me and my dad were there dam it was hot , but fun dallas was even worse that year I had a shirt that said I survived the 1980 heat wave
Went with dad and a few other guys for the first time in 1998 I believe. I was 10. First time in my model A was 2005. Always a good time
The Street Rod Nationals was our annual summer vacation. I think my first one was St. Paul in 79? I was 2 years old, and my (dads) 38 was in primer. I went most years except the years it was in Louisville up to about 1993. Haven't been since... only the OKC regional event. My car won a Top 25 award in OKC in 1983. My dad's proudest moment.
My first nats was Memphis '75..driving a 39 Ford Pickup at the time..I was living in Nashville, TN at the time and was fairly new to the hobby and was amazed at what I saw...also went to Tulsa in '76 again in the pickup..also attended most of the Gatlinburg runs in mid to late '70s which were very comparable to the early nats...finished my 32 Stude President and drove it to Columbus in '78 and many since...My best memory is that all of us in that time (of course were a lot younger) never worried about tools, wore out tires, etc...We just loaded up the cooler and webbed lawn chairs and took off..Was a good time of my life and continues to be today..
As a kid, I worked at the Firestone store in Cairo, IL the year they held the Memphis Nats. Interstate I-57 wasn't complete and all southbound traffice had to go by the store on Hwy 51 to get across the Ohio or Mississippi river bridges. Hundreds of rods cruized by the store! That was the begining of my addiction. I have been to the St. Paul, Columbus, Louisville, etc. runs since...enjoyed everyone of them.
Peoria, 1970, just outa high school. My old man wouldn't let me have the family car for such a long distance run, so I took a train to Chicago, then a Greyhound to Peoria, it was a milkrun, took forever. Once there, I didn't have a ride out to the fairgrounds, in retrosprct I just should have just asked for a ride, but I was just a pimply kid, and these guys were all older. There were loads of cars coming in and out of the downtown motels, and in the lots there so I took a bunch of polaroids with a borrowed camera I brought, then took night run bus back as I couldn't afford a room to stay overnight, but it was a gas to see. Later, after I saw how big it was out at the fairgrounds in R&C when it came out, and what I had been so close to and missed for lack of a car ride, I took up hitchiking.
Shit you guys made me walk through a snow bank to the garage to settle this. Here is my old dash plaque board with the location of the first 3 NATS. Peoria Ill. was number 1 in 1970.
St Paul '74, they only used about 1/3 of the Fairgrounds, that now is filled to over flowing at the BTT50s every year
It was in the mid 90's, me my brother, and my dad I think it was to either Kentucky, or Ohio. I don't remember much of it other than on the way on the way back we stopped for breakfast at Cracker Barrel, and about an hour or two after my brother puked allover the back seat of the rental car.
Well, since this thread has been brought back up, my first was Memphis in 75 and then my wife and I went on our honeymoon to Columbus in 78. Just celebrated our 40th in July.
Went to the first one in Peoria in 1970. Tex Smith organized it, he announced the prize giving using an old hay wagon for a platform. I remember some of the cool cars, like a blue 34 Ford sedan with varnished wood strips for running boards and roof inserts, a 39 Mercury with a flame job outlined in steel rods molded into the body, another 34 with a late Hemi. Met Sebastian Rubbo who attended from Massachusetts with his 36 Ford roadster. It had a 56 Ford Crown Vic rear seat in it at that time. Sorry didn't get any pictures.
1974 StPaul, flying over from the UK my first ever flight and trip abroad. My Super 8 film on you tube
It sure was more fun back when everybody drove their cars,so many guys build cars to nice or overpowered & miss the satisfaction of driving the car or truck they put so much money in. Back in the early seventies when our club met up to drive to a distant show there were a minimum of a least 12 guys and gals, times change and some members have gone on to pursue other interest, a few have health problems and don't travel anymore & regrettably several have passed away. The last time I met up with two other club members they both had their cars on trailers, I decided that day that we will go alone in the future, I followed them a while but that was boring and I took the lead and saw them later when they arrived at the motel. To me driving to event is a huge part of the fun,riding behind your friends hauling their vars on trailers is about the same as being stuck behind a tractor trailer. I like the old bumper sticker that says, " If this car is on a trailer it's broke" HRP
Detroit 72, went with Butch Brinza in his chopped, channeled sectioned 50 Chev pickup bleeder seal black with a silver thick stripe down the center of the hood
The Jalopy Journal
