Old Cars: The Great Equalizer

I Love It. I Absolutly Love It. It Could Not Be More Perfect. Well If It Was Mime It Would Be Better... Ha

 

Good read and I can DEFINITELY relate.......
Although my social anxiety NEVER goes away.....I'm a mess to talk to in person, even if it's about cars..................I try to avoid conversation, at all costs........

 

That is the type of custom that excites me also. Not overdone.

 

Ryan, I've been lurking for a long time. It's great to read all of the tech and all of the wonderful content on the HAMB, but my favorite part has been watching you grow as a writer.

There are car guys that know a little about writing and writers that know a little about cars. You my friend seem to be a rarity that does both so well.

I only wish your entries were longer as they are a great form of escapism.

 

Social anxiety, pshaaaaaw and bollocks. I talked to you for a few minutes, it wasn't hard at all, I wish we coulda chatted longer, next time maybe. And thank you and Marcie for this joint.

As for Jimmy Vaughan and his car, both of 'em are perfect.

 

I hear ya - appreciation of a truly beautiful car bridges gaps in cultures, generations, social standings, background ... everything. I am not particularly talkative or outgoing, and I avoid making prolonged eye contact with a complete stranger, but like you, all my "normal" reactions to situations slip quickly and quietly away when I look another car guy in the eye and say, "Nice Car."
A true automobile enthusiast recognizes another and knows a compliment like that does not come lightly or easily, and is only offered out of genuine respect for another man's hard work and attention to detail.
Needless to say, I more often end up smilng or nodding when I see a "nice" car, but go the extra mile to let someone know when they have a "NICE" car.
Hell, I've turned around on the road to follow a car I appreciate for a few miles with the windows rolled down just to take deep breaths of the exhaust.

 

......................... (nod's head) .................."nice post"

 

My wife saw Jimmie thursday night the gallery and just had to get a picture with him -really nice guy and his cars are stellar--BTW-I'm the same way about not talking to people and after the weekend the first thing I'll do next time is introduce myself to people because it make all the differance in the world hanging out with you guys

 

"Hell, I've turned around on the road to follow a car I appreciate for a few miles with the windows rolled down just to take deep breaths of the exhaust."


Carbon sniffer...
r

 

And proud of it.

 

Ryan. It is time to break out of that shell of yours. Ya got to be more like.......hmmmmm, let me see......Nads! Great article and yes his car is flawless. Saw that at the GNRS next to another flawless in my books, Lee Pratt' shoebox. Those 2 complemented each other being door to door. KNUX!

 

I can relate. I was the same way when I met you, Ryan.

Cars give us some 'commonailty.' It levels the playing field a bit.

Sure, he is a famous musician...but right then, he was a car guy appreciating another car guy who was taken by his latest custom.

I'd be the same way if I ever met him.

 

Several years ago, I was at the Knoxville NSRA gig, and I was talking to a man who was a prominent figure of the community I was living in at the time.... a man with considerable political power and considerable wealth. I, on the other hand was a recent college grad, had just gotten married, and working for peanuts in my first "career" job. His comment was that at the car event, we were equals. He could let down his guard and be a normal human being, and I was on that same level. Cars are definitely a social equalizer... and a social lubricant, too.

 

Its not what a man says that gives him character.
Its what he does and has done with his life and the lives of those around him. You have touched many lives the world over.
Enough said.

 

Ryan,

I think you have touched on a subject that many think is "Taboo" or embarrasing for most Folks. It's nice to see it discussed, and I think there are a great many here who come here for that single reason (shyness)-very nice read!

 

Of all that I've read and heard of Jimmie Vaughn he always comes off as a real down to earth guy. And he has excellent taste in customs.

Yes that Ford is almost perfect but I'd ditch the spotlights, however that's my personal thing. The car is drop dead gorgeous. Clean and subtle like a custom should be.

 

im not necessarily shy, i just dont like large groups of people. hate living in cities, dont like crouded diners. but at a good car show, same with a good concert, that dislike just goes away. its the shared love of soemthing that does it.

 

Ryan, i have just about the opposite of you!!i can talk to anyone, i just have a horrible fear of travel!!!!thats hard to deal with when your a car lover! ill be ill from now till i get to the drags waiting on the miles to tic by!but, i never thought id even go to the pileup and made it there just fine! so, cars are helping me out in that area!
now if i could get the nuts to go to a show in Hawaii, my wife would love me! a little!

 

hmmm
my pileocars and stuff ,the HAMB,getting to aswap early and finding old tin while out n about... give me the '"cure'" too
if ya luv ol cars other barriers can be broken down, social ,antisocial race , color ,creed.......heck even car mfrs.

me thinks thats why this site is popular ... we think alike enuf to stick together and are not so arrogant as to keep like minded folks from joinin the fun..

status is not measured in $ or style its in the passion..

inspiration is a good thing..

paperdog

 

you're as much of a rock star as jimmie. don't forget that jim morrison started out performing with his back to the crowd. eventually, he turned around...

 

[don't forget that jim morrison started out performing with his back to the crowd. eventually, he turned around...[/quote]

yeah, right into a heroin needle!

 

Yep...Ryan, I didn't come talk to you at the Hot Rod Revolution 'cause I figured you wanted to just chill with your friends....plus, I try not to be a celeb stalker. I guess I should've just come by and said "Nice car."

Bryan

 

Man, all this time I thought you were just a jerk!

I'm, obviously, not shy. I really enjoy talking with people, even though I'm not near as comfortable one on one. But I did have a "cars are equalizers" experience after the first Roundup.

It was Sunday morning, at the club waiting for the Ski Shores cruise. I was hanging out with Big Ric, Bass, Mercury Charlie and a few others. We were generally talking about the show, and the heat at the football stadium. I was taking some pictures of Ric and Bass with their trophies.

Pretty soon, we looked across the street and notice a fellow with an unusually long beard and a mighty peculiar hat standing by the coffee line. Well before long he strolled across the street and started checking out the cars. Of course, he's a mega famous rock star and we were just a bunch of greasy guys hanging out on the corner. (This was before Bass became famous himself). But he hung out for a bit, asked a few questions about the cars, and took a couple of pictures with the trophy winners. Pretty darn cool.

Well, eventually he walked away. He's a mega famous rock star, and we were just some greasy guys hanging out on the corner. But for those couple of minutes, we were all just car guys.

 

I sympathize. I have a severe stutter, as some of you who have met me know, so I am so introverted I'm almost a black hole!

Tucker

 

Man you said it... Just enuff done but not to much that the car looses its original personality. The car is crisp and clean, Thats 2 years in a row that his car has had me in awe. great article and was nice to meet ya at the Round Up

 

Nice shoebox, now if those two homeless guys would get out of the way we could see it.

 

Jimmie's car makes me feel bad that I had to crush the '52 mordor I had, I should just practiced chopping on it... <sigh> no room, no time, same old story.

I'd rather shove an ice pick in my eye than initiate a conversation with someone. when I do, I'm sure the impression is "DORK".

 

Ryan, it's Austin man! Find some doobage and a Zima and you'll be the life of the party.

 

My cars have taken me all over the world. Without em I wouldn't know most of the folks I know. I don't go to car shows much. When I do I get away from the car and people watch. Most of any language I can speak relates to mechanical things. I can tell you there are a lot of really nice people out there that love the stuff all of us do.
I have had people at swap meets tell me about me (there's this guy...) not even guessin' they were standing in front of me.
If you don't know what to say the best thing to say is just that. You'd be surprised what an ice-breaker that is.
Parnelli Jones once asked me why I picked him as a co-driver. "Cause your my f'n hero bud!!!" You should have seen the look on his face. AND the smile

Guys! Everybody that counts in your life's got the same lump in their throat sometime!

Just my two cents