Thread: What goes around comes around

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Funny. Back in 1959, when I was 16 years old, I had a 1949 Merc. It was not a radical custom, just nosed and decked. But, it had lake pipes (that were hooked up to the exhaust). The hub caps were Lancers. The spotlights were real Appleton teardrops and they were hooked up and worked. All of the interior window sills were chrome plated along with other interior parts(such as the heater cover). Full laminated blue and white teardrop dash knobs. White and blue Naugahyde upholstery. Silver blue paint. It had the original Merc flathead engine V8.

Now, I am many more years down the line. When I go to car shows I see cars that have all of these same attributes. I could have sealed that car in plastic and brought it out last week and it would fit right in.

I am sorry that I took only one photo of that car. (See avatar.)

If anyone has heard of an old hot rodder by the name of Dick Courtney I have a story. Dick and I worked on the same asphalt paving crew. On one job we were at a local school doing some patch paving. There was a dirt athletic track on that campus. Well, Dick often went to Ascot Stadium to watch the races. My Merc was backing off when I slowed down and Dick said that it was probably retarded timing so we advanced the timing a little. Dick then said he needs to drive it to see if we got it right. We got in the car, Dick was driving, and he proceeded to drive around the dirt track. He then gave it more throttle until we were sliding around the curves with the wheels turned out. Needless to say Dick had a great time while scaring the heck out of me.

Frank Curry, the founder of Curry Enterprises, was a friend of Dick's back in their high school days (late 1940's) when Dick built his first '32 High Boy. I recall meeting Frank Curry when he was with Dick back in the 1950's. I was recently at the Fabulous Fords Forever Car Show in Buena Park, CA and to my surprise there was a nice '32 High Boy on display. It is Frank Curry's.

Cool post, Verl, you might even say that's what some of us affectionately and lovingly (not the same thing) call Old Skool! To see it still around and appreciated at Shows, Cruises and Runs really feels good don't it? I just gotta ask "what did you have hanging on the rear view of the Merc?"
meller

Originally Posted by MelloYello

Cool post, Verl, you might even say that's what some of us affectionately and lovingly (not the same thing) call Old Skool! To see it still around and appreciated at Shows, Cruises and Runs really feels good don't it? I just gotta ask "what did you have hanging on the rear view of the Merc?"
meller

Hanging from the rear view mirror. I think it was a pair of fuzzy dice. Until they fell apart from the sun.

Didn't we all?

I know I did!

Our 56 Olds did!

Great reminiscence Verl, that was a magical time in SoCal. My first car was a '51 Merc tudor, not nearly as sharp as yours, but still stirs fondness.
Your dash knob comment tickled a memory. In 1960, junior high in the Valley (SF not SG) we had shop class as one of our mandatory sessions. Along with making telegraph sets that taught basic electrical theory, how to wind a coil, use a router, and so on, we laminated plexiglas in multi color layers, cut to shape (yep, tear drop) and then polished to a high shine. Learned gluing, clamping, how to safely use a band saw, drill press, taps, sanders, and buffers. Simple things, but such value for life.

Great reminiscing there, Verl. It always brings a smile to me to think of the things we did back in our youth. I had a '51 Ford 2 door, got it in '58 when we lived in Twentynine Palms, and ran around the whole SoCal area - lived in Azusa from '55' to '58, and then became a Desert Rat. I don't know why I can't find any pictures of any of my cars; I know some were made, but they don't seem to have been as important as kids and people, and are sadly among the missing.

When you mentioned the plexi knobs, that, too, gave me a twinge. I loved shop classes - all of them, and filled as much of my time with them as I could. Like Bob says, those things we learned in those classes set the basis for much of what we can do today. I have been inactive in the hobby, except for hanging around some forums like this one, for a few years, now - sold my '59 Chevy when we moved a few years ago. But of late, I have had a "jones" for another car to play with, and have been seeking the right early fifties item, actually thinking on another '51. Perhaps not a practical idea, as I am so banged up I can hardly ambulate, but the desire is still there, founded in the shop classes of Citrus, Azusa, and Twentynine Palms High Schools in the mid/late fifties.