Sunday, November 30, 2008

A New Link

I have been asked to provide a link to a bunch of images I have taken for easier views by those who have been Counting Along With Me.

Here it is.

Enjoy.

I've Blogged Alot Today.

As today was a another pretty wet, windy and miserable day, I stayed indoors and did quite a few posts. Be sure to check out my "older posts" to see them all.

Some Cool Stuff At The Rod Run

So last night, Saturday, was the final night of the events of the Rod Run for this year out at Belaire Plaza. the Kid, thejeepjunkie and the longrooffan were fortunate enough to have some premo parking spots. I had parked my olestationbus in this location earlier in the day and then took my newoleragtop down there after returning from the track. Parking on Friday and Saturday nite is at a premium and one must be diligent to get any spot, much less a good one.

I arrived and my newoleragtop was situated a couple spots away on the same drive aisle as the olestationbus. A 3/4 ton Suburban, similar to The bus's was parked where that CJ5 is and I struck up a conversation with the occupants. When they were headed out for a walkabout, they fretted about locking up that Burban and I mentioned I would keep an eye on it. While they were gone, a group, who turned out to be the Owner's brothers, came up, and as they had a key, I figured all was good. When they returned, I mentioned that a group came up but since they had a key, I ascertained all was okay. The Owner's wife laughed and said, 'Yeah, there are a bunch of brothers around and they all have a key'. We chuckled and I mentioned it sounded like my family. As they were from out of town and, when queried, I recommended a good place to eat. I then asked if they were leaving and the response was positive. I asked if they were returning and the response was negative. I then asked if I could have their spot and of course I got a positive response out of that. So I moved that newoldragtop up to the front row and when the Kid and thejeepjunkie arrived we ended up all together with a great location.

Now, as you will notice in this image, thejeepjunkie is drinking a bottle of water. He commented to me earlier in the day that he needed to quit hanging out with me, for the events at Belaire Plaza, as he always woke up the next morning with a headache. I mentioned to him that he did not need to drink that much. We both got a chuckle out of that as he has used that comment to me previously.

I took the next few shots from the top of some infield bleachers out at the track, just to give you an idea of the enormity of this event.

The strip of asphalt you see in the following image is the "Horseshoe Turn" of the 24 Hours track.

If you enlarge this image, you can see turns 3 and 4 of the NASCAR track, along with the requisite hotels in the background.



This image was taken at the car show at Fortunato Park down near that bridge where the Kid and thejeepjunkie go fishing and where we saw those hoons from Georgia in that boat.

I originally took this image for my Orphans At The Rod Run post but realized this is not a 1959 Plymouth Suburban but a Dodge. Since Dodges are still in production, it didn't make that blog but you get to see it here. A nice piece with cool old fins.

While the Kid, thejeepjunkie and I were hanging out in front of our own, impromptu, car show, we saw a proudad pushing this old fin replica down the parking lot aisle.

I had to go get a shot of this kid carrier, a replica of a 58 Cadillac El Dorado ragtop with huge fins.

When I mentioned to proudad about my blog, he asked for the address and I gave him a card with it on it. I asked him where he got it and he told me his dad made it. Pretty creative and it wins the Best Stroller Award for the whole weekend.

And a shot of proudad and proudmom with the kid who could care less, after all, that kid is checking out the Kid's CJ5.

Earlier in the day, I spotted this 55 Cadillac Series 62 limosine. All original and looking sweet.

And a rare old International Harvestor pickup truck.

This is a forward control Corvair pickup with the rampside.

A nice piece. I never realized they had both the rampside and a tailgate.

And these Model T's I shot down at Fortunato Park. The brass grill on these are $12,000 a piece.

And this REO Speed Delivery. The band REO Speedwagon is named for this manufacturer.

Then there is this cool old professional car.

A 53 Packard Hearse.

The image below states its authenticity.

Now for a couple videos. Look at this old Econoline updated to drive down the road backwards. This might qualify as the funkiest sighting of the weekend.

And for the dirtsister, this is bagged and slammed.

Altogether, another fantastic car filled weekend with the Kid and thejeepjunkie. Over all too soon but the good stuff always is.

Brits At The Rod Run

Although imports are few and far between at the Rod Run, I did manage to spot a few of British origin.


This is a sweet mid 50's Jaguar.

A Triumph TR3. One day while standing by the olestationbus at Belaire Plaza, the owner of this beauty came up and we started chatting it up. Turns out he saw this car on ebay up in Jacksonville and asked his wife if he could buy it. She declined, then went on ebay and bought it, put it in storage and gave it to him for an anniversary gift a couple months later. I asked if she had a single sister, but, alas, the response was negative.

An early Jaguar XKE, similar to Leroy Laines coupe.

And, finally, couple original Mini's.

Just For thehorsefarmer

thehorsefarmer and I were talking and he told me to keep my eye out for one of these. It is a great 20 footer, that is looks good from 20 feet. And at $7,500, a bit pricey.


Just For The bus

I saw this cool old bus, converted into a camper car, and had to post it just for the bus. It was at the same car show as that 46 CJ2A.


Just For thejeepjunkie

I spotted this 46 CJ2A and had to post some pics in a blog, just for thejeepjunkie.




Fins At The Rod Run

No, I am not talking about fish.

I am talking about the embellishments auto designers factored into their car design in the late 50's and early 60's. The jet age was just coming on and cars, trucks, and even trains, were designed to capitalize on the fascination the general public had with the oncoming jet age.

I tried to include a variety of them, however, Cadillac, particularly 1959, shows up predominately.

This is a 59 Chevy. 59 may have, arguably, been the most extreme of the fins era.

Pretty sure this is a 62 Cadillac.

This is a 59 Caddy Coupe deVille.

A late 50's Oldsmobile.

62? Thunderbird.

65 Caddy ragtop.

63 Caddy Ragtop, similar to the Coupe deVille The Gentleman Farmer used to own.

57 Chevy Nomad. A highly desirable 2 door wagon. Although I am the longrooffan, this one is not as desirable as others I can think of.

57 Ford T-Bolt. T-Bolt stands for Thunderbolt and was, and still is, a highly desirable option on some Ford products in the late 50's and early 60's. A real go fast option for straight line racing.

Another 59 Caddy. This one is a Sedan deVille.

This is a early 60's Plymouth Valiant. These fins are not as distinctive as others, but even MOPAR's had them.

This terrible image is of an early 50's Willy's.

And this is a Packard Clipper.

64 Chrysler New Yorker, this is a rare coupe version.

59 Plymouth Fury.

Another 59 Caddy.

Another mid 60's Caddy.

This is, about, a 55 Caddy.

And finally, another 59 Caddy, this one a Sedan deVille.