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When I was about six years old, a race car on a trailer went past our house. I thought it was the coolest thing I had EVER seen! And I haven’t been the same since.That was over fifty years ago.
What first got you hooked on classic cars, hot rods, or race cars?
In our neighborhood, 2 blocks down the hill was a gas station that (to me) all the cool car guys hung out there. 32 coupes, 33 & 34 Fords as well, a sweet 56 Ford Beach wagon that was setup gasser style. Also, many Corvettes / Camaros / Novas. And a Couple Barracudas and 1 Beautiful AMX, 1969 with a supercharger. I worked there on Saturdays and Sundays, Those guys would come in to use the lift to open the headers and once the group had assembled, they went for a cruise. They usually hit all the surrounding towns and if possible, someone would scratch up a race. They'd be gone most of the day and I knew when the cruise was over as they all came back to use the lift. 8-)
I can't remember a singular event that triggered this nuttiness so I'll say it was being born.
After we moved from Kansas to Chicago (I was 5 then) we'd drive back down each summer to visit the family. I remember watching the cars on the highway calling out their make and model as we passed one another. I remember in particular a Metropolitan stuff full with three soldiers who waved to this crazy kid in the back seat. Around home I remember having an awareness of various makes and models, in particular one day as we were pulling into a parking lot a Kaiser Darrin was pulling out. I recall thinking it was one of the sleekest cars I'd ever seen.
In my 12th year we moved to So Cal, that was 1959. A perfect time and place for a kid with a car crush.
Calling out car models.. my brother and I made a game out of that. we could be walking down a street or riding along in the car with our parents and who ever could say the model name the fastest then that was your car.. great road trip fun, "back in the day" lol
my pop and his 48 olds hot rod.
Like Uncle Bob I don't know of a single event that triggered my infatuation, but when I was 9 we moved to a small town, only about 500 people but they had both a Chevy and Ford dealership. Around September both covered their windows with butcher paper covered with signs hyping the new cars coming soon, both on the same Saturday when the '57 Chevy's and Fords were unveiled! As a pre-teen I listened to the AM radio late at night, when the "bounce" would bring me WHB out of KC, WNOE New Orleans, and WLS Chicago with the SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY AT US30 DRAGSTRIP!! BE THERE OR BE SQUARE and then announcing the headline teams that would be there. When I was 12 my parents decided to take a drive after church and we ended up in Joplin at a cafeteria that Dad liked. After lunch they discussed what to do before the hour drive home and I was being the typical pre-teen, grumpy about everything. Dad looked in the mirror, and asked "Well, what would YOU want to do instead?" I mumbled that the radio had said that the Cam Twisters were hosting a car show downtown, and the next I knew we had pulled up to the curb, I had a Half Dollar for admission and a Coke and was told to be back in two hours or less. I was in HEAVEN! Wandering around ogling the hot rods and customs, and picking up free brochures, decals and anything else that was being given away to promite something. I was HOOKED!
That's funny about calling out the car models going by, that's one of my early memories sitting on a bus stop bench with my mom enthusiastically calling out the cool cars going by, I was about 4 or 5 then. My dad and older brother both loved cars so that influence was there too.
My grandfather, mom's side, drove a 39 Plymouth coupe when I was about 4 or 5 and I thought it was pretty cool and I loved the tail fins on the 49 Cadillac.
I drew cars when I was in the 5th and 6th grade, but I wasn't very good at it, though I continue to try into my high school years.
What really got me was one day in study hall, in my sophomore year, Ric Moore aka techinspector1 came up with the idea to start a car club which we did. We called it Viking Customs of Dayton, Ohio and at one time we had 30 some members. That was in 1958 and NHRA was at that time big on car clubs so we found a sponsor and joined.
One of the perks of being an NHRA club they helped run the local drag strip. So in March of 59 all the clubs got together and we ended up with the starting line. The first Sunday in April the strip opened and we went to work. we'd help in staging and help line up the cars on the starting line, no Christmas tree, just lights at the start and finish lines.
The third Sunday the flagman didn't show up, he'd joined the Navy so the track operator got everyone together in search of a new flagman. Nobody wanted the job so I volunteered and the rest is history.
By the way,I didn't turn 16 until August so I flagged most of the season at 15 years old. Boy I'd sure love to do it again.
Visited a family member at Dockery Ford from the time I was 1 year old through their ownership and then ownership change to Morristown Ford.
Dockery was a major player in the Hi Performance Ford/Shelby circles, as such, the rides I got stayed with me for life.
I blame that same family member for my penchant for vehicles that coincide with my user name.
Although, these days it's just about the convertibles, I'm a firm believer that you can never have too many convertibles.
Bill S
I don't know.. I am not certain but, Maybe this?
The first model car I built was a 32 Ford roadster by Revell in the mid 50's.
Model cars were a big part of the process. The one that is the happiest memory was a '40 Ford coupe. Painted it a pearl green, mid tone color, and used white corduroy to simulate tuck and roll interior. Fond memories.
Ditto on the model kits! My best were lost when the Hobby Shop burned under suspicious circumstances....