MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL

There is nothing more worth doing than messing about with old Fords. They're so simple that even I understand them. The ones with axles, man. With springs, perches, radius rods and, and....you know, I can even see why they're not as efficient as an IFS and, and.......
who gives a rip. AXLES LOOK GOOD, and they provide plenty good enough ride.

Old Ford sheetmetal doesn't need changin', does it? You either throw fenders away (or not), an' decide whether or not to use the original stainless here or there, and punch louvers or not and how much to chop a windshield or top, and you're rockin' an rollin'. Add a carb; dual exhaust. Who needs paint? Take it for a test drive.

We're lookin' so coooool.

It runs OK, but kinda hunts on acceleration. We'll check a coupla things. Hey it's really trackin' good and - Holy Moly!! Those '40 brakes aren't all that bad! (Yeah? Give yourself some lead anyway, Ed.) Listen to that flattie.... with those Ermie mufflers Jack told me about, it sounds just like my first car did . The view out the windshield is the same as it was then. I guess that's what's cool about it. It was an OLD car BACK THEN! I guess it's ancient now. But so am I.

I wonder if psychologists (or archeologists) will analyze our backward behavior and decide that our retire style (we ARE cool, aren't we?) is an attempt to hide from modernity, or something. We might be rejecting the pace, the speed and evolution of society, the changing folkways and mores. Who cares.

There's peace in what we do - simple participation with mellow cats and cool kittens. No desperate attempt to be recognized by the multitudes. Hop Up Guys don't care if the psychologist (or geologist) cares. Period. Leave us alone.

In '98 we should probably refine our acquaintances with real rodders. Here, in Hop Up, we will intro you to 12 more un-sung guys who won't get a woody just because their name showed up in a C.S. little web-page. That's the credential. People who don't require attention, who don't have an AGENDA to meet alot of celebrities so they can name-drop. These are pure types who love old iron for some mystical reason, but don't use it for other-directed, cheap-ass, phonyness, and the related chest-pounding. Can you tell that some people really take the fun out of it for us? Let's undertake a year of self-improvement.

WITHOUT MODERN PLATES, THIS COULDA BEEN THEN,TOO!