Art & Inspiration Traditional images that need no explanation.

Wasn't it @Chris that bought a body with the hinges molded in like this coupe?

 

They are very similar. Mine is a 34 however, that is a 33. Very neat car

 

Man the 32 Roadster in the background is pretty roached given the vintage of this pic. Fire damage?


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Probably taken sometime after the Barris shop fire.

Mick

 

Look, it's a Tesla driver...

 

Looks like a wreck waiting to happen....

 

Where are the seat belts? Dad's wearing a suit, mom's got on pearls-like Leave It to Beaver

 

Sign me up to take the way back machine back to the days pictured here! When racing was fun, cheap, a bit dangerous, and innovation was the word of the day. This was the stuff I remember as a kid, and its what got me into hot rods. Gene

 

Me too.

 

There are still a lot of little local dirt tracks around, especially in your part of the world. If you feel like you're a little old to be driving a race car (like I do), get a pit pass and find a kid driving in one of the stock classes that is trying hard and talented, but not very experienced and start helping him out. Likely to be good for both of you.

 

This is true but it just ain't the same. One of the things I loved most was the fact that even as a young kid I could recognize what all the cars were. Late models consisted of a whole bunch of tri-five Chevys along with a good variety of Ford models as well and some Pontiacs too. Then came the 60's cars, full size Fords and Chevs and the Chevelles. I knew 'em all. Always loved dirt track Stock cars much more so than Sprints and Modifieds. Guess it was the model recognition thing for me. I don't go anymore. What the hell are those things racing now anyways?

 

Fabber, There are 3 dirt tracks near me, all 3 are between 60 and 80 miles away.
I discovered way back when I was in my early 20s that I was not a driver. I was a much better mechanic, car builder, and car owner. For 15 years in a row, I owned a race ready hobby stock car that I put a new driver in every year. By "new" I mean someone who had never driven a race car in their life. I had the ability to stand along the wall and watch the car and driver and know what both needed to have done to run better. In those 15 years, we never finished the year out of the top 10 in point standings in our class. At one time, 6 of the fastest late model drivers at our local track started their driving career in my cars. But alas, that was then, and this is now. Our local track is long gone, and the hobby stock cars of today are what the late model cars were back then. I haven't kept up, and time sure hasn't been waiting on me. Any knowledge I used to have probably isn't very useful these days.

My last venture into dirt track racing was probably 12 or 13 years ago. My son's buddy was racing at our still open track and needed help (lots of help). I started out coaching him through video (my son recorded the races his friend was in, and I watched and told him what he needed to do). The boy had potential, soon I was at the track every week, and before long, the car was at my shop. I coached him through his 1st ever win, and a few more after that. Towards the end of the year, some of my money may have bought a few needed parts. I think he finished the year 3rd in the point standings. I was ready to build him a new car (the old car was in bad shape), but things came up with his family, and he had to move back to Arkansas to be with them. A couple years after that, our local track closed.

Racing is an addiction. I've found I can not get a little involved and stay that way, I tend to get sucked in deep. A few times a year our family (me, my wife, my son & his family & my daughter and her son) will attend races at one of the 60 mile away tracks. I can sit in the stands, go to the pits after the races, and leave, and I'm OK with that. Any more involvement would probably suck me back in, and its not where I want to be at this stage in my life. Gene

 

Good experiences and a lifetime of memories. Good on you.

 

Photo: Jack Burgess Sharp, source: https://www.instagram.com/jacksharp_photo/


Photo: Jack Burgess Sharp, source: https://www.instagram.com/jacksharp_photo/