Hi Folks......40 COOP here....... I don't like riding in the dark. I wish Eli had put some lights in here so I could read Hot Rod or something. But then again, tied down behind that red Ferrari, I would get tired of looking at his back end........like looking at the red butt of a baboon. Irish called Eli and texted me that I'm somewhere in Louisiana. He also told me that Eli picked up a couple of Alfa Romeos in Georgia. I'm surrounded by I-I-I-talians! I got to have a little light in here while he was loading them. I guess they are nicely restored sporty cars....I don't know, because they are behind me and I can't turn around to see. But the owners did come around to see me and it was really nice the way they oohed and aahed about my hunched down stance and wide fenders. They liked that I was going to a car show in California and before the doors were closed, they wished me well. It's so dark in here, not like my old buddy Lightning McQueen's rig. Oh well, back to sleep. Talk to you soon, 40 COOP
.....................................Great "third-person" write-up, Jim. Or would that be "third-car" write-up? Thanks for keeping us in the loop, 40 COOP........Don.
Hello….….40 COOP here again- You ought to try riding along in the dark with five high-strung I-I-I-talians who all talk very fast in a language you don’t understand. Luckily one of the Alfas speaks a bit of broken English, and he has been kidding me about wearing SKIRTS on my FAT FENDERS. Then he tells his hot Mediterranean buddies and they laugh uncontrollably. I am glad it is dark so they can’t see me turning red! They can kiss my ……taillights! And to make matters worse, Eli had red beans and rice in Louisiana, with the emphasis on the beans! Whew! BACK OFF DUDE! Take some Beano! Irish texted me that Eli is going across Texas and hopes to be home in Phoenix by tomorrow afternoon. It seems he is going to Vegas to celebrate his 31st wedding anniversary and then taking me and those #@*$#)* Romans to California on Monday. That means I am stuck with these Type-A loudmouths for another few days. Have pity on poor 40 COOP……… Later, alligator……..
Great story. I'm following it along too in my 39 Ford coupe. Musta bought it a few years after you got your 40. Got mine from a young neighbor. Hey I was young back then, I think! Sadly I left my 39 sit in the shed for nearly 40 years. He is not alone. There's a 41 Ford and a 46 Mercury coupe in there too. I deserted them along with the 39. I didn't mean to it but shit happens as you get busy and get older. My wife of nearly 58 years and I are moving closer to our kids. I gave my 39 Ford to my oldest son. He says we will get it together and he wants me to drive it again. Let's hope he follows thru more than I did. Good luck on the show and the future surgery. I had two hips and it sure feels better. My 39 Ford is the 40 I always wanted.
Yeah, Dan, and the dang thing was taking pictures, too, I think!! I don't think 40 COOP will be much competition for a magician like you! Great story that I'm eager to follow along. Al
I am excited that I will be tagging along with Jim and John to follow 40 COOP's Big Adventure firsthand. Can't wait!
Hello again, folks. Irish Jr. here, still in Maryland. I have been carrying on a PM/conversation with lucas doolin, caretaker of the chopped-and-channeled Fred Cain 1940 Ford coupe: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/members/lucas-doolin.211581/ and http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Fred_Cain's_1940_Ford He lists linguist and translator on his profile page, so we have been conversing about our cars and the latin phrase on his profile page. He has also sent me this: "Really enjoying following 40 COOPS BIG ADVENTURE. Right on, if 40 COOP spoke Italian, she would tell those snippety eye-talians, "Vete far in culo" (freely translates as "Up yours!")" So I texted that phrase to 40 COOP, presently sitting in complete darkness in Phoenix, while Eli goes off to Vegas. I got back this reply: "Irish- the I-I-I-talians were mouthing off a lot, assuming I knew nothing about what they were saying (which I don't). I knew from their tone that they were joking about me. So I threw that phrase out during a lull in the gaeity....It has been dead silent since. Thanks!" That's a point for the Yankee Kustom! I will be heading out to California on Tuesday. The car will have been delivered to a friend of friends, Bob Kasner, in Chino, to be stored in his shop until I get there. Thanks, Bob. Regards, Jim Ireland, AKA Irish Jr.
My 39 Coupe has been hidden away down south for twenty years. I don't think he'd git along with those Eyetailyuns or unnerstand what they are sayin. But he still thinks they are cute. Have fun out yonder in Kalifornification.
Irish Jr. here..... I got an e-mail from Bob Kasner: "THE EAGLE HAS LANDED and is in the nest !!!!!!!!" 40 COOP has been delivered. I will join her tomorrow afternoon. Let the fun begin! Jim Ireland, AKA Irish Jr.
Having gone to the GNRS for my first time in 2011 for the Customs The And Now show I will say this to you. Have fun! It can be over whelming when you go the first day. Just remember that its a long show and take your time. I kinda rushed my self through it all on Saturday and missed a ton of stuff. Take the day on Friday and go slowly through all the buildings that way you can see everything outside on Saturday.
January 20, 2015 Hi again, folks. Brooke Dyer, John Goodman, and I had to get up at zero-dark-thirty to get to BWI airport to leave on the 6:45 AM Southwest flight to Ontario, California. We arrived about 11:00 AM PST with the adrenalin already flowing. We arrived at Bob Kasner's shop after checking into our motel....THERE'S MY 40 COOP...and Bob took good care of it: So Bob had the assignment of keeping the coal furnace stoked in the family farmhouse back in Canton, Ohio. It was a c-o-o-l-d January 1 back about 1964. The furnace had such a hot bed of coal it actually glowed......but it was still cold in the house. The family was watching the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. He realized that those California people were not wearing heavy coats and shivering. "Nuff of this cold s**t, I'm done with the snow. I'm going to California!" So at 15-1/2 years old, he drove to California, started working for 70 cents an hour and eventually turned himself into a wealthy person who gets to play with cars all day. He has an interesting and eclectic collection of cars, car parts, auto memorabilia and other stuff: After a great lunch at a Mexican restaurant, we started a tour of local rod shops. First stop was at Walden Speed Shop: Then on to So-Cal Speed Shop, where I had a conversation with Jimmy Shine about pedal design that will be helpful with putting three pedals in my 26 Model T (26 COOP). Finally, before we went back to Bob's and had a joke, beer, and gab session, we went to Kennedy Brothers Bomb Factory: Well, we went on an interesting afternoon field trip as we adjusted to the 3-hour time difference. Tomorrow we will be venturing out to more shops and maybe a "reclaim yard" or two.......I'll let you know....... Jim Ireland, AKA, Irish Jr.
Awesome! Wish I was there with you guys soaking up some of that sunshine and warmth, not to mention all the hot rods, but I'm living this adventure vicariously through you and your reporting. Have a ball and keep the fun and pix flowing.
Glad the '40 got there just fine. Looks like you're having a great time, living the dream for the rest of us. Thanks for keeping us in the loop..............Don.
1-21-2015 Howdy guys and gals......Irish Jr. back with you to report on today's activities. STOP ONE..........Bernie's After breakfast we headed for Bernie's in Bloomington, east along I-10 in an area that at one time had been all orange groves and cattle farms/ranches. Bernie is 85 years old and has been in the towing business and buying old scrap for a very long time. His place was discovered about 10 years ago on a trip to a U-pick scrap yard by John Goodman, Dave Anderson, and Asa Sharp in another act of pure serendipity. They had not taken the I-10, instead sticking to a parallel road. They spotted the old cars out front, stopped in, met Bernie and his now late wife, and have continued a friendship to this day. We had a great time crawling around the old cars and parts for about two hours. Brooke kept talking about finally knowing what heaven was like. Enjoy the pics: Me and Bernie: When I showed Bernie the picture of 40 COOP, he was way less than complimentary about it being a cut car. Then I tried to buy a Willys-Knight grill shell for my '26 T.....not for sale. Oh well, we had a great time and got some oranges off one of his trees. before leaving for........ Continued on next posting.......
1-21-2015 (continued) STOP 2 Early Ford Store We headed west from Bernie's on I-10 to San Dimas to browse the Early Ford Store. It was a bit anti-climactic after Bernie's, but still fun to see the well-stocked store that sells new, used, and repro parts for stock and modified old Fords. The pics show some of the inventory. The staff was very friendly and helpful, although Brooke did not find the pair of '36 Ford front fenders he was hoping to get. All he got was a T-shirt: While in the Early Ford Store, we met a gent named George, who asked if anyone was familiar with boats. Brooke responded in the affirmative and off we were to George's house....with a 35-foot Chris Craft cabin cruiser on the roof.......one does not know in advance where one can be at the end of the day! STOP 3..........George's house You will not believe this. George modified the 1911 house where he was born and where his father punched louvers back in the fifties by expanding, reinforcing, and filling with a very eclectic collection of stuff and a 33,000 lb. boat and a homemade lighthouse up on the roof. What can I say? The pics speak for themselves: WOW!!!! Let me close for today by telling all in cold climes just how sorry I am to display pictures herewith that show the typical sunny California weather, especially while my wife-who-puts-up-with-me is stuck back in Maryland in an area with slightly different asmospheric conditions: So sorry, Judy........ Bye for now. Tomorrow is setup day at the Grand National Roadster Show. YIPEE!!! Jim Ireland, AKA Irish Jr.
Wow, great stuff, Jim! Thanks for posting all of the goodies you're getting to see. Bernie has quite a collection. I thought the fellow (George) had "unique" pretty well covered with the Chris Craft on the roof, then I saw the ski lift in the house!!............................Don.