Well here we are folks, back home after a glorious hot rod excursion out in So-Cal that I, once again, was certainly not worthy of. A great time was had and the goal of being able to do this with my buddy Tom riding shot-gun with me at the wheel of his '29 A-V8 RPU was achieved. There was simply no better way to experience this great hot rod tradition for the first time and it may possibly go down as the best hot rod event I've ever been a part of... and I'm happy to say that that is against strong competition.
I will be writing more on the actual story behind my being able to attend this and what was involved in making it happen in a future post, but for now, and because I just re-read the PRC letter to participants and I think it is totally bitchin', I've found myself inspired to post a copy of this letter here for your entertainment. There are several things about it that I just love and I have a feeling you'll recognize them immediately. Mainly I admire the purity of vision that the newly revived club has of itself. They are absolutely in touch with what constitutes a traditional hot rod in the classic sense of the term, or at least how this is defined by southern California traditional hot rodding standards. It reminds me of the afternoon I spent with the great hot rodder Harold Johanson, now in his early 90s, who said to me when he recognized my enthusiasm for this kind of car and the culture that existed when these ruled the streets,"Boy oh boy, you would have enjoyed hot rodding."
This has stuck with me in a big way for a couple of reasons. For starters, it communicated to something that I'd been getting a sense of from the many "old timers" that I'd been lucky enough to be around, and that is; to them hot rodding started several years before the war and was dead and gone by sometime around 1952-53. And not only that, but the kind of car that they considered a legitimate hot rod was a stripped down roadster... and only a roadster. This was a car built of Ford parts, built on a budget and, although modified to at least double or even triple its original power output, it was everyday transportation, it was the pass to your social scene and your sport and, most importantly, not so purpose-built that it was an occasional-use toy. It was a vital component in your life, extension of yourself, and communicated something to fellow folks in "the know" loud and clear.... you were a hot rodder.
I hope you enjoy the following as much as I did;
Pasadena Roadster Club Reliability Run #10 Saturday May 2nd, 2009.
In October 2002, 57 years to the month after the Flyers club and Vellociteers club joined to form the Pasadena Roadster Club, the PRC was revitalized with the goals of building and using early-style hot rod roadsters, preserving Pasadena's hot rodding history, and re-establishing events hosted by the original club.
As part of this continuing hot rod tradition, the Pasadena Roadster Club is hosting its Reliability Run #10. This run, which will include a poker run along with a timed run, will start in Pasadena and follow a predetermined timed course ( standard time established by a PRC member driving a hot rod roadster.) It will include minimal city driving and lots of two-lane scenic rural roads, with some extreme changes in elevation, and end back at the starting point. It will happen "rain or shine".
Like the original, this run will be limited to open hot rods only, 1936 or earlier. We are also inviting old hot rodders who were involved with hot rodding in the Pasadena area in the 1930s thru the early 1950s to join us for a reunion at the finish line following the run. We are especially searching for cars and participants from the original reliability runs.
HOR ROD QUALIFICATION STANDARDS;
Participation in this run is by "invitation only" and is restricted to roadsters, roadster pick-ups, phaetons/tourings, modifieds and cabriolets, years 1936 and older. This event is intended for early '50s and earlier hot rods only. Hot rods with 1953-and-earlier running gear and equipment are emphasized and encouraged, although more modern components may be considered of the hot rod otherwise adheres to an immediate post WW2 style and appearance. Due to limited space, only 100 hot rods will be accepted, and the PRC reserves the right to reject any application at its sole discretion.
All entries are responsible for their hot rod being properly maintained and in safe operating condition, currently licensed and insured. ALL entrants will be required to obey all traffic laws at all times. We are able to hold this event ONLY with the co-operation of the Pasadena Police Dept. Irresponsible behavior ( speeding, burnouts, reckless driving ) will jeopardize the holding of future runs and will not be tolerated. Violators will be promptly removed from the run and will not be invited to or accepted for any future Pasadena Roadster Club events.
Well, I guess that says it all. Doesn't this sound like something you'd like to be a part of? I'm going to tag on a few photos to get us started. There are many more to come.
Enjoy!
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