Hotrod and custom clubs. Past, present and future.

rx4ord · Post by **rx4ord** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:47 pm

Was a member of a club in the 70's in Tassie with Andy Morris. All old buggers now. Am a member of Rumblers in Tassie and the famous Ozerodders.I now know more rodders in mainland Australia than I do in Tassie. Rumblers motto is "If you aren't having fun piss off" Better pay my dues I suppose. Dave

GlenC · Post by **GlenC** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:41 pm

I used to hang around the Ashfield Town Hall in Sydney in the early 60's and tag along to the Shifters meetings there. I was 15, still at school and used to walk to the hall from Croydon Park.

In February 1966 I bought my first car, a 41 Willys sedan, and started hanging around the other car nuts at the Melrose St Auto Port Shell garage in Campsie, owned at the time by Warwick Purcell and his wife Jenny, and Dennis Purcell was the mechanic. In 1967 we decided to form a rod and custom club, and so The Phantoms was born.

I started building a 28 Essex coupe on 34 Ford rails, and the club built a D/A Fiat coupe powered by a hot grey motor. The club finally folded in the late 60's when a prolonged fuel strike forced the closure of the garage. I'd sold the Willys and the Essex by this time, and was driving an E100 Ford Prefect!

I dropped out of rodding completely, except for inside my head, until the early 80's when I joined Easystreet on the Central Coast of NSW where I was now living. I was building a Model A woodie at this time, but was froced to sell it durin g the high interest rate period of the mid 80's. A rift in the club about this time over customs being allowed to join saw the formation of the Central Coast Rodders, and I was a foundation member, and member of the club until I sold my E493A Prefect project and moved my family to The Gold Coast in 1991.

I haven't been a member of a club since, although I did organise a rod show at Pacific Fair shopping centre for either the Qld Nationals or Indy in about '92, and I've been to a couple of Gold Coast Rod Club meetings, mainly to discuss my efforts to get a motorsports precinct going on the Coast.

One of these days I'll sort my memories out and tell the story of the Phantoms Club D/A car, it was a lot of fun!

Cheers, Glen.

Ray McDonald · Post by **Ray McDonald** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:27 am

I was a member of the Thunderbirds from 1965 through to 1975, still have a lot of friends from that period, club moved from the the northern side of Melbourne over to the east and NSSR was formed and have been a member since.

From the club web site:

The Northern Suburbs Street Rod Club Inc held its first official club meeting at Maintengoon Road, Bonnie Doon, Victoria on 1st January, 1978. Present were Maury Stevens (active life member) Laurie Dunn, Rob Lowe, Noel Collinson and Allan Renfree.

The founding members formed the club because there was no hot rod club based on the northern side of Melbourne at that time. The club meetings were initially held at the Coburg residence of Maury Stevens. Since its inception the NSSR has been an affiliated club of the Australian Street Rod Federation abiding by its charter.

The aim of the club is to promote and foster the interest of street/hot rodding in Victoria and Australia. To practice and promote safe driving and responsible road safety. To assist in the enhancement of public opinion of street rodding. To assist and encourage participation in charitable organizations.

In 1985 the membership initiated the 1st Muscle Car Expo car show held in November in conjunction with the Broadmeadows festival at the Broadmeadows Town Hall. The show ran in Broadmeadows for 3 years and transferred to the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds and ran for 3 more years.

Due to the expense in holding a car show the club decided to investigate organising a Rod Run. The beautiful north eastern Victorian Alpine country township of Bright was decided upon and planning started for the first Bright Rod Run to be held in November 1991. The initial response from other rodders was excellent with 128 registered participants. Heading toward the 20th year (2010) of the Bright Rod Run entry numbers are near to 1000

Through our journey we have been fortunate to be able to present to charitable organizations in both Melbourne and the Bright Shire in excess of $200,000.

There are 35 members now in the club.

Ray

Oldcol · Post by **Oldcol** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:54 am

G'day Ray , so what ever happened to Alan Renfree ?.....haven't heard of him for years....

Ray McDonald · Post by **Ray McDonald** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:37 am

Hi Col, great article in International Hot Rodding Mag.
I personally haven't spoken to Allan for maybe 15+ years, Maury hears from him every so often. From what I know still has a 32 roadster and living in Lancefield, had a nursery up there.

Rob Lowe is rodding in Canada, Noel Collinson got into Speedway.

Ray

angliadon · Post by **angliadon** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:31 pm

I was a member of East Coast Van Club Sydney in the 70`s and Ulysses Bike Club last 17 years. Been a member of Northern District Rodders in Brisbane for last 3 years,the club was formed in 1976 and currently has about 50 members.Also a member of OER for 2 years and it was great to meet everyone at Goulburn Nats.

Oldcol · Post by **Oldcol** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:36 pm

Thanks Ray ,think I first met Alan in about 1969 when he brought his A tub to Preston Motors where I worked , to get a RWC for it when he was selling it to Sultan's member Dean Emmerson .......later on I did a few jobs for him when I first opened the hotrod business but I haven't seen or heard from him since. Good to hear he's still got a '32.....cheers.....

FRANK BASILE · Post by **FRANK BASILE** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 1:05 pm

Do you know where the tub is now Col? I remember the Sultans working bee when the chassis was swapped reg plate was KUT XXX?
Frank.

Oldcol · Post by **Oldcol** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 1:22 pm

No idea Frank , it got split up and sold off after the "incident"....Leech'y might know,or the Eames'.....(saw him at the Manhattan show last week).....still the same old Eames

rowie · Post by **rowie** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 2:55 pm

When I brought my 52 Dodge sedan I also joined the Chrysler restorers club (of Vic) as I thought this was a good thing to do, and it was/is. There are some great guys there with some fantastic ideas. But my world was totally thrown on it's head the day I looked into repowering the 36 after she came home and I found this forum and the Ozerodders club.

I have never come across a greater bunch of people, open and freely giving in advice and friendship.

Oldcol · Post by **Oldcol** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:21 pm

rowie wrote:...... and I found this forum and the Ozerodders club.
I have never come across a greater bunch of people.....

Jeez Rowie...you need to get out more.......

rowie · Post by **rowie** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:00 pm

Oldcol wrote:
rowie wrote:...... and I found this forum and the Ozerodders club.
I have never come across a greater bunch of people.....
Jeez Rowie...you need to get out more.......

That was never in question Col

Unique35 · Post by **Unique35** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 10:51 pm

Hi Guys, I started in the Dragslicks Hot Rod Club in Windsor NSW, some time in the 60's later changed the name to Crusaders and it folded just after for some reason, got into drag racing at Castlreagh but never seriously I bought a Mk111 Zephyr from Ash Marshall's yard with a real Bill Warner 283 Corvette Motor & T10 4 Speed, man that car could run I learnt a lot from that car, from the outside Pola white 6' rims a real sleeper, We moved to Castle Hill in 1970 and heard about a club in Westmead called the Bent 8's and was promptly told by Bob Bowman that they did'nt want "Sleepers" in the club it was for Street Rods only it was then that Roy Jones just happened to have a T Bucket Chassis for sale, so I bought it and I was a "Hot Rodder" eventually pulled the motor & trans out of the Zephyr and with the purchase of the Aust Hot Rodding Review Project "Build a Hot Rod" Body we were away I spent many years in the Bent8's formed great friends, however they did'nt go to rod runs and I found that I had more friends outside the club and I joined the Drag-ens Street Rod Club we did many great miles as a group with the 3rd Nationals in Narranderra a group of us had planned a road trip to Adelaide
the friendships that were created then are still very much alive today, however with marriage comes houses, committments, handbrakes came on and had to dropout for a while but still kept the T pickup, Eventually joined the Macquarie Towns Hot Rod Club which is the greatest bunch of people that you could meet and have been with them for over 22years a very positive club as we have our own club house on the Hawkesbury Showgrounds we meet 2nd & 4th Wednesdays and we cater for 2 major events a year Hawkesbury Show & All Holden Day we have been told that our prices are reasonable and the food is great. I have 3 Hot Rods the Original T still with the same 283 but now its +60 over, 1936 Ford Utility with 350 Chev & T10 box my everyday Sign-workshop truck and the Orange 35 Tudor with 350/350/8" yes the one at Valla in the current mags, and building a 1936 Fordor Flat back with 305/700/jag that seems to be turning back to rust everytime I walk by. Well thats my story I have been in rodding for 45 years been to places that I would'nt have been to otherwise made heaps of friends & acquaintances and learned to live by my own motto "Put your hand up and see were it takes you". I am also starting out on a new path as a Cub Scout Leader, also the Deputy President of the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Society & Hawkesbury Show (was President 2001-2004) regards Garry

ripper · Post by **ripper** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:15 pm

First club I joined was West Coast Street Rod Club (Inc.) in early 90s (?) Joined the ASRF at the same time. I lived 140 kms from the club house and drove my rodded Chevy ute to most meetings...even when they shifted it to a Sunday night. Moved 4 hours drive south so didn't renew some 5 or so years ago. Its the oldest club in WA formed in 1965.

Still a member of the ASRF, member of Oz-E-Rodders from the time it started, or a month or two later.
About 3 months ago a few of us formed a new club called The Relics Rod & Kustom Club (Inc.)

Relics cos thats what we are and what we drive

Only three or so months old, few growing pangs here and there. May have to revise the constitution a little, get every one on the same page at the same pace...nothing new to any club

Have strong beliefs that if people stick together & stick to the rules they can do just about anything. Clubs aren't for everyone, but another opinionated view (of mine) is some people have had bad experiences (no fault of their own) with clubs, others just didn't get their way and spat it. Both angles generate the phrase "Clubs are too political"

Get more than one person anywhere debating any topic and you have politics, thats what politics is!
For those who have had bad experinces with clubs thru no fault of their own, I'd sugges they were either dealing with a pack of pricks or a bunch of guys with an improperly set up and run club. If a club can make sure evryone sets the rules, everyone ensures the rules are simple, everyone knows the rules, everyone can keep the rules its all simple as the logic behind the fork

Of course then again some folk can rightly say the world was a perfect place til the humans got in

If you get it right, clubs are absolutely brilliant...so far so good for me

Cool 32 · Post by **Cool 32** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 12:38 am

Joined the Ramrods Hot Rod Club in 74 then joined Bay Area Street Rods in 81 before moving to Perth in 98 and joined West Coast Street Rod Club in 2003. Been to some great places and met some fantastic people that this sport/hobby provides. Only just yesterday I met up with Jan Evans (Dawson) she is here in Perth with hubby Joe on a round Australia caravan holiday, we hadn't seen each other for near 15 years at Valla Park and having known her for probably 30 years it was awsome to catch up. Rodding friendships are just the best!