Top Billing!
The NSRA 34th Billing Fun Run: Saturday part 1
Bob in the A Booth!
Woke up nice and fresh Saturday Morning, ready for a serious bit of Hot Rodding.
I wanted to get a closer look at a few of the Rods and Trucks. Spend a bit of time chatting to a few of the owners, and maybe, just maybe, a drive of one, or two or three ;o)..
I was going to deliberately stay off the beer until I had driven a few Rods at least. But the thing with having all your family with you, is you cant go anywhere until everyone is ready. Meaning showered, eaten and pruned.. When there are 6 of you, 3 being women + 2 kids this was going to take some time.
My misses has this ritual to that she just cant open a door and shut it behind her, she sort of does this Hokey Kokey thing, where she sets off, you go out the door, she is following then, she goes back in?? You wait outside for at least 4 more repeats of this Hokey Kokey dance until she finally does come out and shuts the door behind her.
While I waited for our brood to get ready, Dusty asked if I would like a cruise round in his 32 Jalopy, I jumped at the chance. I had forgotten just how cool and just how mad a Rod really is. It sure does rumble hard especially for a RV8. It felt great peering out the chopped screen and just soaking up the whole experience.. How great must it be tooling round in a Top Rod (sorry Dusty not meant as an insult ya know what I mean ;O)...
We met Mike Noble as we tooled round in Dusty's 32. Dusty doesn't need to move his head so you can see past him, just look through the tunnels in his ears.
When I got back from the drive round with Dusty, they were all still getting ready, so I went for a wander around the near vicinity of where we were camped see what I could find.
Now how cool is this, stunning looking 34, Owner looks the part to, who obviously likes to drive it, hence the Radials. T'is funny, I see all these photos that people take that are obviously posed, yet when I try and take one, the owner or person I wish to capture in the photos runs off? This guy did the same, "I will get out of the way while you take the photo" "I wanted you on it to" I explained "Na ya dont he said"... I sneakily waited until he got back in and I took another.. Paparazzi who me Ha Ha
I have since heard this is also a Keith Williams built Car, owner is called shaun?
There was a seriously nice COE near, but I never got a shot of it, there was always a modern car parked right next to it, which was a shame as it was real nice and different.
I had a good crack with Franky Ogden and Sandra his wife I always have a good natter with them, as they are so real easy to talk with and always give me the time of day, Frank was one of the first guys in the UK Rodding scene to really make me feel welcome, a real nice guy for sure. Frank & Sandra now live in France but still have their Rods and comes over regular to the Rod Runs.
It wasn't until 11:15am that my family were all ready to go for a look round, we managed to look round a few of the traders, family ones that is, not Rod ones, we went anti clockwise and passed all the Rod ones strangely enough ;o)
It wasn't long before the Cruise was about to start, I didn't want to miss that, my daughter didn't want to miss that handbag for sale either ;o) We did how ever manage to do both, I was chuffed that we all stood and watched the cruise set off....
The Cruise was lead out by the 34's err or is it the 33's ;o) Then the Pops. Twas weird to see many Y's in the 34 line up, Cool cars for sure but 34? no matter though, made a great sight to see Rods un broken by a std Yank or similar.. Greeeeaat
Dave and Lesley Brown ( I cant find my photo of them?) put a lot of hard work into organising the Cruise for Billing and the Supernats. If we all gave something back like Dave and Lesley do then how great would Hot Rodding be in the Uk.
The Cruise was big, but I don't think it was as big as last year. First out was the 34's it is the 34th year of Billing so hence why, then followed by the Pop Festival, then everyone else. It sure made an impressive display as they all rumbled by. I would of loved to have seen them on the move outside Billing must of been awesome.
Brian (Brizey) Lucas and his chick Wendy, set off on the Saturday Jaunt/cruise. Brizey was one of the first guys in the UK to own a Rod and this is it, looking the best it has ever done. I think this primered one is a Dooster, looks real nicely made, Great photo, I thought Car and them look real Cool. I didn't have a suitable vehicle to cruise in, so I was a Hot Rod Groupie Today.... I did shout to Langy as he passed on the start of the Cruise, in Sue's PU with Sue Driving, "give us ya F100 Truck keys" "they are in the Truck he shouted back at me" .. but na he were teken da peees :o(
27 Turtle back was groovy, and Maurice Takoor fits in his T perfect, Looks great when you sit in the T, not on it as so many used to... dont ya think.
You lot are car mad ;o)
Suppose a Trucks out the question, Here Ratty is off for a pose, Cool 48 commercial is stunning.
The boxy 60's F100's are starting to come into vogue now, they look real good lowered and the big billets suit them bang on.
My number one Grandson Thomas, again enjoys the Hot Rods as they rumble by Ok Ok Street Rods.. but I aint going to confuse him yet, its hard enough to explain to us grown ups.... or are we?
I thought this a very nice treatment to a pop, proportions look great, superb! Battery problems made it so it didn't start the cruise with the other pops, but being a beautiful, slim young lady ( her husband hid) ;o) she soon got the Jump.. start she needed, after a slavering John Price put out an appeal for her that is.. Great family fun, open top Rod and glorious sunshine.
It was such a scorching day already that I think a lot decided to stay back at camp and soak up the atmosphere, as there were many Rods still on camp or on the show field some just cruised the site. We had a quick look round what was left on the show field and it was soon footy time. My Son, Pudzz and their wife's went to the Pub to watch the England friendly, I stayed a while, looking round, with my wife and grandson, then went up for the 2nd half.
There was some great cars just parked or milling around, enough to console me that I never got on the cruise. This Red 32 is Mike Nobles old one and the new owner has done a couple of subtle changes that have changed the whole look of it, look real Ace to me oh and Mike by the way.
I really do wish I could remember car years and makes just by a look, it must really piss people off who know so much more than me. To come on here and even the basic cars I should know I am unsure off I don't. Like this, I think it is a 40's Ford? Dunno. I love it, if that is any consolation. I do enjoy doing this site and the doors it has opened for me. I have got to know many people through doing it, though I am surprised they don't really think I am a dick head not knowing my chosen hobby and setting up a web site an knowing fuk all really is stoopid eh! (don't end a sentence with a supposition) ;o) In fact I am some do, but maybe they call me it behind my back.
So if you are a real Hot Rod enthusiast that does know your 34 Ford from your 35 Chevy then please don't hate me, help me ;o)
I know this one its a 56 F100 and very cool it is to.. 27T from the 80,s now has a trailer with matching 20's
As I walked the walk, I was just taking in the whole feel of the Run, you know we do have some fantastic Rods Trucks and Kustoms now in the Uk. as this shot shows, the 32 I don't remember seeing before, but looked one of the best in the UK to me, Stuart Revills flawless Chevy Apache Fleetside just blows me away, with its perfect bodywork and paint, Yella F100 sits blob on... oh how I dream of mine being finished! Aren't scenes like this great to see, sitting watching Rods drive by, having a tinny and a crack with ya Rodding mates, with a backdrop of your Top Notch Cars Heaven!!
I said goodbye to my Miss'es and Grandson as they were going to the park, while I walked slowly to the pub for a beer or three and watch the 2nd half of the footy.
I saw this Roadster as I neared the pub, guy had broken down, it was not for starting, sounded like a 4 banger the way it was turning over, so mostly original I guess Yes/no?
There were so many Rods driving by I didn't know where to look first, the sun was so Hot the Totty was out in force and when you are a dirty old man like me.. you sure do appreciate them ;o)
I was sent an e-mail from a guy I have spoken with, veer E-mail for a while, called Paul Heywood. He owns what was once, Paula McCormack's Red A Roadster and did also have old number 7 for a while. I was chuffed and honoured when he mailed me a while back saying I could use one of his Rods if I wanted to for any of the Runs. I declined but was I really impressed at his openness and amazing offer, he didn't know me from Adam, but such is the Rodding bond in SOME Rodders that things like that are done without any worry.. But I digress: Paul had mailed me a while back saying him and his mate Monkey wanted to make a UK Rod DVD on the lines of the Mad Fab ones from the US and ...Ha Ha..... they wanted me to be in it ;o)
Now part of me thought why would any fukker want me in their Vid, the other part thought fuk it, if I come over as a numpty, I don't care. I wanted this bit of fame.. I wanted it bad ;o) as you will see if you buy the DVD Ha ha.. Me speaking for UK Rodding.. I apologise now to any of you guys that really do know your stuff and think what the toss is that knob doing on here... I am having my chance at fame and I am grabbing it with both hands.. so there. I had never met Paul or Monkey (Tim) they had no idea what I looked like or what I sounded like more to the point (Northern Numpty).... I finally met Paul outside the Pub and he was a cool dude, and we got on great, so we arranged to meet later and do the filming ;o)
That old Scouse rascal, Paul Kennedy drives the site, in the blown hemi powered Hamberis & Mitchell 33 Willy's. Originally a Gasser from the 60's. Paul as expected made a sympathetic rebuild of the original Car, now street drivable.. and Cool as a Penguins Conkers.
It was now another chance to have a look round the show field as I made my way back to camp. All the cars from the cruise had made their way back. Not one miserable barsteward offered me a passenger seat ride on the cruise what ya think of that? I had to find my own entertainment, ;o)
I slowly sauntered back, The sun was at its Hottest now *phew*
 
Melissa even looks Cool in the Sun, stood admiring the work on Mark Gee her husbands B Pick-up which is fresh out after a 3 1/2 year build and is Bang on! Mark has since told me that under that rattle can paint job is a Mickey Tebbs applied perfect 2 pack with anti gloss, but Melissa thought it to perfect hence the Rustolia ;o) Cool eh!
Nice T for two display outside the NSRA marquee.. I really cant praise these guys enough for all their hard work, to put on a smooth show like they do Thanks guys and galls ;o) Tootall had a crowd round all weekend and put out some fine work over the weekend as usual. This is Mike Nobles new ride, Tootall did such a great job of the rear tailgate that Mike said it looked to good and needed some more on the cab top to compliment it. Groovy!
Young Drew only 15yrs old has built this neat A Modified.. Now is this not just the coolest sight of the weekend? They must of felt the Dogs meatballs doing Billing in this neat 29 Roadster.. Crack on Lads!!
Saturday Page 2
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