Hopupland

HOPUPLAND

**********

THIS MONTHS COVER

This is some ol’ wreck John Koehnke found a while ago and it is sooooo perfectly period (cliche now, I know) but GAWD we dig this car. Notice how the window opening in the top is parallel with the body line in the door? And to the runningboard? That’s how they are supposed to be; everybody doesn’t get it. Give your guy a picture of a correct one so he’ll know just what ya want.

********

ASPHALT INVITATIONAL

MADMAN’S PROJECTILE PROBOSCIS IN FRONT

These cats are on their way to one of those smaller shindigs…..there seems to be a trend toward that….put on by some Cali guys that have a Hop Up connection. One of the protagonists is Jay Ward, who also edits Hop Up, and the Stude is owned by our own madman, Marc D’ Estout (say De-Stoo). Seems the meet is for about 100 invited, screened cars, and from the looks of the pictures we’ve seen we shoulda been there if we coulda gone and if we coulda got in. (We know we shoulda thought to see if we coulda - and will apply next time).\
That North California Country has some cool stuff. We prob’ly need a visa to get in, huh?

*********

BACK TO LA ROADSTERS

Sham, Derek (Savant), Pete, and David Grant, an’ WIllie Martin, Rotten, Rosebud and Phill, and a bunch of others, payed respects to the Big Balloon at LA last month and we hadn’t done the last edit before 7/1 so didn’t mention them, thank them for the carmeraderie…anyway. Thanks. Everybody’s company was much enjoyed. Yeah, we know you don’t need the glory…... but thanks. Feature guest was Rustman out of Cabool, Mo. and his sidekick..Mo-Man (Wild Bill) from Jackson. Now, that (Wild Bill deal) would make Rustman Jingles to Moser’‘s Wild Bill…but I ain’t gonna call him that…you can, but I ain’t….big sombish.

*******

HANDS-FREE PHONES

Good ol’ Califonia is protecting us, moving us just a little bit closer to the Mommystate they want: hands-free phones are manditory now and ...you’ll be surprised…..I approve: now I can write down addreses and phone numbers I get thru the earpiece…. with that newly-available spare hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*******

WEB STATS

A few extra hits last month, like more than the usual 19. What was the occasion?

*******
BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS

And all the attendant romance. HURT will be there. Last year there were about a dozen flathead banger cars there and Hop Up..the main progenitor of this class for those vibratin’, soulful V4F racers will be there ...ground center where we pit together, commune…and wish it was Speedmonth.

The Balloon will be up a day or two, until it’s shot down, stolen, or we can’t afford the helium any more. But look for the easy ups and…listen…music will pour - along with cold brews - from that pit, surrounded by Boners, Immortals, Reed, Quick ‘n Easy, Lake Area Roadsters and any body who wants to have a good time.

ARE YOU COMING TO THE 100 MPH CLUB BANG-QUET? TOM DOES.

And on Tuesday afternoon at 5:00 PM it will be Hop Dogs, Brews, and Blues usually 300 people and 100 of the best cars around.
Like most everything round here…that’s free too…

*********

THE LONG BEACH MODEL T FORD CLUB SWAP MEET

Probly don’t gotta tell ya: the get-famous guys were not there. We went back..as a spectator…for a second day. Didn’t buy a thing, but had 100conversations, 150 recollections and 200 laughs.

Forgive the bleached-out photos..we sent a Rookie in and…aw, it was me…...

 

 

**********
AND MORE FROM THE LOOOONG COURSE:

Press Release:

Landspeed Veteran and 300 MPH Clubber Kenny Hoover to Drive the Spectre SpeedLiner at Bonneville Speed Week

Ontario, CA – Spectre has named legendary landspeed racer Kenny Hoover as the driver of the company’s BGS (Blown Gas Streamliner) class streamliner, a historic vehicle that Spectre hopes to set a landspeed record with at over 400 MPH at this year’s Speed Week competition at the famed Bonneville Salt Flats.

“When I met Amir at the salt years ago, his commitment to the salt and need for speed were so genuine that we became fast friends,” said Hoover. “I’m proud to be on the ‘Speed by Spectre’ team this year and look forward to taking the Spectre SpeedLiner on a record run at Speed Week.”

Kenny Hoover is among the most experienced landspeed drivers on the planet – quite literally. He is a member of one of the most elite speed clubs in the world – the Bonneville 200 MPH Club. It is said that more men have landed on the moon than are members of the 200 MPH Club. In addition, Hoover is also a member of the Club’s 300 MPH Chapter – a real force to be reckoned with, this guy, and an undisputed powerhouse on the ‘Speed by Spectre’ team. Having either set or broken 36 landspeed records in his driving career over the past four decades, Kenny Hoover is among the most respected landspeed drivers to ever compete, and team ‘Speed by Spectre’ is honored to announce him as the driver of this historic streamliner.

The Spectre SpeedLiner is finalizing its transformation into a landspeed record liner now at Performance Fabrication in northern California. This beautiful 500 cubic-inch Cadillac V8-powered piece of machinery is twin turbocharged and makes approximately 1600 horsepower, fed through a Liberty 5-speed manual transmission and a custom built quick-change differential. With the car expected to exceed 400 MPH, new wheels to handle the new tires are being made, along with new added coolers and water tanks to support the turbos. Aesthetically, the streamliner has shaved several inches off her waist – 13 to be exact – to a sexy 29 inches wide. Her finished length is expected to stretch from 23’ to a svelt 33’ with a chassis stretched 24,” wheels moved 6” forward and the nose moved up approximately 18” for a sleek front stretch of 48”. The rear section of the SpeedLiner is now rounded and smoothed out like the front, and stretched about 24” – a change that, together with the redesign of the front end, makes this piece of speed machinery look like a silver bullet from hell ready to take the salt…

Amir Rosenbaum, Founder of Speed By Spectre, explained their landspeed efforts by saying, “Working hard to squeeze every bit of speed and performance out of whatever it is we had at the time is what drove us 25 years ago, and what continues to motivate us today.” He continued, “The SpeedLiner is an extension of that drive, and the realization of a personal dream of mine. Ideally, I want to go over 400 in the SpeedLiner. According to the SCTA Record Book, only 3 guys in the world have ever done over 400 MPH, and they were in turbine vehicles or blown and Nitro fueled streamliners. No one’s over done over 400 in a blown gasoline powered streamliner – yet! First step is to break the BGS class record of 352.25 MPH…and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Spectre’s 25th Anniversary this year.”
About Spectre:
Spectre manufactures ‘Speed By Spectre’ performance products and is celebrating 25 years in 2008. Spectre is the premiere source for cold air intake kits for muscle cars of the 60s and 70s, as well as fuel-injected cold air intake kits for modern machines. Spectre is also the creator of horsepower-rated hpR Filters™ featuring the proprietary AccuCharge™ precision oiling system and hpR Intake™ Systems. ‘Speed By Spectre’ products are available wherever quality performance products are sold. Check us out at http://www.speedbyspectre.com.

*********

T ‘n A

JIM LINDSAY GOT INTERESTED IN THE FLATHEAD BANGER ROUTINE?

I’ll say he did an’ jus’ lookie-here, Ma Mens!!!!!!!! Like we didn’t already have enough to worry about in the GMR class! HAHAHAHA!!!!!!
I hope he beats our Nomex undies off! HAHAHA!!!

The July El Mirage meet was cancelled so Reed is gonna have t’ get in to the HUNS (Hundred MPH Club) at Bonneville. Tuesday night’s induction ceremony at the Bang-quet oughta be looong. (Yeah..about 4 minutes…we got partyin’ to do! Ed.)

*******

Websters: rant:a rousing good time.

*******

FROM THE ROCKIES

Hey Mark,

Tex here, I sent you some pictures of my AV8 about year ago. Well, I made some changes and hope you are not too disappointed in me for doing so. You see the car was an old hot rod from the Santa Barbra area and was parked in ’58. The car was really cool with the exception that is a Sport Coupe and I was looking for a 5W coupe. So, I just happen to have a 5 window roof hanging on the garage wall ( you know wall art) and a long winter later it is what I originally wanted. At least you can see most of the original Red lacquer from 1951 on the car.

I took it to the NSRA Nationals in Pueblo Colorado and it got more attention that the billet barges. It seems most hot rodders have forgotten what a Flathead looks like. It was nice to see people walk past the $100K PINK roadster next to me to see a little old AV8 coupe.
Updates: 5W coupe roof and glass with removable soft canvas top insert, reversed eye rear spring, 2x2 offy intake and couple of patch panels.

Tex Varner
(Trust me, no disapointment. At all. Ed.)
**********

TASTE MORE OF THIS HOT ROD STEW IN DRIP PAN AND MORT’S SHORTS