Featured Art & Inspiration An on topic car Photo that just brings a SMILE to your face.

photo: 35mm Kodak Ektachrome Color Slide Film Taken by Vnak Westside Long Beach…

Hello,

“The warmth of the sun” is all that is/was needed to relax and enjoy our day at our mom’s house where we grew up and started our hot rod life cycle. Since we moved out of the old 40’s house when we got married, we used to go back monthly or sometimes more. We just could not get out of eating our mom’s fabulous dinner spreads. It was good that we had a fast metabolism, otherwise, we would be “rolling” down the road, instead of a full throttle acceleration in our hot rod cars.

The day we ended up at our mom’s house in our 65 El Camino, was well beyond our hot rod race/build days. When we left our small apartment, it was thick with fog. The fog was so thick that we had to turn on our lights to get past the coastal highway influence. We took some inland roads and ended up not having to drive on the freeway.

So, as we were settling in, the warm sun was out and it was a memory time for me. In looking at the concrete pad and narrow driveway, there were many times that coming and going into the garage was a close encounter with the stucco wall and fence.


Jnaki

When I was sitting there, thinking about our involvement in hot rod modifications and an actual build of our 1940 Willys 671 SBC build for the Gas Coupe Classes was enlightening. The small opening next to the concrete pad accentuated the sound of our motors and it was fun, each time coming and going to our next adventure. But, we had to be careful not to make too much noise as our mom was not the “noisy hot rod” likeable person. Every chance she got, there was an added comment in our conversations.

The El Camino was our after college mode of travel and varying road trips all over the Westcoast. So, two 20 something folks enjoying life as it should be… carefree, easy going lifestyle and being together all added up to a long lasting result… to this day. The photo was a surprise after we developed it. The color, angle and lighting was right on and my wife was “spot on” (pun intended as the camera was an Asahi Pentax “SPOTMATIC” 35mm camera.) as she became the photographer and not the model.
resting quietly in our film/camera drawer waiting for…
a new/old roll of 35mm film and a chance to shine again…YRMV

 

Hey @jnaki
That really made me smile, to see that Pentax spotmatic 35mm camera.
I had one of those with a screw mount 50mm lens back when I was in the military in the late 70s.
It was my first 35mm camera, later on I sold it and bought my first Nikon which was a fully mechanical Nikkormat FT3, many years later, I saved up and now own a Nikon D-600.
My old well traveled Olympus OM1, just like your old Pentax, now sits in a drawer.

 

Cumberland friends always make me smile

 

Squeak Bell talking to my friend Pete McCleod at Squeak's place in Bakersfield back in 2016.
That evening at Squeaks, Orange Crate made an appearance and a good time was had by all!

 

This one makes me smile every time I sit at my bar. Sqeek Bell and me on one of his many trips back home in Noo Zeeland. Taken late last century. Other pic of my daughter learning to pin strip after Sqeek gave her a dagger brush, cheers

 

The only car I really regret selling! Replaced it with a 3 window.

 

I never noticed it before but besides that being Paradise Cove in Malibu (los Angeles) I am pretty sure who ever drove that A on the beach buried it up to the axle right before this photo was taken there are scuff marks on the sidewalls and a hole where the tires ruddered in. When I last acknowledged this picture I was probably high school age in the early 1990s and I just thought they slightly buried it to make it look lower.
I wonder where that truck is today it's actually looks like it was a real hot rod with it's Kelsey's and chrome yellow paint.

 

Again, not my car, not my picture, but it makes me smile. A picture taken when a bar and a bowling alley would help fund a bulletnose gasser. On second thought since it was for sale maybe that time had already passed, but it still makes me smile. Photo credit shown.

 

Hangin with my good friend Eric (Daddio211) in 2019, JW

 

My old friend Stan Beringhele had just finished a '40 Coupe and asked me to follow him to Solvang on a shakedown. I bought my '32 3W body from him in '82 and when it was wrecked in '99 he put it all back together. Stan was not only a great friend but was an expert body man and loved early Fords. All who knew him miss his humor and friendship. RIP old Friend.

 

What makes me smile? Any story with a plastic floating hippo.

 

The bottom shot was the first drive in 1998 for #7, with my buddy Ernie, we had fun for 37 years, before he passed in 2020. The '46 Merc in the background was his old "Stunt Car" !

 

My dad with his buddy Ron Tietge. Ron built dad's flathead for him in the 1980s. Dad had not seen Ron for over 20 years. After my brother and I finally finished my dad's 36 for him in 2005 I drove him over to Ron's shop to show him the car. My dad passed away in 2018 and Ron passed away earlier this year.

 

I was inspired by that pic and wrote a short story about it.

 

The photo is very cool. When you focus on just the lines of the Caddy, it’s pure art.

 

I will throw in some pictorial evidence, made me laugh at the time, time well wasted- google low tide find the hamb if you don’t recognize the reference.

 

My dad and his 64 Corvair………4 on the floor and a fifth under the seat

 

Miss my friend.

 

The first hotrod roadster club.

 

I'm the one on the left!!!

 

1949 Dodge is smiling thanks to 1950 Desoto teeth....

 

all smiles