An Open Question

alchevy · January 06, 2005, 03:45:17 PM

Quote from: "purplepickup"cut a VW bus in half and took 2 feet out of the middle then welded it back together

purplepickup · January 06, 2005, 03:55:10 PM

My bus was a lot like that but a little longer wheelbase...not much tho. It would do wheelies real easy. I painted it with a godawful gold lace paintjob.

.....the '70's....what a weird decade...

RodZZilla · January 23, 2005, 06:40:37 PM

Quote from: "Charlie Chops 1940"I got hooked on hotrods when I was just barely a teenager. One of the big influences were the Heny Gregor Felsen books. I have read them many times and they still have the ability to make me a kid again.

I need to see if I can find my copies. I loved reading his stories.

I like mixing ideas from different areas. Using dirt track ideas on a drag car. Drag car ideas on a 4WD... Kinda like the jack of all, master of none idea. If it has an engine, you should mess with it.

enjenjo · January 23, 2005, 07:16:49 PM

I have mine yet, from grade school.

Charlie Chops 1940 · January 23, 2005, 08:24:41 PM

Quote from: "enjenjo"I have mine yet, from grade school.

I bought a hard cover copy of Hot Rod for a buck in the swap meet at Nats North last year. It came out of the Kalamazoo Public Library. Last checked out Aug 28, 1983. Has a Valvoline sticker on the blank page facing each cover. Someones mis-spent youth.

"Bud Crayne rounded a curve at fifty and faced into the setting sun."

nzsimon · January 23, 2005, 08:37:20 PM

Classic car racing

MO_JUNK · January 24, 2005, 10:44:04 AM

I think changing our interest and trying new things keeps us young. I used to fish hard-studied it. I made my own lures, wrapped my own rods, caught an 11 pound largemouth bass, then a 4 pound smallmouth. After that some of the thrill was gone. Wz and I got deep into R/C sailplanes-even competed in a national competion-mine haven't been out of the storage box in 11 years. I have always loved cars. I actually completed and drove my first streetrod through the gate at the OK City Nats in 1991. I won a national award, got a Boyd trophy. I began to burnout about six years ago and realized that I wasn't having as much fun anymore. I went to primered rods-jump in and hit the road. I no longer worry about who's leaning on it, belt buckels, ect. I haul the EZ-up and coolers for my coupe and roadster buddies. I'm having alot more fun and I'm relaxed. Now I've started fishing again-but, not in a big bassboat. I wade the small steams, even use a bobber and worms sometimes. I enjoy it again. Change is good. With the cars, I am now attracted more to the smaller shows, kicking back and just visiting. Somedays my feet hurt from all the walking. I think it's only natural for our interests to change. I'm going to take a nap now and think somemore. Sam

Beck · January 24, 2005, 11:07:01 PM

Talk about different things to try. Last winter I decided I wanted to go tractor pulling. I couldn't finance the big boys so I built a garden tractor. Not your normal garden tractor. This one was designed for the motorcycle powered class. It was all hand built, with a '03 750 GSXR motor. How does a 140 hp, 16500 rpm garden tractor sound? I tried to figure out how to post the picture here. Up until a day or so ago it had been a long time since I posted here. I see some of the names I recognize from years past. HI guys!

enjenjo · January 24, 2005, 11:23:42 PM

Welcome back. Have you still got your 33?

RodZZilla · January 24, 2005, 11:30:45 PM

Quote from: "Beck"Talk about different things to try. Last winter I decided I wanted to go tractor pulling. I couldn't finance the big boys so I built a garden tractor. Not your normal garden tractor. This one was designed for the motorcycle powered class. It was all hand built, with a '03 750 GSXR motor. How does a 140 hp, 16500 rpm garden tractor sound? I tried to figure out how to post the picture here. Up until a day or so ago it had been a long time since I posted here. I see some of the names I recognize from years past. HI guys!

A guy that I work with is into garden tractor pullers. Are you going to the pull in Des Moines in April?

Beck · January 25, 2005, 07:32:25 PM

I doubt I will be going there. I haven't checked the schedule of winter events for the NQS. I travel a bit with some of those guys, but don't compete at those events. I am thinking about heading to Columbus, Ohio this weekend, but I would be a spectator there also.
I have sold the motorcycle powered tractor. The class kind of died off in my area. I was making 500 to 600 mile trips every weekend to pull in TN, KY, and IN. I got tired of all the driving so I sold the tractor. It had become the dominate tractor in the class though. I won the pulls on the last 4 outings. I had entered the tractor in the 1200cc class also and had done well against the bigger motors too.
I am currently building a new garden tractor. It won't be nearly as wild of a ride, but the competition will be local. I haven't decided how big the motor will be in that one. It will be a Kohler single cylinder, which is regular older garden tractor power. It could be as small as a 10 hp or as large as a 16hp in stock form. It will just get a "blueprint" and run in the stock class.
The guys that pull the NQS circuit start with what is considered a "replacement" 16 hp block and build them to the max. They are putting out over 70 hp.

A guy that I work with is into garden tractor pullers. Are you going to the pull in Des Moines in April?[/quote]

Beck · January 25, 2005, 07:38:12 PM

Quote from: "enjenjo"Welcome back. Have you still got your 33?

No it has passed on to a new owner who I see has it for sale again. You can see it here where it is advertised online. Like I said it isn't mine anymore so I'm not plugging it trying to sell, I just thought some of you may want to see it. I don't know if this will work as a link or you will have to copy and paste to get there http://www.gatewayclassiccars.com/displaycar.php?stock=2966

Crosley.In.AZ · January 25, 2005, 07:59:02 PM

Mini bike was my first motorized toy at age 10 or 11. Honda 50 motorcycle after that. Cushman scooter, a new Honda 350-SL in 1971, 1959 Isetta in 1972

Drag racing has alays been interesting to me.

Actually anything with an engine was fun to me..

Build fast street machines in the 70's....Did custom paint on vans in the 70's, was doing that the day Elvis died....... built street machines for show in the 80's. Built cars for customers, usually every nut & bolt was touched by me.... lots of 24 / 7 / 365 work.

Mechanical restoration ( I quit painting ) work on muscle cars, rich people don't like to pay their bills.. they stay rich that way I guess

Always rode motorcycles.

First tranny shop ownership in 1981 if I remember correctly....... lesson learned there, business partners can be a bad idea.

Bought a 34 Ford 5 window all steel coupe body and frame with fenders in the early 1980's, basket case for $1200.00........ I was in over my head, sold it.

Now a daze, I finish nothing. I have driven the 1961 Dodge Lancer for over 2 years and have NOT touched the interior. Janice would like me to finish something , but I dont care any more. I drive them as is.

I've been all over the map I guess , just always involved the automobile

moondisc · January 25, 2005, 08:42:08 PM

I went from street racing to legit drag racing to stock cars to go karts.
Got fed up with people buying their way to the front (How's $3500 for a Briggs & Straton 5hp grab you?)
Decided to just play with my hotrods.
In 89 my bud came to me. He wanted to build a stock car, but didn't have a garage.
I told him he could have a stall, but I was done with racing.
I was in the garage every night, and at the track every week. They called me crew chief.
He raced 2 years, and was going to take 1 year off.
He started racing again this year in mini sprints.
Rookie of the year and 7th in points.
Guess who was at the track every week?

In answer to your question Frank, racing is a sickness. Once it's in your blood you can never completely get rid of it.

Carps · January 25, 2005, 09:05:33 PM

Quote from: "enjenjo"I was thinking today, I have a lot of time for that since I am RETIRED

What you never sat on a lavatory before you retired?

QuoteMost of us have been through several motor sports, Drag racing, Snowmobiles, Motorcycles, Drag Racing, Circle Track racing, Midgets, Sprints, Dune Buggys, Lawn Mower racing, ect, ect, ect. What draws us to do this? What makes us stop?

Some rich yankee offered our driver lots of money to turn pro and my medical advisors won't let me drive the car coz they say it's not good for me.

No decent driver, no chance to win and we aint investing all that time, effort and money to place second.

Hot Rods and Kustoms? They are part of my life and I really dunno why but they just are and likely always will be.

Sorry, can't stay and chat. Sprint Car races at avalon tonight.