MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL

'TIS THE SEASON

But it is a good time to thank those of you who are interested in our project here. As you may know, we have this title by default: we were stiffed, and had to buy the tradename back from where it was pledged for a loan. But it is now in our posession, and we'll just keep sending the Rod Gospel your way 'til we find out what we gonna do when we grow up!

One of our favorite ideas would be to do a column for one of the real magazines that has too little traditional car stuff in it. I wonder which one that could be?

That would give us a forum in which to advertize that a limited number of Collector Edition Hop Up Mags might be available from the Hop Up Guys. It doesn't matter, though, because as we go through this method of operation, it gets to be more and more fun. The e mail comes in regularly and most of it is positive; the only negative response we have had was directed to the humans who controlled the title before.

The guy has a really cool dirty word to describe them. WE LOVED IT!!!!!

We have no experience at this (computers or journalism), but what the hay? You don't pay enough to expect experts, do ya? If we ever went to the print version, we'd have to bring in some ringers - and we've already talked to them.

So, in the new year our idea is to make this more readable, better photographs, "What? You mean I can't just pull them out of my daydream drawer?" and to increase the amount of content.

So,go forth and be cool next year, carrying the real rod persona at all times; drive 'em, study 'em, respect 'em, don't boast to people you don't even know, squall the tires once in a while, remember that real hot rods have 3 pedals, learn something from an old guy, don't let suppliers of goods or services cheat you just because they're the big name cats, find a smoothie and detox it, learn to do something you couldn't do before, make progress on a project, and.......................................................suffer no fools.

Real Hot Rods

In a Bakersfield Gas Station, August '78, 97 degrees, 10:00 p.m., on the way to Merced. We slept on the ground in a City Park.

Tn'A

Equipped with mechanical brakes, banger, pieced-together '29 body, 17's, 16's, and saddle-blanket interior, this quintessential retro rod warmed the nostalgic senses, and ran like a mutha! No surprise, really, 'cuz John was tweakin' it for a premier run at Bakersfield but missed by a few days.

Was it Then or Now?

The plan is to start enjoying the car now and to re-live the experience of improvement by increment; You know, the way a poverty-stricken rodder did it back then. The evolution would be continuous and subtle, featuring performance over aesthetics. But the guy could put on his stroker hat and be there.

As in most tasks he undertakes, John's learning curve is steep. He's already picked most of the nearby brains about 4-barrel performance, maintenance and setup. So he's about as hep on the things as he needs to be. He says that "Secrets", the 4 banger performance quarterly, is alot of help and inspiration.

This Old Time Fever is not new to John. He has a deuce-on-steroids: a '32 Lincoln Victoria highboy, which dazzled everyone last year. The affliction apparently came genetically through dad Tom Sr., whose A V8 is nearly ready to add to his fleet. This project was delayed while the A bone did TDY in the Petersen Museum - unfinished! 'Reckon that'll show up in Tn'A soon enough. Nothin' like a family full o' righteous rodders.