Lets start up that east coast car club history thread.

Anyone ever hear of the "King Pins" from the early 50's, they were based out of Malden, MA? My uncle was an original member before his passing in 1959, never been able to find any history about this club though, my uncle's original club plaque is bolted to the back of my mother's deuce coupe (his little sister). Would love to know more about this club if anyone has any info send me a message.

 

Jimmy, I would like to hear some history on this club also, since I grew up in Malden,. There are few people you could ask...Dennis O'Brien, he is the guy who has hundreds of patterns of the original plauqes. He is 59Buickwagon on the HAMB. Ray Smith (Safiknut) he lives in Detriot, but was from Saugus. He knows Mass hot rodding history. One more guy would be Earle Carter, he may be at the Drag Fest this Saturday. He was one of Malden's earlist hot rodders.

 

My father Mike Hyde was member and that 31' was built in his parent's garage. He says it had a Chrysler Hemi in it.

 

The first and only car club from Fort myers,Fla. was the "ROD RATTLERS" formed in 1954 and ran the drag races at the old Buckingham air strip.

sp1ke

 

Lost in the fifties out of glen burnie, md, street survivors of maryland
out of brooklyn , md , vintage tin of maryland, pasadena, md, gost riders out of ellicot city , md, southern maryland street rods, these are current, still more out there, from bowie, md , frederick md, cumberland, md

 

I have these patterns for car clubs from the 50/60's from Fort Myers:

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Denis

 

My Dad, Ray Whitney in Wallingford, CT has a plate " Road Gents" I think it was his Dad's club. I will see if I can get more info.

 

Do any of you know about Rick Riley's roadster from the early '60s in Amesbury Mass? It was a teal blue (either '30 or '31) Model A roadster, channeled like hell, sat pretty low with red opened rims wide whites and had a 265 built up to Corvette specs, not a whole lot of chrome on it. The doors were welded shut, believe it had '50 Pontiac tail lights, '39 Ford tranny...any photos??

 

One of the oldest in the East coast has to be the Clutch Artists from Buffalo,N.Y. ! What a great bunch of guys.

 

How about The Haulin Gents from the Jersey Shore.

 

The 'Road Gents' - Brooklyn, NY

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Back in the late 50s, I got involved with the 'Road Gents' of Brooklyn, NY.
After several weeks meetings, the club started to function out of our (myself and Freddie Brown) shop, Trestle Custom. This club was a very active organization in both custom car shows and drag racing at Westhampton Drag Strip on Long Island.
Our race cars included Mike Cowhey's 58 FI Corvette, a white vette with teal scalloping plus a 352 cid, 60 Corvette owned by Bobbie Jacobs. This Corvette had it's engine done in Garlits' shop and held the A/Sports record in Florida for some time. He took six trophies with this car at Westhampton Drag Strip - George Stone became the announcer out there around this time.
Both of these cars also showed in Car Shows, including shows in The New York Coliseum Custom Car Show and in the Teaneck Armory run by the Drivin Deuces - I used to work with Dick Pohl from that club. Both Corvettes did well but Jacobs' vette was heavily modified (bullet nose, concave rear fenders plus a beautiful pearl paint job) and was in different classes than Mike Cowhey. Patty Berardi had a 49 Ford by Darryl Starbird running a Buick engine. My partner, Freddie Brown, ran a modified 56 Dodge D-500.
At that time, two celebrated characters spent time in our shop. The now famous in KKOA, Harry Bradley did artistic creations and also joined us at a car show or two. Martyn Schorr, who used to do articles in those 'little' car magazines also spent time with us and did several articles on the club and shop.
Eventually we and Doc Baratta of The Road Kustoms (most car guys should be familiar with Bobbie Carducci's beautiful black '48 Chevy convertible) got together and formed a gathering of the local clubs into the Brooklyn Hot Rod Association. (Organization list attached)

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One of the clubs in that association exists today here in St Petersburg, FL. They were 'The Downshifters' and are now 'The Downshifters of Brooklyn', keeping their name after coming down to Florida. Fortunately for me, I have become involved with some of those guys at this time. Their web-site is
http://downshiftersofbrooklyn.com/
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In 1959 I formed the Road Dusters Car Club in Stamford CT. The club lasted untill about '69 '70.

 

....Bobby, Do you recall any names of members associated with this club? I lived in the Landover Hills/ Bladensburg area from around 1961-1979 but I had never heard of nor seen this club plaque 'till I read this thread. Guess they may have been active in the 50's. Would enjoy hearing more about them if anyone knows anything. Also does anyone from that area recall the P.G. Lakers club?...Thanks, Don.

 

Hey everyone. I'm looking for anyone who was a member of the Bergen Wheelers. My wifes father was a member. His name was John Arrabito. He passed away in 1986. What I'm looking for is any leads on his old car. I'd love to find it for my wife, it really means a lot to her.

 

I belonged to the Bergen Wheelers and sported the plaque on my 56 Ford. I remeber seeing the flat head in our meeting place, but the Fiat and frame was stored behind a gas station. The station went out of business and the car disappeared. That was around 63 or 64. I have no recollection of what you said about the treasurer unless that happened after I went into the service.

 

The kingston ny igniters, And the beast builders rosendale ny.

 

A new book that was just released two weeks ago."New York City Horsepower" has several color pictures of Staten Island based Hot Rod Club plaques of the fifties and sixties from my collection. There is also extensive info on Weissglass Speedway and photos of my vintage stock cars as well.Available on Amazon.com.. The book represents a history and current activity of hot rodding and bike building in New York City,past and present......BDG

 

Springfield Ma.

 

Cool thread! Just read through it and realized no one mentioned the Vineland Villans from Vineland,NJ..They had a rear engined,flathead powered"dragster" ran sometime in the late 50's early 60's..Some of my relatives were in the club and I have a bunch of old pics from one of the members photo collection..

 

Nice

 

i know its a long dead thread.....but i was a young 18 yo smart ass punk who was acceptad as a member of the "draggin-rods" in 1978!...they were then located on forest ave, in mariners harbor staten island....in an old commerial building.....by that time it was more of a "wife get away" social club.....but the few of us...were young and not married...and cut our teeth building, working, learning, on our 1st street cars......im still in contact with several of former members........great times.....

 

I was a member of the Gents Roadster association of York, PA in 1956,57,58. The Gents ran the drags in 56 & 57. We only had a few in 56 as I remember but we ran from April to September in 57. As a 16/17 year old I wound up as the head timer as the guy who was supposed to do it didn't show up and I was one of the few who car wasn't entered for the first race of the season. Got the best (and only 1 of 2) seats in the track. After the 57 season we had financial problems. Tom C

 

My dad was in "Vintage Tin" out of Long Island in the late 70'2 early 80's

 

...............Does anyone remember this group or any of the members? Would be very interesting to hear from former club members. I'm sure they would have some great stories to tell about the D.C. area hot rod scene from that time period. Referring here to any memories of the Power Paks, Riverdale, Md. or P.G. Lakers , Prince Georges County, Md.

 

I don't get why everyone lumps east coast together.In my mind the north east is a long ways from the south east.Usually when someone talks east coast style it's a car from New Jersey north.

 

.........I don't understand that thought process at all.

 

My friend and I got all the original papers and a jacket from one of the founding members of the Piston Poppers Of CT Last week end.

 

The old Perth Amboy shows would have Union county cars in them as well.

 

Now if you contact Dennis O'Brien, you can also order a plaque made with the original pattern .....

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We did last year after asking Rudy if it was OK but at the time he didn't want to give up all the old paper work. Last weekend we stopped with our hotrods to see him and his wife and give his new old plaque

Rudy said they has some plate toppers made so I will have to ask Dennis if he has them.