roddingandracing
roddingandracing
.PHOTOS
2015 HOT ROD POWER TOUR
CAR SHOW COVERAGE
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.
NOT SURE HOW THEY DO IT! I already had thousands of pictures from my 50+ years taking them on my computer and last year, we cleaned out our garage attic and found thousands more! Two of those (Funny Cars) are above, both with minor defects. When I posted the "GAMBLER" (left), I mentioned that "I just missed it", pointing out that I just missed the very front of the car. Well, one of the Facebook members "corrected" it for me. The "MOONEYES" Funny Car looked like it had some type of light damage when the picture was taken. This one I sent to a photo restoration service and as you can see, they took care of it! Again, I don't know how they do it, but I'm glad they can!
My brother bought this 12" x 8" tin metal sign on Ebay recently and I really liked it. It's a replica of the March 1964 cover of "DRAG CARTOONS" that I used to read back then. It depicts the Stone, Woods and Cooke '41 Willys Gasser at the legendary Green Valley Raceway that I used to visit when it was active. I found the posted image on the internet and checked completed auctions on Ebay to see what my brother had paid for it. It only sold for $19.68 with free shipping. But next to the regular "buttons" on the auction (Buy It Now, Place Bid, Add To Watch List), was the button "Buy Another"! As it turns out, he had four available, with now "One Sold". You guessed it; it's "TWO sold now!
.....DIECAST, PLASTIC MODELING, ARTWORK COLORING BOOKS
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I'M ALMOST THERE! "Texas Twister" decal on, simulated engine intake and exhaust on (rear mount), custom "Texas" bed cover and roll bar on. Still waiting on a "Sponsor" decal and custom lettering decal for the front fender (undecided). The kit
didn't come with a rear bumper but until I come up with one, I can still put it all together. (And yes; I'm still posting a picture of the truck when I first got it!)
Just received the 1/32 scale ZZ Top "Eliminator" '33 Ford that I bought on Ebay (left). The decals were missing but I found a replica set, again on Ebay, from a seller in the UK. As you can see (right), I've already started "playing" with it. Those aren't the rear wheels I'll be using but the blower assembly is. I had that planned and built before the kit even got here!
My brother found the entire set (eight) of the CAR TUNED Lowrider Series at our local grocery store
Although I'm not buying CAR TUNED diecast as often as I used to, there was a couple that I was still looking for. I decided to go ahead and purchase them online, the black 454SS on Ebay and the Toyota HiACE straight from the manufacturer (MGA).
(HEB). I posted a few shots of their '64 Chevy release. These things are incredible!
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.