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Took a much anticipated day-trip to the Ty-rods (Oldest Hot Rod Club in the East) registration-only car show today, along with "Hot Rod Charlie" and half a dozen other old friends from my Hot Rod days.  I kind-of grew out of it after I sold my '46 Ford Coupe with the "300-over" flathead and 4-speed LaSalle transmission, but all of my friends hung in there and some have the same cars that they had when we were all kids in the '50's and '60's.  

The deal with the "Old Timers Show" is that all cars shown must be earlier than 1972 and registrants must be a member of the Ty-Rods club for at least 25 years to show.  There were a LOT of cars there owned by the same people for the past 30 or more years.  Dennis O'Brien of "O'Brien Truckers", maker of car club plaques and aftermarket dress goodies, has had his '34 Ford Panel truck, as a Hot Rod, since 1972.  I met him at work in 1978 and we became good friends ever since.

Here are a few shots of the show field.  This was one side, of one row, of about Thirty rows of pre-1940 Rods:

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There were a LOT of early Supercharger setups (LOVE the sound of a blower).IMG_2245

This is a distant shot (same area) of Lee Robinson's amazing '34 Roadster in Rose primer and pinstripes.  You'll see better shots farther down.  That black '33 to the right was just amazingly sanitary - Like something straight out of "American Graffiti".

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I mention "Hot Rod Charlie" on here from time-to-time, and this is the car he built between early May and late July, 2018.  Very, very "Old School", as in the look of a Hot Rod built in the early 1950's.  He's currently turning down offers for it.IMG_2242

It's good he got there early to be closer to the Porta-Potties......  We're not getting any younger!!  And ya gotta be brave to drive on those skinny, bias-ply tires, but they look so damn cool!

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I also saw Gloria, Charlie's wife, driving his 1940 Studebaker pickup through town early this morning (she was heading to the meet).  I later asked if she was driving a "G.E.R.V."?  "What's that"? she asked.  "Why, the Gloria Emergency Rescue Vehicle" in case Charlie's Roadster dies."  Got that idea from Maddie Mollis at Carlisle.

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I actually got to wire up that Voltage Regulator when I dropped by on my bicycle to visit one day last May.  Charlie had found sources for all of the old, cloth-covered wires used in the 1930's - 1960's and made up his own braided cloth harness covers.  As I was working on it, I hear Charlie say: "You scratch it, You own it!" IMG_2240

Dennis O'Brien's "Company Car".  A 1934 Ford Panel Truck, MOPAR V8 and Torqueflight, Jaguar IRS rear end with air bag helpers, A/C, Recaro interior.  He's got just over 300,000 miles on this car as a Hot Rod.  IMG_2239

More of Lee Robinson's '34 Roadster.  Rose-colored primer and nicely pin-striped.  Eventually, Charlie's roadster will have a Carson Top, too (Next Spring).IMG_2238

Apparently, Lee chose the "Delete Door Panel" option.IMG_2237

BTW:  These guys (and a lot of others that I met) build their own cars and have since they were kids.  Charlie builds cars for others on a contract basis.  Some things, like interiors and tops, are farmed out "to those guys who know how to do it", according to Lee.IMG_2236

Another half-row of Pre-1940 cars.IMG_2235

This was approximately 1/3'rd of the show field.IMG_2234

Another 1/3'rd of the field - the rest was in back of Dennis' Panel Truck.IMG_2233 

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They used to cap the car count at 2,000, but I think they upped it a few years back to 2,500 or more.  It used to be an evening event, but as we’ve all gotten older, many of us don’t like driving at night as much, so it’s now become a one-day (10am - 4pm) event.  Many of these cars will be in Burlington, VT, next weekend for the Northeast Fall Event, too.

O’Brien Truckers is a family business making car club plaques (they have 45,000 master club molds and are the only ones left making them) as well as cast aluminum dress up parts like air cleaners, valve covers, etc - Google them.  They do 15 - 20 big shows each season, loading up the panel truck with half a ton of aluminum and haul their booth sales equipment in a large “Mullins-Style” trailer behind the panel (painted just like the panel truck).  He started the business as a lark when we worked together at computer companies in the ‘70’s, and just kept at it.  In retirement, it has become quite the business for him and everybody uses his parts.  Walking around with him at a meet takes a while - Everybody stops him to say hello.

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