I went as a spectator when I went to the Peoria Nats in 1970. I earned my trip there by helping a neighbor down the street get his '35 Ford pickup ready for the Nats on time. My parents were okay with it so long as I kept my grades up and did my chores around the house. My neighbor's truck was somewhat unique as he fabricated a set of exhaust stacks made from 2 '56 Buick torque tubes. The truck ran a 283 Chevy V-8 mated to a Powerglide automatic transmission. It sat on a 21/2 to 3 inch rake thanks to a dropped front axle and big 'n' littles front and rear. My neighbor went all four days and I rode shotgun all four days and got the thrill of a lifetime. To see all those cars parading 3 abreast in front of the Fox Theater is a sight I'll never forget. Ron Week's blown and hammered '34 Ford 2-door sedan, Orville Elgie's '37 Ford sedan delivery, Andy Brazio's Instant T, Jim Jacob's '29 Ford Model A panel, the Avon solid gold 1939 Cadillac town car, they were all there along with a vast multitude of cars from all across the US and Canada. All the cars I saw were either completed or in various states of completion. Other than the cars I mentioned, the other car that caught my attention was a lime green metallic '39 Ford pickup rumbling along with a 392 cube hemi V-8 providing the power. I'm 68 now. And to this day, if I close my eyes and think about it, I can recall the event as though it were yesterday. I'm very thankful to have been a witness to the greatest event in automotive history. Thanks for the thrill of a lifetime.
Thanks to everyone that has left a message. I'm like you Ken, I like to look at the pictures and reminisce. I just turned 80 and I am still building hot rods and '67-'72 Chevy trucks. Long Live The Old Rodders!
@@nlrowell5880 I used to work on cars when they were simply built and before my health began to fail. After seeing the first Nats in '70, I took auto shop in highschool and resurrected some well used wrecks I found in the local paper or bought from friends. My best one was a '53 Ford 2- door sedan powered by a 289 V-8 mated to a C-4 automatic transmission after my sister blew the original flathead. I painted it dark blue with a grey and dark blue interior. It had steelies and dog dish hub caps too. It wasn't much compared to the cars I saw in the hot rod magazines, but I was very proud of it because I built it myself and it was quite a sleeper. But due to the fact I'm legally blind from birth, I never got to drive it. I made a modest income by fixing up used cars and selling them to other kids in my school. It got to the point where kids would come up to me and ask me if I had a car to sell. I'd tell 'em that when I got something, I'd let 'em know. Sold most of 'em for $500-$750 depending on What I had to do to make 'em safe to drive. I was so busy that I almost forgot about girls! Used the profits to help my parents pay down the mortgage on the house they just bought. Boy do I miss those days.
I went as a spectator when I
went to the Peoria Nats in
1970. I earned my trip there
by helping a neighbor down
the street get his '35 Ford
pickup ready for the Nats
on time. My parents were
okay with it so long as I kept
my grades up and did my chores around the house.
My neighbor's truck was
somewhat unique as he
fabricated a set of exhaust
stacks made from 2 '56 Buick torque tubes. The truck ran a 283 Chevy V-8 mated to a Powerglide
automatic transmission.
It sat on a 21/2 to 3 inch
rake thanks to a dropped
front axle and big 'n' littles
front and rear. My neighbor
went all four days and I rode
shotgun all four days and got the thrill of a lifetime.
To see all those cars parading 3 abreast in front
of the Fox Theater is a sight
I'll never forget. Ron Week's
blown and hammered '34
Ford 2-door sedan, Orville Elgie's '37 Ford sedan delivery, Andy Brazio's Instant T, Jim Jacob's
'29 Ford Model A panel,
the Avon solid gold 1939
Cadillac town car, they were
all there along with a vast
multitude of cars from all
across the US and Canada.
All the cars I saw were either completed or in various states of completion. Other than the
cars I mentioned, the other
car that caught my attention
was a lime green metallic
'39 Ford pickup rumbling
along with a 392 cube hemi
V-8 providing the power.
I'm 68 now. And to this day,
if I close my eyes and think about it, I can recall the event as though it were
yesterday. I'm very thankful
to have been a witness to
the greatest event in automotive history. Thanks for the thrill of a lifetime.
Thanks to everyone that has left a message. I'm like you Ken, I like to look at the pictures and reminisce. I just turned 80 and I am still building hot rods and '67-'72 Chevy trucks. Long Live The Old Rodders!
@@nlrowell5880 I used to work on cars when they were simply built and before
my health began to fail. After seeing the first Nats
in '70, I took auto shop in
highschool and resurrected
some well used wrecks I
found in the local paper or
bought from friends. My
best one was a '53 Ford 2-
door sedan powered by a
289 V-8 mated to a C-4
automatic transmission
after my sister blew the
original flathead. I painted it dark blue with a grey and
dark blue interior. It had
steelies and dog dish hub
caps too. It wasn't much
compared to the cars I saw
in the hot rod magazines,
but I was very proud of it
because I built it myself and
it was quite a sleeper. But
due to the fact I'm legally blind from birth, I never got to drive it. I made a modest
income by fixing up used cars and selling them to other kids in my school.
It got to the point where kids would come up to me
and ask me if I had a car to sell. I'd tell 'em that when I got something, I'd let 'em
know. Sold most of 'em
for $500-$750 depending on
What I had to do to make 'em safe to drive. I was so
busy that I almost forgot
about girls! Used the profits
to help my parents pay down the mortgage on the
house they just bought.
Boy do I miss those days.
Thanks for Sharing!
The HAMB brought me here. Big thumbs up!
Thanks for sharing Leon
No problem. Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks.
AWESOME!!! Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work.
Thanks for using my instrumental versions on this video....Eric
Hi Eric. Thanks for giving me the OK to use them. Everyone likes the music.
Nice Leon & Pat. Hard to believe those were "old" then and it's been 50 years since.
Very nice pics you and Pat took! I wonder if my 40 was there?
It could have been. I only got pictures of about 1/4 of the cars.
Very cool
I would have been there but uncle sam had different plans for me.......