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Until The Wheels Fall Off

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ryan, Apr 11, 2022.

  1. 41 GMC K-18
    Joined: Jun 27, 2019
    Posts: 3,561

    41 GMC K-18
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    To be at SPEED, is the gig !
    IMG_0262 (4).JPG
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  2. That is exactly why I love this damn site! You guys are like some form of extended family in some regards... Some of the things mentioned here almost brought me to tears, no shit! To find people that share this common obsession is priceless! I've spent more than one career around a group of OCD knuckle heads, where we shared a common drive (Marine Corps), but this automotive obsession was with me before, during and after the Corps. It is a very deep part of who I am and why I am the way I am. Again, love this place and my dysfunctional HAMB family!
     
  3. davidvillajr
    Joined: Apr 4, 2005
    Posts: 1,165

    davidvillajr
    Member

    Hot Rods, Kustoms, saxophone, jazz, all my obsessions and interests, they scratch an itch nothing else can reach.
     
    Saxman, VANDENPLAS, fauj and 3 others like this.
  4. Deescott
    Joined: Mar 1, 2017
    Posts: 260

    Deescott

    Sometimes I feel like I can see the thoughts in strangers eyes, and as a (here come the labels) hot rodder, lifelong skateboarder, outsider music musician, and glass blower, I’ve dealt with these strangers thoughts and opinions my whole life. People thinking (and saying) gearheads are dumb, skateboarders are faggots, punk rock is dumb, and as a glass pipe maker for 30 years, jeez, that conversation and explanation might just be the weirdest. But, it’s all me. It’s all what I do, and all what I love to do and am lucky and proud to be able to do these things. I’m sick of explaining it, but sometimes I’m completely glad to. If I’m not doing something that someone, somewhere, thinks is ridiculous, then I guess I’m not being myself. Oh well. Also, so many times I’ve talked to other artists, and they don’t consider building a hot rod from scratch as a form of artistic expression. They are completely wrong, and I’m glad to explain to them why. Building or creating anything that starts as an idea in your head is an art, or arguably a craft at the least. To dream of something, anything, and make it a reality is the definition of art to me, and building a car, with the thousands of hours that it takes, is more difficult, in my opinion, than most arts and crafts, and should be recognized as so.
     
  5. Garpo
    Joined: Jul 16, 2016
    Posts: 292

    Garpo

    Made me think about a conversation years back with our family doctor. He was building kit car MG thing, so cars always became a topic.
    He maintained that someone starting with a dream, then working through all the trials ,tribulations, and busted knuckles to build something (car ,truck, boat or whatever) These are not the losers of this world.
    Over the years I have had cause to reflect on those words; old car people, or old 'bike people are usually good people to be around.
     
  6. alanp561
    Joined: Oct 1, 2017
    Posts: 4,609

    alanp561
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Ummm, maybe you are her hobby and you just haven't realized it?;)
     
    VANDENPLAS, fauj, Ryan and 1 other person like this.
  7. H380
    Joined: Sep 20, 2015
    Posts: 483

    H380
    Member
    from Louisiana

    I was a skate/bmx freestyle kid until I got my DL. I still have a deck somewhere signed by Steve Caballero, Lance Mountain and Tony hawk. A few months later I got Christian Hosoi to sign it too. Local state shop had a demo by Powell Peralta mid 80's. If I only knew. The first year Tony Hawk decks are going for $10K +.
     
    Hot Rods Ta Hell likes this.
  8. Driver50x
    Joined: May 5, 2014
    Posts: 421

    Driver50x
    Member

    When I was about 10 years old, right around 1977, I saw a T-Bucket in the Fourth of July parade in Westphalia, Michigan. After the parade was over I saw the car parked, and I bet I spent close to an hour walking around that thing looking at every detail of it in fascination and awe. A few weeks later I saw a T-Bucket in a Hot Rod magazine at the grocery store so I at least knew what the car was called. I think that day had a huge impact on my life. Today I can’t remember what color it was or really anything about it, but I definitely remember staring at it and thinking it was by far the coolest thing I had ever seen.
     
  9. WhitewallWill
    Joined: Mar 5, 2014
    Posts: 645

    WhitewallWill
    Member
    from N. Van, BC

    I liken whatever we take on be it hot rodding, skateboarding, mtb biking, backing up a trailer... to the following scale. Beginner, intermediate, expert, master, artist. Looked at from any angle you appraise where you fit on this scale and attempt to move up by any means appropriate, time, study, watching... To those that attain the level of artist through talent, innate ability, hard work whatever - and we all know an artist when we see them at it. You know that dude or dudette is dialed. Extra points for humble, humble is cool.
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2022
  10. SakowskiMotors
    Joined: Nov 18, 2006
    Posts: 1,240

    SakowskiMotors
    Member

  11. I don’t have much to say as it has already been said. Music, old cars, history…Ive always been an outsider among “normal” folk who have absolutely no idea about any of it and no real passion for anything. Life must suck for them…or is it me for whom life sucks? The price one pays for passion and giving a shit about things? The tortured artist thing? I dunno. Anyway, in this thread I recognize my “people”. It’s a bit lonely out here in the world. Good to see you guys.
     
  12. Since I was a kid I was always goofing with something (usually with my brother) which was oily, dangerous, or noisy. Lots of old cast-off cars, motorbikes, home-made explosives, all the fun stuff. In there were skateboards made from old timber water skis, which would be pulled up to speed by hanging on the fin of a Valiant. We could never figure out the kids who only followed what someone else did (like sports), and just did a lot of watching and bitching. 50 years later, with many car and motorcycle buddies, musicians and assorted social mis-fits, I feel sorry for those who don't "get it". It's so good for your mind to get "in your zone" (mine are cars, electronics, music and gardening!), stops it from all soft and squishy around the edges!
     
    lothiandon1940 and 41 GMC K-18 like this.
  13. hotrodjack33
    Joined: Aug 19, 2019
    Posts: 4,128

    hotrodjack33
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Way too much introspective thinking and feelings for me.
    Just give me a beer, a cigar and a pile of tools and I'll build you something;).
     
  14. The fun part is having a hobby for a job. That’s the best. Bad days at work are super rare.
    As a teacher, I could get “pink slipped” at the end or start of any school year. It’s a possibility. But I guess the same can be said for any job. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Same with collision work and building hot rods,
    The only major issue is pricing your labor. It’s hard to price doing something you love. I guess that’s why I do a lot of trading for labor.
     
  15. Roy43
    Joined: Jan 7, 2020
    Posts: 21

    Roy43
    Member
    from Baden, PA

    After reading all these threads I see my sickness has really affected so many. Being young and broke only to get old and somewhat able to pay your way to what was always so important to me. I'm really grateful to everyone here for showing me my passion is normal. Long live the car nuts of the world, they don't understand us but that's fine with me. Semper Fi!!
     
    41 GMC K-18 likes this.
  16. Dreddybear
    Joined: Mar 31, 2007
    Posts: 6,084

    Dreddybear
    Member

    Rodney Mullen manages to make small profound statements that really do make you look at things in perspective.

    I don't know why, but I'm reminded of that video where skaters get Werner Herzog to look at skate videos and he instantly "gets" it, and talks about what it takes to embrace failure and try something 50 times before succeeding. I love that video:

     
  17. Joe Travers
    Joined: Mar 21, 2021
    Posts: 708

    Joe Travers
    Member
    from Louisiana

    For me it's all about the tail fins! Harkens back to childhood; linoleum and chrome dinette sets, Esquivel on the transistor radio, Bakelite, bee-hive hairdos.......it's all a big nostalgia trip that's still floating in my head. Grateful to have a place to revisit it here. :)

    Joe
     
    41 GMC K-18 likes this.
  18. theHIGHLANDER
    Joined: Jun 3, 2005
    Posts: 10,244

    theHIGHLANDER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    This topic wasn't about skateboarding. Not to me. I did see the documentary over the weekend. Well done, struck some chords.
    I don't how many ever watched Yellowstone, it's a decent diversion for a sunday night. There was a scene where Jimmy was impressed with the fanfare at a horse event nd said how nice that was to Travis, but remembered that the old guy said how being a cowboy was a life of nobody but you and the horse. Nobody sees it and there's no right or wrong. Travis tells him the best ride of his life happened in a field and nobody saw it, just him and his horse, and the confidence of which he spoke struck me. He was just as proud of that one (my take).
    When you're alone and you fab that brace, make that plumbing just so, fit and weld that metal repair, run those wires clean, and you're doing it for you. Maybe 3 people will see that some time, maybe none ever, and it doesn't matter. Same as when you find that elusive part because you never let the need or desire fade. Maybe that whole car. Forget this life, maybe you're an electronics maven and you create a reliable circuit. Maybe you're a cabinet maker and the inner structure means your work will be there for decades to come, and maybe nobody will ever see why. You don't care. You know. Apply it to anything.
    So back on topic, the story spoke the words, no 'words" actually needed. Even what Rodney said, the luxury, perhaps the luxury is you know it and you alone. And in the documentary from front to back there was no description of the passion needed. I didn't need it at least. Yeah we here are about shit not many will ever "get" and that's still kool as fr as I'm concerned. "Best ride I ever had..." and not about Tony Hawk specifically, and how many did he have that nobody had ever seen. If you feel that little extra bounce in your step, if your head is raised just another 1/8" does it matter? Didn't think so.
     
  19. kustomfordman
    Joined: Feb 28, 2006
    Posts: 484

    kustomfordman
    Member

    When you find your calling in life and are able to practice your calling, hone it, perfect it, polish it, and even profit from it, then I believe you have become a god. I will always be turning wrenches, making sparks, clanging metal, and dreaming of the next build. Perhaps in the eyes of others, endlessly dedicating time and resources. For me, when the wheels fall off, I will be diagramming and dreaming of how to get the wheels back on in a better, stronger, and cooler way.
     
    Hot Rods Ta Hell and 41 GMC K-18 like this.
  20. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

    It's like that old saying "if I had to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand" .
    I believe some things are 'in your blood' for life. I've been into Hot Rods and have been skateboarding since I was about 8. I'm 61 now and yep, there's still a skateboard in the trunk of my car, for times I see something that needs to be ridden or just have the urge to cruise. I feel fortunate to have skateboarded in the pre skate park "golden age"70's in Socal. And see many of the greats in their prime (Hawk, Rodney, Alva, etc). We street skated anywhere and everywhere. Swimming pools, ditches and downhill (still have my downhill board I made from a 6' wood Maheraja ski with Gullwings and Road Riders).Never did skate parks. To us it was like paying to fish in a stocked lake; too perfect. The real adrenaline rush was to find a place, figure out how to trespass and skate it without getting caught, be it an empty pool at a vacant house or bombing a 12 story parking structure downtown at 2:00AM!
    Whether you skate or not, watch this clip of Rodney where he's written and mastered the tricks and set the bar high at a young age. Prodigy. Houdini on a skateboard.

     

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