Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Check the gas before you go... Continue reading the Original Blog Post
Gosh, your Pebble Beach experience looks like a lot of fun. My next door neighbor (who owns a very valuable 'Lambo") was there and enjoyed every moment. Will the event still flourish when CA bans gas powered cars?
Nice thing about a '32, you can just remove the gas cap, look in the tank & see the gas level. Drove my coupe over 125,000 miles with no gas gauge, ran out of gas once.
Too funny! I'm curious @Jive-Bomber... What was the appreciation level for the hot rods among the judges and general population attending Pebble Beach? Is there a great deal of respect for them or are they considered the red headed step child of the show that most people scoff at? And I was really curious on the general opinion among the judges of Gray Baskerville's roadster with its primer spots and well earned road rash. I love that car!
My range is less than 100 miles. I have learned to leave with a full tank, carry a spare gas can, and stop at dang near every station I see. Not the greatest setup, but I like to stop and stretch anyway.
Right you are, Pete- It was definitely one of those "Doh" moments when you assume the gauge is correct on a museum car!
Great question! I'll say that it was a small but vocal group (including Bruce Meyer and Ken Gross) that argued with the Concours organizers back in the late 1990s that historic hot rods and customs are critical part of the fabric of post-war American car culture and should be recognized as such. Our class cars are always parked as far away from the entrance as possible, but that's ok- Hot rodders are use to being the outcast!
Its important to note that *new* gas-powered cars won't be sold in California after 2035, but so far they aren't restricting the use of any existing vehicles up to that point. I'm more worried about CA gas stations closing in 20 years when the demand begins to drop.
What a great story. Thanks, Jay. The fact that Ken "used to take the roadster to lunch often" is classic. That man leads a charmed life. Regarding how "our" cars are received at Pebble Beach, Ken and the late, already sorely missed Pat Ganahl wrote a great point/counterpoint piece on customs at PB in TRJ 31 that I always enjoy re-reading. You can tell from the title of their respective columns where they landed on whether or not these cars belonged out there...Ken's was titled, "Spots, Skirts and Style: Early Customs Impress at Pebble." Pat's was, "Street Elegance is Not Show Elegance." The last time I ran my Buick out of gas, an old guy pulled up alongside me on the side of the road and said, "I sure do like your car...even if it doesn't run."
A gas gauge worth $500, and it still doesn't work?! I can relate. I have a similar old Stewart Warner in my sedan, and have a picture hangin on the wall at home to remind me it's not really accurate.
The paint stir stick gas gage in my modified has failed me several times. If you are going to run out of gas, I couldn't think of a better place than California RT. 1
@Jive-Bomber congrats on this milestone of an opportunity on so many levels...running out of gas in a Hotrod...twice for me...the first time reminded me of the dealership purchase...enjoy your new car running on fumes... Second time was me finding out the accuracy of the gauge...not good under the 1/4 full mark...but since then under a 1/2 to 1/4 its time...glad it was just an inconvenience and great to see they are getting out for some fresh air... Its great to see them recognized as they should...as for the gas situation...we roll with the punches but I think we're good for 20 or more but the times they are a changing...I still think our vintage niche is a small entity in the bigger picture...I think it will outlast my time here on terra firma fingers crossed...
So cool that the hot rods were in attendance this year, they certainly do deserve recognition. In reference to the 17 mile drive, when I was a kid growing up in the San Joaquin Valley, ( Atwater ) area, in 1963, I was 10 years old. My dad owned a cool 58 Cadillac 4 door and we took a trip over to the Monterey / Carmel area. My first time being on the 17 mile drive and not knowing what it was, I said to my dad, why cant we sell our house and move over here to live ? He just smiled and said, " son " you have no idea of just how expensive these property's are over here!
Very cool post and photos. I’m curious if the route is closed for the drive? That’s a hell of a lot of cash rolling around
Gas powered cars aren't going anyplace. The gas powered car ban is a fad. The Air Resources Board is the board that made this stupid decision. We, The People, can take this to the ballot to get rid of it.
The lack of gas stations has been pretty noticable in down town Seattle for a number of years. Not because of the lack of gas powered vehicles though. The big issue with the elecric cars is that they will never make it to daily driver beater status. Replacement batteries will cost two to five times the resale value of a 15 year old electric car and most folks who cannot afford a new car will never be able to afford any electric car or the upkeep. It rather makes you wonder how many old Prius are running around just operating on the Gas engines because the batteries are gunnybags.
They are not banning them. Please stop trying to spread FUD. They are banning the sale of brand new gasoline and diesel powered cars, in 2035. This has nothing whatsoever to do with fossil fuel powered cars that are not of the 2035 model year. As such, this topic does not belong on this board, as it violates the stated rules.
Please don't get the thread closed by straying into politics. That has no place here. Boss man's rules.
Had my 32 cabriolet hiboy over 5 years. Carried a “stick” to dip in the tankor just visually looked in the tank—-always filled up b4 leaving to go “anywhere”/ never had a gauge—never ran out of gas
Jay, I was introduced to you, I think, at The Quail but had no idea you were into this stuff. I was there with my 34 Three Window Coupe (okay, not on show), the Monterey Car Week being the penultimate destination for an epic 1700 mile road trip starting in Salt Lake City. I took in Bonneville, which was unfortunately rained off but got on the salt on the Friday, Las Vegas, a little Route 66, Palm Desert, LA, Highway One, you get the picture. I was concerned about running out of gas and I, too, filled up every 100 miles or so. I think I hit nearly every gas station on the way! The tank is conventionally located but I did not want to fill it up to the cap level and I was not sure how low I could run it. However, he gauge seemed to work, I had a can and did not run dry the whole trip. I was thrilled to see those iconic rods at Pebble, having only ever seen them in print, fantastic. In my opinion, hot rodding is an elementary part of American car culture and belongs at shows like this. The display was at the far end of the event and, whilst not being crowded like the main field, was causing a lot of interest.
Hello, Having so much fun just made you guys forget to get some gas or have some in reserve. A long time ago, during one of our Easter Vacation (Spring Break now) road trips down to the So Cal coastal beach towns (for the so called "action" and teenage scenes,) we almost ran out of gas in my brother's newly purchased old 1949 VW folding sunroof car. It was an unusual vehicle with Semaphores for turn signals. The sun roof made the whole car open up like no other car at the time. It was a rolling hard top convertible in essence. So, it was unusual and we got a lot of looks with cool questions about the chances of riding around in the open top coupe. Not a hot rod/cruiser convertible, but unusual enough to be different. Jnaki The coolest thing was we were having so much fun that we forgot to get gas, during the run down Balboa Boulevard, toward the Rendezvous Ballroom. We sputtered to the side of the roadway. "Now what?" was the feeling from the car occupants... Custom Car Chronicles Hey, "no problemo..." I reached down and flicked the little metal lever over to one side and now, we had gas to get us to the nearest gas station. The reserve tank held about 1 gallon of gas, enough to get us to a nearby station. So, my question is for hot rodders without gas gauges or "running on empty," as the song goes, why not install something like a reserve tank? A small aluminum Moon Tank in the trunk area, fits the bill nicely in this case. Although, AAA comes to the rescue most of the times. YRMV
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