Memorial Day... And Lots Of Memories

First off, a peaceful Memorial Day to all, especially to those families who had family and/or friends who died giving their lives for our freedoms. At times, we seem to forget that the last Monday in May is a national holiday of remembrance, and not solely an excuse to barbecue like crazy while drinking cake-loads of beer just because you have an extra day off from work - never mind that it's the unofficial start of the summer season. The internet certainly doesn't help. When doing a Google search on Memorial Day, I also received "paid content" links for the best tech deals for the weekend as well as a list of politically incorrect Memorial Day movies. Whatever.

To me, honoring Memorial Day does bring forth a list of mental concepts and plans for the weekend. Yes, I will most likely take part in engaging in outdoor activities as well as said BBQ, but the the two items that are at the top of the list; One, is remembering family members and friends who gave their life while in service to our country, but second is to take a stroll down memory lane (or amnesia lane as my oldest daughter puts it) in regards to the classic automobiles that I've owned as well as hot rodding from my youth. As humans, we gravitate to warm fuzzy's from our past. With me, hot rods and muscle cars are one of the biggest and warmest fuzzy's out there.

This years stroll started almost a week ago when I saw the Chevy truck I restored and sold years go was parked at a local service garage. It was good to see that it was still in great shape. The paint looked fantastic as did the custom interior, but it still had the old 15" steel wheels with dorky factory hubcaps as rolling stock. When I owned the truck, I installed a set of American Racing Torque-Thrust wheels with almost stock size tires up front but had massive 325/50/15 Nitto radials on the rear. Since the truck was lower 2" in front and 4" in the rear, the stance looked totally bad ass. Looking back however, I think I was ahead of the curve (at least as far as Maine is concerned), because it took me over three months to sell the truck, mainly because it wasn't 4-wheel drive and the original interior (dash and all) was completely gone. Apparently, it is a cardinal sin in Maine to replace a stock Chevy dash with something totally custom. People loved the paint scheme, but became upset that the colors I used weren't "all Chevy", (it was half Chrysler black and a smidgen of Mercedes silver). And those wheels... I received more offers for the tires and wheels than I did on the truck. The picture above was taken right after I finally finished the paint job by mid-November 2010, after 8 long months. You can see the old 15" wheels the truck wore while getting painted.

A woman finally came and purchased it. She also loved the paint scheme, the custom interior, but her husband was adamant about not wanting the Torque-Thrust wheels, even though she wanted them. In the end, I re-installed the old 15" steel wheels that were on the truck when I purchased it, lowered the price by about $1000, and sold the American Racing wheels with said tires separately. It was her husband who installed the hubcaps. Afterwards in my opinion, the truck looked like it had an identity crises. Between the slightly lowered and raked stance and the custom paint, but with the stock 235/75/15 tires and wheels on it and factory era caps on, it looked completely awkward. Much to my dismay, it still looks the same today. As my wife told me, "... you don't own it anymore. Let it go. No longer your circus or your monkey."

She's right. However, my drive to be different along with my yen to modify and slightly customize my hot rods is a double-edge sword. Not everyone is going to agree with what I do with my rides, and that's okay. I usually respond to people who tell me how to paint this car, or modify that engine in that particular way with, "You pay for it & I'll build it / paint it / modify it anyway you want." That usually shuts them up. I've been cruising the Racing Junk website as well as Craigslist again, checking out older (1939 and down) street rods. I've even taken a liking to T-buckets, which I never thought I would ever consider purchasing. On the one hand, it's the ultimate go-fast machine; Throw any V-8 behind the grill that makes at least 350 horsepower and it'll be fast as hell. It's easy considering most T-buckets weigh less than 2000 pounds. On the other hand, most buckets are a convertible 100% of the time, as they have no roof what-so-ever. Which means you can't put the top up if you happen to caught in an unexpected shower, and the interior is open to the elements. That includes bugs, stuff from trees, pollen, as well bird shit. Those last items may be enough to sway me to purchase a hot rod with a steel roof. Either way, I know it will bring back a flood of memories as to when I was a kid in the 60's. Back then, being under 10 years old and not knowing any better, Memorial Day weekend was a time when a ton of hot rods who come out, cruise the streets and the beaches, and also signify that summer vacation was almost here - a time to drool over more muscle cars and street rods.

So - enjoy this Memorial Day weekend. Be sure to express gratitude to those people who had family members give the ultimate sacrifice. Also, be sure to take a cruise down your "amnesia lane" - and take in a car show or cruise-in - and exercise those forgotten memories of hot rod city.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

It Doesn't Matter

If there was an official vintage automotive calendar issued by the state of Maine, I'm almost pure-positive that the date of May 1st each year would be some sort of loose holiday or at minimum the square for that date would be highlighted. The reason? It is the unofficial start of the car show / cruise-in season. I've attended a few already, and while a particular concept I'm going to delve into this week has faded quite a bit over the past 10 years, I still see it rear it's ugly head from time to time. The concept of an owner down-playing their ride because it isn't 100% done. Or it's not as nice as other examples on display. To that, I say, "Bullshit - it doesn't matter." I take as many pictures as I can and just about every owner is tickled because I care enough to photograph a particular aspect of their ride. I've had guys open up the hood of their muscle car when normally they wouldn't do so. I have women pose with and on their incredible motorcycles. I've also had a few objections, all of which to date have been the same question; "... why would you want to photograph that?"

For example, I was snapping a few pics of a nice 1956 Ford Town Sedan. One aspect I found the most interesting (and somewhat hilarious), was one of the side emblems just ahead of the quarter panel. The left hand side emblem was missing the letter "N" at the end of "Sedan". The font that was used back then was a certain script letter. Without the "N" the emblem nearly damn looks like "Town Soda". I also thought - if the other "N" were to go missing from the end of "Town", it would've read "Tow Sedan." I know it's very minor, but I thought it was cool - especially with the trace amount of patina and scale behind the emblem. That one shot showed originality, a life driven, and some humor. After I explained this to the owner, he saw his classic in an entirely new way. To me, even though his Ford wasn't perfect and had some flaws, it didn't matter.

I photographed a beautiful red 1965 Chevy C-10 this weekend as well. The gentleman who owned it was a Vietnam veteran and always wanted a hot rod truck with a big block, 4-speed, and "really snazzy wheels" as he puts it. However, he was a bit sheepish at first when I first started taking some pictures. I asked him some basic questions, which he answered readily. When I asked him about the paint, he was unsure about certain details. "I purchased the truck just as you see it. I didn't do anything to it. I didn't restore it." To me, that didn't matter. I also knew this truck was not cheap to purchase. I reassured him that it takes nerves of steel to put your John Hancock on a check for 20 or 30,000 dollars and even more stroke if you hand over that amount in cash. I know - I've done it.

The "It doesn't matter" concept also applies to me. I was cruising the Racing Junk website the other day, I came to a sudden and stark conclusion. It happened when I was checking out 1987 through 1991 Fox body Mustang's as well as 1930-1939 street rods. I found myself that if the Mustang couldn't cut a sub 12-second quarter mile, or if the street rod didn't have either a big block or a small block with some type of blower, I wasn't going to consider it. I found myself thinking that 350 rear wheel horsepower is not enough. It has to be well over 400 if not cresting 450 horsepower. That's when I knew I was spoiled when it comes to horsepower. Most people have no clue just how fast a car that can burn up the 1320 in 12 seconds flat is. I have to remind myself that even though part of me may crave a 9-second animal, it's most likely going to be hell to drive on the street - at least here in Maine. We have crap for gas, and crap for roads. The fact that whatever vehicle that's for sale can "only" cut really low 12's really shouldn't matter. Besides - I can always make it faster if I wish.

So remember - if you own a hot rod, muscle car, or street rod that isn't finished yet; drive it anyways. Who cares if it isn't painted yet. If someone bitches, tell them to pay for the paint and materials - that will shut them up. If the car you're seriously looking to buy meets all your criteria, except it's just a second too slow in the quarter; buy it. You can make it hotter in good time. Besides, if you don't buy that car, you'll be looking for at least another year to find another one that comes that close. Get out and have fun. Time is short - let the naysayers be negative. You'll be the one cruising in that cool ride, sitting in that sweet spot in the drivers seat, heading off into the sunset - while they hop into their pedestrian mini-van...

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

What If...

Regular readers and followers have noticed that it's been about two weeks since my last post. While that sounds like no big deal, the Full Throttle faithful know that I publish a post almost religiously every weekend. The same type lapse in publishing occurred about a month ago, around Easter weekend. So, what's going on? I could trot out a banter of excuses like working overtime at my regular job, or taking in a number of weekend car shows, or perhaps taking a much needed vacation and getting off the grid. The truth of the matter is, I was taking care of my wife of 32 years after her major eye surgery. The need for the surgery came out of the blue just like the condition that affected her eye. There was no injury, no accident, that prompted this procedure. It's just a condition that sometimes comes with age.

That begs the question... for all of us; what if you suddenly didn't have use of one of your senses, like your eyesight? Would you still keep doing as many things as you used to do? Would you still enjoy hot rods, muscle cars, or driving motor-sports like drag racing? Or would you just come to terms like, "Things are the way they are. If I can't see, I certainly can't work on cars or enjoy them as much as I used to." This decision mindset hit me yesterday while taking a walk  with my wife. While on the way to the boardwalk that snakes it's way along the oceanfront harbor in the town where we live, we witnessed a nice 1932 Ford 3-window coupe that had a blown 427 FE big block thundering where the hood and fenders used to be. It was there and then I firmly decided that even if I lost my eyesight completely, I would not give up hot rodding. I could still hear that blower whine and the camshaft turn it's lopey idle. I could feel the rumbling exhaust. I could smell the fuel burning and exiting the short side exhaust. In short, I would be blind - not dead.

Ever hear of a gentleman named Brent Flagler? About 10 years ago, Hemmings Publishing who still churns out the bi-monthly periodical Muscle Machines, did an article on this man who restored classic Chevy muscle cars even though he was legally blind. (Ed note: unsure if he still does. We would imagine so.) Despite having the two most valuable senses needed for doing just about anything except eating, Flagler could remove doors, fenders, take out engines, and he has even recovered seats with beautiful results. At the time the article was written, he recently installed new seat covers on his 1972 big-block Monte Carlo and the fit was as good as if a professional had done it. His detailing skills back then, (and probably still are), second to none and he performed all his polishing by hand, but he also used a parts washer and grinding wheel. Unlike the high-priced restoration shops, Flagler's place is like most hobbyists shops in Anytown, USA. He has a small Craftsman tool box, a parts washer, a Craftsman 5.5hp 25-gallon air compressor and a workbench made of old kitchen cabinets. He also had a floor jack, some jack stands and a grinder, that's about it. Many of his hand tools were neatly organized and hung on the wall with hooks on pegboard. After reading this section of the magazine article, I had to ask myself - what is stopping me now in getting things accomplished or what would stop me if the inevitable happened?

The same with my love for nostalgia drag racing. While I wouldn't be able to pilot some serious Detroit iron down the 1320, I certainly would not pass up an opportunity to ride shotgun. I would still attend events at major tracks like Epping in New Hampshire and Englishtown in New Jersey. I could hear the announcements, feel all the horsepower as it lined up at the starting line, and smell the nitro. The same would hold true for attending smaller, but just as important events, like the annual Race Of Gentlemen in New Jersey.

Now I pose the question to you - would you remain just as active in your hobby and your life if you lost one of your major senses like your eyesight? Or would you just say the hell with it, turn bitter, add that life is unfair, and start the slow process of rolling over and dying?

I know what I would choose...
Until next time, peace out.
Dave