The One That Didn't Get Away.

Was it a GTO or a VW Bug? Maybe it was just an old Chevette or Pinto. We all have our love stories.

Did you jump things with it? Did it faithfully get you to and from college every few weekends? 

In the early days, mine was a 1967 Firebird. It was baby blue and had a 455. There was also a 1951 Ford pickup with a flattie and a 3 on the tree.

About 12 years ago, I decided to end that cycle. I wanted a car that would never go away...until I did. 

I started from scratch, just a couple of frame rails and a cowl panel. After a while, I managed to get doors, quarters, a trunk lid, and a dash.

I contemplated engines. Should I go with an early Hemi or a Flathead? Maybe even a Buick Nailhead?

Eventually, I opted for dependability. I wanted to be able to drive the car everywhere (and I have done just that). It received a junkyard 350 at first. Then another. Then another. 

As with most hotrods, my friends helped me build it. A couple of years ago, my buddy Dan assembled a fresh 355 for me. It had an Eagle crank and rods, SpeedPro pistons, aluminum heads and a large-ish hydraulic cam, Along the way, I swapped intakes and carbs often. I opted for one four, two fours, three deuces and even a supercharger. Counter to my initial thoughts, I didn't like the blower. It didn't match the vibe of the car, which was supposed to be late 50s traditional.

Now, the hotrod is back to my favorite iteration, which is an early tri-power carb setup. 

I can't imagine the hotrod will remain the same for terribly long. It's my child and it continues to grow and become even closer to perfect...for the moment.

Ya know, it's never too late to find the one that got away. Even if it's gone forever, build one that's just like it...or like you always wanted. See you out there on the road!


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