Art & Inspiration Pics: 1974 Street Rod Nationals

Chip I gotta ask, did the green bucket your folks sold wear aluminum slots and a green velvet tufted interior? Asking as one of the cool older guys from town had one right in that time frame, I recall that it came from MN.

 

I dig the t buckets with jag rears!

 

Thank You Graham, I was there, I was 10 years old,
Cy's T with the dual Paxtons was one of my favorites.
And the C cab with the dual GMC blowers was also burned into my mind ( I was young )
I am going to dig out my old photos from that show.
So many memories.

 

Great stuff, this is right up my alley. I was born in '71, so my "early reading" consisted of Street Rodder and Rod Action from this time period. Thanks for posting.

 

Nope. It was really quite the thing, but pretty subtle for the era. Green metal flake, polished aluminum frame, coils at both ends, blown aluminum Buick 215, Halibrands at the back with Blue Streak slicks, 18" 12 spokes up front, and the sole ugly on the thing, a home made grill shell that unfortunately kinda looked it...

Mom's purple car was a bit more "regular". Metalflake purple, steel frame painted black, coils at all four corners, small block Chev, Halibrands and slicks, Hallcrafts up front, and that same damned ugly grill shell.

 

Graham I can't thank you enough for posting these pictures. I owned the black 27 "T" on deuce rails. I was 25 years old and the youngest member of the Roadsters Twincities. Many of the cars and people I knew. Cy Kubistas TnT which was also a club member and a great ISCA competitor. The black flamed Hemi powered "T" of Carl Kusnia. Also a club member and one of the fastest car I have ever riden in. I am still a member of the roadster Twincities but am not the youngest anymore! Thanks again for all the fond memories!

 

This is my most favorite Hot Rod of the 'era .... I wish they still made tires like these..... it had to be a rush to drive it.

 

Yes this one haunts my dreams. I've got a couple other pics of this one saved as well. Pretty sure this shot was from Peoria '70.

 

Top image is from another HAMBer's post from Tulsa NSRA show. Lower one is a different angle from Peoria. Thanks and credit to original photographers who ever they may be!

 

Wow, any idea what happened to either car? That blown little Buick would certainly stand out!

 

Not a clue! I have had a client of mine bring down a Racing Unlimited aluminum chassis in the last couple years, and not many were built. But that one wasn't polished, so I'm thinking that's not it.

 

I drove this to St.Paul for the first time in '74, but the photo is from November '74 in Chicago.

 

Hard to go wrong.... "T" with a HEMI!

 

I bet you like Cottons little cutie too, I sure do.
I wasn't there but I bet this was.

 

Uh huh, I remember all you old farts showing us youngin's {I was 15 in 1974} what a rod was! I too drooled over these pics back then, I guess that's why I love big, fat tires and polished mags, slots or spokes, so much! And those paint jobs, wow! What artwork some of them were! No dull ass flat colors or rusted patina, if it wasn't in primer, it SHINED!!!!
Now, I gotta agree, some of them had a 4X4 stance, and tires poking out past the fenders a tad much, but they were cool and unlike anything sitting on any dealers lot or driving through my small town.

Wish there was a place like the HAMB for mid 60's to early 80's rods. After the so called traditional era to just before the billet age.
Or a special forum here for them.....

 

Funny, I just went back through this today to verify some names on the cars, as i ran some of the pictures on my Hot Rod Central page, and noticed a theme.... five or six of us referenced being there and being about ten at the time! You didn't really see kids at events back then, at least, from what I remember.... Yet there we were. And here we are 43 years later...

 

I was 12, but my first Nats was '72. Have a bunch of pics from the 70's era that I'll have to find and post.

 

Pretty sure this belonged to Tom Felber from MN. Car was bone stock, just a set of wheels and tires bolted on .

 

I lived in Minneapolis then and was there in 74 also. Thanks for posting the pictures. Brian

 

The '70's were not so bad. I'd like to see some coverage of the 1976 Nats in Tulsa.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

http://www.carnut.com/show/nats76/natp1.html

 

With some adjustments... Love that look. Gary

 

Great pictures !! Thanks for sharing. Brings back lots of good memories ....

 

Jim;
Do you still have it. Would like to see it again.
Steve

 

Graham, what is your dad's name?

 

@Graham Hood -

Thanks for posting your father's photos! ... Much appreciated!

The 1974 NSRA Nats in St. Paul , Minnesota was the first national event I attended.

My mother, my siblings, & I flew from California to Minnesota ... and my father intended to drive our Coupe to Minnesota ... but had a bit of a mishap less than 100 miles into his 2,000 mile journey:

A rear axle "failed" at ~65mph ...

Interstate 80 ... Somewhere near Sacramento, CA


Torn Fender


Bent Rear Quarter


Sheared Axle


The ONLY time our Coupe has been on a trailer!​

He ended up riding with a fellow club member in a full-fendered '26 T Roadster to St. Paul ... where we all met up again, and attended the event as "spectators".

I too have dozens of my father's photos (actually Kodachrome 35mm slides) from the event ... but never dared post them on the H.A.M.B. as most are pretty off topic for a "Traditional Hot Rod" forum.

 

Geez, I was there at 31, buying parts for a '47 Fleetline the went to Memphis in '75. I think I went to St. Paul every year the Nat's was there. We bought parts and left them laying on the ground wherever we hung out any given day. No cars got stolen either.

 

I regret I missed it all in the 70s. I was into ...er, workin on my drinkin problem and playing with early 70s lowered shortbox chevys, muscle cars and my 64 'vette. Attended my first rod run in Sacramento 1983 and still have my dash plaque.I carried this photo around in my wallet for so long I almost ruined it!

 

I was there in St Paul in '74 and I remember a few of those cars.

 

Caption should read: "Track not included"
Yeah, bring back the blue streaks!