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Al Consoli (aka EZRodder) [ View ] [ consoli@enter.net ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ] Bernville, Pennsylvannia

I made the mistake of drinking some coffee late last night, and then I couldn't fall asleep. Then I decided to get up and turn on the TV. Falling asleep in front of the TV usually works every time.......BUT the movie "American Graffiti"was on. I hadn't seen it in a long, long time so I stayed up to 3:30AM. Man, I wish I had every car in that movie!!!!!

Comments

Posted by Starfire  -  03/11/2008 12:10 PM Don't we all! Script wise American Graffiti bordered on being a bit lame, but it did pretty much illustrate the nature of the times across much of America. Cruising the main drags and hanging out at the burger joints in one's town was a way of life on Friday and Saturday nights. It was indeed a much more simple and fun life than what we have come to be. Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas   Posted by cr55  -  03/11/2008 12:11 PM Al, I'm right there with you!!!! I quit drinking coffee a few years ago and if I have any caffeine now I'm guaranteed to stay up all night. Is your better half like mine and ask you why do you watch the same movies over and over? I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware   Posted by Starfire  -  03/11/2008 12:16 PM Isn't watching the same movies over and over reflective of the fact so few movies made over the last 20 years are really not worth watching even the first time? Kinda like what has happened to music. Makes little difference what kind of music you might prefer there are few inspired song writers that produce anything anyone really wants to hear. Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas   Posted by cr55  -  03/11/2008 12:30 PM Your exactly right about the quaity of movies and music. I like graffiti because it was a simpler life and times. Now everyone is in a hellfire rush! I grew up during the muscle car era. I wouldn't trade that time for any other!!!!! I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware   Posted by Starfire  -  03/11/2008 01:12 PM I know of few which would trade that time for any other, having been a teenager in the '50s. That "simpler life" is exactly why we chose after years of having lived in major cities to move to the country on retirement. We live nine miles from each of two small towns where the worst it gets is a three or four car traffic jam at one or the other of the two electric traffic signals. Everyone is extremely friendly, young and old, and few get a wedgie over having to wait for someone else to be checked out at the grocery stores or the local Wally-World. It's just about as close to the way things were fifty years ago as one can get, yet has all the modern conveniences one could want or need. Some of the kids around here customize their cars or pickups and the thump and roar of a healthy engine is frequently heard on the streets. Nice to know America is still alive and well once one gets away from the plastic world of the cities. Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas   Posted by cr55  -  03/11/2008 01:19 PM well said! Unfortunatly I live close to a rapidly growing town. I'm still out in the sticks but not for long. I wish more Kids would try the hot rod thing. Not to many young Rodders here. I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware   Posted by EZRodder  -  03/11/2008 01:23 PM Yeh, the script is lame, but somehow it is real, and in many ways a classic. I can imagine the same story in my town, when I was young, and probably thousands of others too. The only difference is that our cars weren't quite that cool..... Yes, CR.....the wife asks me that every time a Clint Eastwood or John Wayne western is on or "The Great Escape" (my all time favorite movie). I just remind her that she's seen "Father of the Bride" more....LOL !! EZRodder [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Bernville, Pennsylvannia   Posted by orphans2  -  03/11/2008 01:28 PM Al, good thing you are in the business you are in, otherwise you'd probably be head down on the desk right about now. LOL. I too, stay up late watching a movie that I know I should have never gotten interested in. I have even turned the tv off, gone to bed, and then gotten back up to watch to the end. Man is that sick or what. LOL Starfire, I beg to differ. There are a lot of good movies made in the last twenty years well worth watching more than once. There are also a lot of trash made that isn't even worth releasing from a studio. As far as music is concern, my tastes have changed over the years and while I admit the pop/rock culture has sunk to extreme lows, I can not say the same about country music. Some of it is poor, but the singers/song writers that I listen to are as good today as they were when they started out, maybe better. Artists like Alan Jackson, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride and a few others will always be worth a listen. Their music is as good as anything that has come out of C&W over the last 50 years. Just my .02 orphans2 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Stewartstown, Pennsylvannia Charter Member since November 2001   Posted by Starfire  -  03/11/2008 01:40 PM I'm afraid most of our cars back then looked more like a work in continual progress rather than being like the cars in American Graffiti. I recall what I thought was the neatest car in town being a very rough looking 32 Ford 5 window coupe that belonged to a classmate. That rascal had what started out as a 324 c.i. olds bored to the max with eight Stromberg 97's sitting on top of Offy log manifolds. Tranny was a 37 LaSalle (baby Cadillac). That baby could peg the 80 mph speedometer without ever getting out of first gear. Wasn't anything on 4 tires within 100 miles that could touch it. Now that was real hot rodding as God intended it to be......... (grin) Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas   Posted by cr55  -  03/11/2008 01:44 PM sometimes thinking back to the good times we tend to forget some of the not so good times. But I wouldn't trade it for any time! I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware   Posted by Starfire  -  03/11/2008 02:15 PM Yup Robert those C&W performers you mentioned have turned out some great music and they are also wonderful performers. No one has ever given an audience more for their money than Garth and Reba. But, like most of us even they are now getting a few years on them and I'm sure there are those among C&W fans that consider them "dated." Well maybe not Garth. For me when it comes to C&W it's hard not to consider Patsy Cline, Marty Robbins, Conway Twitty, George Jones and so many more from that era it makes for a list too long to include here the greatest. Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas   Posted by blksheep  -  03/11/2008 02:52 PM American Graffiti grossed $115,000,000. (U.S. alone) on a $775,000. budget. Scripting,.....lame??? Maybe, but, remembering my high school days, it's the way it was. EVERY upstate N.Y. H.S. kid dreamed of the chance to pull up along side that '62 Corvette that ran the streets of Schenectady on the weekends. Regardless of winning or not, just runnin that car gave you a life time of stories to tell. The driver of the Vette,.....a young girl by the name of Shirley Cha Cha Muldowney. blksheep...And NO,...I never did...in Charlotte blksheep [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Charlotte, North Carolina   Posted by MOREorless  -  03/11/2008 03:03 PM I have coffee anytime I want it. Makes no difference to me. I sleep for six hours no matter what time I go to bed. Movies: Why do we watch so many of the old ones? Because AMC and TCM keep showing the same old ones over and over! I would like to buy them each a blockbuster card! It really burns me to pay for cable tv and they keep showing the same movies. I recently went back to our local library they have free movies, just check them out like a book. They are pretty recent up to two year old movies and on dvd. As I haven't been to see a movie at a theater in years, its a deal. The last movie I went to see the sound about blew me out of the theater. I asked them to turn it down. They said they would, but I couldn't tell the difference. I'll never go back. MOREorless [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] DEARBORN, Michigan   Posted by cr55  -  03/11/2008 03:09 PM it's hard for my kids to understand the fun we had back then. Cruising all night thru the local handouts on a tank of hi-test that only cost .32 a gallon for me. Plenty of street racing and no houses or business's on the road. I had a 65gto and my buddy had a 66belvidere. Gee now I feel really old, I think I need a nap now! I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware   Posted by cr55  -  03/11/2008 03:12 PM wow all this got started because Al drank too much coffee!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware   Posted by MOREorless  -  03/11/2008 03:14 PM When I was in high school 54-57 there were some pretty cool cars at the school. We had a 55 minute lunch time. The guys would constantly circle the school. Always a cop car nearby to catch someone burning rubber or speeding. "Rebel Without a Cause" had come out. There were three cool 49 and 50 Mercurys that looked like James Dean's. One guy had a '37 Zepher another guy had a lowered, dual exhaust, purple '39 Merc coupe. There were others, but these are the ones I remember. MOREorless [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] DEARBORN, Michigan   Posted by Starfire  -  03/11/2008 04:04 PM cr55 wrote: "It's hard for my kids to understand the fun we had back then. Cruising all night thru the local handouts on a tank of hi-test that only cost .32 a gallon for me." Sounds like you had it a bit rough with high priced gas. With gasoline now running around $3.20 a gallon it's hard to believe between 1955 and 1960 where I grew up the daily price for gas was never over $0.19 a gallon, and because there were so many gas wars going on even that was a rarity. I well remember gasoline being sold for $0.09 a gallon for weeks at a time. If we didn't have a couple of bucks for a tank of gas we'd go out in the oil fields and fill up with "White gas" precipitate from the wells for free. The oil companies didn't care since they just burned it off once the collection tank became nearly full. Starfire [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Weimar, Texas   Posted by RedricoAdelphianet  -  03/11/2008 04:13 PM and then there were the hollywood knights. RedricoAdelphianet [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Pittsburgh, Pennsylvannia   Posted by cr55  -  03/11/2008 04:34 PM I'm talking about the late 60's. I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware   Posted by fordorfrank  -  03/11/2008 04:56 PM Grafitti was said to be 1962 (where were you in '62?) but that was the scene in Northern New Jersey about '58. Otherwise, that's the way it was. And I had a car similar to Milner's - a severely channeled 34 3-window. But in prime. Hard as it might be to believe, I never did any street racing. We had several drag strips by then and I ran Montgomery, NY in '58. C-Altered. I gotta get that movie out and watch it again. Thanks for the reminder. fordorfrank [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Melbourne, Florida   Posted by 41 Kustom  -  03/11/2008 07:54 PM I've allways been a hotrodder. I left home at 16 in 65 and thats what it was like. A lot of raceing on 8th steet but we always wound up in TP town. Thats not slur, thats what it was called. If you were in the right crowd, this would happen a couple nights a month. I was invited a couple times but I was to young to them. I wish they would say that now. When I saw that movie I told my wife thats how it was back home, but my memories were more wishfull thinking than reality. Those were good times and I don't think there will ever be a better one. I always say the only thing that is for sure is that every thing changes. Ahh, but those memories,,,,,,,,,,, 41 Kustom [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Essex, Vermont   Posted by DavyJ  -  03/11/2008 08:59 PM That movie did more for 55 Chevies and 32 Fords than all the magazines out there in the 70's. I remember cruising downtown Toronto in a '57 Chevy just as the movie was getting out. Cruising had a great influence back then. We still get out in the summer, every Sunday evening you can find rods, customs and every type of vehicle cruising through the tourist section on Niagara Falls, Many of us trying to relive our youth. Still driving the wife's car, cause I am slow. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Niagara Falls, Canada Charter Member since February 2005   Posted by rcool33  -  03/11/2008 09:45 PM Hey, I'm not afraid of no stinkin Harrison Ford . I'll put my coupe up against that black 55 field car anytime, anyplace, and beat him like a rented mule. You guys know what a field car is ? That's a car you drive thru the field throwing cow shi_ out the windows to help make the lettuce grow. Well, that's what Milner said anyway. A couple weeks ago i saw Cindy Williams at the car show in Pittsburgh, and she didn't look too bad. Of course, at my age nothing looks too bad. Life seemed to be a lot simpler back then. I miss it ! rcool33 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] aliquippa, Pennsylvannia   Posted by fordorfrank  -  03/11/2008 10:30 PM Its interesting to note how many of those in the movie "made it". Harrison Ford, Ron Howard (now a director), Richard Dreyfus, even Suzanne Somers. I don't know if Paul LeMatt (Milner) ever went anywhere. I should Google him. I saw him at a rod run in eastern PA some years ago - signing Grafitti posters. I kinda doubt he'd be doing such things if he was in demand in Hollywood. Too bad. I thought he was great in the movie. But then what do I know. I'm not a movie critic. fordorfrank [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Melbourne, Florida   Posted by 36FordPickup  -  03/12/2008 03:07 AM For anyone interested, there is an annual "Salute to American Graffiti" held in Petaluma, CA. This is the town where most of the movie was shot, including the race between Milner and Falfa. I had the pleasure of meeting Paul LeMat (Milner), Bo Hopkins (Joe, the leader of the Pharaohs) and Cindy Williams (Laurie) last year at the event. It is a huge gathering and they basically shut down the town to accommodate the celebration. Lots of people, cars and music. Here is the website for more information: www.americangraffiti.net 36FordPickup [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] -------, California   Posted by scooting  -  03/12/2008 11:03 AM Remember the part where they were in the car lot and tied off the rear axle of the Cop car? Then went speeding by with an appropiate hand sign. Well, to show us old timers that the "will to live" is still out there. My daughters told me about the speed trap van that was being used to photo trap speeders at different intersections. Seems like three boys went up to the van and asked all kind of questions from the fellow inside doing the recording and while they had his attention, one other boy unscrewed the license plate from the van. They then put the plate on a pickup and ran it through the lights for the van to pick up. I understand the van was mailed 17 speeding tickets within a week. scooting [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Elkridge, Maryland   Posted by EZRodder  -  03/12/2008 12:15 PM According to that Petaluma website they are going to re-enact that stunt with the cop car this year. By the way - Did anybody see the sequel? I understand that it would not be worth staying awake for that one.....I'll drink some warm milk. EZRodder [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Bernville, Pennsylvannia   Posted by cr55  -  03/12/2008 01:54 PM I saw Bo Hopkins and the girl who was with toad , I can't remember her name, at the York Nstionals a couple of years ago They both looked great! Great story about the license plate!!!!!!! Got some I would like to do that to. I thought that I knew it all , but.. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dover, Delaware   Posted by DavyJ  -  03/13/2008 04:32 PM The sequel was really disconnected. Told four separate stories all at the same time. At some points had 4 screens going at the same time. Very little car stuff Still driving the wife's car, cause I am slow. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Niagara Falls, Canada Charter Member since February 2005   Posted by BigAlBre  -  03/13/2008 06:40 PM I identified totally with American Grafitti as I lived every minute of the cruising and street racing on the main street of Council Bluffs Iowa 1960..... cruised from Ewalds drive in to the other end of town, made a u-turn and cruised back.... every weekend... most racing was done on the stretch of interstate going north to Missour Valley (I think).... then joined the marines and was stationed at El Toro in Orange County calif... cruising and racing in the orange groves was what we did... 1961 (1962 I was in Japan) 1963 - 1965 when I met my bride to be (late 1964) and left southern california to start our new life January 1965. Wish we had stayed and bought a house for $25k like most of the millionaires out there..... Big Al sittin back pickin & grinning in paradise. [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Saint Petersburg Beach, Florida Charter Member since June 1999   Posted by dixie  -  03/14/2008 02:21 PM WELL I GUESS I WAS REALLY AMERICAN GRAIFFI HELL I DID ALL THAT AN SOME EVEN BETTER, THINK IT WASN'T BAD THE FIRST REAL STRIP I RAN ON WAS RED CLAY {BAD TRACTION} NO REAL STRIPS AROUND SO WE TOOK IT TO THE STREETS ARE TWO LANE ROADS IN THE WOODS BAD BOYS RUN FROM THE COPS ALWAYS OUT RAN THEM. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE IN BIRMINGHAM AL. ONE COP CAR THAT WORKED THE EAST SAID WAS A 50 CHEVY WITH A POWERGLIDE SO WE WOULD WAIT TILL HE PARKED THEN JUST BLOW BY HIM BY THE TIME HE GOT THAT SLUSH BUCKET WOUND UP WE WERE WAY GONE O THEY CHANGED CARS BUT FORGOT TO TELL US. BUT THE DOWNTOWN RED LITE WAS THE BEST, HAD A 56 FORD THEN WHICH I THOUGH WAS BAD TILL I TANGLED WITH MY FIRST 55 CHEVY WELL I FOUGHT IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE I GOT A 58 CHEVY BISCAYNE WITH ALL THE GOOD STUFF BACK THEN BEEN PRO CHEVY EVER SINCE . O LET ME HUSH COULD GO ON ALL DAY ABOUT THIS OLD GOOD STUFF. DIXIE----OLD MAN STILL PLAYING WITH HOTRODS---- jim grace [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dade city, Florida Charter Member since January 2006   Posted by TYCHOOCHOO  -  03/14/2008 05:11 PM See what you started Al Tommy choo choo [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] MT. SINAI, New York Charter Member since June 2007   Posted by EZRodder  -  03/14/2008 06:14 PM Whoodathunkit! EZRodder [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Bernville, Pennsylvannia   Posted by koolstuff0099  -  03/16/2008 08:36 AM Al, I thought you'd get a kick out of seeing whats in a curio case in my living room.....The case used to house my wife's collectible dolls......but when we moved into this house somehow the dolls got "misplaced" so.....I had to put somethin' in it.....Kool huh? Koolstuff [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Newburyport, Massachusetts   Posted by prost56  -  03/16/2008 08:42 AM now thats classssssssss..lol...so much for the dolls..lol prost56 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] west seneca, New York   Posted by prost56  -  03/16/2008 08:44 AM weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee prost56 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] west seneca, New York   Posted by EZRodder  -  03/16/2008 12:44 PM Hey Bernie - That is "Koolstuff"!! I see you are a sprint car fan too, and it looks like you have a diecast of the blue Gapco sprinter on the bottom shelf. So, I thought you'd like to see this picture I took in 1967. EZRodder [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Bernville, Pennsylvannia

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