From Iron to Rust Part I

My Early Iron Car Club Story. A Short Story,-Long.

Chapter 1
The Magic

This is a story I have to write to get off my chest and out of my head. A story my late friend Jeff inspired me to write.

It’s a story of betrayal, a journey through the Bitter-wilderness, and refinement through the fire.  7 years have passed since I reluctantly resigned from my local car club I was a part of for almost 10 years.

I still feel a bit of sorrow when I think about it… I really didn’t want to resign. In fact, I worked very hard for this club and invested SO much of my time as well as, my family’s time making things happen. I absolutely loved it.

My family loved it, because I loved it…

This story kinda goes like this…

You know, as a kid when you experience this new exciting and inspiring thing, it gives you this sense of being in another world? Nothing can be quite like it and nothing can change your view about it. Like for example, as a kid, you see these amazing cartoons with these great inspiring stories and then your parents take you to this amazing place called Disneyland and you see the characters and experience the rides in all of the inspiring worlds they all live in and think, “WOW! I see these characters on TV, I can visit them, and experience a part of their world?”…  

Then as an adult, you bring your kids there and all of a sudden, your eyes are open to the fact that it is all a scherade. The characters are real people who go home after work and actually have lives outside of the “smoke show”.  Kinda makes you just a bit sad inside. Like a bit of your spirit has been crushed.

That is a good illustration for my story.

As a kid, I drew a lot. I was into surf and skate culture as well as hot rods. I would pick up the latest “CarToons” magazine, “Mad” magazine, and various comic books and try to draw every monster and car I saw in them. I loved the cartoon/car culture. I loved the line work (pinstriping) done on the hot rods, The cool paint tricks and custom graphics, It was all so cool to me!

Around 1983, when I was 5, I was taken to this amazing car show as a kid. It was called “Early Iron”. This car show had almost any car you could think of, all of the types of cars I saw in those magazines, gathered into this one place. I could get a hot dog,  a cool t-shirt, and the experience of a lifetime! It was this super special time in my life I still cherish.

Around 2003 when I was older and had kids of my own, I took them to this same car show. It was a bit different than I imagined as a kid, but it was still impressive and still great! You could still see all the amazing shiney cars, get a cool t-shirt, and a hot dog.  As an adult, you start to see that things aren’t really “magic”. they are many moving parts that make these magical things happen. The car club that put on the “Early Iron” show (also called the “Early Iron Car Club”) had about 10-12 members, and it was them along with their families and close friends who put this amazing show on.

It wasn’t just this one day car show either. The event started the day before the show (Friday night) with a huge party including music, food, and most importantly, the cool cars. Saturday, they had the car show and then that evening, they had an awards banquet for all of the rodders with food, awards a other prizes, then, a slow cruise to end the day. On Sunday, they ended the event with a Poker Run and a “low key” lunch.

A huge amount of work for this “magical” show.

Let’s fast forward about 6 years to 2009. I got a new job with the county of Alamosa, Colorado as their Graphic Designer for their Tourism Board. I was in charge of marketing the county internationally through magazines, internet ads and Blah,blah, blah... With Mrs. G as the director (my boss) and myself, this pretty much made up the Tourism Marketing division for Alamosa County.  At our year end Christmas party (which included our division, the Colorado Welcome Center Staff, and the Tourism Marketing Board), I was approached by the head of the Board, to introduce himself, “Hi’ I’m Jeff Woodward." he said.  "I was talking with Mrs. G, and she told me you're into hot rods?".... This was the conversation that would change everything for me.

Jeff was a huge influence in the community. He was a retired railroader, he had owned a sporting goods store, a cell phone store, was the President of the Tourism/Marketing Board, and was the President of the Early Iron Club! I was extremely nervous and excited to be meeting him!

“What kind of old cars do you have?", Jeff asked. "I've got a '67 C-10 and a '63 Chevy Biscayne", I proudly reported back. "They're still in a bit of ruff shape, but they run and I like to mess with them when I have the chance.", I added.

Jeff said, "I happen to be a member of the Early Iron Club, and as a club member, we can sponsor new people to join the club!" I swallowed hard. I couldn't believe I was being invited in to this club! I couldn't tell you one other thing that happened that night around me. I have no idea what I ate, how long I stayed, all I knew was that one of my dreams were coming true.

Jeff continued, "We're having a meeting this week and we're discussing big things for our 30th anniversary show. I love the designs you're doing for the Tourism Board, but I'd really like to see what you'd come up with for a logo, website, posters, and other show advertising for Early Iron!" "it'd be a small slice of Heaven!" he added.

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I was being invited in! Not only that, I could actually use my design skills for something I actually loved? I anxiously replied, "I'll be there!" 

To be continued…