We Hate Change & We Hate The Way Things Are

I don't know who coined that phrase about society in general, but if I ever get the chance to meet that person, I will warmly shake their hand. Why? Because nothing could be closer to the truth. I've been cruising the classifieds lately, not only for a possible replacement for my wife's daily driver, (it's starting to get a little finicky for her liking at 210,000 miles), but also the possibility of another go-fast ride for myself, as I'm currently without one at this juncture. My wife and I agreed that we really don't want to spend a great deal of money on her replacement. Her current ride we pulled out of a snowbank three years ago for $500 from a family friend, and while we've done some repairs over the years at the shop where I work, we have racked up well over 50K miles and it's been a decent car. It's not perfect, but hey, what used car is?

The problem I'm running into in 2018, is that it seems like vehicles (or at least 90% of them) that are $2000 or less are absolute junk. They've been sitting since last August, (when the registration and inspection sticker ran out), but the vehicle will run when certain parts are replaced, (which by the way are dirt cheap at Auto Zone), and even though I can see numerous problems with the vehicle, even with the crappy cell-phone thumbnails that have been posted, the car will pass a state inspection no problem. I haven't even called these people yet, and they're already lying. Now - do I need to come to the realization that this is just the way things are and I hate the changes that have occurred in the past few years? Or, are my convictions correct, that the seller is hard up for money for whatever reason, and is hoping a sucker with zero knowledge of automobiles comes along to lay down their hard earned cash and run for the hills?

A friend of mine went through a similar experience back in 2012 when he purchased a rough 1965 Galaxie 2-door hardtop. He's owned several example before, so he's very knowledgeable about them. He traveled down to Pennsylvania to look at one that seemed to fit his criteria; in addition to the 2-door hardtop aspect, it was also had the original big block engine and 4-speed transmission. He knew from the pictures that the front grille, headlights, and bumper were missing - he was okay with that - he had those parts in his garage from previous projects. Considering the interior had 50+ years of use, it actually wasn't in bad shape. When he arrived however, the vehicle looked like it had been sitting outside in the same spot for quite some time, not just the "few months" the seller described. When my friend mentioned to the seller that he needed to move the car from it's present resting spot to get a better look underneath, the seller strongly objected. He finally reasoned with the guy by showing him the cash he had in hand to purchase the Ford - never mind he brought three other friends and his trailer along with him.

After viewing the underside of the Galaxie, my friend still purchased the car, but for 75% less than the seller's asking price, because the car needed shitloads of metal-work. This, of course, was a complete surprise to the seller stating that the car was in good shape (and running) when he parked it. Fast forward a few years to the Spring of 2017. The car is now done. However, it is heavily modified from it's original state. To add some intrigue to this story, here's a few discovered tidbits that happened over those five years; One, the Galaxie was indeed a factory big block car - optioned with the 427 side oiler V-8. It was an original 4-spped vehicle, even though the original top-loader was long gone. Be that as it may, my friend did not restore it to factory original. Why? Because even after looking underneath the vehicle prior to purchasing it, there were still sins that were hidden. The vehicle was just too far gone. It was actually way easier and cheaper in the long run to install an after-market frame, suspension, brakes, and drivetrain, rather than to chase down 1965-era parts. The paint isn't even a factory color. The only remnant of what the Dearborn Michigan manufacturer installed back in 1965 is the interior.

When he brings the finished rig to a car show in May 2017, this Ford is right. It's got looks, cake-loads of power, handling and braking. You could even say, it easily rivals many new luxury cars. He parks it in with other similar era Galaxie's and large Ford vehicles. He happens to park next to a guy who had a for sale sign on the windshield of his 352-powered 1965 Galaxie. My friend shuts off the motor and pops the hood. Numerous people fall to their knees in awe of the work that was done to this car, especially when they view the photo scrapbook of pictures my friend has taken. The odd thing is, the guy next to him seems pissed. That's because he is. When there's a break in the crowd, he tells my friend that "... he's bringing down the value of these vehicles by modifying it." My friend explains that was his opinion, but also the fact that the car was in too hard of shape to bring back to original. Besides, it was his ride, his money, he could essentially do what he wanted with it. He then wished him the best of luck selling his ride and walked away.


Different perspectives; my friend loved how his Galaxie turned out. Another person, for whatever reason, didn't like it. I will admit that even though sometimes I don't like change, I am better at adjusting and adapting to it. As to the way things are, well... give me some time and I'll get back to you on that one.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Skewed Perceptions... Or Are They?

I was visiting a casual friend of mine named Jack who's about 25 years my senior the other day. He lives in a nice apartment building and does what he can to keep himself from "going crazy in his old age" as he puts it. He used to be a very active member in a local photographers group, but ever since his eyesight deteriorated a few years ago, he only attends about one or two gatherings a year (we meet once a month). We always encourage him to attend more get-together's, and other group members are always psyched to see him, but he feels he has nothing to contribute since he doesn't photograph anymore due to his poor sight. He mostly goes when he truly needs a dose of positive fellowship. It's easy to offer someone reasons for positive change; it's a whole other deal for the other person to except it. For example, with my casual friend, I can tell him until the cows come home that while he doesn't have his eyesight like he used to, he still has tremendous knowledge. It's still up to him to take that truth, digest it, and make it part of his mindset. I can't do it for him.

I brought along a mutual street rodding friend named Bobby when I went to visit with Jack - it was a beautiful Spring day, about 62 degrees. Bobby's been itching to air out his '38 Plymouth street rod, but hasn't been able to due to his recent shoulder surgery. Together, we accomplished that mission - I drove and power shifted, he listened and observed how the new 6-speed worked that he installed over the winter. That business coupe with the 440 magnum between the front frame rails drove like a bat out a hell. Jack, who is also a hot rod aficionado, commented on the progress Bobby was making with the Plymouth. At about the same time, another gentleman who lives in the same apartment building, walked by and asked in a rather snarky voice, "Are you boys going to do burnouts in the parking lot with that thing? We're already dealing with those punk kids across the street and their ATV's. That's all we need - more noise."

Instead of ignoring this resident who was passing by, I asked him why he thought we would do burnouts. He then looked at me as if I assumed he was an idiot. He mentioned the big tires, the engine, and the fact hoodlums owned cars like that. Bobby let out a howl of a laugh (he's like that) and Jack told me and Bobby to just ignore him, but I was too curious by now. The more I talked to this passer by, the more history and perspectives I gained from him. He recalled earlier times in his life (and we're talking the 1950's here) when hot rodding was still fairly young. He mentioned that he had numerous buddies who got hit with go-fast bug, but"...they were all unsafe jalopies because they were young and broke. Between those things and their girlfriends." Apparently, a few got hurt. Unfortunately, this still rings true in some cases today.

He also shared a memory of a girl he dated back then who was killed because she couldn't control the car she had. "She always told me that her car was so fast. I told her to slow down, use the brakes more, or get something smaller, but she died in a car wreck before that happened. These companies have always made cars that are too fast." While I agreed that there is some impressively quick machinery out there today, both vintage and modern, it is our responsibility as owners and drivers to know our limits and take responsibility for our actions, a bitter a pill as that is to swallow. It's the same with almost every aspect of our lives - from crossing the street, to taking medications, to our thought process and actions. We have to be aware as well as responsible. I assured the guy that we would not do any burnouts in the parking lot. The fact that there were cameras all over the place kind of puts the kabosh on that, including the fact this car is 80 years old... it kinda sticks out. The passer-by actually cracked a smile; "Yes it does," he agreed.

As the older gentleman continued on his way, Jack mentioned that he is pretty grumpy all the time. If however, we bridged some sort of gap between him and us, then all the better. We waged that battle back in the late '40's and all through the '50's. Hot rodders, like motorcyclists, or any other motor hobbyist, are not bad people. In fact, in most cases they'll be some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Every once in a while though, we just have to gently tear down those walls.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and it may piss some people off. After all these years, even with all the different hot rods, muscle cars, trucks, and street machines I've owned, I can still admit that occasionally I'm a fickle gear-head. What I mean by that is, despite the popularity of a particular movement in our hobby, I still can't get behind what was done and accomplished. Case in point - I can vividly remember the Pro-Street movement during the mid to late '80's and how so over-the-top it finally became, that it had nowhere to go but crashing down for while. The thing is, I never had an issue with classic Detroit iron being tubed out with a huge BDS blower stacked on top of a big block sticking out through the hood. What I had a problem with was when this treatment was applied to late model vehicles with hideous colors. Do you remember when Hot Rod Magazine ran a story on building a pro-street car that could actually be driven regularly on the street? Don't feel bad - probably not many enthusiasts do. In fact, try using Google to find a picture of it - you can't - and I think there's a reason for that. The platform was a late-model Chevy Beretta. Yeah - a Beretta. Not the Camaro trim level option but the 2-door turd that was based on the 4-door Corsica. It leaves you speechless.

It probably seemed like a good idea at the time, because so many pro-street vehicles were literally race cars that were an absolute bitch to drive on the street. I should know - I built one in the mid-80's. It was a 1968 Plymouth GTX with a blown big block 440, automatic, huge Mickey Thompson's in the back and more roll cage than a jail cell. I sold it about a year after I finished it and purchased something more sane to drive. One of the big limiting factors back then was the fact that we did not have the engine and powertrain technology that we have today. Turbos, electronic fuel injection that you could program with a computer, overdrive transmissions, and cam profiles that resemble a modern car with variable valve timing weren't even on the horizon.

I used to bracket race on and off throughout the years, but I don't have the time (or money) to engage in the sport today as much as I would like to, but that's okay. I've been fortunate enough because of my love for hot rods, muscle cars and drag racing machines that I've ridden shotgun and have even driven some truly fast machinery - some to the tune of a mid 8-second quarter mile. I can truly appreciate what goes into going fast as well as the technological advances we've made. I frequently look at old photos from the mid to late 50's, especially when it comes to diggers. That was a time where both experimentation as well as life-or-death situations were common place. Back then, when a driver was making a pass at well over a buck ten, there was little to no room for error. Groove on the picture on the right. Yeah, the guy's wearing a brain bucket, but the roll bar doesn't extend north of his head and he's only wearing goggles. Can you imagine if that rig flipped over or suffered a fuel and/or nitro leak? Good night, Irene.

But, I guess that's the way mankind has always learned - the hard way and through trial and error. I still learn through trial and error, but I try to turn to the gods of speed for important lessons when I think my idea is a good one, but there's something niggling at my ego to double check some aspect. I think that's advise we could all live by.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

Accessing Thy Self

I don't want you to dwell on this for too long, but I want you to take a quick mental inventory of everything you have in regards to vintage American automotive as well as relating memorabilia. If you've taken more than 10 minutes to get to this sentence, then you've taken too long. This could be anything from a hot rod or muscle car (or truck), associated parts, neon signs, old gas pumps, vintage car magazines, posters, toys - the list is almost endless. But the idea is to get a general idea of what you have, be it a lot or a little. Then add this to the mix - what if a natural disaster came along and wiped it all out? Or, if you had about 60 minutes warning to get out safely, what would you take with you? It can be a daunting task if you get really caught up in it.

If you really think about it, most likely about 99% of it is replaceable. That's one of the main reasons why insurance for this stuff (or your stuff) exists. Think about it - we have insurance for our car, our house, maybe even for an RV or boat we may own, but what about your hot rod? Or going even further, your cool automotive memorabilia? I'm not here to push a certain type of insurance and/or company. I'm just saying with the wildfires out west, floods down south, robberies in large cities, and anything else negative you want to throw on the collective woodpile, makes it a question of when... not if.

When I say this stuff is "replaceable", I mean a duplicate can be purchased if the first item is lost. For example, I have countless Hot Rod, Car Craft, Popular Hot Rodding, and Super Stock magazines from the 60's. More than I can count accurately in my head. I have a bunch of vintage Fleer racing / trading cards. I have hundreds of vintage red-line Hot Wheels toy cars. I also have a bunch of classic muscle car brochures, posters, and other rare advertising inventory. Believe it or not, rare as it is, it is replaceable. I have insurance on it and if anything happens, I can replace it.

However, it begs the question, "how important is it?" If push came to shove, my wife and I have already talked about what we would take; the list is very small and consists of our laptop, our DSLR cameras, our phones, our wallets, and clothes for a few days. That's it. And it would take all of 90 seconds to gather it up and get out if necessary. Someone asked us once if that list could be narrowed down even more - where you could only take one item. Of course it could; it would be the laptop. The reason being, all our irreplaceable photos are on there. Years worth of family shots, kids, grandkids, scans of old photos that are long gone.

And that's the bottom line - while our vintage American collectibles are indeed cool, rare, or whatever description you want to tag them with, they are replaceable. You, nor your spouse, your kids, etc., are not. It all comes down to how do we honestly access ourselves?


Until next time, peace out.
Dave

I'm Not Normal

I will openly admit that - I am not normal. Here's why... or possibly why not. This evening the New England Patriots will play the Eagles of Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. Some friends of ours that my wife and I visited last night will be all fired up in front of their large screen TV. My wife and I will not. I will have more than enough friends who will be commenting and providing updates on Facebook. More than likely, I will just scroll on by, if I'm on any type of social media at all after 6:30pm. This will be the 8th time (I believe) in the past 15 years the Pats will be a part of the big game. They've won it 5 times in the past 15 years as well. In that same time span, the Red Sox have won the world series three times, the Bruins have brought home the Stanley Cup once and the Celtics have also won an NBA championship. In all honestly, New England is a great area to be a sports fan. In my head however - big deal. So why don't I care? Thinking about it a little more, I feel that term might be a bit harsh. Am I glad the local professional football team is in the Super Bowl and do I hope they win the game? Sure I do. Will I watch the game, the humorous commercials, the over-hyped half time show? No. Will I be depressed (or even bummed out) if the Pats lose? Not by a long shot.

Ever since I was a kid, I've never been into sports. While the other kids were on the playground trading baseball or football cards, I was trading Fleer drag racing cards with a select few (and I mean few) kids who followed the nitro religion. While my classmates followed Joe Namath and Roger Staubach, I was following the likes of Ronnie Sox, Bill Jenkins, and Don Nicholson. When others were quoting acronyms like NFL, MLB, or NBA, I had the NHRA and AHRA floating around in my gray matter. Because of my somewhat-distant affiliation with drag racing, I would occasionally be asked the question, "You don't like football or baseball - what's the matter with you?" However, all that went away when either my cousin would pick me up in his 1968 GTO, or our good neighbor Len (who took me under his wing performance wise when I was that awkward kid) swung by in his obnoxious tunnel-ram Camaro. For a brief moment, those kids might have thought that they should be grooving on hot cars and not some sport that involved a ball. And the one or two kids that didn't shut up right away, when my neighbor did a hellacious burnout in front of them with me in the front passenger seat, that usually did the trick. I would be smiling from ear to ear and Len would say, "Look kid - don't tell your folks I did that, okay?" He always said that after he lit up the rear tires when I was with him. And to this date, I've never told them about it.

 As I grew older, obtained a drivers license, and even after I got married, rear wheel drive muscle cars and hot rods still were the order of the day when everyone else was driving front-wheel drive sedans and - heaven help us - minivans. I can remember bringing home my wife and our first daughter home from the hospital in our blue 1971 Dodge Charger R/T. That car was big, safe, and heavy. The modified engine also had it's benefits, although gas mileage certainly wasn't one of them. The radical idle from aftermarket cam that was in it, rocked our baby girl to sleep I don't know how many times. As always, we had a back-up plan as most hot rodders do. If the weather was going to be dicey, we had a beat-up early '70's 4-wheel drive Bronco that pretty much plowed through anything.

However, we all age - we don't get old; but we do age. The good part is, the abnormality doesn't go away. It may change a bit, but it stays with us through the years. To date, I've gotten muscle cars out of my system as well as trucks. I've even owned a "modern musclecar" with fuel injection. And yes, every once in a while I long for all those rides, including the '87 5.0 Mustang. Now, I'm jonesing for something a lot older; like a late '20's / early '30's Ford street rod, preferably with a blower on top. Maybe I am becoming an old fart. Even my old neighbor Len who used to occasionally pick me up from school mellowed out over the years. The picture below is from the mid to late '70's of his 1968 Camaro he purchased after he sold the tunnel-ram ride. He mentioned he was becoming more practical in his old age. That Camaro had a modified LT-1 350 small block between the fenders. Sure it had 425 horsepower, but then again, that was slowing down and being more practical for Len. That's his wife Rita leaning on the fender.

Until next time, peace out and keep the faith.
Dave

A Picture Says A Thousand Words

Did I ever mention that I love going through old pictures of hot rods, muscle cars, drag racing, and the like? I think I do this subconsciously every once in a while, because it always reinforces why I love cars in general, but especially the influential iron from my youth. Many times it's not just the automobile that is the subject - it can also be the setting, the body language, or several other aspects that truly make the photo memorable.


This is especially true in advertising. I can't think of any other industry that plays so heavily on feelings, desires, emotions, and the like - and that's what it's supposed to do. If an ad in question does not accomplish this in some way with a particular demographic, it has failed. I was reviewing some of the classic muscle car ads I have in my collection for a book that is getting finalized for publication. It still amazes me the language, the imagery, the colors, and the social norms that were played with, stretched, and boldly put into print. In regards to automotive

advertising, the late '60's will never be repeated. The picture above is from a Plymouth brochure from 1971. In a time when musclecars were almost 100% marketed towards men, Chrysler did an about face where the woman was front and center, as was the guy and his sorry expression, even though he's in the background. Not only does the photograph advertise the 'Cuda, but it also presents a humorous scenario (depending on which sex you are). The picture to the left is an entirely different story; an ad even similar to this would be unthinkable today. AMC used this "description", as they called it, in their fan club magazine that was mailed out semi-annually to AMX owners. This is a case where absolutely nothing more needs to be said...

During the golden era of drag racing, the sport relied on photographs published in enthusiast magazines during the early years because not every household had a television and the TV networks hadn't caught on to it's upcoming popularity. Aside from actually attending a somewhat local event at an actual drag strip, or as was the case in the early '60's, a nearby small airport, cool photos of hot racing action in monthly periodicals like Hot Rod, Car Craft, and others,

were a speed freaks only connection to what was new, what was fast, and what combo worked. Take a moment and absorb all that's going on in the picture above. While it may present a great deal of wow factor, there's also a reason why we don't see diggers like this anymore. As racing progressed into the early '70's, safety was improved, but elapsed times and miles per hour by the end of the 1320 were way up as well. In modern times with driver canopies on both dragsters as well as funny cars, we no longer see some of the exciting, tense, and even humorous expressions of drivers. Check out the launch pic of the rail that's above left. There's so much going on here; the exhilaration of speed, the concentration of keeping the dragster straight, but the oh-shit look as the wheels are hooking the rig to the left. You can imagine the thoughts going through the guys head of how to straighten his ride out while not letting up on the throttle while hoping for the win. That's pure raw, folks.

However, it still bums me out though, the sometimes the most overlooked "picture that says a thousand words" is the one taken at home and is usually the most basic. For example, the classic father/son (or even the mother/daughter or uncle/nephew; just fill in the blank) restoration project that is finally completed. Never mind, that the car actually got finished - but couple the facts that there were probably delays, setbacks, and then there's always the fact that no killed the other person! Sometimes it's difficult to stick to your goals regardless of well the plan is laid out. However, it's worth way more than words can say, and all the money in the world, when this type of project gets finished and finally enjoyed. Trust me on this one - the experience, memories, and bonding far outlasts the restoration.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave

What's Your Game Plan For 2018?

You've probably heard this garbage a million times - what's on your hot rod list for the next 12 months? Are you going to make 2018 the best year ever? Blah, blah, blah. Sure, we can all dream of winning the Powerball and letting all hell break loose from there, but what about yours and mine reality? What can we do this year, that just might make a difference, and make this year better than the last? First off, we all need to make goals that we can actually attain. While some people may say, "go big or go home", I like to keep my goals fairly simple. The reasoning behind this logic is, if I complete that goal, it motivates me to tackle another, and if possible, another. And then when 2018 is drawing to a close, I can look back and say, "Well hot damn!"

For example, when I was restoring / modifying an antique Chevy C-10 truck, and I came to the interior, I took this in stages - which lasted over the course of three years. The first part was when I had the truck painted. The exterior paint scheme was carried over into the interior. That was step #1. I had to wait for steps 2 and 3, because my wallet was pulling more vacuum than the V-8 between the fenders. The following year was a small goal - to install the Auto Meter gauges in the dash, which happened faster and earlier than I thought. With a great deal of the summer left, I installed a Hurst shifter on the floor in July. I found I still had some extra money left, so I recovered and installed the bucket seats in late August that I had weirdly stashed in a huge closet (along with the shifter and gauges on a shelf in said closet) for three years. This benefited my psyche greatly as I accomplished more than one goal, I didn't have to spend much money on parts and materials that year, and it gave me time to buck up for next years goal of installing a custom dash, which involved ripping out the entire original unit, dash pad, wiring, and lower metal portion.

My point is, is that I would have lost my mind if I tried accomplishing all that in one year. I would have been living in my garage. While that may work for some of you, I can't roll the dice that way. So, if your ride is looking smooth, except it needs a paint job, (and it's currently wearing it's primer proudly), that doesn't mean you can't take it to a car show because "it's not finished". You'd be surprised at the number of people who will still dig your ride, and comment a year or two down the road, when it finally is painted. They'll love and support you in the process. Another item that can be on your 2018 planner is to take your kids, grand-kids, nephews, and/or nieces to a car show or drag race. You might be taken aback at how much they'll interact with you as well as the surroundings. They make ask a ton of questions - they also may not. They may not say a whole lot, except to say that it was "pretty cool". Then, years later, they will thank you or appreciate what you did for them. What did you do? You shared your passion. And that's rare these days.

Your game plan doesn't have to be big, just make your game plan count.

Until next time, peace out.
Dave