Hot Rods Red light/gas station talk.

Two funny ones while driving our Nomad. I was putting in gas behind the tailight. A guy said, that's a neat idea that you did. I said not me, it came from the factory that way.. He said no it didn't {ahh, okay???} The other was at the county fair. They were having a demo derby that night. But invited some of us to bring our old cars. and to come early. It was to help draw a crowd for it. We got free passes, and were asked to park our cars in front of the grandstand the afternoon before the derby. A lady came by and, asked if I was driving my Nomad in the derby. { ahh No??? }

 

With both of these at almost every show, I would inevitably overhear some one say "Looks like an old Hurst"...what they really mean to say is "hearse"...but they always add the "T".

 

To be completely honest, I too have always (and still do) called the undertaker mobiles a Hurst (with a T)

 

I have mostly gotten "nice car" or "nice truck", but to perfectly honest I have a difficult time accepting compliments and don't know what to say. It's even hard for me to say thankyou and it really bugs me that I'm that way. I would never be rude, but not saying thanks would come across that way I'm sure. I built it for me, the way I like with only me in mind, so it's just odd to me that someone else would like it enough to compliment me. And my ride really isn't that nice.

 

...........There's a guy around here with one of those "honey dipper" trucks. He had someone hand-paint on a clear bug shield, one of those at the leading edge of the hood.........."Terd Hearst". Every time I see it, I think, there's someone who didn't win the spelling bee in school.

 

Yup, what is that is the question I get asked the most... I tell um it's a shoebox and they just stare blankly back.

 

My father / grandfather had one just like that! I reply back, I'm sure he did, Ford sold around 700,00-800,000 of these in 1957.

 

Hello,

As teenagers, we always got the “looks” at gas stations in our hot rods. But, the topper was when my brother and I were taking our 671 SBC 1940 Willys Coupe out for a Friday night cruise to our favorite drive-in restaurant parking lot and local streets of Bixby Knolls. We had just completed the build, fired it up and were ready for our experimental drive in our stomping grounds. We wanted to go all over, but were limited to the satisfying looks and talk at our home area of Bixby Knolls.


On the way there, we had to stop for gas. That sounds ok, but for us, a 2.5 gallon Moon Tank was the thing to set up inside of the cabin. We placed ours in front of the passenger seat that gave the driver direct access to the attached pressure pump handle without leaning too far over. But, it did take up the foot well room of the passenger. So, street cruising was going to be limited for our street legal, Willys Coupe with the supercharged motor, Bruce Slicks and all…

When we rolled up to the local popular Texaco Gas Station, we drew the attention of those in place. One older guy came over to the window and looked inside. He was amazed at the 4 spoke steering wheel, the chrome tach on the dash, the stick shift lever coming out of the floor and the shiny thing sitting on the floor of the passenger side…(my side of the coupe) He said it looked like a jet fighter cockpit.

I told him that tonight, that side of the cabin seating was my side and because I was about a foot taller than he was, he did not know how I fit while cruising around. It was a tight seating arrangement with split legs squeezing in where they could.

Jnaki

When we filled the Moon Tank with gas, again, the older man was amazed. Then as we were finished, we fired up the motor and even with the legal headers/muffler system, the 671 SBC made the usual powerful roar and was idling. The older man’s wife was covering her ears with both hands behind rolled up windows. The man was impressed with the healthy sound and as we rolled away, he was smiling of things from his past, brought to the present times. One moment in time for him.

Since we only had 2.5 gallons of gas, our cruising was limited to the circuit in Bixby Knolls and not all over the Long Beach/Lakewood area drive in restaurant parking lots. So, a few circuit runs, and then a couple of acceleration runs on the Cherry Avenue Dragstrip near the cemeteries. Then, more gas at the nearby gas station for the trip home, to another gas station. Crazy teenagers and their hot rods…

At several stop lights, my brother just idled the motor and took off in a normal fashion. But, it was not before a car full of teenage boys rolled up and gave us the thumbs up! “I can’t get no, satisfaction…!”

It was impressive for those teenage boys, as it was such an accomplishment for us.

 

When my first chopped 39 Ford tub was in grey primer; I pulled in a gas station and a kid came out to look at it and said "Is that an Army Tank?" .

 

In my Black '59 Silver Hawk at a stop sign... The kid in the car next to me gave a thumbs up and a huge grin. "Cool car!... what is it?" I said it's a Studebaker. He replied; "Oh yeah... I heard o' those!"
And at nearly every gas station it's; "My aunt Tilly's neighbor's brother in law had one of those... but it was a different color and a different year... and had more doors... I used to have a '96 Silverado..."

 

Haa...I get the same thing. Sometimes I wish my heap was invisible.

 

.... what the hell kinda car is that?

 

A couple of weeks ago I got "That's a Studebaker, right?", while I was going around a corner in my '36 Fjord, and I just said "Yep". Keeps everyone happy!
Or "how do you drive that thing", I then open the door and show them the pedals, "the one on the right is GO, and the left one is SLOW"

 

Was gassing up the 36 pickup last summer and a smiling guy comes out of the c-store and says "that's cool but the cute girls behind the counter said you'd get more girls if you'd paint it red!" I still laugh when I think about it. At least they noticed that it was cool.

 

So did mine but his was a four door Buick

 

I was filling the tank and an old fella walks up and is inspecting my '26 coupe. I was about 65 at the time and this guy had to have me by 20 years. Just as a conversation starter I asked him if he had one of these when he was a kid. He gave me a dirty look, cussed me and stomped off. I guess I insulted him.
Usually the #1 question is "What year is it?

 

My father in law was getting some work done his mint condition original paint Buick ( about 35 years old at the time) the guy kept looking at it, then ask him who painted it. My father in law said G M did. The guy said gm will do that, father in law said they paint all there cars.

 

When I had my 54 I had several little old ladies relate back seat stories with giggles and blushes, both at intersections and parking lots

 

Yeah, and if you're hanging around with him, you're stranger than I thought!!!