Thread: What Was The First Car To Inspire You To Hot Rod

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i was first betten around 1967. my dad had a 392 hemi powered 41 willys C/GAS gasser with a clutchflite tranny. i was 7 years old, with myself and my brother in the passenger area, he would do his burnout, back up a bit, rack it up and dump the clutch to clear the tires off. it would pull a wheelie in the process. then me and my brother would hop out and run back to the retrieval truck, they would launch the cars and we chased them down the track to tow him back. then he went into top fuel. i had a pretty cool childhood upbringing.

One of my best friend's had a red '65 Mustang with a 289 and a 4-speed when I was 15. I went with him to the Friday night burger stand (kevin's burgers) here in the Valley in San Fernando Valley and I was hooked.

-James

My dad was a devoted racing fan when I was a kid (mostly sprint cars and midgets) so we went to the track frequently. That gave me an interest in cars, especially fast cars.

Later on, my older sisters' boyfriends would give me their car magazines, so I got interested in hotrods and customs. Then, in about 1960 or '61 when I was 12 or 13, an acquaintance of the family took me for a ride in his roadster (which he still owns today - see below). That "set the hook" permanently.

Later on (1965 - '66) I spent a few nights cruising with a buddy in his brother-in-law's fenderless, channeled Model-A coupe and I fell in love with fenderless coupes. After a few other hotrods, I finally built my fenderless coupe. Last year I drove it to Indiana so I could photograph my toy with the car that inspired it all those years ago.

For me it was the movie american graffiti that got me in to hotrods.. I was 12 years old when i first seen the movie.. My opinion that one of george lucas's greatest films. That also got me into old music, For a 12 year old in 1987 this was pretty weird!! Age 14 my first car was a 55 chevy 2dr post, i keep this car till a little over a year ago. At 16 i bought a 56 chevy deluxe cab pickup...Over the years i've had several old cars & trucks some i wished i had back!! I sent 2 novas to the local junkyard a 69 and 70.. I alt to have my butt kicked for doing that!! A 57 chevy deluxe cab pickup(rough shape) sold for 240.00, Had a 56 olds rocket 88 4dr hardtop give to me..Like a big dummy i sent it to the junkyard..Sold a 1964 ford galaxie 500 xl 2dr fastback for 300.00.. I really regret that one, since i own one now, i could have had a parts car...Not to long ago i sold a 56 ford fairlane 2dr club sedan for 1,000.. Now all i have is my 64 galaxie, my 56 chevy truck, and my wifes 65 mustang..I look back with a lot of regret on all these classics that i sold and junked..Now that i have 2 wonderful children, my 3 classics will be past down to them..

When I was 14, the local bad boy street racer lived down the street from me and had a 71 Monte Carlo with a built 402 Big Block. Bright red, black vinyl top, buckets and console, and rally wheels. Parents and cops hated him; chicks digged him. Superman couldn't have been any cooler.