A few years ago, I bought some land that had a few junkers along the fence line. Nothing special, and for the most part, they were rusted beyond any hope of ever being brought back to life. I shared my love of these pieces of "yard art" with some friends on another forum. Most of them thought I was nuts, but a few of them "got it" and appreciated why I chose to keep them right where they were. Today, I was going thru the archives of that other forum, and stumbled across my old posts. It seemed kinda odd that I had written words that sounded so poetic. I'd like to share those words with you guys, because I know that you "get it"... I'm also including my absolutely favorite youtube video of all time. It's not my video, but I'm sure you will understand. ************************************************** For those of us who would rather spend a day walking around a junk yard than going out on a date with a supermodel... For those of us who would rather drink a beer in the garage than sipping wine and eating smelly cheese... For those of us who think detroit STOPED building cars the day the last chrome steel bumper was installed... For those of us who have a secret dream of building a period correct hotrod powered by a flat head V8... Sit back, pop a cold brewskie, turn the computer speakers up good and loud, and enjoy... Sad, but strangely soothing To me, there's something mgical about old junk cars. First off, their so peacefull in a final resting [rusting?] place like that. It's so much more dignified than going thru the shredder and getting turned into soup cans. When I see them, I'm instantly transported back to when they were new. When they were someones pride and joy. When the chrome shined and the paint sparkled. I see suburban dad's driving them home for the first time, Moms in bun hairstyles and kids in davey crocket coon skin caps going for their first ride in the "new car"... Going out for ice cream, or to a drive in movie. I see Dad letting Junior take the car to his high school prom, his girlfriend wearing a poodle skirt. Stoping by the car-hop diner after the dance with a tray of food on the drivers window, then stoping by the full service gas station to fill it up with .23 cent a gallon gas. I see these old jalopies getting traded in on brand new 1957 chevrolets. I see the teenaged kids who owned them in the 60's driving them to the pontiac dealership to look at the all new 1964 GTO, or the mustang at the ford dealership. I see the people of lesser means who owned them in the late 60's, those who could afford no other car. Men who worked 10 hours a day for peanuts, then came home and turned wrenches on these cars so they could keep them running just a few more days... Just till pay day, then they could afford a $3 carburetor rebuild kit and a 1/2 dozen .29 cent spark plugs. I see them sitting on the curb, abandoned durring the race-riots of the 70's. Maybe some of the windows were busted out then. Maybe someone hid in one of these cars from the angry mob, or from corrupt police who were gassing and firehosing innocent people for the crime of beeing born the wrong color. Finally I see an old farmer who bought one just like that brand new, but now it's 1975, and he's buying it at the county abandoned car auction for $15. I see him towing it to a field... Maybe he just felt sorry for the old car. Maybe it made him feel young again to see the cars he once bought new,,, or could not afford new so he idolized them for 40 years untill he finally owned one. Nevermind that it's got busted windows and a flat tire, it makes him happy. When I look at these cars, I dont see junk, I see the history of my life. The history of 20th century america. All the fads and styles that have come and gone. Every person who ever owned those cars is now dead and gone. How shall we honor those people? How shall we remember our past?? Should we cart them off to the shredder to be turned into Kia's? I say no, not on my watch. These cars dont belong to me, they belong to the ages, and I shall be their sacred guardian. And when I am gone, I shall will them to their true rightfull owners.... Father time and mother nature. Then someone replied saying And I replied: Sure they were glamorus... Just because they were pooly designed ugly little emissions buckets from the dark ages of automobilia does not keep them from beeing special to someone. Every time I see a Chevette, I'm transported back in time to when I was a kid, and my mom was looking at one brand new at the chevy dealership. I think of the birth of MTV, Reagan being shot, along with the pope, the death of disco [thank god!], etc. I have a neighbor who's parents bought a brand new BMW isetta 3 wheeler. A couple years ago, I saw one locally, and called him up to come see it. He was as giddy as a school girl. Sure the car was ugly, dorkey, and poorly put together,,, but that didn't matter. It transported him back to his youth. Even my mother has the nostalgic car bug, and she will NEVER see another car like the one she has a soft spot for. My dad ordered it special, and the dealership pulled a lot of strings to get the factory to build it... A 1972 Mercury Cougar XR7 fastback. I can promise you have never seen one, cuz only 3 were ever built. 2 came here to louisville, and one to Fl. For the record, I was born in 1960. I never expirenced first hand coon skin hats, brand new 1957 chevy's, or that new car smell in a '37 ford,,, but I am powerfully aware that someone did, and it is in their honor that I keep the candles burning, so that I will never forget who we are, or where we came from. Look at it this way, the guy working on the assembly line who assembled that 1937 ford probably started working at ford in the 20's assembling model T's for $5 a day. He probably grew up at the turn of the century listening to his grandfather's firs hand tales of fighting at Gettysburg, or Sherman's march to the sea... What more powerfull connection to history could one have that the handywork of the men who were actually there? People fail to realize how fleeting the present really is, or how connected to history we really are. For example, the Lamborghini Countach was first built in 1968, and first sold in 1969. Next year, it's going to be a 40 year old car. We tend to think of the Countach as a modern car because it has made such an impression on us in the here and now, but sure enough, it's 40 years old.... Where will we be in 25 years, when the Countach is almost a 70 year old car? [!!!] Today, a 70 year old car is a model T, but will we be able to psychologically register or accept a 70 year old Countach???? How will we explain something like that to our grandchildren???? Will those grandchildren be able to see the beauty and magic of those cars the way we do? Or will they brush us off the way we did our grandfathers when they told us stories of Model T's and horse drawn waggons headed west? ************************************************** No doubt about it, I'v had the car bug for a loooong time. I hope you guys appreciate my words. Thanks for listening. <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
Thanks for the video. Looks like a lot of workable parts compared to what I have to start with around here. What is that "van" at 2:23?
I'v wondered about that van myself. Bizarre looking little thing that would make a killer "odd-rod" All I know for sure about that video is that the person who made it lives in Ohio, somewhere north of Columbus. I'd also like to know who sings that version of 'Old walking blues,,, it's awesome! Sounds like John Lee Hooker, but I cant find where he recorded it. Thanks for the kind words guys. I'v had a love for old iron for a long time, but I always felt like a bastard step-child. I'm so glad I found the HAMB.... This lost soul has found his true family.
I get it, boy do I get it. Just one problem though, I like to eat "smelly" cheese while having a cold beer in the garage............
i like what you're saying and i agree with you. and to think, you didnt even have to pull the popcorn stunt... thanks for sharing. good stuff. -scott noteboom
I haven't found that John Lee Hooker recorded it either but since Robert Johnson recorded that in 1936, just a couple years before he died, it wasn't him (recording quality is too good). I agree with you... good version, whoever it is.
You find it, you let me know... I'v got the muddy waters version, the BB-King, and the Big Martha versions. It's got that slow-hand Hooker guitar sound, and it sounds kinda like hookers voice from the mid 60's I'v searched high and low... No luck
Whenyou see some junk old Datsun or something, once it was a brand new car and somebody was proud to be riding in it. You know the feeling. Some of the cars in the video have engines (Cads) that would still spool me up.
Yes, I do know the feeling. There never was a bad car built,,, just "low quality" and "unpopular" models. Even a Yugo at one point made someone smile. All cars have spirit, but we only pour heart and soul into those we deem worthy of building a hot rod out of.
When I walk through a junkyard where those old cars are quietly rusting away I get thinking about how happy someone was when they drove it off the dealers lot for the first time,I also think about all the family trips its been on and then wonder why its there and how many people owned it until it was retired and left sitting in a junkyard. There are some that you know why its there as it is mangled but there are others that are still complete and no major damage.
Thats the best 3 minutes and 5 seconds I've spent since my ol lady decided to give me a once-a-year birthday surprise!
Wow, that's enough to keep Jim Sibley busy for... Sheesh, like a month! Yeah I know its an old post...
They all look like they are waiting for someone to come rescue them and restore them to their original appearance. I liked the video and also the music which I am a big fan of the blues. Thanks for sharing the memories. Jimbo
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