hardy 50-75 vehicles will still show up. It's still a bummer more don't brave the elements - normally there's 600+ vehicles.

Major drag racing events have fallen victim to Mother Nature. Whether you're old enough or not, ever read about the 1962 NHRA Winter Nationals that were held out in Pamona California? Why this particular year? Because this was one of those rare times when the elements win out. Rain delayed the event for a week. Event organizers were worried that most of the scheduled and registered participants would not stick around for when the weather finally cleared. Don't forget - this was when the NHRA was in it's infancy. Every event, participant, and spectator counted. But, history would show that drag racers were just as hardy as other sports enthusiasts. Ninety percent of the people registered stuck it out until the skies cleared and the event was history in the making. The '62 Winter Nationals was where many us first witnessed A/FX cars as well as classic muscle cars featuring a plethora of high performance like 409 V-8 Chevy's, 421 Super Duty Pontiac's, 406 6-barrel Fords, and the crazy 413 cubic inch Max Wedge from Chrysler. Dragsters and some drivers were finally coming into their own. It was a memorial and historical time.

Face it - it's only rain. One of these days, we're all bound to get caught in it whether we plan to or not. We're not going to melt and neither is the ride. Don't let the weather be a total buzz kill. Get out and enjoy your street rod, muscle car or truck, rat rod, or vintage ride. Besides - we'll be complaining how cold it is in less than six months anyways...

Until next time, peace out.
Dave