Rumblin' In Connecticut

By Jim Buck

Dig this - The Road Agents put on their 6th Annual Hot Rod & Rockabilly Rumble the weekend of July 16th & 17th 2004 at the Elks Lodge in East Hartford, Connecticut. If you're into ol' school style hot rods, customs, choppers, bobbers, and rockabilly, this was the place to be. There were vendors of Kustom Kulture, hot rod and custom parts & accessories, vintage clothes, records, cd's, rod magazines and everything else '50s related.

The Road Agents are a New England-based group of young hot rodders dedicated to building and driving traditional hot rods and customs cars. In case you are not familiar with The Road Agents Hot Rod & Rockabilly Rumble, There is a certain criteria you must meet before you can enter your Rod or Custom.

It must be built in true '40s, '50s or early '60s style, or you simply will not be able to enter the show with it. Do these rules offend you? Then they probably apply!! By doing this, The Road Agents have created a truly unique and one of a kind Hot Rod show, and they intend to keep it that way! As stated, "Please do not waste our time or yours by trying to "sneak" into the show with your billet laden street rod or bone stocker. This show is for modified cars only!! As one spectator best said it when he watched a high-tech rod turned away at the gate...."Ya don't bring a horse to a dog show!"

They welcome and highly encourage Incomplete Projects, Vintage Drag Cars, Rail Jobs and Altereds! They DO NOT award trophies, give out dash plaques or put up with bad attitudes. They Reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone for any reason at anytime. They held their Chopper Show along with the Rumble. All Pre-1969 "Old School" Choppers, Bobbers and Stockers were welcome! They apply the same rules to the Choppers as they do the Hot Rods and Customs. They MUST be traditional and look like they could have been built in the '40s, '50s or '60s! Got an Evo? Stay home! This is the real deal is you’ve got to ride in what you bring — NO FUCKING TRAILERS — what a concept.

Friday Night kicked off at about 6:00pm with The Keyhole '50s Burlesque emceed by Michelle Terranova from the radio show Go Kat Go! Saturday Morning, the gates opened at 9:00am and the bands hit the stage at around 10:30am. The bands included: J.P. McDermott & The Western Bop from Washington DC, The Alley Dukes from Montreal Canada, The Star Devils from Cincinnati Ohio, The Gamma Rays from Providence RI, Starlight Drifters from Memphis / Detroit, Slim Sandy of Montreal, Old Line Skiffle Combo from Maryland and Wendy LeBeau & Her Beau's also from Maryland. These bands kicked ass and had the crowd boppin’ and strollin’.

Some of my Down & Dirty brothers and me made the trip up to Connecticut for the Rumble and we had a blast. There were many hot rod and bike clubs represented, including the biggest of the 1%er clubs who had a few booths set up selling support wear and some other cool shit. I picked up a Chino red & white striped shirt for my brother Chino. Everyone was in party mode and there were no hassles.

My youngest son Chance was wearin’ his cool flamed Cons and a pirate shirt that his mom, Dirty Kitten Willow bought from one of the vendors. Chance picked up a lil'cutie that was wearin’ a denim skirt and pink cowboy boots. She followed him all around and they danced to the rockabilly band. At one point Dirty Kitten Willow, Chance, the lil'cutie and her mom dosey doed in the pavilion.

Brother Panhead Clint was jealous of Chance. Clint tried all day to score some ass but came away with a few cool t-shirts and an oil soak rear tire. He made the ride from Upstate NY on his 58 Pan, leakin' oil the whole way, and lost his clutch cable pin on the way. Good thing he has a belly clutch set up as backup. We spent the night at Brother Manny and Dirty Kitten Michelle's digs and were treated to some amazing grub and hospitality. Manny did some wrenchin' on Clint's sled so he could make the trip back home. Clint is a ridin' sumbitch. He rides his ol' Pan anywhere and everywhere.