American Graffiti

[DG58INNM]

I'm still loving all these pictures. Thanks guys.

Just for kicks, and maybe because of all this nostalgia, I took my wife to the local dragstrip Saturday night. She'd never been to the drags before, and it had been ages for me. She was pretty skeptical about the idea, being more the wine-sipping yoga sort. My telling her it would be OK to for her to wear shorts, high heels, and a halter top probably didn't help to encourage her. But I talked her into going anyway.

It wasn't a big ticket NHRA event, just the local dragstrip on a summer Saturday night. $15 a head to get in. And it was total and complete fun. Altereds making crazy scary sideways passes at 160 mph. Alcohol funny cars flirting with the 200 mark. A huge pack of run-what-ya-brung characters serving up everything from comedy (when was the last time you saw a Gremlin?) to intense rivalry. Tons of kids smiling, laughing, and (gasp!) working hard. Noise, smoke, fumes. Haven't had that much good clean fun at a car event in years!

Didn't think to take any pictures

DG

[JTR70]

Thanks David, sounds like it was a great time! Going to the Drags is one thing I need to cross off my bucket list.

[Craig Richter]

Never been to a drag race? Shame, Justin. Like never going to a drive-in movie...

[JTR70]

I know Craig, I have no excuse with a well used dragstrip just across the valley. Thanks for not rubbing it in.

[gkw]

I love these old photos. I met my wife at the local drag strip 53 years
ago. The rest is history. She supports all my car madness. Gordon

[Bill Sampson]

Thanks David, sounds like it was a great time! Going to the Drags is one thing I need to cross off my bucket list.

WHAT? Justin - did you read the part of David's post that mentions, and I quote: "shorts, high heels and a halter top?"

A couple of years ago my wife had never been to the drags either and I had been away too long. What could possibly be more romantic than the stew of smells including nitromethane, burning rubber and track food? Yes, it was Valentine's Day at the 50th Winternationals.

That said, David hits the nail on the head with his description of the local style drags. In many ways minor league games (think baseball too) are a lot more fun than the majors.

What a great thread. Much more of it and I'll sell the C Coupe so I can finally scratch "Hot Rod" off MY bucket list. Anybody know where someone has tired of his 34 Chevy 3 window? Fiberglass need not apply.

[Gearz]

Didn't think to take any pictures

DG

BOOOOO..

[Bill Sampson]

I love these old photos. I met my wife at the local drag strip 53 years
ago. The rest is history. She supports all my car madness. Gordon

Happy Wife, Happy Life. Congrats Gordon (and wife)

[Trevor]

Bill - Good for you!

Gordon & David - You're both the man!

Justin - Never been to a drag race, that is CRAZY talk! You have to come out to the MoonEyes X-mas show at Irwindale. Car show, drace race, bands playing live music and a pin up girl contest (fully dressed in 50's clothing). It rocks. I've brought my son a few times and my daughter last year.

Speaking of racing, dirt tracks are a good also. Costa Mesa has a little one that they run motorcycles on seasonally and there is a Speedway out in Perris, CA.

SoCal is good for racing but the midwest is pretty awesome as well. When I lived in Dallas for 5 years, I use to watch all the big V8's battle it out, front tires in the air, guys trying to prove who had the biggest set not lifting. Crazy stuff!

[JTR70]

Thanks Trevor, That sounds like an amazing event!

[Gearz]

[Gearz]

[Gearz]

[bbspdstr]

I happened through a very local car show today and took some phone pics for this segment of Justin's site.

[attachment]IMG_0834[1].JPG[/attachment]

[bbspdstr]

[attachment]IMG_0834[1].JPG[/attachment]

Sorry, second picture won't load. A similar rat-rod with a 1923 date on the entry card...but a 'glas bucket and all new everything, so a true T-bucket it ain't.
Still, lead-sleds galore, good workmanship on all sorts of muscle cars, street rods, cars my father had...'57 Bel-Air convertibles and Galaxie 500 convertibles...and a VERY nice (original) '57 oval window VW with the big canvas sunroof. The fire company sponsored this annual event which generally closes Collegeville, mainly Main Street in front of the college.
Sorry, not a woodie in sight.