Dude, Where's My Car?

Cincinnati. I'm just having my 1000 mile inspection and found a dealership that can do it spontaneously. So I pulled up the place, and guess what I rolled into: They're having a Hot Rods and Harleys show. No problem for me to spend the four hours of waiting! Of course I talked to the guys showing off their cars, and as we got into the conversation and I told them about that project I long thought would be a cool hobby, one of them told me about a '68 Camaro! Under a blanket! In a barn!!! A guy he knows somewhere in the area owns it, and probably nobody has seen it in years! Exactly what I have been dreaming about for years now! I told him he shouldn't tell me things like this. He really shouldn't.

I love those cars, especially the hot-rodded 30's Fords...If you wonder how they still can be driven around, even tuned up, the reason is quite simple: Basically, in this branch of hot rodding called street rodding, the car's frame, outside and cockpit is kept, all the rest is new. New engine, new transmission, suspension, brakes, etc. On the one hand, you could think this kind of takes away from the car, it's not the original, old thing anymore. On the other hand, the original, old thing probably is a constant repair mess. I guess, at least. But there also is the traditional hot-rodding, old cars souped up with salvaged old parts. Both ways have their attractions. Anyway, I think in some way street rodding is still in the spirit of the 40's to 60's hot rodding. That was all about taking a car and modifying it to make it more powerful. Here it's just been done a little later, with a lot more powerful parts.

Regarding the bike incident recently, the guys at the garage didn't do a specific, full check-up (that would be an independent project, costing big money again), but in their standard inspection they haven't found anything damaged. It seems I got away lucky!

In general I was in a great mood that day, really having fun!