The old 48 Hudson was always runnin around the countryside on bald tires and burnin "drip" gas. The young owner, smokin a cob pipe with homegrown/homemade tobakker, not too concerned with those bald tires and back bumper half draggin along. In fact, he just didn't worry too much about much of anything! He'd "junk" a little once in awhile go get some cash when he really needed to buy something. That wasn't very often--he burned "drip" gas in that old Hudson and ran "used tires" that folks would give'm. Drip gas is wellhead natural gas in liquid form. Much higher octane than any commercial gas--this stuff was really "hot" and would make a car get up and go. Ole Harve would go drippin when his car was almost on empty, fill'r up and he was good to go again for another week or so.

He got tired of "junkin" for cash [junkin was collectin scrap iron and sellin it to a junk dealer] because of the hard work and for little pay. He decided to go into the loggin business. Sawmills would pay good money for logs to saw into lumber. Ole Harve didn't bother contactin the owners of the timber-he just went in and cut down the trees. Trim'm up, saw the trunk into 10' logs and drag'm out to the road edge. The sawmill folks would load'm up at the road edge. A problem arose when those logs had to be drug out to the roadside. No tractor or skidder was available. Harve decided his old Hudson would be a good dragger.

His loggin career ended almost as fast as it had started. He hooked a log chain on a log--the other end on his Hudson rear axle. A very gentle tug failed to move the log so--he kinda "hit" it a little harder. Still it failed to move much. Ole Harve decided that old car could do it. He backs up almost to the log and drops it into first gear. Foot on the floor, the old Hudson smokin, bald tires spinnin and away he went. REsults? Yeppie! The car had enough momentum to keep movin a little after the chain got tight. The rear axle stopped but the Hudson kept on goin for a few more feet! This ended the loggin career of old Harve and his 48 Hudson.

Within a couple days or so he had acquired another car. Don't remember what it was now as this has been close to 50 years ago. Oh btw-the old Hudson was sold for scrap iron.

Old hoot. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), November 06, 2002

Answers

Now this guy tells a story well. You need to put these short stories in a book.Even if you weren't to make cash from it,it may become a contribution to hillbilly history in the future .

Hoot, can a car run of of high octane moonshine without damaging the engine ?

-- Max (MaxT@yoohoo.com), November 11, 2002.

Hey Max! Moonshine? I've heard of it but never try'd it. In our area [s.e.il] the oilwells are plentiful and so is the natural gas. "Drip" is what it's known as around these parts so the valuable Moonshine wasn't/isn't used. Octane of the Drip is almost as high as the moonshine. When burnin drip we always just dumped a little bit of motor oil in the gastank to help lubricate the upper part of the motor. Without someknd of upper lube the valves tend to burn.

I don't "drip" anymore, don't make/run or drink moonshine either but some still do. I think the moonshin'n ain't quite as bad as the "growin of weed" but that's just my opinion.

old hoot gibson. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), November 11, 2002.

I ask about the moonshine running an engine from being told a story from some old timers about making a run and running out of gas on the way .They said they used some of the moonshine to get to where they needed to go .

I don't mess with the weed or the moonshine cause of health reasons ( MS ) , and only tried corn whiskey a few times to see what it does.But weed used to be a vice , I've done much more than twice. That was back in the days when quality ment much more than quantity .And helicopters didn't do unwarranted searches over our homes and land.

-- Max (MaxT@yoohoo.com), November 11, 2002.

I stumbled onto this thread and I just have to share this: A revenooer asked the boy on the porch, "Your Daddy got a still?" "Yessir." "If I give you a dollar, will you take me to it?" "Yessir." "Let's go, then" "Where's the dollar?" "I'll give it to you when we get back." "I need it now, Sir, cause you ain't cummin back." Marty

-- Zen Clown (MartyS@iland.net), November 11, 2002.

Hi Hoot! I also enjoyed your story, as usual. Hope all is well iun your neck of the woods. :-)

Marty, haha!

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), November 12, 2002.