Hot Rods Look at this roadster picture

Yesterday I started feeling ill at work, and on the drive home I couldn't stop coughing. I could tell that I had a big cold coming on. Waking up this morning, my cold was in full bloom. Man what a bummer. I had planned on using the next four days off work toiling on some of the projects in my garage that I've just had no time for lately. However I feel terrible and I don't feel like doing anything but lying down. After binge watching too much TV, I started going through some of my pictures that lately I just have been too busy to really look at. Then I found this one, and became emotional. I realized that this is more than a photograph. There is a story that plays in my head when I look at it, and it means a lot to me. You see the guy riding with me is my Dad, and at the moment this picture was taken, this Roadster was an untested brand new build that had less than a mile on it ...and here in this photograph we were racing it up a MOUNTAIN ...all out!

Now lets back up a few weeks when this car was only a pile of parts ...literally. The body was in every piece it could be in, rusty, banged up and in real bad shape. There was no engine that was built, no transmission was built, the frame and suspension were in the mock-up stage ...everything had to be done. Even the radiator was in 4 pieces as I had been repairing the leaky tubes when years ago I shelved the whole project. So as usual, I looked at the project and told myself: "No problem, I can get this car together and go to the Hot Rod Hill Climb in 8 weeks!" I had no time to waste so I started in by getting the body together, making patch panels, hunting parts, taking inventory, working overtime at work so I could buy tires, (you car guys know how it goes). I can't tell you how many nights I did not go to bed, staying up all night working on the car ...and so did my Dad. While I got the car in shape, my Dad built the engine, built the transmission and did a bunch of design and machine work on my torque tube adapter.

As the last few days were counting down until the deadline, my Friends and my Brothers started staying up all night with us, working, lending comic relief and what not ...a good old Thrash, just like the old days when we were all single. Finally the last day came and went. The car was not done. It was close, but not done. My Brother had insisted upon a no-trailer convoy to the event in George Town Colorado, and I felt like I was up for it, until the last build day.

We stayed up all night, all of us. Laying down a coat of primer, and after it was dry, going through the final assembly. Soon it was obvious to me that I'd have to trailer the car, as the convoy left without me. I was ok with it. After all my Dad and I spent another entire night after that getting the car together ...and it wouldn't start, just cough and spit. At this point I was glad they left without us because I didn't want all of those guys to miss out on the fun because they stayed to help. So we told the boys "we'll see you there".

I went over and over that stupid firing order until I discovered just how tired I really was. This was a Flathead Ford and I was putting the mag and wires on it like a Chevy. I ironed that out and I did get it to show signs of life. Meanwhile my Dad was busy fabing up a shifter assembly and running down another starter motor because we nuked the one on the car trying to get the engine to run with a Chevy firing order. We put the new starter on and got it running ...barely. It ran like crap because I chose the wrong jets ...or something. Not only that but the six volt system wouldn't spin the new engine fast enough to reliably start it ...however, we were late. I threw the car on the trailer while my Dad went home to take a shower and pick up my Mom, who was leaving no doubt that she had been ready to hit the road hours ago.

Soon we were on the road. My Wife driving her truck pulling the trailer and my Mom driving her truck following behind. My Dad and I were sleeping most of the way. We drove and drove until the sun set, then it was pitch black. It seemed like it took forever to get there, but we made it! We all stumbled into the house we rented for the weekend and went to sleep at about three in the morning.

Early the next morning I got up and took the car over to the other house that the rest of the boys were staying in ...after I fiddled with it trying to get it to run that is. The car would hardly run. I spent some time trying to iron out the kinks, messing with the carbs, adjusting the brakes and just checking things over in the daylight, but all too soon it was time to line up for the starting line of the Hill Climb.

Lining up at the starting line and gazing up, WAY up in front of us I got a pit in my stomach. The "Hill" was a lot bigger that I had pictured in my mind. It was a mountain ...and it was straight up. Nowhere could I even see a road because of all of the pine trees. Oh man, I hope I have some more time to mess with this car before it's my turn ...NOPE. After a quick breakfast, driver meeting and the Star Spangled Banner, the event organizer chose our group of cars to go first.

Nervously I looked at my Dad and asked him if he was going with me. He said yes without hesitation. I guess I wasn't expecting that answer. After all, with the untested Jalopy, and the rumor we just heard that a family in a motorhome was killed after they went off of this very road some time ago, I didn't know if I wanted to even try it.

We climbed in the car and put our belts on. It was our turn to run before I had got the engine to run. I thought, man I should just forget about it and play it safe. Perhaps this was a sign. After they sent the two cars behind us, the engine came to life. It wouldn't idle and I had to keep the engine speed up to prevent the thing from dying. I didn't know what I feared more, crashing the car or having the stupid thing die on the starting line and not being able to get it fired back up! We moved to the start line with the engine roaring at what had to be 2000+ rpm and I had to feather the clutch to hold the car in place due to the uphill grade and still keep my foot on the gas.

We sat there, for what felt like a very long time, everything running through my head. "Don't let it die", "did I tighten that bolt?", "why is it taking so long to get the green flag?, "come on hurry the engine is getting hot!" The green flag dropped and we were off with a little chirp of the tires. Through first gear, then second. The engine wasn't running too bad at wide open throttle. Way before it was really time to, I lifted off the gas and let the car coast through the first turn. The car felt good as I was gaining a bit of confidence in it. I started taking the switch backs faster as I noticed my Dad was calling out the shifts! "Second gear!, third gear!, downshift to first gear!, nail it!" he shouted. The straight piped, stroked Flathead was sounding real good as we blazed our way through the pine trees up the crazy road cut into the side of the mountain. Before I really knew it we were at the top and went through the finish line. Man what a rush! I remember wondering what I was so worried about as we pulled into the upper parking lot and waited for the rest of the cars.

I shut the engine off and Dad and I looked at each other and smiled. Did we just do that?!? We got out and I gave him a high five, probably the first one I ever gave him I guess, but it felt right!

Today looking at this photograph I realized something that's never really occurred to me before. I realized what confidence my Dad has in me and my ability. Probably more than I have in myself ...remember he practically jumped at the chance to run a fresh, untested car up a (lets face it) potentially dangerous road that his son (and others) threw together in a few weeks! But you know, why wouldn't he? He taught me almost everything I know starting at a very young age, letting me have the run of his tools, welders and machines after a quick "this is how you work this". Come to think of it, Mom does too. During the summer my Dad would go to Army summer camp for a few weeks and My Mom and I would go about the house fixing and upgrading the things that Dad was too busy to get to.

You could say I won the parent lottery.

My Dad and I have done a ton of car things together. From the early days and his Corvettes, me blowing up his truck in high school, then into my Camaro / dragstrip days and into today's flavor: Hotrods! This was the best one yet. I hope I end up being half the Dad he has been to me

 

That's what hotrodding is all about!

 

great story and nice hot rod you guys built!

 

Incredible story, love it. Any pics of the build?

 

Great story and nice car. Yes that's what it's all about. Cherish every moment with your dad, Mine's been gone almost 20 years now and it seems like yesterday we were painting my first car.

 

I remember your car from the hill climb. Looked and sounded great. Fantastic story!

 

[QUOTE="big duece, post: 10774565, member: 60643]... Any pics of the build?[/QUOTE]

 

Super cool, thanks for sharing with us!

 

Great story..... THANX!!!

 

Best story i've heard all year!

Seriously, that is super cool!!!

 

I can not tell you how jealous I am. I grew up from a very young age wanting to play with hot rods. While my dad made some attempts with me. They all failed miserably. I've always wanted that bonding experience.

 

Great story !! thats like how my grandfather , father & I where ! Now it just my father & I ,grandfather passed away about 5 yrs ago @ 86 . Had a Jalopy befor he joined the Army for WWII , He was stationed with B17 Over sea's . He ended up breaking his ankle, then was assigned to dive a Capt or General ( someone with hight rank on the base )) let him Hot Rod the Jeep until the war ended, I miss hearing all the stories , My family has been evolved with automobile and train's since 1900s, I have some pic of the Jeep, I will try to find and post, Now it's my father & I , and I do not know what its going to be like the Day when he not their at my Shop!

Can you Post some more pic's of the Roadster???

 

What a great story. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.

 

That's the best read ive had in awhile and that pic of you and your dad is real special. Thanks for sharing this.
What I really like about the photo is the matching sunnies, shirts, facial expressions and the same lean. All this in a cool Hot Rod in a great location. JW

 

Damn, that was cool.
Thanks.

 

Do you got anymore pictures? Maybe some pictures of it now.

What gearbox is that? What carb set up are you running? I see a glimp of a thickstun dual carb intake correct, is that what you ended up running.

It was such a great story! I like it a lot, I bet you got a lot of damn good story's!

 

Great story. I love your roadster. More pics please.

 

Great Story-Awesome Roadster!

 

OK, the car was cool. The real story is the father-son relationship. You have had one of the most important and heartfelt experiences one can have on this earth. You did win the parent lottery! The second story is that you will pass this on to your son. Good luck and God bless.

 

A wonderful,heartwarming read. HRP

 

Great read and story, 1st drives are always white knuckle and it's cool you were able to share it with your father.

 

Great story and what a lucky man you both are to have each other.

 

I just got a really big blessing reading this life story. Thanks for sharing your blessing with us. Tim

 

wonderful wonderful story!
truth that every picture says a 1,000 words. I felt like I was riding along with yall!
thanks for sharing

 

Good stuff man. Thanks for sharing it.

 

Thanks for a great story, and for honoring your Dad.

 

Great story. I have shared this hobby with my son his whole life he is now 44 with a 10 year old son, we now share with it him. Saw you up there glad you and your family had a good time. My son ran the hill with his son on board with him. It was a very happy moment for me to watch them. Thanks for the story.

 

Great story, thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks for the great story. You guys have a great relationship.
-Pat

 

Thanks for that man. I really want to build a car with my dad.