FORWARD

... SHIFTING GEARS ...
Column Shift Memories

I feel (SHIFTING GEARS) (Column Shift Memories) is a perfect title for this little book of Narrative and Poetic Nostalgic Motor Memories. Being an early model Baby Boomer, cars of the 40's, 50's and 60's are very dear to my heart and memory. As a youth, I learned the names of all the car makers, the names for almost every part, and their history and their lore. In my youth life, the automobile was royalty and the Hot Rod was King. For many years, I have proudly worn the title Biker, and I have always had the love of two wheeled Iron, be it Harley-Davidson, or its Brothers and Sisters, BSA, Norton, Triumph or even Honda 750's, yes, I have loved them all. But under it all, I have never forgotten my first active love ... The Hot Rod, The Custom Car, The Stock Car, The Automobile! And secretly, like many of us I believe, I hope that Thomas Wolfe was wrong and you can go home again, and hopefully in an Old Ford Coupe. I refer to this swapping of dreams and memories from two wheels to four and back and forth again as Shifting Gears. The time my heart always drifts back to is an era I refer to as the "Column Shift Era," that is the time between 1939 and 1964. In 1939 the Automobile World went to, "Three on the Tree," and in 1964 the Automobile World turned to "Four on the Floor." And judging from the email and letter responses to my Column Shift columns, posted on the Chop-Shop Customs web News Letter and Printed in the Connecticut Cruise News Newspaper, my love for this "Column Shift Era," does not seem isolated. For I regularly receive messages from readers saying "Thanks," and telling me of how they related and identified with these stories.

I have dedicated this book to my late and dear friend, Robert Walters aka Bobby Triumph of Milford, New Hampshire. Bobby is a perfect example of Shifting Gears. He always had a love for cars and bikes; he spent many years riding his Old Iron Head Sportster and when ill health and accidents took his bike out from under him, he bought a 63 Plymouth Valient push-button. He Shifted Gears so to speak, with honor and pride. He was always the first one I would turn to after finishing a Column Shifts Column. I hope this book does him proud ... and I hope you enjoy these stories as well. THANK YOU,

K. Peddlar Bridges, aka The Hot Rod Poet ... December 2008 Kennebunk, Maine ...

above - Pic-Chick photo ...

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