How old's the oldest H.A.M.B. member?60+?Tell us a cool story

Well I might be the Oldest Cat in the Bunch & Still kicking & driving my
50 Mercury street rod, which I have owned since 1951 when I bought it
after a Accident, I bought on the seen of the Accident for a whopping
Price of $35.00 dollars & Towed it to the shop I was Working for
it needed a Front Clip which I found one upstate NY & paid $150.00
it was put on & almost Finished when I Received a Letter in the Mail
It was my Draft Notice so I went Down & Enlisted in the Navy & got out in
1954 on a Medical discharged.
I have been a Bicker for a long Time! & have rode all over the US on my Bike
I am 86 ................................!

Just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

I forgot to tell you a Story well I was a road racer when I was younger
I did not have much money so I built my own Race Car which was
a Crossly Hot Shot & Turned it into a Road racing car
Rajah Head 2 weber Carbs & a Fiberglass Body and some other
mod's I raced a lot of the Tracks after I got my road race permit.

Just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

An older fellow once told me that he had a weird dream the night before. Said he dreamt he was a muffler. Said he woke up exhausted!

 

13 year old thread about who is the oldest member has a lot of members who are no longer with us who posted.

 

After taking an long extended break from social media, I recently logged back on to the HAMB to check on some of my old threads...unfortunately my "Vintage Trophy Girls" got canned about 6 months ago for excessive bickering and drama, but I was happy to see this one was still alive and well.

I'm guessing it was only 6 or 8 pages long last time I checked in, but has tripled in size since then. My reason for posting is to let everyone know whos shared a story here, that no matter how big or small, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading, visualizing and laughing at all of these great experiences you guys have shared.

Someone posted a link on this thread a while back to the American Hot Rod Foundation's interview with Don Montgomery, which I listened to and thoroughly enjoyed. About 20 different interviews with old hotrodders there (some as old as 90+ years). I admire their passion to capture and record these stories for future generations to enjoy and learn from.

And while I/we may not be as famous as Vic Edelbrock, Jay Leno, Jeff Beck, Carroll Shelby etc... I firmly believe these stories are just as entertaining and just as important to our hobby. So, please, continue to post and share, and to those who have shared that are no longer with us, I'm glad you had a platform to put pen to paper, and document your experiences for not just us here today, but for people who maybe haven't even been born yet that'll be reading your words 50yrs from now .

Thanks again guys, and keep the lies...umm.. I mean stories coming! lol

 

I was 52 when this thread started. Now that I am pushing 65, I can't remember any stories!

 

Entertaining thread, have enjoyed it immensely. Thanks for it!

 

I'll be 70 on the next birthday. No cool stories to tell, only dumb shit I should have known enough not to do...... LOL!

 

Hey, if it wasn't for dumb shit this thread wouldn't exist. Let's hear it!

 

Friends, cars and women should be the title of these thread.....lol.

 

First time in my life I was formally "detained"...... Was apprehended for riding a skateboard holding a rope tied to back of one of my older buddies Model A tudor. We were cruizing down High Street and the cops didn't see the humor in it. They called my Mom to come get me and when I got home my Dad thought this was the funniest thing ever. Mom wasn't quite as amused. I was maybe 12-13 at the time. They thought sitting on a City Hall bench was going to put sense into me. Definitely didn't help. High Street in the mid to later 60's was just too much fun.

 

Well I'm 83 and still kicking. A diehard Ford guy, and have seen most of the stuff you youngsters are dealing with. Now I just read and remember. My life long dream was to build a B Banger, which I did and put it in a 29 Ford Pkup, with a 5 sp trany, which I did. Also always wanted a Crager head for a Banger. And yes I found one in Sarasota, Fla on the same B engine that was built as a race engine before WW2 and never fired. Had a problem sourcing all I needed to use the head and sold it. But the B engine was a runner and blew many away at the red lights. Also Had a 40 Buick Super that was bought for $250.00 that turned out to be an almost new car, perfect interior no rust and after 15 yrs of careful care was sold to a Buick Dealer, spending many years in the show room. Yea it was that clean. MEMORIES. Iceman

 

I am 86 and still work almost dailey 0n one of the 2 projects that i have, Ono is a 39 ford 2 door and the other one is a first series 55 pickup.

 

Awesome, keep it up !

 

Thanks to all who posted some great story can relate to many of the story’s. I’m in my late 60s still going strong thank god to be blessed. Just yesterday I took my hot rod truck new build for a road test. All built by me in the garage no lift just a floor jack. It’s been a 12 months or so build 383 ,700r4, 456 rear, sitting on a milk crate because seat is in upholstery prison. Well down the road I go 12 shift ok a bit harsh tho 34 shift ok converter lock up ok steering a bit all over the road. Back to the garage set the toe in a bit more to compensate for the new power steering box. Re adjust the tv cable air up the tires. Back on the road truck is running sweet get a few miles on her stop and fill up the gas tank. So far so good stop on a country stand on it a little churp the tires in 2 and 3 hanging on the steering wheel trying to not fall off the milk crate. How fun is this still have a smile on my face.

 

There was a interview with Clint Eastwood who is in his 80's
He was asked how he can be so active at his age.
"I don't let the old man in".
Kinda says it all.

 

78 next month live in florida and try to drive my 27 every day................

 

Jerry, 78, your still under warranty.

 

Every time I answer this I am 5 years older than the last time.

 

He's now 90 and still going strong.

 

Toby Keith recorded a song "Don't Let the Old Man In" based on a conversation with Eastwood.

 

So my 3rd grade math skills tell me you were born in 1935...any HAMB members have a birthday before then?? If so let us know.

Poco, just curious...what was your first car, how old were you when you got it and how much did it cost? Thanks for sharing!

 

I'm not sure how many "Crazy Dave" stories I've posted, you know the type, a car friend that just never thinks, just does, used tell him and ask him, Do you have shit for brains.? His Father said to me one night when I brought his car home as Dave was arrested, taken to jail again so I took his car home, this was the 3rd time within same year, I knock on door at 2:00 AM, His Mom answers door, yells to Dave's Dad, it's for you, your dumb ass son did something stupid again, his Dad looks at me and said, that damn kid, his brains must have run down his Mothers legs. I had no words or comment, just handed him the keys and asked for a ride home. Fast froward 25 years or so I'm taking my youngest daughter to her college dorm on move in day, we stopped for lunch in a small town on the way and "Crazy Dave" came over to say Hi, did not see each other for 20+years, his restaurant, met his new wife #3 and we had fun reminiscing over some of our misspent youth and then my prim/proper daughter on rest of trip asked about a few things she heard, my Answer was, Dave loves to exaggerate, don't believe any of his baloney, he was always full of it and to my surprise and grateful he did not tell all the stories, Thank God. Again I was traveling, stopped in a truck stop for lunch and I see this little old man that I recognized, Crazy Dave's Dad, I approached and said Mr. -------. don't know if you remember me, his reply, you're Dave's friend who used to bring his car home, sure I remember you and we had a nice lunch and he was so happy that Dave finally straightened out, took till his was 30. I stopped hanging with him at 20 as him and I were dumb and dumber together, I could do enough stupid stuff on my own, did't need help or any encouragement. LOL

 

similar but not the exact car...
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-55-chevy-210-two-door-sedan.1218091/page-3#post-13958827

"FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS AND OVERCOME THE BOYS WILL BE BOYS MANTRA MANY TIMES OVER."


Hello,

Friendships in high school were pretty outstanding. We all stumbled along, having as much fun as possible. The camaraderie with the teenage boys in the local drive-in restaurant parking lots, hot rod topics, drag racing when necessary and just having some great food, topped off our weekly associations. Now, throw in cars full of our friends in the girl’s side made it that much more fun.

In our high school classes, we had built up friendships with girls and other guys. Sometimes, those girls happened to be “girlfriends” of our own cruising friends. That made it much more enjoyable to be in those bland history classes. Those “Girls just wanted to have fun…” but, for us, they made the classes attractive and ego boosting at the same time.

My friend with the black and white 55 Chevy two door post sedan had the coolest looking girl in the whole school as a girlfriend. All of us were, of course, very envious of him and their relationship. But, when his girlfriend was in class, by herself, she was one of our friends, by association, and joined in all sorts of hijinks. Sitting next to her was an experience in itself.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/how-olds-the-oldest-h-a-m-b-member-60-tell-us-a-cool-story.316099/page-21#post-13967449

Jnaki

Those are some of the memories that just hang around throughout our lives, then and in our memory banks. We had plenty of jokes to play on the others and one incident of a water balloon attack by several of our friends while those “two” were temporarily indisposed in the 55 Chevy, was the talk of the high school for weeks. Not just by us, but like wildfire spreading, the midnight water balloon caper was one of the best events, told to friends.

Although my friend was totally surprised, but as mad as hell, he chuckled as he saw us running for safety in the middle of the night. His girlfriend was also laughing at us running away.

This is the result of a massive water balloon attack on friends:

What happened a couple of weeks later was that my friend with the b/w 1955 Chevy showed up at my house on the Westside, on Sunday, at 3 am, in the morning, with his girlfriend. He purposely drove up onto the driveway angled at the front lawn of our house. (My mom’s Dichondra grass was as nice as possible.) He instantly stomped on the gas and left two tire marks across the grass. (Positraction) Little did he know that my dad’s window was right there and my dad came running out of the front door when my friend had come back for round two.

As the 1955 Chevy was laying another round of marks, my dad gave chase down the block. I was right behind him with a baseball bat. But, then I realized it was my friends in the 55 Chevy. Ha ha…The joke was on me. Payback was not nice according to my mom…I had to dig up the grass and replant more for her, for free. My dad was saying under his breath that those go&^%%$ kids were %$#! as he was huffing and puffing all the way back to our house.

I was the laughing stock at school Monday morning and all day. The friendly, finger of fate was constantly used as a reply. We all laughed at both incidents and our high school classes took on fun attitude until graduation. After our HS graduation, my friend’s old girlfriend was my daily companion, driving to the local college and back, for the next two years. She had her little Renault 4 door and I had my 1958 Impala on alternating days.

When we drove up to where our friends were all parked and ready for the newish college classes, it was old home week. The incident would be brought up at gatherings, as it was a classic move, but the payback incident was also very big time for laughs. (except for my dad…he almost had a heart attack) But, friends will be friends to this day. Teenage shenanigans… a bright spot in the vast experiences of high school friends and their friendly adventures.

 

High school, your story reminds me of moving a classmates B210 all over the parking lot during the day. Four of us would pick the rear of the car up and move it around leaving him looking for it at the end of the day.
The best move was putting it out in the middle of the football field.

We would have burnout days where someone would put 5 gallons of diesel fuel on the pavement and we'd do our burnouts, the ash from the smoke was hard to get off your car. I still don't know why the cops never busted us for it.

 

Hello,

With the recent time change last Sunday, Nov 6, we were once again, back in the early light for the morning. The whole month of October was dark in the morning and it reminded me of those times when school age kids stood at corners in the dark to get on the school busses.

But, in elementary schools, we were told that we, non-farmers, helped in the development of the farmers in the Midwest to have more light early in the fall for their obligations. So, we supposedly were doing our part to accept the change, as strange as it seemed.

For us, the early time change to more daylight was a great way to get more time in the water for our surfing, before the masses showed up around 7-8 am. So, we were able to get in the water and paddle out just as the light was making the waves visible. It wasn’t just a white roller coming to hit us in the cold morning paddle.

The early paddle out gave us almost three hours of uninterrupted, rider only, waves all the way to shore. It was heaven being able to get great waves, single person rides anytime we decided to paddle into the oncoming peaks, and great down the line surfing.

So, getting up early around 3:45 am was just enough time to grab a bite to eat, drive in the dark from home, with the music blasting for some incentive pumping attitudes. No heaters, as we wanted to get in the physical mood to attack the cold rolling waves at the surf spots.

Was it worth it? The long standing early wake up call did wonders for our surfing improvement, even at crowded places like Huntington Beach Pier. But, to get empty waves all to our selves in South Orange County at places like Salt Creek and San Clemente, was well worth the early rising and long drives. Especially as a teenager, in a Flathead 40 Ford Sedan Delivery and later on after high school and college, another 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery with a 327 for power.


Jnaki

All of these years later, I still open my eyes at the slightest of sounds and I am up at 3:45 on some days and when my clock allows more time 4:00 am is the waking call. Plus, our little 15 year old guard dog starts his day between 3:45 and 4:00am, like clockwork. So, for us old guys, it is early to rise, enjoy the peace and quiet, as well a nice hot cup of coffee. (snack for the little dog) Then it is time for reading and writing as well as an early nap around 9:am. Just like in the old early surfing days.

Sometimes after a hard workout in the early morning waves, riding and paddling, it was time for a short nap on my surfboard on the beach to gain some more power for the session leading up to lunch. Then, another short nap for the afternoon glass-off waves. It was a vicious circle, but somebody had to do it. Ha!

Every memory from the road trip drives in either sedan delivery always had great endings. No problems in the running gear or motors. An instant start up when ready to go to or home. Hot rod surf trips at their best during the early morning, "light enough to see..." So Cal days. YRMV

 

83 and my current project is a hemi powered, 3 pedal RPU. Just wiring it now expect it to be on the road next spring.

 

damn, this thread has been around so long, that I can join in now! because I'm 60

 

84 in July.

 

In 1962,I was 14 years old. My good friend was only 11 but his car “knowledge” was off the charts. He took me to a man’s house to look at a new 62 Pontiac Catalina. After going for a hi-speed drive(well over 100 mph) we went back to the mans house for a closer look. It was a super duty Pontiac with aluminum front end(bumpers,hood,fenders were ALL aluminum. I later saw the car later(6-8 years had passed) and my ex brother in law purchased the car less engine and trans for $800. We all used to see it in his backyard and jokingly teased him about not leaning too hard on the fenders because they were easily bent. We has no idea how really valuable and rare the car really was.