Saturday is alright for Cruising
Got up pretty early and was bloody starving, so full English breaky at Vinnie's onsite restaurant was the order of the day just to get a good kickstart. Me and Pudzz got a large Full English and a couple of cups of strong Coffee and we were ready for anything the day had to throw at us.
The Tot Rods were out early to for their organised cruise round.
Steam gives way to sail here I guess as the T lets the Tot Rod cruise pass by.
Ably overseen by that sensible chap Stu, who usually is in a Blown small block pick-up, yeah they are in safe hands ;o)
Back at camp I thought I would park my Truck up with the other two at our camping area. Andy Whithorn's Dads Dark green Chevy and Dave Mellor's 56 F100 thought I would mix in some good company seeing as it was Truck feature weekend.
I had been hassling Bob Booth about a run/drive of his cool A roadster any chance I got.. but he wasn't biting. Then out of the blue he took my mate Pudzz out for a spin in it the Bugger!!!.. I wasn't jealous oh no not much ;o)..... Then after Bob had been talking for awhile and cleaning.. he said do you want to go out for a spin ... ohh yessss ;o)....
So off we went for a jolly jaunt round Billing. Then he said have you time for a blast down the dual carriageway, "Have I" I just kept smiling.
As this is pretty much as a Hot Rod in the late 40's early 50's would of been made, we were both there like hooligan Rodders from the 50's.. or is that in out 50's ;o).... Ha Ha.. This aint no sit back let the car drive drive, this is a hang on follow the ruts and listen to all the mechanical parts do their thing ride. There aint no way you would ever get bored driving this car that's for sure or fall a friggin sleep either, just pure mechanical joy!
Then as we came off the dual carriageway back to Billing. You could of blown me over and I aint no skinny fuk who blows over easy ya know Ha ha.. Bob said you wanna drive... good God... I don't know how many people have actually driven this Car but I bet there aint many er if any other than Bob himself. To say I felt proper privileged would be the understatement of the year.
Though I was very worried about Bob's pride and joy I knew I would never get a chance like this again so like a big kid at Christmas I excitedly said yeah yeah yeah .... yeah.. First off I couldn't work out how to actually get into the drivers seat, man they must of been small in the 30's. After some instruction I managed to get plonked in the best seat in the house.
Starting it and putting it into gear was such a buzz and having no syncro "In any gear" it was an art to. So making sure the coast was clear, I booted it and of't we went at a jolly nice rate indeed. The feel of crossplies just is like nothing else, you feel the road and every hole and divert. You let the steering find its own straight course and don't fight it and it really is a pleasure to drive, real high brake pedal makes you think well ahead and sod all your modern safety gizmo's sit in a 1930 Roadster with servo less drum brakes, crossplies 1934 suspension and steering, no seat belts and so on, you sure do make sure you are driving safely and are aware of all around you.
Just the best buzz I have had in any car ever. I bet even with rain pissing in and cold air rushing in every orifice you wont stop smiling.. I now see the attraction to owning a jalopy .. Now where is my independently sprung, servo assisted, power steered, closed cabbed, heater installed, CD player equipped Truck I need to relax ;o)
Once back at Camp cars where now making their way to the cruise departure point on the show field.
Custom Study Truck has had a lot of work done to it to look this cool.
Car mad you lot!
Mickey Tebbs shows off his pearly whites.. bloody poser ;o)
Hot Rod Journo supremo, Keith and wife Paula, enjoy a jaunt out in their up for sale A pick-up Jalopy, man does this guy live the life!.
Many had lined up for the Saturday Drive out/Cruise, Here Sue, Langy's better half enjoys going topless in the Sunny weather.
Got a sit in Brian Lucas's 32 Roadster which Brian has owned from the 70's.
Trucks were lining up for the drive out in their hoards. loved this 36 hard as nails pick-up.
Beautiful motor to.
When they said start your engines and said for the Trucks to lead the cruise, we all just sat there. I guess like me (Pudzz was my useless co pilot) had no idea of the way and Pudzz refused to read the map.. I said I cant drive and read the map, he said lets just follow everyone else.... But everyone was waiting for someone to take the lead... so in the end I set off, which made all the others make a move... But I drove round the back of everyone and joined on behind ;o).. John Price kept saying come on lets get going..... but nobody would take up the gauntlet, even when being enticed with the prize of a bag of sweets.. ;o)
It really did feel extra cool driving out and into the countryside in a line of Old Trucks... it has been a dream of mine for a long time the weekend was just getting better and better.
Dave seemed to have traction trouble at almost every junction...
Not sure if we were heading in the right direction as we kept seeing Rods and Trucks going the other way. Aparently there were several routes so this did happen, which was really good to see. Must of taken for ever to work out and write down.
Some of the houses were stunning this was obviosly a very wealthy area and made a superb back drop for the Trucks and Rods.
Though I am not sure we were keeping faithfully to the route as we passed this wedding party twice, much to their annoyance as they couldnt cross the road to get to the church for a very long time and even worse upstaging their posh Merc wedding car!!
We went down some great roads
And some very narrow not so great roads for a Truck.
We seemed to be going round in circles and after an hour or so started to get irratating, which was a shame as I said before it must of taken an enormous amount of work to get the route planned out. I had earlier talked/shamed Dave Mellor in the Blue 56 F100 to come out on the cruise as he said he never does them.. I now hoped he was still enjoying it as he was low on Fuel when we set off.
I think it just went on a tad to long and I worried some would get pissed off and go back to Billing and also some may run out as 52 mies on straight roads dont take up to much fuel but round country lanes and stop start er does.. though we were all warned to have enough fuel before we set off. Just if ya in a guzzler things must of got close.
Eventually we made it to the destination, a very busy scenic woodland area, superb for picnics and walks with the family and dogs.. er ifthey were with you. Though many of us were just big fat hairy arsed blokes and wanted pub grub and beer not culture! Me I enjoyed watching the Rods roll in and was happy though space was at a premium.
Billy wasnt to impressed and was soon heading back to camp to hit his stash of cold ones!
Me and Pudzz joined the hoards and treated ourslefs to some excellent cake and ice cream and a cup a coffee.. which was rather pleasant.
Back at Camp, Billing was taking on a real Rod Run/party atmosphere, and where would a UK Rod run be without Ozzie having a burble round, he seems to have fixed the surging problem now as it wasnt doing the useall brumphhh brumpphhh as he drove by!! Though he now has a personal stereo by the look and air conditioning... Terrrrrrr ;o)
The show field was alive with people and cars and was just the best place to be, a Sunny UK Rod Run.
Purple Headed bright Red Willy's... I Thank You!!! Boom Boom!
Just trying to be all arty!!
farty!
 
I rest my case!
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