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What was the first NSRA Nats that you attended and what do you remember about it?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by tommy, Jun 20, 2008.

  1. dr john
    Joined: May 18, 2010
    Posts: 49

    dr john
    BANNED
    from CSA

    WOW! lots of folks went to Tulsa in 73, 76 and 78. Being from Tulsa, i was at them all, and was in the local 'sponsoring' club for the 78 Street Machine Nats. 'Twas indeed a great time. After the way the Tulsa county Fair Board screwed the NSRA over in 78, they swore they would NEVER come back to t-town. Cant actually blame them... Sure would like to see some of the photos alluded to ; especially from any of the Tulsa events.
     
  2. flamintruck
    Joined: May 5, 2010
    Posts: 39

    flamintruck
    Member
    from Alabama

    Memphis, 1971. My girlfriend and I drove up in my '40 Ford Tudor sedan.
    It had a 283 chevy and powerglide trans at the time, I think.

    I remember being asleep in the pass. seat and she was driving, about 10:00 pm, when it sounded like the engine was going to explode. Woke me up and I wondered what the hell.
    We were on the interstate below Memphis and she was passing some old Chevelle that would not let her by. So, she just floored it until it would not go any more. Passed the Chevelle though.

    Got to the hotel around midnight and saw more hotrods than I had ever new existed. She went to the room, I stayed in the parking lot for hours.

    Saw the best looking light purple '40 Ford sedan with a chrome engine.

    We had a blast and got the car pinstriped for $60.00.

    We got married later that fall and I am still married to her and still have the '40 Sedan. :D
     
  3. First one for me was 1983 in OKC. They had the ZZTop Eliminator car there, as that was the headline draw. Pretty good turnout, IIRC.

    Far as the first National show at all, that was the 1981 Car Craft Street Machines Nats NorCal, in Sacramento. Drove my '66 Coronet (still have it!) from Tacoma to Sacto, via Lake Tahoe - had to make a little side trip! Car ran great, but I had a problem with the steering box that got fixed at the little C-P dealer in Placerville, CA. Great time!
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2010
  4. Memphis 1980.Hotter than hell at 105 in the shade.And more cars in one place than I have ever seen before.
     
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  5. Howeird46Chev
    Joined: Nov 9, 2008
    Posts: 225

    Howeird46Chev
    Member

    Being an old poor boy I had set a goal of getting to an NSRA nats. by the time I was 50 in 1992. Well I was 7 yrs. late but I got to Looovillle in 1999. Of course that was 38 yrs. after I was just out side of town at Uncle Sams Country Club. I drove my 48 Chev. Aerosedan with a stock body but all the running gear changed. I met up with some really nice people from Fla.,S.C. & Mo..There were 11,000 plus cars and I had one of the best weeks of my life. When I got home my wife asked if I had a good time and I told her " Yes, but I thought I caught a case of Limes Disease". She said " OMG are you O.K.?" I said " Yes, I think I drank too many Corona's with lime in them" Hot Rods, Street Rods, Old Cars,and the people you meet are more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Happy Motoring and Happy Memorial Day......
     
  6. wolfers
    Joined: Apr 28, 2010
    Posts: 35

    wolfers
    Member

    The first one was York in 1988. But the most memorable one was in Columbus, I think it was 1994 or 1995. I was in the process of bulding my car at the time and so I drove my everyday driver pick up truck. I followed some friends out there who drove their street rods. Good thing i drove the pickup because one of the guys dropped a valve about 10 miles from Columbus. His truck spent the trip in the hotel parking lot and I got to tow it home on a car dolly. I was also in Louisville for the "Great Flood". Been to many others but those two were special.
     
  7. fatkoop
    Joined: Nov 17, 2009
    Posts: 713

    fatkoop
    Member

    1979 NSRA Street Division Rocky Mountain Regionals. Or maybe it was the Western Nats., Merced, CA. , 1978. I can't remember anymore. It's hell to get old.:confused:
     
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  8. Master of None
    Joined: Dec 18, 2009
    Posts: 2,279

    Master of None
    Member

    Went to the Des Moines gathering in 89 and 90. Just remember seeing alot of pastel and neon colored cars............what were we thinking.
     
  9. green53ford
    Joined: Mar 4, 2009
    Posts: 206

    green53ford
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    1974 Street Rod Nationals in St. Paul---The Great Northwest Passage Canoe Race" on the St. Croix River with Tex Smith, Jack Stewart and others. Had a great time, tipping canoes and splashing water even before we departed from the landing. Tex's son and girlfriend got lost along the way, but finally caught the group again at the end. Got sunburned, but thats par for the course.
     
    Last edited: May 31, 2010
  10. That's a riot! Dad didn't drag me along to the Nat's in '70, but I did get to go to Memphis in '71.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  11. 39Dodge
    Joined: Aug 31, 2004
    Posts: 55

    39Dodge
    Member

    Went to Columbus in '81 with six other friends. No car then but by Columbus '84 had a car and drove in. Went to Detroit in '85 at the state fairgrounds in the city, glad it moved to Kalamazoo.
     
  12. fleetbob50
    Joined: May 1, 2006
    Posts: 306

    fleetbob50
    Member
    from Waco,Texas

    '71 Memphis, first time to any such event, thought i had died and gone to hot rod heaven, however the trip up and back to Texas in a T-bucket with no top through sun and rain and bugs and......., Jesus....but since it didn't kill me I kept right on roddin
     
  13. bothred
    Joined: Jan 10, 2008
    Posts: 29

    bothred
    Member

    Speaking of Tom McMullen's roadster, I was there at the grounds when they unloaded it from the trailer. I remember not being impressed with the high dollar car because it would barely run, blowing black smoke and running on about 4 cylinders.
     
  14. deucetruck
    Joined: Jan 8, 2010
    Posts: 727

    deucetruck
    Member
    from Missouri

     
    Last edited: Jan 17, 2011
  15. .....Andy, We're still waiting patiently for that story....and picture.:)
     
    lothianwilly71 likes this.
  16. ...........................Patiently waiting for that story and picture! AArZ6ns.jpg
     
  17. That's funny right there! I think I have forgotten the story! :rolleyes::)
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  18. ...............You can be excused for "geezin'". It has been a long time.:)
     
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  19. 44 years, GEEZUZ, where has the time gone?! :)
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  20. ................................FOR REAL!!!!!!:eek:
     
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  21. Marcia
    Joined: Feb 27, 2009
    Posts: 937

    Marcia
    Member

    My first was the first one in Burlington Vermont. We camped out and it snowed!

    Sent from my XT1650 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  22. linechaser32
    Joined: Apr 8, 2006
    Posts: 1,472

    linechaser32
    Member
    from Iowa

    Peoria, the first time I saw California hot rods.
     
  23. ...I was a diehard Rod & Custom magazine fan so I was facinated that the Rod Nats was coming to Peoria Illinois which is about 2 hours south of where I lived.
    ...that weekend got closer but for some reason I forgot about it so I'm cruisin Galena avenue in Dixon Illinois as usual on a Sunday afternoon when I see a 59 Rambler American wagon pulled over by the city park.
    It was a really nice car, black with a nice stance and some mags, so I pulled over to take a look,..these 2 guys from California had just gotten out of the Army and had put the car together to drive across the U.S. to see some country;...It had the original flathead but had a brass plate on the firewall from Isky Cams with all the specs for the hi-po cam in it.,...it sounded really neat. Then they told me they had just stopped by the hot rod show in Peoria to check out the event; which they said was really cool,...then I remembered the event was that weekend but all over by this time as it was Sunday afternoon.
    So,...I'll never forget the FIRST Nats even tho I missed it,..but attended many of them after the first one. Once in awhile I think of those 2 guys and wonder where they are now.
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2018
  24. My first one was this one: NSRA sticker 1972.jpg
     
  25. missysdad1
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 3,305

    missysdad1
    Member



    I was heavily involved in the NSRA in the early days and it was NOT what it has evolved into today. The NSRA motto was "Fun With Cars" and was all about building hot rods in your own garage and then driving the wheels off them both locally and on long-distance rod runs. I'm not overly pleased with the current state of the organization but back then it was an absolutely great club and the NSRA logo was displayed with pride and fellowship.
     
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  26. I started attending Nats East and South in 76 or 77. My first Nationals was Columbus in 78. I Drove my 38 Chevy coupe. A friend trailed my brother's T bucket. This photo was taken at our motel. I should have more pictures from back then. But finding them won't be easy. I've taken A lot of them since then.:confused: Lol Ron... 20180116_125224.jpg

    Sent from my SM-G920P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2018
    lucky ink, OL 55 and lothiandon1940 like this.
  27. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,459

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    One and only one. Columbus Ohio in the early 90s.
    Loved it and though I tried valiantly I didn’t get to see everything.
    Had a great time.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  28. Dooley
    Joined: May 29, 2002
    Posts: 2,956

    Dooley
    Member
    from Buffalo NY

    I have a tag from the same one, I wasn't there....my car was
    I went to Columbus in 90 and 93..no car though
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  29. Nats East @ Timonium, Md. 1974, before the move to York,Pa. 20170427_074647.jpg 20170314_113600.jpg
     
    lothianwilly71 likes this.
  30. I was there and apparently so was my car. I found the registration stuck on the inside of the deck lid when I bought my car in 1979. I keep checking any pictures posted from that Nats to see if I can find a picture of it there but no luck so far.
     

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