Good Guys Newsletter

[Ian K]

Saw a recent issue of the Good Guys newsletter/
magazine. Guess whose GT40 appears in a small
color photo covering a recent event:

Yep, Hershal Byrd's Titanium/Black RF!

Congrats again Hersh.

[gt40ford@juno.com]

Ian,

Why not? The car is awesome and he's a 'Good Guy".

Have fun!

John

[Hershal Byrd]

THANKS GUYS !
It's nice that you noticed. I've been into street roddin for so long it was hard not to go. My car was swamped all day. Everyone seemed to like it a lot. Made me feel good until this one guy and his wife came over. He said "Nice car is it a Kit?"
I smiled at him and said " It's a self assembled componant car from Australia."
He grins real wide and says loudly " Its a KIT"! I still maintain my big ole' friendly smile and asked him if he had a car on the the grounds. He anwered right away, "You bet, I own that 37 ford three window coupe over there." He point to his car and it was two rows over and it did look nice from what I could see. He commences to tell me about the Chassis was from Fat man and the body was from Downs fabricators. He went on for quite awhile with all the componants that he had bought to build his car. During a slight pause I asked, I don't believe Ford ever built a three window coupe in 37 did they"? He smiled back at be and says "nope, they sure didn't, That's called a Phantom body."
I look at him and say " so your car never existed and it has a fiberglass body with a custom built chassis, Hmmm, sounds like a KIT to me"! The smile quickly left his face. He and his wife quickly left the area.
Perhaps I was a little harsh on the guy but I couldn't help it. He acted as though a kit was something his ten yr old could have built. Generally you can tell when a person asks if it's a kit if he is sincere or just being a pain.
Someday the bad conotation will leave the industry. I hope soon. I remeber when hot rod was not a cool thing.

Hersh [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Scott]

excellent come back and so rightly deserved. Couldn't have said it better myself. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Bill Bayard]

Hersh,

As pretty, and well built as your car is, you should have told him that it was built in a very small factory in Phoenix, AZ!
Your garage!
By the way, did the 3 window coupe guy win any trophies? Probably not! The guy was just jealous after comparing your beautiful little rocket to his big white elephant!
Keep winning those trophies, and the critics will fall silent. Congrats on the first of what I hope are many wins!

Bill

[Ian K]

Yay Hersh, great reply! I don't think you
were too harsh.

I'm amazed at the number of rodders who
look down at "kit cars" because they
have composite bodies (which may or may
not replicate real cars) on custom tube
or modified stock frames, and include custom
machined components as well as donor
pieces, and almost always a donor Chevy or
Ford engine, regardless of what the "real"
car may have had, and yet they claim their
rods are something else, but have composite
bodies (which may or may not replicate real
cars) on custom tube or modified stock
frames, and include custom machined
components as well as donor pieces (can you
say Ford Mustang II suspension and Corvette
IRS!), and almost always a donor Chevy or
Ford engine, regardless of what the "real"
car may have had [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

Gee, look at the similarities [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Don't get me wrong, I think the rods are
awesome, and I know many rodders who don't
feel this way. And, many groups no longer
officially disdain "kits" since they have
realized a) the "kits" have improved immensely
in quality and b) they have realized that
many rods are fabricated in the same way these
days (since the number of original 30's
Ford and Willy's bodies has almost dwindled
to zero). Hence shows that are based on
body style not exact year (have to fit those
PT Cruisers and Prowlers in somehow).

Anyway, it was nice to see the Good Guy's mag
not mention the RF was a replica, but a '65
GT40.

You gonna go to Monterey? Did you manage to
sneak in some rides at Knott's?

Ian

[ April 30, 2003: Message edited by: Ian K ]