Event Coverage Any Hambers survive the N.S.R.A. Louisville flood of '92?

I was there as a spectator, I ended up in a vendor's trailer up above the ground. The vendors around us were all pushing the canopies up to shed water that was pooling since it could not run off fast enough. Seen many cars water up to the middle of the doors and headlights. I have some pictures, need to find them and post them up.

One funny thing I remember is cars driving out with the water above the rear tailipipes and the burbling sound. It was like a boat exhaust sound coming from the cars. There were a lot of people with flooded drivetrains that dumped the water contaminated oil and trans. Not sure how many interiors got ruined that day. Pretty incredible weather event, and sad how much damage it caused.

 

The 92 flood was bad enough. About five or six years ago a severe thunderstorm blew through the Louisville Fairgrounds during the Nats causing all kinds of damage. Tents and some of the 55 gallon drums filled with water that were anchoring tents down were flying everywhere. Not sure what was worse the flood or the thunderstorm.

 

I was there..had water up to the floor on my buddys 46...glad we were parked by the convention center. Saw a lot of messed up wet cars

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Yep, had my '29 coupe there. We'd parked in the low lands the prior days but the rain that morning made us late so I parked in a different, and luckily higher, spot. The area we were previously in looked like the pics above. It was crazy. I remember coolers floating, guys trying to push cars to higher ground, and afterwards cars getting their fluids drained. I even saw one guy with a glass 32 roadster drilling holes in the bottoms of his doors to let the water that got in there out.
That was actually the last NSRA Nationals that I have attended....not because of the flood...just because it kept going back to Louisville.

 

I was there in my '34 Chevy coupe. Just happened to park on high ground that day.

 

Was there in our 35 ford luckily parked on the high side..

 

yeah...it was something to remember. I was there, too. Spent the day before riding all over on my friend Eddie's 39 Chevy chassis with a couple seats bolted to the frame. We were having a ball....then the rain came.Our EZ Up was on high ground, so we were spared from the floodwater.

 

I was there with our '37 Ford and my buddy and I were in the exhibit building when it started to rain. You could hear the water coming down the downspouts and the loading dock was flooded and beer cans were bobbing around in the water. We thought the scene was kinda funny. Then we got to the front door and saw all the water and cars with the water up to their hoods. Holy shit!!! We video taped the whole thing and I have the tape here somewhere. Luckily, the '37 was in a high spot and wasn't damaged. But boy, there were a lot of folks with problems.

 

Was there also. Like a lot of people, waded in the water to help guys push their cars to high ground. Helped a guy with a really nice 29 sedan delivery, water inside the car to the windows. He pulled all the plugs and spun the motor. Eight streams of water shot 30 feet .I still won't park in that lot. Never saw more wet tweed.

 

Yep - do I remember! I was there in my 40 "in progress" coupe with a trailer behind it. I had just loaded up a 39 Gibbon cabriolet body in the trailer. The rain started coming down so I drove into the paddock area and tucked the car under cover for the most part and I was OK. Man the water was rushing and gushing down the roadways that you could hardly stand in it for fear of being knocked over. There were some beautiful cars out there with water up to the door handles and more. I also remember many repair shop vehicles offering help to flush out water from rears, trannies, motors, parts, everything and anything to help guys out. Don't know what they were getting for prices but I thought they seemed to be genuinely out there to help and not make a killing. I have a video of it somewhere - just an unbelievable experience.

 

The summer of '92 was the year I drove across the states in my orange Anglia hi-boy.
The night before the storm, I had met this very cute young thing that was plying me with drink (on her Dads tab,no less). We walked the guest hotel parking lot looking at hot rods, and spent all night sitting in the lobby talking, no really!
At around 7.30 AM I went off to bed. Got up just before lunch to find the floods. Could not bellieve my eyes. I know you yanks always go big, but even the rain, c'mon! My Anglia was parked at the guest hotel, so was safe from damage, but I really felt for a lot of guys whose cars got damaged.
Oh, that very cute young thing, she has been my wonderful wife for the past 21 years!
Cheers,
Stewart.

 

I had not heard of this happening. These stories are crazy. Every time it looks rainy at a big event my first thought is hail and how bad that would be. Never thought you could get flooded at an event.

 

I was there in our 29 A Tudor. During the storm my son (19) ran out to the lot and moved the car up a small grade and saved major damage. Later we saw guys turning over their engines with the plugs out and water shooting out of the heads!

 

I was fortunate not to experience any damage in the flood but have been caught in a storm that produced small hail in a open roadster and I can tell you that hurt like hell! HRP

 

I was there with my buddy's 46 Ford coupe. I was living in NC at the time and we drove up on Thursday. Stayed at the host hotel right at the entrance of the fairgrounds. We were in the main building as we saw the dark clouds coming in. We heard the thunder and the hard rain on the roof but were really surprised when the water from the roof drain off started shooting up into the inside of the building. They had storm drains in the middle of the building due to the huge size. There was so much water coming down, it could not drain fast enough. We went to the front doors and windows to see the storm and it was like " some one tipped a swimming pool upside down" it was raining so hard. The lightning was coming down all over the parking lot and that's when we saw it starting to "fill up". Being stupid, we ran out , along with many others, to start pushing cars to higher ground. We actually helped Foose and Trepanier lift the Aluma Coupe up onto 55 gallon drums to keep it dry. Troy's Buick was there but we could not lift that beast so we pushed to high ground.
That evening, while at the host hotel, we whad a ring side seat for the "exiting" of the rods from the park. If you have been there, then you know what I mean. Due to the days storm, the local police relaxed the exiting and what a show!

 

I was there in my 28 Ford Sedan. The water was up on the splash aprons, but did not get into the interior. I never seen such fast and furious rain in such a short time.

 

Not just that year, but all the years staying at the Executive Inn, that was the best part of The Nationals. Right after the giveway car was done and for the next three hours, nothing but 4 rows of Rods leaving the grounds. Still gives me chills and the biggest thing I miss after they started letting late models in and tore my hotel down....

 

I was there in my 34 chevy coupe just by a stroke of luck I parked on the high area,It was a nightmare.

 

I was there...was lucky to park on high ground.
Now there was one incident with some crazy Brit driving a funny looking orange car, that called the girl I had with me the name of my previous girlfriend!! Never gonna get it!! Never gonna get it!!! woo woo woou!!
Clark

 

Clark,
I didn't even mention I was the only guy there that had registered twice... After I got thrown off the fairgrounds by security for "spirited driving" in the back lot in the evening, and they took my registration card!
Cheers,
Stewart.

 

Stewart....Good times!!!!
Clark

 

I was there with the convert - parked north of the main building...with the top up...so no problem for me personally, although a couple pals were in knee deep water out front.

 

I was there with my 38 Chevy and my two sons. Parked in the big lot where the flood came. I was in the Exposition hall and my two sons were outside when the rains came . It rained and rained. They were near the car and went to the car to wait it out. Lucky for me ! They were sitting there and the windows steamed up because of the humidity. Luck again because I left the keys in the ignition. Well the water started rising and they did the obvious and move it to higher ground. I had no idea the water was rising as I was in the Exposition hall They announced it on the PA but it was so noisy I didn't hear it. Imagine my surprise when I walked outside. Panic set in but all ended well because of pure luck.

 

On higher ground myself, took these after it let up.

 

HRP, thanks for this thread, very interesting read.
By a stroke of luck, my wife and I canceled out going to the Nats that year at the last minute; we were registered and had a motel room. For some reason, we decided not to go, little did we know the event we managed to miss.
Many of my friends were in that flood. Some say that some of those pro-street cars were flooting in the rear due to the big tires.
I don't remember NSRA giving the whole thing much ink.
We've never gone back to any NSRA Nat's since (not because of the flood) altho up until then we hit em every year.