Hey Buddy, Can You Spare $8,000?
I'll Gladly Pay You Tuesday

Another Great Tale -- by the "T-Man"

Well one day, Tman and his good friend Stan were sitting around on Brightwood Drive sucking on some iced tea made by Stan’s wife, Miss Paula (we got mighty hot mowing those lawns and Miss P made good tea). Stan says to no one in particular, we need to get us a hot rod. Now you have to understand, Stan owned a 52 Plymouth convertible that he let his older son drive to high school but that car could by no stretch of the imagination be called a hot rod…

Any way, to carry on, Tman says “right on” and we begin the hunt. Now the story has many twists and turns including three guys in one motel room in East Texas and several false alarms but I think those stories are best left to Stan to relate. Tman gets the bug, studies up on the right way to go to the auctions such as the Austin ISCA, New Braunfels Brooks/ Kruse, Pate and Canton. But on the fateful day of this tale, Tman has spotted an advertisement for a small local auction to be held at the Joe Freeman Coliseum in San Antone,  70 miles down the road. He invites Stan to accompany him. Well always game to ride, off the two friends go.

Now the auction is just as advertised, not more than 75 cars - but some good quality. Tman takes his letter of credit from the bank and goes to the registrar’s table for credentials. This was before you could plop down your NCNB credit card and get recognized for your $40,000 credit line. Stan wanders around looking at cars.

There are a  couple of 57 ‘Birds, a street rod 47 Ford and a killer 40 Pontiac Street rod/ Low Rider from California complete with mural. Some antique model A’s that were being sold by widows and miscellaneous other Muscle Cars. As we strolled the place looking and waiting for the auction to start, we kept coming back to a sweet little 55 tudor Bel Air. Now, this is not a car that has attracted either Stan or Tman in the past. It was not a shoebox Ford nor was it the Street rod of dreams but you could tell it was nice. 265, twin smitty mufflers, Pglide, nice interior and RESALE RED and white as Stan said.

The story we got was that it had been passed around by members of the San Antonio Classic Chevy Club with each successive owner adding and improving the little car.

The auction starts and we stroll up and take some seats on the front row. Several cars go thru and the prices are right due to the lack of a crowd. The Birds don’t fly and the Pontiac goes for $6000.00 leaving its poor owner and his wife and baby crying either at losing the car or having to give it away! Then up comes the ’55.

I’m anxious to see what its going to go for and eagerly awaiting the bidding. It starts! $5000, $5500, $6000. I look around for the bidders and about this time figure out STAN is nodding his head and maybe waving his finger at every other jump in price!!! My god, he is actually bidding! My Breath gets short and I’m really excited! $6500, $7000, $7250, will somebody give me $7500? And Stan does! The bidding closes and he turns to me and says “Hey Buddy can you loan me $8000.00? I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday!

And that’s how we got the first hot rod on Brightwood Drive....

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