It was yesterday and I was 14 going on 15 showing off my first 57 Ford, Inca gold and Black to some of my high school friends and when I woke up this morning my calendar said I was 70, What the Hell happened. I'm sure this has happened to a lot of you.
Yes and several of the friends are no longer with us. Good news is that the '57 T Bird that I wanted then but couldn't afford is sitting in my garage now. Bought it in '65 and managed to hang on to it. Car is in better shape than i am now but we both are servicable.
Happy Birthday Alvin!
I had my 70th this past November.LOL..I don't know what happened, but at least it did.
A '57 Ford story:......back in early '56 my dad moved the family from the suburbs of Boston out to the country. Looking back, I think it was to get me away from the influence of the local "Ruggies". (remember that term?). Anyway, like so many new neighborhoods in the post war 50's, lots of young families with lots of kids that finally saved up enough to put that downpayment on a little ranch house. Fast forward to September of '56.....I was now friends with all the kids my age in the neighborhood, and we always did our daily walk 1/4 mile or so to catch the school bus together. Like everyone back in the old days, September was full of discusions about the new cars coming out, which ones were really cool, which ones weren't. If I remember correctly, Ford first announced the Custom series, (or maybe it was tha Fairlanes, actually not positive,) but I know it was some weeks or months before the second full size version came out.
There were 5 of us in our group and I remember walking home from the bus stop arguing with the other 4 that the newest Ford model was different than the other, and the tailfin area had more sculture and shape to it than the other. All 4 said, no, it's just the trim that makes it look that way. I had a grin on my face ear to ear when all 4 the next morning had to admit the little guy was right. Never forgot that.
I have occasional dreams that I'm riding or working on my Harley, it seems so real and then I wake up, The bikes gone, I'm an old fart and mad, missing my bike and wishing I could go back in time. I did not have a fairlane when I was younger but got one as soon as I could. I think the main reason I've been drawn to these cars Is partially due to my mom having a 56 ford convertible when I was a kid. I like the 56 but I love the 57 fins and roof line. The roof looks a bit chopped to me. Glad to have one and happy to be a part of the forum. Great group. Thanks for sharing ( what happened) I'm with you bud!
On the now increasing in number belly button pondering moments I feel life has run by at the speed of light! Soon to be 70. Feel that old on some days and feel like I am strong and bullet proof on others. I guess I'll try to slow down when the "old feeling" days outnumber the "bullet proof" days.
since some wonder where the years went, i guess i'll add a few words, being one of the oldest on this forum. and i probly already said this story, when i got out of the navy back in 59, needed a car, and a ford dealer was in the sasme block i lived, anyway, on the used car lot was 3 57 fords, 2 conv and one fairlane, or was it a, ok all i remember is, it was a 2 door with the trim that made it look like a oldsmobile, only cost $700, but the conv only cost $1100, didn't have a job yet, when i left the svc my commander said back in Det;roit things were bad, no jobs, i would probly be selling apples on the corner, am i sure i didn't want to reinlist?, even though it was the best time of my life, said no, on with the story, i bought the $700 car and not the convertables, probly would have gotten in more trouble if i had, so now, married, kids gone, finally, i get into old cars, won't get into that part, so a few years ba;ck i c this 57 conv running around town, and get the bug for the 57 conv, find the guy, make deal, and it only cost me 25 times more then back in 1959,. back in the late 50's and early 60's there were lots of customs, WHEN there were lots of customs, we did our own workk etc, when autorama had only been around for a few years, so where did the time go?, married, work, kids, isn't a day that goes by that i don't think about, all of my friends are gone, but i'll keep the conv until i go, and go to as many car shows as i can, SORRY THIS IS SO LONG, jerry
At the speed of light I was 70 last week. Almost scary thinking how fast the next few years will go..
Life happened. I just read about Zap's passing. Speed of light, great thought..... a few weeks ago we had to put down my best canine friend. Today I put in a full great day on the Ford, at least I can try to reverse time for something I love, I guess that is part of what we do. Feeling a little melancholy....
great stories, guys !
let me add another thought and point of view. For me it sucks a lot to have been born 30-40 years too late. Most of you had a chance to live the 1950s and 1960s and that's a great thing. Thanx for still being around and sharing all your stories and experience with us younger guys!
Quote from: djfordmanjack on 2017-03-17 04:39
great stories, guys !
let me add another thought and point of view. For me it sucks a lot to have been born 30-40 years too late. Most of you had a chance to live the 1950s and 1960s and that's a great thing. Thanx for still being around and sharing all your stories and experience with us younger guys!
I'm sure you have seen some of these before but I love going back and reliving the days of great cars.
http://youtu.be/7LpPKAhW9-s
Quote from: djfordmanjack on 2017-03-17 04:39
'born 30-40 years too late'
At some family get together a few years ago, the men folk drifted out to the shop to kick tires and hit the beer frig. Most of the group were my son's friends and I realized I had talked way too much about street racing, FX, gassers, cartoon cars and Friday nights at the mall. After apologizing, my son and friends all chimed in saying they wanted more. My son said, "Dad, you lived in that time and we can only imagine". It was nice to have something to share but it was great to see interest from younger people.
Advice to all of you guys that are getting up there in age.
The next time old age knocks,..... just do not answer the door!
Quote from: djfordmanjack on 2017-03-17 04:39
great stories, guys !
let me add another thought and point of view. For me it sucks a lot to have been born 30-40 years too late. Most of you had a chance to live the 1950s and 1960s and that's a great thing. Thanx for still being around and sharing all your stories and experience with us younger guys!
I TOTALLY agree G...... That was the GOLDEN age.
Quote from: Ecode70D on 2017-03-20 23:22
The next time old age knocks,..... just do not answer the door!
Really trying to ignore the knocking as I get ready to go to the chiropractor. I fell off the trailer and bounced off the ramps but thankfully the concrete floor stopped me. I'm fortunate to have only scabby shins and couple of cracked ribs. I got to get healed up for vacation or Amy won't let me play in the garage!
While I'm not as old as some of you guys (I'll be 48 this September) I totally agree on age creeping up on you, the problem is that through my eyes I'm still 18, it's not until I catch a glimpse of the weather-beaten guy staring back at me from the mirror that I realise I'm NOT 18 any more! That and when I've been kneeling down on the garage floor for a while and when I try to stand up it feels like someone's bolted my knees in their current position and it takes a few minutes to get everything moving again!
I tried explaining the ageing process to my daughter (she's 12) as she moans that time moves so slowly. I explained that one year is one twelfth of her entire life, so a year does seem a long time, but for me a year is only one forty-seventh of my life and hence seems a lot shorter!
We only get one ride on the fairground of life and the ride finishes far too soon, so enjoy yourself!
Good analogy Limey, I will be 60 in a few months, and have been drag racing since 1974, and working on my cars a few years longer than that. I am astonished at how fast the pages of the calendar have been turning in recent years, in the past few years, I have had to use reading glasses, I have arthritis, my hearing is getting worse every year, yet in my mind, I still think (and often try) like I did decades ago, and get frustrated that physically, it ain`t as easy as it once was. I don`t have a hoist in my garage, and crawling underneath my car,and even worse, trying to get up again, is a lot harder than it used to be. Also have been going to a bunch more funerals than weddings in recent years. Funny, when I was 14 & 15, I was so anxious about my 16th birthday, so I could get my drivers license, it seem to take SOOOOOOO long for that magical birthday! Also, in the 70s and 80s, I had several cars that it seemed that I owned FOREVER, but was really only 3 or 4 years, my drag car I have owned for over 30 years, and only recently did I replace my old 74 F350, that I owned for 26 years. Whoever said the once you are "over the hill", you start picking up speed, sure had that right!
A good friend gave me an analogy for life a few years ago. It goes like this....run a tape measure out to the average life expectancy for males. That would be in the 78 - 82 range. Put your finger on the number on the tape that is your current age.....really puts mortality in perspective!
to ford blue blood, thats why i thru all of my tape measures away,