I got this e-mail today... which made me sad. Basically for anyone who is new... I built this car called "The Roach Rod" from an old Rusty body and a T-bucket frame about nine years ago. I think it was probably one of the first full "build ups" with how-to pieces on the HAMB. I never really heard much about the "kid" who built the frame... other than he was a metal shop student in the late 60's following some plans laid out in a hot rod magazine of some sort. The frame sat until I got it for free from my friend Ken... who was this guy's shop teacher. And I built a car around it. Anyway... I have a hard time putting into words what that car was to me... and to you all... but I'd like to send the builder of the frame a link to your words. Address your thought to him. He has no idea what his little shop project turned into... no idea. Here's Ken's e-mail: "Sam, The fellow that made that frame that you turned into a hot rod is in serious condition. He has Cerebral Palsy and is not able to move any of his muscles. He is just about totally finished as far as being able to speak. Basically his time is very short. Do you have handy a reference or URL or some images of you working on the car or the car when it was done... anything that I can send to him to make his days a little more cheery? If nothing else, maybe a really quick, simple description of the car and what you did to make it, and how it turned out? I would appreciate the efforts. Terry would to, for sure. Thanks, Sam. I hope that you and your family are doing well... Ken" Pictures would be cool too. I know you guys understand... Sam
I never saw the Roach Rod in the flesh, but I certainly saw a lot of pictures of it, and a wonderful piece it was. The spirit in which it was built and used was certainly traditional -- one part engineer, one part profiler, and one part outlaw. It looked great (in a roughshod sorta way) and was obviously fast enough to be huge fun. Pity that it had a relatively short life span. My compliments to Terry for his contribution to a most memorable car.
OH YEAH! I still remember the build and am proud to have my name on the dash. It's hard to believe that it was 9 years ago but time flies when you are having fun. Funny but I had nothing to do with building the car but it is a big part of the HAMB history. It may have contributed to our addiction. We had to check regularly to see what you had done next. Maybe reading about it and seeing some photos can bring a new round of grins to somebody that needs a few.
Yeah, my name is on the dash also. This car was built by Sam in the hamb tradition. Many of us followed the build and Sam's trip to the Egorama. I'm happy the gentleman that supplied the "T" frame for it was involved with hamb history. Like Tommy said this was 9 years ago when the hamb board was just getting started good and was still a small, close knit family. All the names on that dash helped to send Sam to the egorama to represent the hamb family. He did that in spades. Thanks for the memories.
I joined the Hamb just about the time the car hit the road,,I remember being inspired to document my wagon build by reading Sams post about the Roach Rod,,,someone here even photo shoped a Roach Wagon emblem. HRP
This and krupanuts Whistlin Coupester... Single handily inspired me building the "Rocket Sled" ! I remembered the first video of Sam doing doughnuts and laughing my ass off at Sam and the photographer laughing their asses off!!!!! Here's the video.... and now I just need to find the "Cat in the Hat" photoshop drift! <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/88VFqriPfXY&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/88VFqriPfXY&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> Is there a way we can get a DVD put together of all the Photo's, threads, and videos together for him? <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hcRfvUGL67k&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hcRfvUGL67k&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
The roach rod was a huge inspiration to hundreds if not thousands of HAMB members and lurkers. I came from a background of "finished" rods. Sam, the Roach Rod, and the Ego-Rama that Sam participated in "allowed" me to feel comfortable with the fact that a cool car doesn't have to be full of bells and whistles to enjoy the car to it's fullest. Also realized that all it takes is one car part and a dream to build something memorable and lifechanging. The Roach Rod ruled and so does Sam! Xoxoxo
I still talk about that car with my pop's.......about how simple it was and it was "garage" built. http://homepage.mac.com/fomoco/PhotoAlbum13.html I thought that I had the "Roachy Donut" saved somewhere here........ Sad to hear about the guy that built the frame.........but, it did get to see alot of use and inspired a bunch of guys out there in the pre-1,000 HAMB member days. Chris
The car was, and is, an example of what you can do with some enthusiasm and hard work. Inspirational.
I know this is going to stir up all sorts of negative feelings. A HAMB'r owns it and wanted to change it. It has been put to rest and reincarnated and this is what it looks like today.
I will be posting that donut tonight unless someone beats me to it. I keep it bookmarked on my home computer as inspiration. Thanks Terry, Sam, and everyone else who was involved with the project. It embodies the spirit of the HAMB and hot rodding in general!
I had all of them but lost the early HAMB pictures (10,000+) in a computer crash... I can hear that evil laugh at the end of the Roachy Donut video clear as day.... *edit* someone google Roachy Donut... the video is on YouTube but I cant access it here due to the firewall.
Have a framed pic of it in my "man cave" broadsliding in the dirt. Great car and build. Put the FU back in fun.
I remember it well, I see my old name on the dash too "60's Style" I was proud to make my small contribution this car was very inspiring to a lot of HAMBers and always generated lots of conversation- mostly good too! I have a link to the famous donut too: http://raaf.com/hamb/donut.mov
hell i was there for the birth of the roach. sam used my pickup to cart the pieces home from bob's lots of pics in this thread sam http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229002&highlight=roach later jim
The Roach Rod was the first hotrod I found, and bid on, on ebay when I started looking for a car. I didn't know about the HAMB at the time so was unfamiliar with the celebrity of the car. I wish I had bid more now.... oh well thats life. Seems a little sad seeing it just sitting around a shop.
The little car turned everything upside down. It had no right to be cool...but it was one of the coolest. For me...the Roach just proved that "it" wasn't about era parts, retro bling, classic engine choices...etc. It was about Hot Rods...and it showed that the only thing different from then and now is attitude. Sam has the right one and the Roach was the result! Minimal creature comforts, little bling, not a whole lot of money...but asses got kicked. Thats a TRUE Hot Rod.
The Roach Rod planted a seed that yielded a fantastic crop of hot rods, and it all started with one kids dream in shop class. Pretty cool...
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