roddingandracing
roddingandracing
.PHOTOS
2015 HOT ROD POWER TOUR
greeted with twenty-five-degree weather in Tomball forty-five miles north. Turnout was pretty good despite the cold.
CAR SHOW COVERAGE
Showplace Classics kicked off their "BAYOU CITY CUP SERIES" recently for its twelve-year at Rudy's BBQ in Tomball (TX). I left twenty-nine-degree weather in Pearland and was
Houston Cars and Cocktails
(Northwest)
Little Woodrow's (Tomball)
Ever since the Pandemic, I don't cover as much shows as I used to outside of the Houston area. There's still a couple of shows close by that bring in vehicles from all over the country, the LONE STAR RALLY (Motorcycles) in Galveston (51 miles) and the LONE STAR THROWDOWN (Trucks) in Conroe (40 miles). Well, the THROWDOWN is right around the
corner (February 20-22) and we'll be there. Below I've posted a handful of images we took at last year's event.
A good friend and ex-coworker called me a few days prior and told me that he was participating in a Houston area cruise from West Houston to Texas City (46 miles). I told him I would show up at their one stop in League City. Am I glad I did. The turnout was great including quite a few Hot Rods (below). I'll be posting complete coverage soon.
.....DIECAST, PLASTIC MODELING, ARTWORK COLORING BOOKS
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Finally got the hand-detailing done (with a few missteps!) and applied a coat of Clear Coat. Still waiting for a few pieces but now I can start putting it together. Can't wait to install the simulated engine intake and exhaust. I also posted an image of what I started with!
Moving right along with my Chevy Van project. To recap, I'm using 1/24 scale wheels and tires, 1/24 scale resin wheel flares and a 1/24 scale Corvette rear wing...all on a 1/32 scale model! I'm
really surprised how everything fits! Still have a little body work to go so I can proceed with the paint scheme (?).
With the start of the NHRA season less than a month away, I figured it was time for a little "spring cleaning", in this case, a diecast replica of a John Force Funny Car in a pedal car version.
While I'm still "working" on the two Chevy trucks further above, I'm already planning my next "project". I'm a big ZZ TOP fan and even though I already have their "Eliminator" '33 Ford model in 1/24 scale, I enjoy building 1/32 scale kits but installing 1/24 scale parts. First off, the 1/32 scale kits are a lot easier to build and second, adding the larger 1/24 scale parts give it a "different" look. The only piece I currently have is the intake blower assembly (spare parts) already painted, detailed and ready to go. The kit I purchased on Ebay is complete but missing the decals! Luckily, I found someone in the UK that makes the decals (side graphics and ZZ Top rear license plate) in any size you want...the large 1/18 scale, the standard 1/24 scale, 1/32 scale (that's me!) and the small Hot Wheels size 1/64 scale. Once the kit gets here, I can start looking for wheels and tires.
Since I didn't cover any car shows in 2020 and very few in 2021, I decided to join several private and public Facebook Groups to share my old pictures, some going back 50 years! Below are the latest images I shared.
Before heading out to cover the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green (KY) back in 2018, I made some prints of a handful of pictures that I had taken of "Big Daddy" Don Garlits. He had made surprise appearances in the past so I was hoping that he would show and I could get the pictures
autographed. As you can see above and right, he did and so did I. My old images, now autographed, were taken years ago at Alamo Dragway in San Antonio and Green Valley Race City in Fort Worth (top row). Both bottom images were taken at Eastex Dragway in Porter just north of Houston. Now as far as the political bumper sticker above, Garlits ran for Congress in Florida back in 1994.
After a couple of years with a two-door 1962 Chevy Bel Air which I wish I still had, I bought my first brand new vehicle; a 1972 Datsun pickup (left). Once I got used to working the manual shift, I slapped on some big-meat Goodyears on Ansen wheels. It got plenty of attention
whenever I picked up my younger siblings at Junior High and High School.
Check out my admission ticket from Houston International Speedway (above). Not sure of the year but only $3.00, it had to be from quite a while back.
Right after the Pandemic shut everything down, I joined several Private Facebook Groups to share my old images. As I share, usually 8-16 per week, I also post them further above. Before the Pandemic, I
also had a "RACING" page where I posted my old racing images. I've decided to post a condensed version of that page below. What I'm trying to show is the variety of motorsports that I frequented back then and as you can see, it was quite a few!
Yes, all the images above were taken by me over the years but this image was not. It's the only image I've ever seen posted that actually has me on it!
That's me on the right side (w/beard) leaning on the trailer at Eastex Dragway when Don Garlits was there.
Although I never use my camera's motor-drive feature, I do get lucky enough sometimes to get an action sequence.
GREEN VALLEY RACEWAY HISTORICAL AREA
Several years ago, I received an email from someone on the North Richland Hills (TX) City Council concerning a Green Valley Race City Historical site that was in the planning stages. They were asking permission to use several
of the images that I had taken at the track back in the '80s. I of course told them that it wouldn't be a problem. Below are the latest images of the site that were posted on a Green Valley Race City Facebook Page.
A quick check of the three information boards that are already put up (top, right) shows eleven of my images! I posted those images below and I hope I can make it up one day to check it out. (On the right image, you can see some of the original track that's still there)
It was a lot more fun to be 20 in the '70s than to be 70 in the '20s!
Time is precious,
Don't waste it.
2018 NHRA
HOT ROD REUNION
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Before heading to the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in 2018 (Bowling Green, Ky), I decided to make some enlargements of images I had taken over the years including some of "Big Daddy" Don Garlits and Tom "the Mongoose" McEwen in hopes of getting them autographed. They had both showed up in previous years so I decided to give it a shot. As you can see above (left) and below, Garlits did show up and I was able to get some of my personal images signed. Not sure if he had planned on showing up or not but sadly, McEwen passed away three days prior at the age of 81.
All the images above were taken at Texas tracks that I frequented when I was a lot younger. Left to right...Alamo Dragway in San Antonio, Green Valley Race City in Fort Worth and the final two were taken here (Houston) at Eastex Dragway in Porter. The tracks have been closed for years.