Let me explain.
My dad has spent the majority of his life building cars. It's a hobby that started in his teens and growing up, I spent many hours with him and his car buddies in one garage or another. I also spent quite a bit of time cruising in one of his street rods to various car events (both local and national).
The sort of cars he builds are known as 'street rods' (or 'hot rods' but I won't get in to splitting hairs on the terminology). My dad has told me many times the biggest insult you can say to a street rod guy is to ask him if he's got a 'kit car' (i.e., buy all the pieces of the car at once and bolt it together). Street rods are typically built from various parts scoured from junkyards far and wide (now parts are more easily found on eBay but in the old days he visited junkyards all over the Northeast) with lots of ingenuity and craftsmanship put in to the final product that usually takes years to build.
Street rods, as opposed to antique cars, aren't built with accurate restoration in mind though. Basically a street rod is the body of an old car but under the hood is the latest in engine technology and typically, serious horsepower. And power windows, air conditioning and a whole lot of customized finish work and paint jobs on par with specialty motorcycles seen on the popular Orange County Choppers reality show (although I've never seen the sort of drama in any garage of my dad's or his buddy's like I've seen on that show) are commonly found in modern day street rods.
A lot of guys build their own street rods and many barter work with others depending on their particular skill set (my dad's a welder by trade so he often helps his buddies with body work). And many times, as soon as a car is road-worthy (i.e., has an engine that runs), it's out and about to enjoy the street rod cruising community. It often takes years to track down all the parts to fully complete the building of a single car (most guys who build street rods have full time jobs and work on their cars when they can). An unfinished street rod is often referred to as a 'rat rod' (a street rod in progress) and much discussion usually ensues with the guys when they get together about the best way to finish the car. (Anyone who says women talk a lot has not met a group of car guys!)
It seems every night from June to September my dad is driving his '32 Ford coupe to a "Cruise Night." These are events hosted by a local business that invites street rods to hang out in the parking lot for a few hours. My dad and his buddies usually travel in a multi-car pack to various Cruise Nights and set up their cars for others to admire. It brings customers to the business (usually a burger or ice cream joint) and the guys have a chance to socialize and talk about cars all night.
Cruise Nights are open to the public and a great (and free) way for kids with an interest in cars and engines to see them up close.
But I have to note: Ask permission before ever touching a guy's street rod because some guys are very particular about their baby (I mean, car).
Here's a sampling of Cruise Nights being hosted this month in Maine. You can find a more comprehensive listing at www.hotkarz.com.
Mondays
Sebago Classic Car Nights
29 Elm Street, Gorham
Every Monday in August
5:00pm - 8:00pm
Topsham Fair Mall
Rte 196, Topsham
May 11-September
5:00pm - 8:00pm
Tuesdays
Cumberland House of Pizza
Route 100, West Cumberland
June 2-September 22
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Roy's All Steak Hamburger
Route 4, Auburn
May - September
5:00pm - 8:30pm
Wednesdays
Beef & Ski
Route 302, Bridgton
May 20 - September
6pm - 8pm
Thursdays
TJ's Pizza
Elm Street Rt 1, Biddeford
Late April - September
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Gifford's Ice Cream
Minot Ave, Auburn
6:00pm-8:00pm
Saturdays
Hodgeman's Frozen Custard
Rt 100, New Gloucester
2nd & 4th Saturday June - August
6:00pm-8:00pm
My dad usually meets up with his buddies at one of their garages before heading out for a Cruise Night. His friend Don has an impressive collection of antique garage memorabilia and gas pumps.
A few of my dad's cars through the years...
I drove this '46 Chevy truck to the Hot Rod Nationals in Ohio when I was 19. Dad had just finished restoring the car and wanted to sell it. Always up for a traveling adventure I eagerly agreed to help him out.
I drew the flames on this '48 Ford when I was 15 or 16. My father was a brave soul to trust a teenager for that job.
This was the first car I remember riding in that my dad built - a T-bucket roadster. My dad, mom, brother and I squeezed in to this car and actually drove down to the Cape one summer. "Never again" was something I heard a lot from my mother after that trip.
And his granddaughters have been visiting his garage since they were little.
I took some video of my dad's current street rod, a '32 Ford coupe, to demonstrate that a street rod is no antique car. I think the radar detector might be the first giveaway.
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