rrrriiiinnnngggg........... rrriiinnnnggggg............ he finished the last weld of the hood he is stretching and turns the torch off with a pop. rrrriiiinnnngggg........... stands up from the metal milk crate he was sitting on, loops the torch around the tank and jogs to the office. pulling the rag from his coveralls he grabs the hand piece off the wall. "Twaddles Garage" "how you making out? it's on for tonight and it has to be ready" "good! cowl vents done, filled the shell,added an overflow, column is done, new tranny tunnel and filled some trim. i just need to hit it with a little paint. You done?" "yeah, i got the new battery box done a rerouted the wires to the starter, put in a tach and added a second tail light." "i heard SOMEBODY has new exhaust, he said since it was jacked up to do the brake lines he couldn't resist" "makes sense.....your buddy get his wheels painted?" "yeah and polished the motor up nice. he is out to impress the girls, new emblem riveted on , custom valve covers...........and even a cup holder." Ting-ting-ting-ting a model A coupe on new '32 rails pulls up to the pump, driver gets out and opens the louvered deck lid to expose the fuel filler. "got to go.....midnight?" "yeah, the red head says she will flag" he hangs up the phone, goes out the office door toward the pump. "what-cha-need?" "eight dollars high test" to be continued........
on the south side of town, a barn door is moved along it's track, catches on the joint in the tracks and then is muscled open all the way to reveal the nose of the 40 sedan with its fresh paint job and repaired gutters . The inside of the barn, the tractor, tool chest, elevator and uber cart all have a layer of overspray. one punk slips on the wipers as the other puts ice in the air conditioner. the sound of a freight train off in the distance pulling into the factory for the second shift to unload, is the only sound. a still night.......but not for long. the '40 pulls out, barn door forced shut, idling out the drive, to the lane, over the culvert. hay field to the right, pasture on the left out to the stop sign. at 52 maple avenue, in a cement block two car garage a 30 ford with 32 header gets the final fitting of the windshield hinges. the top was chopped and extra time was put in to get the tops of the doors to follow the gutters........bad azz. the coat hanger antenna shoved into the radio on the window sill, pulled in Elvis's "love me tender" but was drowned out by the train, and the neighbors dogs barking at it, a block away. pull choke, pump gas once, nail head starts and idles fast. yelling from back door "where you going?" "just given it a test run ma" "it's a school night don't be out too late..........and stay away from that Cochran boy" "yeah, yeah, yeah, love ya mom" he puts it in gear and heads out the driveway. on another side of town,a boy leans over the edge of the porch roof, grabs the tree branch, swings and drops down to the ground. turning around he looks up at his sister repeating his move and grabs her legs and lowers her to the ground. they make their way over to the 49 chevy convertible, where they both get in the driver side, she slides over as he pulls the shifter into neutral. pushing on the door jam he gets the car rolling back wards out to the street, where hopefully the hedge row would buffer the sound of the fentons as the six is started, they putter off. two blocks, past the shoe repair shop and barber shop down to the corner where the new Montgomery Ward store was being built, left turn, one block and into the sewing machine shop parking lot. empty, except the 34 sitting off to one side. the driver had the hood open and was checking the new radiator hoses he put on......no leaks. he walks over and leans into the lowered chevy. "hey, what's with squirt?" from the passenger side "don't call me that" "she was gunna squeal if i didn't bring her." changing subject "your 34 ready? " "yeah but i hear that yellow deuce, up graded his front brakes and installed a quick change......will be tough" cars are started, right out of parking lot, 2nd right, east bound, out of town and onto the entrance ramp of the interstate. this section of highway had just been completed this year, and this time of night was deserted, they say someday this system of roads will allow coast to coast, border to border travel. hmmm there was a turn off, used by the construction crew, that was the perfect "pits" . 12:00 pulling in. theres the competition, the spectators and the judges............
I see where Shane ask about being added to the prize sponsors but don't see anything about Baileigh Industrial listed. HRP
despite years of flying p 51's, he could feel the sweat between his hand and the shifter handle, quick glance, oil-15psi, temp-180, amp-negative. mouth dry as he moved the car, quick glance amp-positive, to the invisible line a few feet in front of Ba'bs. she held the flag up to him to stop and waved the coupe in the other line forward. she nods, turns toward him, nods. right heel-brake, clutch-in, shifter-towards and down, right toe-gas pedal. thought "flaps down". Ba'bs raises the flag, quick glance, tach-3100rpm's, oil-35psi. inside the coupe, a St Christopher medallion swings from the rear view mirror, the smell of exhaust coming in through the floor board, a slight clatter of lifters amongst the open pipes. he shifts back into his seat and watches the chick lift the flag. thought "just like dropping the plows, not too much power, don't want to break loose". the night had a slight chill, she wore "his" letterman jacket for warmth, but did not need to have it buttoned. they were staged and all eyes were on her, her red hair and the flag. flag raised, rpms raised. she drops the flag and both motors are heard taken on the work of launching the cars. she steps a few feet forward then turns to watch the cars race, the mixture of tire smoke and exhaust consume her. excitement ! left foot releases clutch as right heel slides away from brake and toe moves toward the floor board. hard right rudder second gear. pushed back into the seat. the noise in the coupe was deafening tires squealing, engine screaming and the wind coming through and around the car. inanimate objects, aluminum, steel, copper, brass, rubber, glass, paint, all screaming out in pain as their pushed to the limit. the plows are in the ground, the soil flipping. racing past a 55 mph speed limit sign 85 mph and climbing...................
The Jalopy Journal
