When I was about 8, my granddad built dirt and asphalt cars for a local wrecking yard. There were several small tracks within reasonable driving range in those days. I remember playing in the cars and watching him work on the engines. He wasn't much into street hot rodding, but it wasn't unusual for him to swap engines. I think he had a pickup with a 472 Cad engine just because he needed a truck.

I can't remember when I started reading car mags and building models, but it had to be around 10 or 11. I remember drooling over the muscle cars of the late 60's and early 70's. American Graffiti and The California Kid movies got me interested in traditional hot rods.