What a year eh! with mostly duff weather for the 2004 Rodding season, but it didn't stop many of us having fun usual, did it.
I really enjoy the Hot Rod Drags and prayed it would stay fine. My young mate Jason in the V12 Consul was especially excited about giving his V12 a thrash, to see what it would do, Jase went there Friday, while me and Pudzz didn't make it down until 8pm Sat night... just in time for the Sat night revelry. Me and Pudzz stopped at the Pub that is close to Shakey and it was packed with Rodders with cool cars everywhere there was a parking space outside. We or should I say I, just had one beer, Pudzz wont drink not even one drink and drive, he would wait until we went to the track to get into the party spirit.
I had got a text from Jase earlier in the day, to bring him an alternator as his
had burnt out. But when we arrived at Shakey we parked the Tranny ssssshh don't
tell anyone! broke out the cans and the crack started right away, sod the
alternator, that could wait until tomorrow. That day Jase was having major
problems with the V12, it had burnt out all the fuses and the wires that went
into them, so he had not had the weekend he hoped for, so only answer was to hit the
bottle...I guess we were just in the right mood, the jokes and pee taking was
flowing same as the beer. After a few scoops, we made our way over to the
marquee and it was bouncing.. well it was packed anyway. I cant remember if
anyone was dancing, but there was barely room for us I can remember that.
The band could and did play some great music, but boy did the singer need to swallow some razor blades or something to get his voice a bit growlier grrrrrrrr (is that a real word). But as the night wore on he sounded ace!! :>) I loved it, I met loads of people in there and had a bazzing time. I finally met Brandy a Hot Rod chick from California who was over visiting her Uk Buddies and she is such a nice girl, she even brought me a rubber boot for my T5 trans which I asked her for on my chat room, just in passing aswell, how nice is that. Brandy had set up a deal for one of the Chat Room guys aswell, Nige from Dover, with Brady's help, Nige has bought a real groovy 58 or is it 59? Chevy Truck.. Later we made our way over to the disco next door... and hoorah it was half decent music in there to.. not sure what the nostalgia guys thought but I enjoyed it. Another reason we went in the disco was they had a bar and we had run out of cans.... I think all the guys with turn-ups were outside, though I am sure I saw a few, having a bop to some music that didn't really go with their image :>).
Didn't stay up to late, as I really wanted to enjoy the Sundays Draggin as that was what we were there for, though the Saturday Night had been a great laugh and well worth the effort we made to get there early enough to enjoy it.
I thought matey in the Duvall screened pick up looked so
right, just how cool are some people eh! 32 guy looked like he'd been having a
ball
Everyone had said we didn't miss much on the Saturday as it had rained, most only got one run if they were lucky. The camping area was awash with mud, but today was dry at least. Last drags I went to was the Nostalgia ones and many Rods had stayed away because of the forecast of rain. So this time I didn't expect to see so many Rods there, but it was fantastic they seemed to be everywhere. The pits was rammed to the gunnels and it was only 9.30am.. You just knew it was going to be a great one you could feel it.
Johnny Best and Thingy have a do, Johnny did a 14.45et not bad for an old Hemi
:>)
Great looking Golden Deuce. I had a right job trying to get this photo of Melissa G
pushing her 60's built 32. I saw the shot, thought hey that would be great, click
and nothing. I hadn't switched the camera off from the last shot, so I switched
it off instead of back on as I thought. I said oh dear and tried to set the shot
up again, all the time Melissa and Mark kept pushing I was running backwards
with a full cup of coffee and hands full of other junk, trying to find out why
the camera hadn't worked and get it working. I could see the moment passing and
being lost for eternity ;.>).... But as you can see I managed it, sort of, even
if my camera ended up drinking most of my coffee.... all in the name of art...
The racing started bang on time and the fire up road was buzzing, one sight I saw which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, was a whole line of Flathead meltdown guys trundling down the centre of the fire up lane in their Jalopies, they came right past me... believe it or not I was so blown away by it, I just gawped and couldn't remember to take a photo.. Sorry!
Boys and their hobbies eh!
Reg took the Racer up the track. Saw this neat A.. er T... er Roadster told
you I am crap at recognising car models? Had a different approach to the fender
problem.
The Outlaws are coming, mad looking Pop Pickup was awesome. A roadster was
killer.
This guy was telling me not to take this shot as I would go blind.... I said
I would risk just one eye. Car mad you lot!
From A to B there were all there.... sorry I couldn't resist it
Are we having a good time yet ;>)
We got satted on the stands and pretty much stayed there until everyone had done at
least one run. Though I did end up talking most of the time, as there were more
and more people from the ukhotrods e-mail group, arriving and sitting with us
every few minutes . Gary Mac was hoping for a run in the 8's even a 8.999et would of
done he said, but it still remains elusive. What a spectacular racer he is, with
his Fordson doing some impressive wheel stands as it launches hard and Gaz just
keeps his foot in it, true racer style *respect* . Johhny Best and I still cant
remember his name the guy with the blue 32 looked ace blattering up the strip
side by side, Steve Hudson taking the T up the track was also real
impressive.. there just was so many things like this going on, I cant remember
em all but trust me it was so cool.. We then went for a nose round the pits,
which was still choked with Cars.
There were some real ace looking Nostalgia cars there, they looked superb
when they were all driving around in numbers
This amazing Willy's Woody, pulled in the pits Sunday I was agog, the amount
of work and the level of workmanship was stunning. I asked the guy who got out
of it if he had built it and he said just a-bit? Now what just a bit means I
aint sure, but who ever built this is one stunning craftsman that's for sure.
Just look at the wood work alone, the way the rear of the roof swoops back, the
vynle top was totally smooth no ripples or sags. I think I have said it before
Woody's don't really do it for me but this one does in buckets.. Nice one who
ever you may be. I have since been told this amazing woody was built by Ian
Treen, as a rolling advertisement of his Rod building skills.
This Chevy Tuck also blew me away, with its 52 Caddy front bumper and 68
Dodge Polara rear. The colour coded peak and front bonnet emblem make your eye
move toward the chrome lights I found so lowering the already low Truck, you
gotta admire someone with so much vision.... Groovy!
All to soon the clouds started forming Jason had already left as he had no working lights or wipers etc, so me and Pudzz decided its was time for us to call it a day and mossy on back home... stopping off in Preston to have a last drink with me old mate Smax, as it is just a few days off him emigrating back to Canada.............. I sure am going to miss him :>(
Mick? was in a rush to get home as he wazzed past us a a fair rate of knots
on a mission I think.
We were sat in a boozer in Preston and a young kid comes up to Smax and asks " My Dad wants to know if you were in Black Sabbath" Ha Ha "No" replies Smax "I was in the "Ant Hill Mob Shed Band"
Saw this beauty 50's Chevy Truck as we were leaving, it has made my mind up
for me that I am definitely doing mine in silver with maybe some blue graphics
or lines or something..
So came the end of another great Rodding weekend, laid on for us by a handful of NSRA volunteers. Already I have been reading what some moan'y arsed gits are saying on the net forums... Hey if you want something improving then give the guys a hand make your changes happen. Maybe I am a bit naive but I just enjoy it no matter what happens, life is always what you make it. Maybe I should stay out of the politics of it all, as it is when you express opinions that you then make enemies. I have no desire to make any enemies in this brilliant hobby of ours, just friends, but I see the hard work this small bunch of volunteers do to put an event on, it aint no ego trip for them, it is hard work and when people who do nowt knock them or the event I see red.. Hey me the man of no opinions all of a sudden having an opinion, now there's a novelty... Lets all do something to help and we will survive, as if we dont there is a good chance it will end!
I hope everyone has a great winter period making their dreams happen I am trying to make mine happen with my F100 but man I am finding it laborious and slow to make any progress.... also I have no idea what the heck I am doing which only exasperates the problem.. But I'll get there I am sure with all the help now available on the net and through my e-mail group.
Well only the Northern ( Ha Ha Northern Terrrr ) swap meet left to
look forward to now. Lets hope for some better weather for 2005
Have a good one
all who bothers to read my drivel :>)
Holmsey S.W.A.L.K