Sunday, November 17, 2013

YELLOW CAR! There's one >>>>!!

I stopped at a yard sale and there it was, a Little Deuce Ford Coupe roadster - canary yellow with red flames, chrome wheels and exhaust, V-8 with a blower! I had to have it, no matter the cost.

I found the person who has in charge and pushed her to the car. I asked her "How much?" She said it was her son's car at one time. I didn't care whose car it was, I told her I wanted it. I couldn't take out my wallet fast enough.

She looked at the car then at me and then the car again, finally she said, "Would you take care of it and give it a good home?" I immediately said YES! With a little tear in her eye she said the price $1.00. I gave her the dollar as fast as I could . I would have paid twice as much for the yellow car. She reached down and picked it up and gave it to me. I held it, it was MINE!

By now, you probably figured out that it is a toy car with 2 "M&M" figurines sitting in the seat. 

The "Yellow Car" story started when my oldest granddaughter was 5 years old. We'd go somewhere and to keep her occupied I would play a gamed called "Yellow Car". 

When one of us spotted a yellow car, we would yell out "yellow car". The car could be on the road, in a driveway or in a car lot; we'd keep score! We continue to play this game to this day with our younger grandchildren. 

So when I saw the yellow roadster I had to buy it no matter what the cost.

My oldest granddaughter is now 17. A few weeks ago she came for a visit and as we were driving down the road, I yelled out "YELLOW CAR!" and she started to laugh. For the rest of the ride, we played and she won. Great day, great memories.

Some day, I'll give her the yellow roadster so she will remember all of the fun she had with her grandfather, playing "Yellow Car".

I'll look around and find some more yellow cars and give them to my other grandchildren so they will remember the fun playing "Yellow Car" with their grandfather, too.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

East Providence Welding Co. "Billy the Welder"

When I was 14 years old my Dad told me to do some welding on a 1951 Studebaker, get it set up for a stock car track. I built a roll bar, crash bumpers and exhaust system. Well, I worked on it for a few days. My Dad was impressed with my work and the car owner was even more impressed. Instead of building the run of the mill stock car, this car looked more like a professionally built car. It won several races and was very successful for a couple of years. 

I built several more stock cars and was building a reputation at 16 years old. I got into drag racing and my rep took off. Soon I was doing work on most of the cars that were racing in Southern New England. Such cars as Tasca Ford, King & Marshall, Frank Federicci. 

From 1959 - 1980  - I built Funny cars, Dragsters, Wheel Standers, Stock cars, Sport cars and Street cars or tricked out more than 400 cars - 22 of them were N.H.R.A. National Record Holders. I worked on Jay Leno's 1967 Olds 442 - modified the engine and suspension.  

Back them I didn't have a computer or Aftermarket bolt on stuff. I built everything by hand or went to a junkyard and found something I could adapt.

In the late 60's and 70's, E.P.W. was the place to go to get your car to go faster or get something built that would be competitive from stock cars, drag cars and sport cars. In 1968, with a friend of mine we successfully campaigned a C Sport Racer in Region I to back to back championships. Later we campaigned a 1967 Camaro in Trans Am race -it was the fastest un-sponsored car in the circuit.

I also built motorcycles and custom choppers. One of my customers and I built a twin engine Harley Davidson drag bike which was very competitive.

In the past I met such greats in racing as:
Mario Andretti
Paul Newman
Bob Tasca
Mark Donohue nicknamed "Captain Nice"
Tommy Ivo
Jimmy King
John Healey
Jackie Stewart nicknamed the "Flying Scot"
Steve McQueen
Carroll Shelby
Don Garlits
Bill Jenkins nicknamed "Grumpy" or "The Grump"
and the list goes on...

In 1982-1983, I built and maintained Offshore Race boats that won back to back World Championships under the name "Newport is Sports" out of Newport, Rhode Island.

My wife and I now own a company called OLD IRON AZ LLC. We list cars, trucks, hot rods, classics, muscle cars on www.oldironaz.com website. I am back doing what I love dealing with cars. We connect the Seller with Buyers. We've been doing this for a year now and we are meeting some interesting and very nice people and having fun doing it.

Keep them Rolling!

Bill Abatecola
aka "Billy the Welder" - Widely known as Billy the Welder

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Southern New England business trip

My wife, Miki and I just returned from Southern New England on a business to promote Old Iron.
 
Spent some time with a dear friends and fellow car enthusiasts from way back. Some are still racing.
Spent time with Bob Tasca, Jr. and Carl Tasca (Tasca Ford). Had breakfast with John Healey and talked about old times and cruise nights.
 
We enjoyed some New England seafood, rode around looking at the foliage. Met some interesting people to help promote Old Iron.
 
It was a great trip. Now it's time to work here in Southern Arizona for upcoming car shows:
  • October 19, 2013 - St Gregory's
  • November 2, 2013 - Cops and Rodders
  • March 2, 2014 - Ford on Fourth
and many more...plus all the cruise nights we love to attend - all held in Tucson, Arizona.
 
Some new and exciting things are coming up for Old Iron - so keep watching.

Bill

Keep them rolling!

Friday, July 26, 2013

Car Chasing ?

Chasing Classic Cars - Velocity with Wayne Carini is a good car show to watch.


But let's face it >> some rich guy calls him and says that he has a Ferrari for sale. Wayne drives to the seller's home. The Ferrari is in an air conditioned garage with a black and white checker board floor. It looks like someone's living room with plush furniture and a big screen TV.

After the sale they go to a restaurant and have champagne and $100 steak dinners.

When I go out chasing for classic cars it's in my beat up 92 Ford F150 with no a/c. I drive around Southern Arizona in 117 degrees; fend off rattlesnakes, scorpions, Gila monsters and irate gun totting home owners who question my presence on their property until I explain why I am there. I just wanted to check out their old classic car sitting in their yard. I'm lucky to find a hot dog stand and a warm cola. 

There is chasing cars and then there is CHASING cars.

I like Wayne's show, but I don't think he would last two days out here in the desert.

Keep them rolling!

Bill

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Bill's Top 10 Favorite Cars


  1. 1964 Ford Cobra 289
  2. Any Ferrari
  3. 1932 Ford 3 window coupe any motor combo
  4. 1967 350 Shelby Mustang
  5. Any Yenko Chevy
  6. 1970 Boss 302 Mustang
  7. 1962 Chevy Corvette 327 FI
  8. 1970 Hemi Cuda
  9. 1966 Ford T-Bird Convertible
  10. 1957 Olds J-2
Keep them rolling!

Bill

Friday, July 12, 2013

Welding

Welding plays such a big part in car building. Some cars that I check out have quality workmanship and great welds, and some have poor workmanship and terrible welds.

Poor welding endangers the owner and other cars driving on the road.

You need to purchase good welding equipment, such as a +Lincoln or +Miller - snap on. Please stay away from these discount warehouse welders. Take a course at a Community college or find a certified welder to teach you at least the basics.

I've been welding for 60 years and have held over 55 welding certificates. 

Please take the time to do things the right way! It will pay off in the end.

Be safe out there! 

Keep them rolling!
Bill

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Drama Drama Drama

Some of these car building TV shows are all about the drama.

Two stand out against the dramatic chaos:

  • +Overhaulin +Chip Foose is a no nonsense car builder and designer. He's the best there is on TV. His drama is fabricated to surprise his Overhaulin Client.
  • +Kount's Customs +Danny Koker builds some great cars and there isn't a lot of goofy drama. Just serious car building.


Here are the over the top drama Car shows:

  • +Grave Yard Cars is the #1 drama car builder. He's a joke, I don't even watch his show anymore.
  • +Fast n Loud. Everything they do is drama! Once in a while they accidentally build a good car.


Funny thing is some of these guys think they are doing something uniquely special. I was doing this stuff 45 years ago. 

But if you like drama in car building I guess this the way to go.

Keep them rolling!

Bill Abatecola
Old Iron
www.oldironaz.com