I was never "cool".... so I build cars that make me look cool when I am driving them. It's like Clark Kent is still Clark Kent when he is in the Superman suit.....He just looks like Superman......
I never managed "cool". I was always the nerd, the guy on the side that never had the cool hair, or the cool car, or whatever. I ran around with the cool guys, but it was like I was always the "outsider" that got to go along, but never really fit in. Now I'm 65, and been there done that. Now the generation in the 40's, my son's age, think I'm cool because I've been there done that. I don't feel it, just like when I was 18. Only now I no longer consider it important.
Thanks roothawg. I didn't know you loved me so much. . Married 50 years to the same woman, spent 25 years in our armed forces, still love my kids more than my cars, stand and salute the flag when it goes by, and stand and place my hand over my heart when listening to the national anthem and tell evreyone that will listen that my country is number one always. Hey, and I even had duck tails as a teen, loved rock and roll and country music and got scared at scary movies like "them".
I've been in my 'greaser phase' about 23 years now. No sign of it slowing down... not while I've still got hair. LOL mid-90s... Last year...
"We all grow up I guess… and, at some point, I think we all wish we didn’t. Or maybe we don’t really grow up. Maybe we just run out of energy living the life we chose for ourselves and have nothing left for phases of any kind. But I’m certain about one thing. Cool is just a phase." My feelings exactly. Well said!
great story, probably happened to a few midwesterners...the search 4 cool that is. anybody know how to get in touch with McPhail ? thx, Alan
You sir and everyone like you are COOL. I may have never been cool and probably never will be. But I know COOL! Married 56 years to my highschool sweetheart. I know, that ain't Kool!
Hmmm... you a Greaser? Don't know how many times I've been called a greaser before I was proud to hear it from a real greaser... a true greaser that lived that life that I slid into during the Hippy/disco era! Wasn't for my dress or hairstyle... it was for me stripping down muscle cars to build Hot Rods!
I was born with a birth defect, that is born without the "cool" gene No matter what car I drive or how I dress, people stop me on the street and ask if I'm an accountant Luckily, my wife is very cool, a true "bad-ass" looking girl..... I guess opposites really do attract
How kool are those two dudes? Me on the left my late older brother Bill on the right about '60. I'm so kool I spell kool with a K!
Hey that's us. I've always had old cars and motorcycles. Still attend bike events. Rode a Harley to work nearly year around in Illinois. Still looked like an accountant. Or no-account. Wife looked like a biker babe. It just ain't fair man! But we got the hot wimmin. Maybe we are Kool.
Just wanted to point out that in all those old pictures, no one is fat, and no men are waring shorts. That alone, is cool.
You brought up a good point: "No one is fat" and there was no diet anything. Nothing but lard, salt, and real sugar (not that crappy high fructose corn syrup).
THIS, is no doubt... Cool is as cool does! and THIS thread is sic. Thanks fellas for HAMB-again, n' being on the top of your game KOOL
"He didn't mean to be a rebel...no the real ones never do...they're born apart from ordinary men" — Highwaymen That pretty much says it for me. Being cool is being you...as long as you were born cool
Those who just weren't born cool...not much you can do about that Most you can hope for is to be a weird guy, or an asshole, or a nice guy....with a cool car
The times back then were cool. It wasn't that long ago really, but it seems so long ago now. no ipods, no cellphones. the trip out and back was boring, but you really get to know someone on a long road trip. I was fortunate to see the 'rebirth' of 'traditional'. I felt as though I was revealing buried treasure of southern California to the midwest. It was trips like those that sparked and grew some lifelong friendships and changed my life. Rob Fortier, Jimmie White, Skinny Jeff, All of My SoCal Beatnik Brothers and the Shifters. Thanks for ridin with me Ryan.......
This shit is hilarious...I'm still waiting for the "greaser Ryan" pic. Maybe someone could photo shop......And I dig Fast and Furious!
In the early 50's nearly every one was skinny, a boy could play high school football in Texas and play guard or tackle at 125 lbs and hold his own. The tallest kid in school played basketball and was 6' tall but like all things times change and no matter how much we do not like it we can never reclaim the old days for they are gone forever. Now in my 70's it would be hard to appear cool, just another old man still trying to be young because he never really grew up, just got old. Never tried to look cool, just the look of the day. Flat top hair cut, white Hanes tee shirt, 501 Levis with the belt loops cut off and hand made cowboy boots, remember this is Texas.
"In the early 50's nearly every one was skinny, a boy could play high school football in Texas and play guard or tackle at 125 lbs and hold his own." By the mid 60's, I didn't make the cut for football in my high school for two reasons; First and most important was grades. Second was at 6' and 147# the coach was afraid I'd spend too much time injured. Our center was well North of 220#. So... I went with my first love, the automobile!
I really enjoyed that write-up Ryan!! I also really enjoy all the stories everyone posted! As long as we're all spilling our guts............ I remember my first dose of "kool"... I was 12 or 13, and my mom's friend Jeff came over to hang out. He drove up in his '60 Impala, .060 over 327, dual quads, un-capped dumps, completely covered in rust sitting on Astros and wide whites... Gene Vincent blaring.... He got out and slicked back the sides of his hair, and popped the collar on his leather. Total cheese-ball greaser stuff, sure, but to a 12-year-old that's the most bad ass shit you've ever seen!!! We cruised around all night, and that pretty much did it for me. The next day I had my mom cut me a pomp (she was a hairdresser at the time) and to this day I slather it on thick, cuff my Levis, roll up the sleeves on my shirt, all that cheesey stuff..... Sure kids at school made fun of me (you know how old John Travolta jokes get?) but on weekends at the racetrack, workin on old cars, and bombin around in hot rods, I thought I was the koolest cat on the planet!! It got better once I was in high school and had my own hot rod (read "smokey old Packard") to be stupid in. I'm only 19 now, so who knows, maybe I'll grow out of it one day. Then again maybe not! I like what highlander said- cool is what you make it. And as long as you think the guy in the bathroom mirror is still kool, your doin alright.
The Jalopy Journal
