Gentlemen, here's the place to log your shameless efforts to "sell" our class like a southern diplomat. Let us know where, when and how you've embarrassed your friends and family for the love of HA/GRs. Meets, racetracks and clubs don't count here, folks. I want tales of the personal, gritty, pathetic excesses you've commited in polite society, right in the normal world's face. I'll start off ....... I took the Barn Job to one of our club (Trompers) member's birthday party "rod-in" yesterday afternoon, rolled'er off the trailer half a block away, lit'er up, drove'er in and parked in his driveway, amid the rest of the rods on the street. Quite popular with the members most of the evening of course. Mucho interest by all, and I shamelessly talked the class up the whole evening. Wives, relatives, his neighbors and mere passers-by alike, no-one escaped. Had to driv'er back to the trailer long about dusk and just couldn't resist putting on a little show with a first gear paint job on the street (his streets're alot flatter'n mine) just to illustrate my points. Trailered'er up and beat feet lest the locals had time to phone it in. Too bad he has only one birthday a year ...... Was also going to haul it out to the Chrysler get together at the NHRA Museum the next day but was rained out of that.
EVERY day at work at the street rod shop I pretty much drag everybody I can down into the shop to show them my build and talk their ear off about HA/GR
Um......I must appoligies, as I'll be the first to break that request.....but I do so as I feel the 'passionate racers' are our best target...can remove if deemed to be a problem Note: the below is not all my efforts, they are a few examples of ways us here in oz have done over the years Turn up to a event with a big trailer see example below http://www.hotrodmattimages.com/galleries/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=7 http://www.hotrodmattimages.com/galleries/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=34 or set up a display 12 hours drive from home Or do TV promo on a national rodding program (no comments about my hairy legs) Get a few well known Magazine writers and Drag racing & Rodding personalities involved .(at least here in Oz) And invite passionate people to get involved Ie, get your friends involved, either with your car or theirs .but build as a team And as previously mentioned, remember, this is where its at
DAMN.... I hope we can get close to that kind of turn-out at the nostalgia drags here at KCIR in September. We can all get in free and run our own program since we'll be running exhibition. Ron
We'll have a strong probability of four minimum (six conceivably) at the next ANRA meet in June. I think I'll try to put together a few "group" shots like yours.
Again appoligies for the slight deviation from the thread intent, but I'd like to point out that QQMoon is heavily responsible for implementing alot of our achievements(see above), and feel he should be praised for his efforts. Secondly, that dirty topic, we knew at the beginning we needed at least 6 cars to be taken seriously, so we built 6...... Cheers, Drewfus
Not anywhere as "big" as the Australians, I did carry mine to the Billetproof show in Ocala and enter it in the show. Got to talk to a lot of people about it and what it was based on. Some seemed interested in the class and others were just interested in the car. There seems to be more interest in the car when I am at the track. I always carry a set of the rules with me and if they seem interested, I give them a copy. As of right now, the only ones that I know of in Florida, are my sons that we are building and the one I have been running for the last three years. I know sooner or later, someone else will build one down here. In the meantime, I'm having fun running mine on test/tune night at the local track. Robert.
We'll have a legitimate Aussie HAMBster site up and running in a couple of weeks. An electronic home and promotional zone for the HA/GRs of Oz. Suitably old school in flavour of course. The design won't be new fangled Web 2.0, but 60s Luddite inspired.
First, I am really impressed with the coordination and professionalism exhibited by the Australians. Locally, a retired printer, Rich Lund has taken it upon himself to produce a hot rod "Little Pages". Rich visits this site too. Starting with the first issue this spring, Rich has allocated 6 pages each issue to the build of my HA/GR. So far, two issues have come out. If I had a scanner I would show you all a sample of Grease Rag. I am very appreciative of his efforts in showing the build. Rich maintains a very small circulation of the mag so this isn't a major publicity drive for HA/GR. But every bit helps.
Sorry, Rich goes to local cruises and hands out the mag to only us "special people". I believe he prints about 50 copies.
I decided to add funny acronym postings to this thread rather than start one for another silly purpose. HA/GR= Hopelessly Antiquated Gas Rail Horney Assed Guy Racing Havin' A Great Run Hounds, Ale, Girls & Racing Hurryin' Always Getza Red Y'all's turn .......
HA/GR= Happy And Going Rapid Hairy Assed Geezers Racing Hopefully Able to Go Racing Honk And Get Ready
On topic post ........ Spent the Fourth weekend prepping and running Sierra Madre's Rose float chassis and ongoing build for our local Fourth parade. Had a great time, this town's small town attitude is quite unique to the L.A. area. We needed my trailer to retrieve the assoc's barbeque equipment from the town's central park, so I towed dragster and all to the float barn (behind another park in town) this morning. I dismounted & parked the HAMBster and put the trailer to use for a few hours. Afterward, a bunch of regular folks'd gathered around and after asking some questions were watching me in the process of driving it back on the trailer, so I shamelessly painted the driveway a bit for'em in the process. I expected to be chastised at least somewhat for my display but was pleasantly surprised to receive cheers instead, including from a pair of couples older than myself. They won't be building of course, but I guess seeing another geezer doing it was good enough for'em. Also; Happy Again, Gone Racing
Going to work our Trompers swap meet tomorrow, taking the HAMBster along. Public park's right accross the street, there're always weekend birthday parties and such. Figure I'll flame'er up a few times during the day and attract a little civilian attention. Shameless. Hopelessly Antiquated Geezers Racing
Taken our HA/GR to the Linguica Run Car Show in Gustine CA this weekend to drum up some support for the Hot Rod Gathering. Thanks for the tip Old6', Rocky
You know guys, I think I have a mechanical problem somewhere in the drive train. I swear every time I try to get the HAMBster back on the trailer after one of these public things the damn clutch grabs and the throttle sticks. It's really getting to be a persistent thing ...... It's a good thing most of the folks don't seem to mind too much ....... I guess I'll have to take a look at it, say maybe in 2012 or so when I get the time. Happily Assembled Gladly Raced
OK, this one wasn't planned .......... I was on the street here, testing an adjustment to the steering (still have that persistent clutch/throttle problem too), and was just backing onto the trailer again when the cops rolled up. Busted. Seems they'd been in the neighborhood on a seperate nuisance call, had heard the car from a few blocks over and come to investigate the noise. They gave me an earned verbal hand slap, then stood around for the next 20 minutes talking racing. One of'em has been wanting to build something ....... and is now considering a HAMBster. Honey, Ah'm Goin' Racin'.
Resurrection time for this old horse of a thread. Lately, I've taken to offering to let other drivers' (and spectators') children sit in the 'Brick between rounds. Mama ALWAYS takes pictures, and of course the sibs have to have their turn (more pictures), as occasionally do their young friends as well. I smile politely at the guys as kids & wife walk away chattering on about our "cute little cars". Have Another Go, Richard?
Dick, I am sure that there has been well over 200 kids, in my car and most had a picture taken. They really smile. I had one mother turn to me and said "you made his day", talking about her young son.
I've been trying to get a few sponsors. My sales pitch doesn't work well when they find ou the car has made 6 passes in about 6 years. No point advertising inside my garage. Hardly A Good Racer more accurately, Some Day Racing Again Thanks for bringing the thread back, Dick.
Love the SDRA and how was that new snow last weekend Sorry Bob, I just had to rub it in one more time. The weather channel says you will be good to go by June and it should be clear for two months. That's what I call a short race season.
Dick, I know what you mean about the attraction of the 'race cars with loud exhausts and little wallets'. I've had kids lined up to climb in and pretend to race while Mum or Dad takes photos. All I do is switch the battery isolator, let them get in and stand there trying to convince the Dad to build one. There is a Father and son that come and have a chat at Sydney each time we're there. Apparently the son is building one for his year 12 final major works. I think Dad is hoping to get his arse (ass for those in America) in it when it's finished. I don't know what the equivalent in schooling is . My Grandaughter is only 20 months old, spotted mine parked in the carport and after being begrudgingly lifted in by her father, immediately stood on the seat ,grabbed the steering wheel and started making brooom, broom sounds. I try to promote the class as much as possible to anyone that will listen but if I hear one more bloke say " I'd build one but the missus wont like it", I'll scream.