Did a little hot roddin'. Still have my 72 Gran Torino with the 351 CJ and a 4 speed. My real love was demolition derby. Smashed up an awful lot of derby cars. Did not really have an impact on the HD thing except keep me from riding as much as I would have liked. That's why I gave up derbying.

 

I had a '71 GMC suburban. Took a 400 small block, removed the crank
and rods, installed the crank and rods from the 350 and put 10.5-1 pistons, nice size (pro stock) cam and Holley street eliminator carb (1200cfm all four barrels were big enough to put your fist in) on it. Tuned headers..back then tuned headers were premium...now they are all tuned...threw in a 3500 stall torque converter.
That beast couldn't get out of the hole to save my life, but at 50 I could ****** it into 1st and punch it. It'd bark the tires.
I had friends with cameros who'd race the short distance and win, then we'd sucker them into another race...
Dude, your car is so slow, that suburban could outrun it!
They'd get some friends together and meet us at krystals in forest park, Ga. with more money and we'd tell them that 285 was just up the street. get on the Xpressway and hold 50. when we get to the 1st overpass the race is on, and whoever gets to the next overpass wins. That overpass was almost half a mile away.
I could do 100 in first gear.
I left the rear end stock.
Blew away several trans ams...
several cameros...
a bunch of mustangs...
Never got caught by cops but the other guys did a few times. I did have a cop harrass me once because he said he knew it was me.
Wish I still had the beast but blew it up trying to see how fast I could go in 1st gear. The answer was almost 120.

 

back in my younger days.. 1976 Trans Am put a 5000.00 roller motor in that thing ran like a bat out of hell.

My favorite though was a 1970 1/2 Chevelle I purchased for $650.00 in 1983. 454, Rock Crusher 4 speed, 12 bolt posi. I spent a little money getting the fender and front bumper fixed. repaint back to original color. when I sold it I sold it for double what I had in it (not what I paid for it).

 

As a product of the 60s,I've always loved muscle cars and have owned a few.But I have loved motorcylces too and have had one of some kind since about 62.The car I miss the most is a 64 Impala SS 327 300 hp 4sp.I sold it when I went on my senior trip to Viet Nam, that's the one car I wish I had back.

 

I started working in my uncles gas station when I was 12 and started my love affair with American internal combustion. When I was 16 I got my first, a 1964 Impala SS with 409 cubic inches of 'HEY LOOK AT ME!!!!' I saved up for quite a few years for that thing, had it for 13 months and got t-boned by a drunk in a pick up. Next came the 1967 GTO 400, my sisters then boyfriend stole the keys from my drunken passed out self one night and got rear ended, totalled her out. I still shed a tear when I think of her *sniff* see! Then the 69 Olds 442 with dual 650 Holleys, The yellow Cuda, the black & white Mach 1. Oh... then I got a van! Didn't win ANY street races, but still managed to have a LOT of fun in that van!

 

Once it starts, it never ends!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fi6Lx604Ns

 

My 6 yr old son has the bug. If it has wheels and goes fast he wants to be a part of it. Ive started him on all the electric stuff..,....quad, dirt bike, go kart. I cant wait cause he will be ready for a 50cc gas dirt bike soon then we will hit the dirt together. My dad wasnt a part of my life so i had to go and learn all things fast and fun on my own. It feels great passing on to my son what i wished was passed on to me.

 

I always thought Hotrods were pre-60's and muscle cars followed but maybe i don't know my head from my .....

 

Way i always saw it......you tear apart a car and do everything in your power to make it go faster youre hotrodding it. Dont matter what kinda car or how old it is.

 

I'm a hot rod Ford guy. FE powered stuff, Cobras, thunderbirds etc... Fords are perfect preparation for Harleys. Lots of money for little horse power. :-)