. . . . . . . and the law won.

Jer

[lesmore49]

Les, I'm sure it has a flathead; I just noticed that the license says "51" so it probably was a '50 or '51. In the '60s, I had a good friend who owned a '50 Mercury - 3-spd manual (Hurst Mystery Shifter) with a flathead - maroon and very cool.

Jer

When I was a kid (10-12) in the late '50's, 1960... an older man (in his 80's) used to rent out a garage on our back lane. He had a '50 or '51 Meteor, which was a Canadian market Ford. Similar to your picture of the police car in looks.

His car was in showroom condition, just meticulously maintained by it's owner. He had souped it up. I recall him telling me it had Smithy mufflers (great V8 rumble), 3/4 race cam, twin carbs and he had milled the heads for greater compression. He was a retired mechanic and was originally from the states. I was a young car enthusiast and started talking to him about his car on a regular basis.

I learned an awful lot about performance cars from him and we used to have lengthy conversations. He wasn't in good health and only lived a few years after I met him. I have fond memories of our conversations . Great guy.

His old Meteor went to his son, who was had recently graduated as a Dentist and he traded the Meteor in on new '66 Mustang. I don't know where the Meteor went from there.

Les

[Sailor]

When I was a kid (10-12) in the late '50's, 1960... an older man (in his 80's) used to rent out a garage on our back lane. He had a '50 or '51 Meteor, which was a Canadian market Ford. Similar to your picture of the police car in looks.

His car was in showroom condition, just meticulously maintained by it's owner. He had souped it up. I recall him telling me it had Smithy mufflers (great V8 rumble), 3/4 race cam, twin carbs and he had milled the heads for greater compression. He was a retired mechanic and was originally from the states. I was a young car enthusiast and started talking to him about his car on a regular basis.

I learned an awful lot about performance cars from him and we used to have lengthy conversations. He wasn't in good health and only lived a few years after I met him. I have fond memories of our conversations . Great guy.

His old Meteor went to his son, who was had recently graduated as a Dentist and he traded the Meteor in on new '66 Mustang. I don't know where the Meteor went from there.

Les

Your interesting comments - and our talk about Fords and Mercurys - remind me of a couple of songs. The first is called "The Hot Rod Race", in which a Merc and Ford race in southern California in the early '50s; both got passed by a "kid in a hopped-up model A . . . . just a hopped-up model A". The sequel is Commander Cody's famous Hot Rod Lincoln, which describes the fate of the kid in "that model A." That kid heard his dad tell him", lookie here son you're gonna drive me to drinkin' if you don't stop drivin' that Hot Rod Lincoln."

Jer

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[lesmore49]

Your interesting comments - and our talk about Fords and Mercurys - remind me of a couple of songs. The first is called "The Hot Rod Race", in which a Merc and Ford race in southern California in the early '50s; both got passed by a "kid in a hopped-up model A . . . . just a hopped-up model A". The sequel is Commander Cody's famous Hot Rod Lincoln, which describes the fate of the kid in "that model A." That kid heard his dad tell him", lookie here son you're gonna drive me to drinkin' if you don't stop drivin' that Hot Rod Lincoln."

Jer


Hot Rod Race Jimmie Dolan with Lyrics - YouTube

Hot Rod Lincoln Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen with Lyrics - YouTube

Jer,

Some great car songs and a pleasure to listen to.

One of my favourite car songs was The Beachboys.... '409'. I don't have a four speed, dual-quad, positraction four-oh-nine..in my garage, but I do have a pair of 409 valve covers mounted on my garage wall, that I bought at a swap meet for not much, some years ago. They're pretty beat up and I understand they were off of a highway transport '65 Chevy truck...C80...that used to make freight runs for a local trucking company in Western Canada. So no 'Dyno Don Nicholson' race provenance with my examples.

Listening to the songs you linked, reminded me of a story an older relative told me. In the early '50's in a small prairie city , a friend of his wanted to get a motorcycle, and it had to be fast, fast enough to out run another buddy's '53 Ford, flathead V8. They went to a motorcycle dealership and he first took out a 500cc (30.5 cubic inches) English bike, that was more of a luxury ride , without much in the way of sporting pretensions. They lined up on the highway and took off. The Ford pulled away quite readily.

Back to the bike dealer, but this time around, the potential customer took out a used Indian Chief...1300cc (80 cubes)...and the group went back to the isolated highway. Once more into the fray... but this time the Indian Chief and the Ford flathead V8, lined up and launched. Different result...my uncle explained ...the Indian Chief just walked away. As the hot rodders say, you can't beat cubic inches, unless of course it's cubic money.

Somehow, I think early rock & roll has an undeniable link to early hot rodding.

Les

[Tonytee]

This is the way I remember that tune. " I looked in the mirror, red lights were blinkin, the cops were chasing my Hot Rod Lincoln." My word. I really am over the hill.

TT

[Sailor]

Jer,

Some great car songs and a pleasure to listen to.

One of my favourite car songs was The Beachboys.... '409'. I don't have a four speed, dual-quad, positraction four-oh-nine..in my garage, but I do have a pair of 409 valve covers mounted on my garage wall, that I bought at a swap meet for not much, some years ago. They're pretty beat up and I understand they were off of a highway transport '65 Chevy truck...C80...that used to make freight runs for a local trucking company in Western Canada. So no 'Dyno Don Nicholson' race provenance with my examples.

Listening to the songs you linked, reminded me of a story an older relative told me. In the early '50's in a small prairie city , a friend of his wanted to get a motorcycle, and it had to be fast, fast enough to out run another buddy's '53 Ford, flathead V8. They went to a motorcycle dealership and he first took out a 500cc (30.5 cubic inches) English bike, that was more of a luxury ride , without much in the way of sporting pretensions. They lined up on the highway and took off. The Ford pulled away quite readily.

Back to the bike dealer, but this time around, the potential customer took out a used Indian Chief...1300cc (80 cubes)...and the group went back to the isolated highway. Once more into the fray... but this time the Indian Chief and the Ford flathead V8, lined up and launched. Different result...my uncle explained ...the Indian Chief just walked away. As the hot rodders say, you can't beat cubic inches, unless of course it's cubic money.

Somehow, I think early rock & roll has an undeniable link to early hot rodding.

Les

Great story, Les! Even though I've always focused my musical attention on jazz, I'm also a sucker for car songs, my favorites being 409, Hey Little Cobra, and Little Old Lady from Pasadena.

Jer

This is the way I remember that tune. " I looked in the mirror, red lights were blinkin, the cops were chasing my Hot Rod Lincoln." My word. I really am over the hill.

TT

Naw, Tony, you're right in your prime.

Jer

[pichaser]

My dad had a '51 merc. with the flat head v-8 and overdrive . That car survived a baseball sized hail storm with no body damage ! we were parked and drove past several cars with smashed windshields . Your great photo brought back memories.

[wtlwdwgn]

Boy, you in a heap o' trouble!

[Sailor]

My dad had a '51 merc. with the flat head v-8 and overdrive . That car survived a baseball sized hail storm with no body damage ! we were parked and drove past several cars with smashed windshields . Your great photo brought back memories.

Thanks much for the kind words, and I'm happy to bring back some memories!

Jer

Boy, you in a heap o' trouble!

Perfect, Steve! Wish I'd thought of that when I came up with title!

Jer