in a 68 Firebird ,4 speed it was pretty fast and the car was nice. Nothing really fancy and I think thats what made it,just enough ,not to much and FAST.
When I was about fifteen my dad worked part time at an auto parts store rebuilding starters and alternators in the back(he was a fulltime fireman) he worked with a young guy thet had a 69 firebird with a pontiac 400 and a 4 speed he stopped by the house one day and took me for a ride. that pretty much hooked me right then and there. fast forward a year later and this same guy has built a nasty smallblock powerd 4 speed 64 chevelle. he says you wanna drive it? I just about crapped myself but said hell yeah, so we go around the block to a staight stretch of road he gets out and tells me to get in the drivers seat he gets in the pass. seat he then says fire it up hold the clutch in and rev the motor to 4 grand and dump it. well my leg was shaking so bad that i couldnt hardly hold the clutch in. when i dump the clutch the first time at about 2 grand the car bucks I let off the gas and it dies by this time im thinking this is not such a good idea, so i fire it up again he says hold it at 4 grand and dump it dont be such a pussy. well that was all it took I rev that thing to 4 grand dumped that clutch and buried the gas pedal we went screaming across the intersection tires sqealling gravel flying I have this big ass grin on my face the car is accelerating I can feel it in my gut as it pushes me back into the seat. I can hear the guy that owns the car yelling at me at first I thought he was yelling "shit ,shit,shit" but turns out he was yelling "shift, shift,shift"
my first ride in a real hot rod was in my stepbrother nelson burkhardts 32 ford roadster when i was 12 years old.it was red with flames(327, tunnel ram, 4 speed,4:10's) we pulled out of the driveway ,got to the main drag(rt. 57), he hammered it and ran it out the back door at about 7500 in 4th gear past the highway patrol post just as a trooper was pullin out. we had to be going about 120 plus.(i later found out the car ran 11.20s at the strip) he told me to hold on because he had no liscence plates or insurance on it and we had to "lose this clown". we cut down some back streets and went "off roading" cutting through a playground swerving to avoid coil spring rides and swingsets.went down the wrong side street,did a huge brodie at the dead end,pulled in front of the house,slammed on the brakes,backed it up the driveway at full throttle, skidded to a stop about 1 inch from the back of the garage,jumped out , and slammed the garage door just in time to see the trooper blazing down the side street lights and sirens a wailin. that was my first ride in a hot rod I will never forget it.it changed my life forever. thanks Nel!
Way back when, Local car guy went to church (imagine that) with his then current old lady. His hot rod was a 50's willys aero coupe with a straight axel and candy red paint. He parked in the north 40 of the church parking lot, out by my folk's back yard. All the neighborhood kids came by to check out Carl's ride. We were hanging out when he came out for a smoke and saw me under his car. He ran over and grabbed my legs and pulled me out from under. I thought he was pissed, but instead he asked if I'd found anything interesting under there? I'm probably 10 at the time so I asked what the long bars that looked like ladders were for and he took the time to explain how they worked and about instant center and chassis theory, stuff that was so far out of my understanding that he could tell by the look on my face that I didn't have a clue. He looked at me and said hop in and I'll show you how it works... What a ride. Power shifts and long black marks! One of those things that are hard to forget. Carl passed on about 2 years ago, but before , every time I would see him he would break out laughing and we would reminice about our church smoke break ride
My first ride in a muscle car happened when I was about ten years old.One of my friends neighbors had just bought a gold '69 Superbee with a 440 six-pack and black bumble bee stripe in the back.I was in the back seat when he floored it and will always remember getting pushed back in the seat and the roar of that Mopar big-block.Awesome!
I take my car to the family picnics at the park and give one ride after the other to my nieces and nephews, I'll get the call a couple times a month from one paticular nephew to go for a ride, I think he's hooked. My kids argue over who's going to get picked up from school in the car all the time too. I was just watching a you-tube video and my young 4 year old ask why the guy was doing a burn out. I never been more proud that he knew what a burn out was...lol
My first ride was in a t bucket with a real 70 ls6, a glide and a franklin quickchange with 4:10s when i was 11. I mowed lawns quite a bit and this was just another job until one day he was wrenching on it and asked if i wanted to go for a ride. We were just putting around in it and went through the new blacktop highschool parking lot where all the high schoolers would hang out. Keep in mind this was mid july so the blacktop was very hot. He leaned over and said hold on and watch this. He gave the thing hell and the front wheels came up just a bit. That was the turning point of my life i would have to say. The guy was in his 50s then and has become one of my best friends even though he is now 40 or so years older than I am. We spent every weekend working on that car or driving it until his wife threatened divorce or the car. Poor guy chose the wife.... He taught me how to do everything with cars and inspired me to go to wyotech and recently started a few years ago. Now we are building a 28 A 5window together....And it all started with a single ride. I also hope to corrupt some unsuspecting children. Already have a couple under my belt....
A few years back I had an 11 second daily door slammer (not HAMB friendly I'm afraid), the engine now resides in The Pusher temporarily. But I regress, we used to go to this show every year more to see friends than any other reason. Anyway every year there was this kid that always came around and told me that his uncle had one just like it, but his uncle went to jail and lost it. Not likely well other than the jail part. Well I'm guessing he was about 14 or so and I decided he needed to learn what his uncle didn't have besides his freedom. So I took him a turn around the block. I suppose iif I hadn't sent the body to the crusher when I was done it would still smell like pee. He said his uncles little ride wasn't anything like mine. I met his folks they were poor as dirt but that aint no crime, I been poor most of my life myself. They thought it was cool as hell I gave him a ride, but they did make him ride home in the back of the pickup. The kid is ruint to this day. Last I heard he was trying to stuff a big block in a Simca ( around a '59 or so). I don't recall my first ride in a rod, '42 Willys Truck, powered by Buick. I was 3 days old so I'm told. No wonder I'm not right.
Update to my earlier post in this thread. I took the young man for a ride today; like I stated before he can quote chapter and verse on the modern performace cars and actually does know quite a bit about hotrods. We went a few miles in my fenderless truck and he's ruined. He is a little hyper, can't stop talking, and by the time we came back he was planning a Deuce roadster build. He said he'd take me for a ride in it! I offered to help him build it. I think the long but slow burnout hooked him!!! Best part was when he was leaving my house after we visited the H.A.M.B., he said "yup, I'm ruined"
Mine was while i was still in the womb, My dads Blown BBC Camaro was our quick means of getting to the hospital while my mom was in labor, it was inevitable, they couldnt keep me out of the garage and had to always hide keys because i would atempt to take the cars as soon as i was walking, there are pictures of me in a diaper with keys in my hand trying to unlock the door of my dads friends firebird. My toys, clothes, TV shows all revolved around cars and hot rods.. its an obsession
I've had plenty of rides in fast cars but my 1st ride in Hot rod was with Hatch in his 31' 5 Window he picked up, good times. Got me hooked up with this place too.
I neglected to say I rode in the passenger seat of Dads 67 Chevelle G/MP numerous times down Fairburn Dragstrip,and in our old 37 Chevy coupe with the chevelles old 396 and 4 speed installed in it...........Mom said I screamed like a girl everytime,I was between 3-5 before both were not driveable again.
My first thrilling ride was not in a hot rod but on a 650 Triumph a neighborhood hooligan had. I was about twelve or thirteen in '56 or '57 when he was parked at a hangout and I asked him if he would take me for a ride. I was really just kidding and was a little surprised when he kicked the starter and said get on. I was happy to get back safely and get off but a seed was sown that day for me. His name was Don Helms and in '59 he and his wife bought a new '59 black Impala convertible, 348-335 HP, 4-speed. He was a good mechanic and it wasn't long before he had made it even faster. It was the fastest car in our neighboorhood and one of the fastest cars on the streets of Charlotte. At the age of 15 I took my first ride in a really fast car. He is the guy who is responsible for my love of fast cars and motorcycles .
When I was a kid, my Aunt and Uncle owned a Flying A gas station across from the college. I use to go through the parking lot admiring '55-'57 Chevys. A teacher had a brand new '61 Impala with a 409 and 4 speed. A lot of local rodders would pull in for gas. Then a cousin, who was a lot older, took me for a ride in his '55 Chevy. Listening to the whine of the "rock crusher" and rocking in the seat every time he shifted had me hooked for life. A couple of years ago, a secretary at work had her son stop by my house because he got out early. He had to return to school in a few hours so I let him play video games. When he had to go back to school, I asked him if he wanted a ride, choose which car. He said no, it was ok. I told him I would take him in my '32 Coupe. I said when we go, any girls that are around may ask about the car so it would be a good chance to meet them. That night, he told his Mother I was the coolest............
Geez, Frank, this thread is 3-4years old and we all know what happened when you got hooked - 'and the rest is history' kinda thing. Did you ever take a neighborhood kid to the track and get them addicted? My favorite was road testing a blown willys and this kid came running out from his front yard to see it. I stopped and let him in and he wasn't even tall enough to look out the windows but his smile was plastered to his face and eyes as big as saucers when i took him around the block.
Yeah, I thought this would be a neat topic and was going to start one but did a search and found this dormant one. We all remember when we got hooked and it is pleaseing to think back to that time in our lives....and also remember when we passed the torch(s). A few days ago I took my 7 year old grandson for a ride on my Harley and his mom says that is all he has talked about this week.
I sat on my dads lap at age five going 130. I sat in a Top Fuel Dragster at age 12. I bought my first Hemi at age 15. Ive owned that Hemi for 40 years. My Mommy says I was created in Heaven Daddy says Ive been raisin Hell ever since.
Uncle Harold took me to a dealership in Detroit and on the turnstile was a 57 Belair that had never been sold. He brought me there in his new '67 Camaro. His uncle who I was visiting then took me to Dearborn car show,,,lots of Model T's. and other vintage iron. I was 9 and never forget the introduction to old cars and real muscle up close and personal.
A modern story about an old rodder and a new, at the time, rod. In the early 90s Andy, here on the HAMB, had just finished up his ultra-long term project 32 Roadster with Dodge hemi, all-synchro 3-speed box, and late rear. He brought it by the store so I could see it, ride in it after all the years selling him pieces and parts. My friend Burl happened to be there. He's 17 years older than me and probably 10 or more older than Andy. Anyway, he asked to ride in the car, Andy threw him the keys, I jumped in shotgun and off we went through the backstreets of eastside Houston. A smoother shifting 3-on-the-tree you'll never use and a great handler too. That sped up Burl's 32 project that was a frame hanging on the wall for 20-plus years. It turned out to be a glass 3W Coupe but is fun and looks great too. Thanks, Andy!
This always raises a smile when I watch it, never mind the guy in the car! Think it says it all. Turn it up- loud! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9RnhqyA0fI
Reading this post brings back a memeory I have not thought about in a very long time. That first ride in a Hot Rod. My first Hot Rod ride was in Kevin Malonys T touring the 471 GMC blown early Olds motor made a ton of power and the Hydro automatic made that car jump when it shifted, Kevin was one of the four partners that started Total Performance in North Haven CT way back in 1971. Ronnieroadster
I was gonna post my video but you beat me to it.........still makes me laugh out loud every time I watch it. Eric has become one of the local stars. People want to hear his words of wisdom John
The Jalopy Journal
