I attended a car show on fri nite in Ridgewood NJ. The Chamber of
Commerce puts it on in the middle of town every year. I was trying to
hold a spot for my brother until an older couple in a new Vette, early
2000 year car got there 1st and moved my lawn chairs. Believe me, this
is the 1st time I ever tried to hold a spot for anyone. We usually
drive out together.
   The wife of the driver gave me some lip about everyone is always
taking and holding the spots. I should of told her, you are right and
they are usually corvette owners, it wasn't worth it since we would be
neighbors for the duration of the show. The fact was that the local
corvette club was holding a lot of spots, I guess they didn't have any
friends in the club to hold THEM one.
   My brother showed up in about 5 more minutes and I had him park on
the corner in front of me. I was in the stop sign box area. We had the
only 2 studes. I had the '63 Lark R-2 and my brother had his 1938
Commander Business Coupe with a 502 Chevy richmond 5 speed  in it. At
least we kept the studes together and they did go over well with the
spectators. Incidently, my brother also has a 1973 Vette with a 468 BBC
and plenty of aftermarket parts, so don't think we are anti vette,
just anti, some Vette owners, not all.
    I am always amazed at what they let into shows these days. There
seems to be no cut off dates on the cars. There are cars that are still
under warranty on display for crying out loud ! What is the big deal in
looking at that stuff. I had just lowered my car off the stands after
putting in my re-built trans and adjusting the shifter . I gave the car
a quick bath. loaded the trunk with stuff and a pile of old turning
wheels to give to a new friend that I met at a Cruise night in June. He
has a 1955 Champion coupe automatic that his dad left him. He was happy
as hell to meet a stude person. I've been giving him bundles of Turning
Wheels from my dad's estate. He is sucking up the info like a  sponge.
This was the last of them. He wasn't aware that there was anything like
Turning wheels or the club.
    I was able to get him to come to a zone meet in NJ in June as
well. He bought some parts and made some new contacts. I'm trying to
talk him into dumping the flathead and automatic and make it a V-8
stick car. Time will tell if I am sucessful .
     We went to the Old Daze Drags on sunday. I have some sort of a
fuel delivery problem. I ran with 3.07 gears and 235/60-15's . It
pulled strong in 1st and 2nd. It wouldn't pull more than 4000 RPM in
3rd so I short shifted 4th and ran 80 mph at 15.3. I then parked the
car and watched other people run. It was a good day anyway. I drove the
70 plus miles back and forth to the track and didn't break anything
that I am aware of at the moment.
   I was in the pre stage area next to some Jap Crap. I don't
understand why they are allowed to run when the meet invitation says
nothing newer than 1974. The honda next to me had only 3 lugs holding
on the RF wheel. I don't know who let that one pass tech.I mean that is
the driving wheel on a front drive car. it should have all 4 right ?
The ricer crowd is different for sure. I guess I will never be cool. I
can't spit like they do for one thing. I didn't spit on the ground once
all day. I could never produce that much excess saliva no matter how
hard I tried . If I took up chewing tobacco I still don't think I'll
ever be in their league, and I'll never try either.
   My 14 yr old son was with me and couldn't stand the sound of the
open exhaust Mazda on nitrous. I use that as a barometer that maybe I
might have a point in disliking the Jappers. Their cars are just plain
annoying as are some of the people they attract. There is a lot of drug
money in some of the street race cars that show up from the inner
cities at the track from time to time. Some of them like to run No-Time
on the windhield so that the score boards will not register their time
for the public to know. Car Craft staffers ran an article about some of
the street race activity across the country. They were not welcome in
the inner city NJ areas and they were made well aware of that fact.
    I ran the Honda on my only poor run. He beat me off the line. I
didn't realise at the time that he had red lighted . It is easy to beat
someone off the line when you leave before the green. Technically I won
the race. So what the car has some problems to be sorted out and it
even still hopped the wheels with the slapper bars I had made for it.
   Next time I'll have the 3.73's with the Moser axles in it. I still
haven't found a shop to remove the studs and seperate the hubs from the
drums for me.I had taken off the time from work to go to the PSMCD's .
I have the time and the money to go everything but a car that is sorted
out. The blower belt is slipping. I'm reading 3 lbs at best.  I'll
spend the time and money on getting the car sorted out. Going to the
PSMCD's will only get me upset watching without a car to run. Maybe
next May when they run their spring event I'll be there. Thanks for
reading this, Joe Flannery