So, i picked up a '36 ford coupe (put a thread up about it earlier). The guy who owned it was in a car club in the 50s out in Albuquerque called the Knights. He sold me his club shirt plus a beer case full of old hot rod, rod & custom, Car Craft, etc, magazines too. Thought i'd share the shirt with you all. If anyone has any more info about the club i'd like to hear it, or by some off chance and pictures of the club. He's a really cool old guy and i'm honored to have gotten the shirt!
That is a really cool shirt. I wonder what made him let you take it? I'd have thought there were plenty of memories tied up with that one.
well, i stopped in to ask about the '36 coupe he had in his back yard and i had driven my A hot rod up there. he's about 70 and it just made his day to see a young guy into hot rods. he's moving out of his house to an apartment (kind of failing health) so much of his belongings unfortunately have to go. He said he'd like to see someone take care of it and appreciate it. that's where i come in
you ought to go back and see if he has anything else for you to take care of. I mean that is a good way... tell him about the HAMB and out deep appreciation of the old days of this hobby... maybe he's got some pictures or other cool stuff.
well, i did get a big stack of hot rod mags, like i say, going all the way back to '54. the three coolest things in the stack is a '61 Almquist catalog, a Speedway catalog (not that Speedway) from Sandusky and Elyria, OH. The biggest prize is a '59 Bonneville souvenir program! He wrote down a lot of the times too. Inside it has a postcard from utah he never mailed, and a newspaper article from SLC utah about Mickey Thompson breaking the 300 mph record, from '59! 330.5125 mph to be exact, nearly 64 mph faster than previous record. Who knows, maybe the shirt was at bonneville all those years ago.
I can ask around here - see if anyone knows about the club. I'm betting Joe Abbin will know something - if not, he'll know someone who will in all likelihood.
I know it would probably be hard to find the time, but it would be so great to visit that guy and record some of the stories he might be willing to tell. Still a great post, thanks for sharing. .
bringing this one back from the dead because i've been cleaning and looking at this shirt up on my wall. If anyone has info. on the club i'd like to hear it. I haven't had a chance to chat with Ranny at length about the club. I still have some parts to get from him so hopefully i can soon, if i don't wait until spring. He did say though he drove a killer 49 ford convertible with a warmed up flattie though....love to have that one!
Man....what a cool story.....cool shirt, loads of history to learn from this guy....Id ask him about everything he could remember about the bonneville stuff too! Could be "fate" meeting this older hot rodder..... may turn you onto some hidden gems, tucked away iron, speed secrets, etc. BTW-----is the 36 a 3w??????? cool post regardless.....
The '36 is a 5window. here's the whole story here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=261077 He tells me that he wasn't really a "hot rodder" per se, but i think that's a load because of the car club shirt, and the huge pile of hot rod magazines that he had a subscription to! haha. He's a very smart guy, and it seems we never have enough time to sit and chit chat. I did get to a little bit this september, i drove the 36 up to his place after work and took him for a little cruise around town. He had to get back home shortly after, but i think it made his day!
this is probalby one of the coolest stories ive heard on here i agree with everyone else, it would be cool to record some of his old stories so many of these old guys are leaving this world without anyone even knowing that they were into hot rodding, because none of their family members are into cars, so their stories and passions just leave without a trace, pretty sad really really cool story, keep us posted with any other info this guy has to offer!
thanks for the feedback guys, whenever i get back over there i'll see if he's got any more cool stories about bonneville. I find it funny that he tells me he wasn't really a hot rodder, though he was in a car club, and he loved bonneville (been there afew times he said), and going fast. and he had another 36/37/38 ford at some point, with a 59ab- the bolt in hot rod engine for those cars and hydraulic brakes. Not too sure how or why he was in NM in the 50s. I'll have to ask him next time. Yeah, if you guys have any info on this club, pictures or something, i'd like to share it with him. he got a kick out of this place, i told him all about us guys that do things the "old way"- the right way. he couldn't believe it
That shirt must have meant a lot to him to keep it for all these years. Looks like you just made a cool old friend.
Yeah, i think it was probably hard for him to let it go. Everytime i'd go over he'd mention it and i would tell him i'll buy it, from him and he'd say "ok, i'll let you know". Then, shortly after i got the '36 he called and said he'd sell it to me. he has a neice and a nephew, no kids of his own i think. They like cars, but not like we all do. He also kept saying it was a t-shirt. Was i surprised when it turned out to be this!
Hi Ace, Kenny from Albuquerque here. Saw your Knights shirt and though you might like to see some pics of a friends 50's hot rod. On the trunk it has, KNIGHTS, ALBUQUERQUE. The guy he got it from is old and can't remember who he got it from. Send me your email address and I'll send them. I've live here since 1950 and been into hot rods since 1958. Know alot of the old timers here. Going to pass the pics around, see if anyone knows anything. [email protected]
Hi Kenny, Ernie here...glad you stumbled on this place. I had sent Joe this link to see if he knew anything - I knew he had sent it out to a few folks, even got a few replies, but nothing concrete. On my laptop, so don't have all my old emails right now...
Hey Kenny, i sent you an email on the 24th. I've got a new internet service and i'm not sure if my email likes it for some reason. Just curious, if you read this, if you had gotten my email. I'll try a PM or to email you again. Thanks!
Kenny. we'd all love to see the photos, if you can, post them here please. Ace, I'm a pre-1959 Hawaiian shirt collector. That's a highly prized rayon gabardine shirt. It's actually made of tree fibers and will self-destruct over time. You can slow the natural process by taking excellent care. Never run it through the dryer and hand wash only in cool water. Don't dry clean it, as the chemicals aren't compatible for longevity. Don't store it on a wire coat hanger but I see you've got that covered. I rotate the rayon shirts I want to display and keep the idle ones stored in their own 1 gallon Ziploc bag when not in use. Moths love to chew on 'em as they're organic. NICE SCORE, especially getting it from the hand of the original owner.
A little late to be checking in here but what the hell. Met a couple yesterday from Elephant Butte, NM at the Hot Rod Rumble in Albuquerque that had a '50's built '30 Ford Roadster, Corvette engine. Had "Knights of Albuquerque" on the trunk. Guy bought it in pieces and put it back together. Sounds like the same rod Kenny Campbell is talking about. He had a picture of the shirt shown above too in his album. Anyone wants to see pics, send me your email. Kenny, howdy! We met out in Cedar Crest at the vintage trailer rally. Wayne
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