History Any Stories About Hot Rods Appearing In Your Rear Mirror?

No, but I've had a couple police cars show up there.

 

Nope, but I had stopped at a yield behind 3 cars... always leave a car length space or more... looked in my mirror and see a trailer truck headed right for me with the wheel cocked all the way to the left hopping up and down trying to stop... I pulled ahead all I could and he slid by me onto the island.... as often as I check my mirror now if there is a hotrod back there I will SEE it...

 

It had to be about 1960 or 61. I was just cruising around west LA going down Imperial Hwy. toward the beach.
I came up to a signal at the intersection of the 4 lane that ran along the beach. I had the green but as I turned right I spotted a 34 fender less coupe lined up with another car and I could hear open headers loud. I didn’t get very far when I saw them coming at me in my rear view.
I pulled off onto the shoulder and witnessed the pair fly past me with flames coming out of both their headers. I thought I was dreaming!

True story but the only pictures are in memory.


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North Carolina State Trooper, 1971. I passed him doing about 95, didn't see him, that dot in the rear view was on my ass in mere seconds. With his closing speed, I'd say that Mopar was a helluva hot rod.

 

Not quite what you azked... But i pulled up behind my son and they snapped a picture in the side mirror.... One of my favorite pictures of my truck

 

while attending the Good-Guys West Coast Nationals - was in next town and was driving my wife's '50 Chevy PU - while approaching at traffic signal a high-end '34 Ford Roadster pulled up behind me - it was Arlen Ness, the custom motorcycle builder

 

A few years ago, it was time to take my daughter to college at University of Southern Indiana. So one August Saturday morning, we loaded up the luggage and piled in the car, and headed for Evansville. It’s about an eight hour drive, with a stop for lunch, so I had a hotel room reserved. Down Saturday, back home on Sunday.

It had taken a few tries to get a hotel room, but I hadn’t thought anything about that.

We pulled in to the hotel parking lot around dinner time, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a nice looking hot rod pull in behind me. Then another one rolled in. And another. And pretty soon the lot was full of an impromptu car show.

It was Frog Follies weekend, every hotel in town was full of street rods of all flavors, and I had randomly booked a room in the hotel across the street from the Vanderburgh County 4-H Center.

Wife and daughter weren’t thrilled with this, and I’m driving a Honda, but had a fun evening checking out the cars.




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I always enjoy heading out to a car show early in the morning with a group in a convoy and see other convoys coming out of streets and highways heading in the same direction.

 

Not lately, my racing days are over.

 

Had this guy creeping up on me one day....

 

but, sometimes will see others heading in the opposite direction, and wonder where in the heck are they going?

 

Oh they are going to meet other guys for coffee before heading to the show.

 

Little brother in his roadster, on the way to the Tri-State Hot Rod Revival

 

Towing a 40 Ford cpe on an open trailer, I40 either New Mex or Az. Was in that daze of long haul driving on the freeway. Got the sense of something shadowing to the left, looked over and it was someone in a 40 Ford cpe, he gave a nod, downshifted and took off. That 40 sounded good, made the day!

 

Hello,

We have all seen photographs of hot rods and trucks showing up in rear view mirrors. Add in the outside rear view mirror and that is a clearer picture of what is behind you. The center rear view mirror is too wide to get a clear shot of the following hot rod. But, at least, one hand is on the steering wheel and the other is holding a one button push camera.

It is difficult to take a photo with a phone in the outside rear view mirror with the coordination of centering, focus and shooting. A small digital camera would do everything except for pushing the button. It just needs to be centered on the outside rear view mirror. Since I learned to do that maneuver with a real 35mm film camera back in the early photo days, the smaller digital cameras are easier to do in an instant. The phones need too many hands to shoot while driving safely.

After the outside rear view photos with my old 35mm film cameras were submitted, there were comments about the size of the hot rod, field of vision and mostly not in perfect focus. The automatic focus, with auto film advance features of some more expensive 35mm film cameras made the shots easier. At 1 shot per second, one was able to get a photo in pure focus.

These days it is the hot rod in the outside mirror and even the low cost, digital cameras are a one hand operation. You just need to see the hot rod coming up behind you on the street. If you are in a long line of hot rods on a road trip, that is the best time to get the outside rear view mirror shots.

Jnaki

Since it was difficult with our old 35mm film cameras, I had my wife shoot photos out of her window, but unless they were in the other lane and not following directly, the shot was almost hidden. If the hot rod is in the other lane, the passenger can get great shots using the passenger side mirror.

“Look what is coming up on your side of the car… an old lowered 57 Chevy…” In a flash, the small digital camera gets picked up and a shot is taken. Center, point and shoot… in front of my wife sitting in her seat...

Followed by a “What the #$@%... Keep your eyes on the road…”

Here is a note from another post about Tex Smith:

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/cool-rear-view-mirrors.193998/#post-11950456

REAR VIEW MIRROR STORY

Every photographer has his or her own way to see the world and things. Composition is obviously very important, but making sure you are seeing things your way is the best thing in photography. When I showed Tex Smith a shot I took out of the driver’s window into the rear view mirror of the El Camino, he was amazed that a reversed image could come out so clear. The composition was perfect as it showed the door jam, the moving street, and in the distance, a hot rod/chopper in perfect focus moving behind my car in the rear view mirror. (Yes, we were going down an empty street. My wife was watching the road ahead while I was getting set up behind the wheel and shooting the photos.)

But, as we all know, Tex Smith’s idiosyncrasies could not let that excellent series of photographs go without a comment or two. From that point on, in the magazines, those types of shots were becoming popular in the features. But, shooting different points of view just changes the composition, keeps the main subject front and center. So, those blurs and light effects make the photographs better.

 

I'd like to see more of that Shoebox...Who belongs to it?

 

Back in 67 I was going to visit my dad in the U.P. of Michigan . I was in my 62 Galaxie 500XL 406 auto.
Just crossed the Mackinac Bridge and was heading west on US.2 when a 54 Ford coupe pulled up my back bumper he blew by me so I kicked it and passed him back.
We were running about 80mph when he passed me . We were on a straight stretch that runs along the beach on Lake Michigan, when he got on my door I floored it. I heard him downshift and just blow me away.
I chased him about 30 miles when he turned off to gas station. I had to know so I followed him into the station. I said what you got under the hood of that Ford. it was setting there idling and I could here the solid lifters and lumpy cam. He opened the hood and there was a high riser 427 with dual quads.
He said he had bought it out of rolled over Galaxie. his 54 club coupe was Gray with small hubcaps and black walls. A perfect sleeper. He got his gas and away he went , but I never forgot that day.

 

I was heading out to work on my 32 when I saw this 54 approaching very fast. I thought it might be the KC Autoworx 54, so I got my camera ready. I was on I-35 heading north in central Oklahoma. He came by me hauling ass and it sounded great. I thought what a fun trip that must be.

 

G'day, I was the guy in the rear view mirror. I was heading back to college back in 1976 and was driving a 55 2 door post that was red, white, and blue. It was an ex drag car and still had the ladder bars and some of the decals on it. The numbers had been removed and it had steel slots with black walls on it.

I was passing an old pickup on interstate and the guys almost hit the ditch when I nailed it as I passed them. I slowed back down a bit and they pulled along side. They tried to hand me a cold beer when they pulled up. I had to turn it down. We did get a chance to talk when we both stopped at the edge of town for fuel. I thanked them for the beer offer and explained my food allergy. Deathly allergic to drinking alcohol. I had been hospitalized the only time I had imbibed before and was told each attach would be worse.

 

Excellent Story And Best Decision...

 

I spend a great deal of time driving my coupe while either following hot rods, having them follow me, or be in the middle of a pack of them.
I was part of a car club that actually drove places, it wasn't unusual to spend nearly every Sat and Sun during the summer cruising someplace with that crew. With 40 or more active members, there was a group going some place every day of the weekends.
I've been to 5 Hot Rod 100s, those are fun driving events.
My son and my grandson both have hot rods, we usually do at least a couple weekends a summer going someplace as a group.
I won't even go into how many times I've drug old cars and trucks around on a car trailer.
I'm generally open for a cruise someplace with another hot rodder. That is the reason I built my car! Gene

 

Hello,

After the Fourth of July photo experience, there was a story behind why my wife did not want me to take a photo of the cool 55 Chevy sedan rolling up in the middle of the inside rear-view mirror. I usually take photos with my small digital camera. It is almost a point and shoot as the focus is on infinity. The telephoto zooms in or out as needed. When driving my car, I usually have my camera handy.

Back when I was using a real 35mm SLR Pentax film camera. The camera was always sitting on my lap or seat next to me. It was on those days where the custom hot rod or motorcycle was following me to the photo shoot location. I had to focus into the inside rear view mirror and then glance at the following hot rod/motorcycle for the final shot centered in the wide rear view mirror. That perspective was not on anyone’s itinerary on any of the photo spreads of the current magazines. So, this was a new photo style and angle.

photos by Vnak

So, this 4th of July, we saw this yellow and white 55 Chevy cruising down the empty freeway. I knew my wife would be able to take good photos using my digital cameras versus her Iphone. As handy as they are, phone cameras need to be turned on, the icon pushed and the camera ready for each shot. So, the moment can go away and the classic photo shot disappearing with the phone getting ready to take the shot. The digital cameras are already set up for some fast shots and are usually in focus. It is a question of centering it in the screen and pushing the button. Instant photo and ready for the next in succession.

She had just finished taking the above photos and had put the digital camera down in the console. I grabbed it and began to center focus the 55 Chevy in the wide, rear view mirror. Since we had not driven in months up to this locked in place timeline, she did not want any mishaps with the old guy driving. So, she calmly said to put the camera down and drive. We were almost at our destination and she did not want any problems on this relatively empty freeway.

Jnaki

That was a big difference from the last time I took a digital camera photo of a super clean 57 Chevy out of the front window and HER outside rear view mirror. It was surprising to see a cool 57 Chevy creeping up on the passenger side of the car. I could not miss this photo opportunity.

The scenario went like this:

“Look what is coming up on your side of the car… an old lowered 57 Chevy…” In a flash, the small digital camera gets picked up and a shot is taken. Center, point and shoot… in front of my wife sitting in her seat... the camera almost in her face… THEN

Followed by a “What the #$@%... Keep your eyes on the road…” and other choice words. She was laughing at the funny action and current scene inside of the car, as she was trying to be serious.
...as the 57 Chevy drove past us at an intersection. It is hard to laugh and take a good photo from a moving car...

 

Not in my mirror, but you know how half of your cruising group gets cut off making a turn onto the main road... the guy on the main road could let you all make it... but doesn't...
While in my '30 coupe I was on the main road and saw a line of cars turning right...
I stopped the traffic out there and let the last 6 cars make the turn...
got a bunch of huge smiles as the made the turn...

 

1961 a buddy and I left Rhinebeck N.Y. where we lived to make our first visit to Connecticut Dragway. Somewhere in CT our directions failed us and we were lost. All of a sudden here comes a candy blue '27 T roadster on '32 rails with a chrome roll bar. It was like a little piece of California appeared behind us. At that time, cars like that were only seen in magazines in our town. So we let him pass us and followed him to the strip.

 

No photos but in 1998 when I went to Bonneville for speed week and left on Thursday when it got rained out and headed for Pleasanton for the Goodguys event I was a few miles west of Winnemucca in the early hours of the morning when a red deuce highboy showed up in my mirror. We cruised along together from there to Reno where he pulled off and I went on trading places a few times with who was in the lead and who was 50 to 100 yards back. Probably the most fun driving part of the whole trip as neither of where in a serous hurry and just cruised along at a reasonable mile making clip.
I saw the same Car at Pleasanton the next day but didn't see the driver.

1988 on the way from Texas to Bonneville in my 51 Merc after taking the kids back to their mom, my dad and I were on Highway 6 just cresting the summit of some pass when a 40/41 Studebaker coupe blew past us going balls out. I don't know where it was going as I didn't see it at Bonneville but that car was flying when it caught and passed us.

 

Have family in the Liberty, ME. area...
The greasy spoon is now a "flattened" lot …
My brother and I would meet there to have breakfast with dad....
There was a very mature Asian fellow that ate there and lived close...
One day we were on our way home in my fenderless '30 roadster pick-up when we spotted the old guy walking on the opposite side of the road...
He stepped back, put his hands overhead and bowed to us … we both thought he must have grown up on the west coast and been an early hotrod loving kid...
was a good day !