Manky Monkey
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« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2013, 01:06:52 PM » |
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Yup, Jimmy & co do know how to put on a good party.
The last Chilli Night I attended was at their old workshop in Newbury, Berkshire. A big ol' red brick factory building with bags of character. Their new place in Andover, Hampshire is a modern unit on an industrial estate, so I wondered if they'd achieve the same level of cool. Certainly seemed to. The new shop is actually 2 units knocked into one, so far bigger, with an inhouse upholsterer, hotrod merchandise shop etc. Nicely done. Leadfoot had a stall selling pinstriped goods too.
I'd guess at maybe 300 party goers over the course of the evening. The minus temperatures outside & snow in some areas during the day meant most chose to arrive in their daily drivers, (including us), but there were a couple of dozen customs lurking in the darkness outside the shop. Lots of past & current projects inside too. Just as I finally launch mine, Ford Pops seemed to be everywhere! Half a dozen in the workshop & another 4 in the carpark -common as muck!
As JJ said, Jack Rabbit Slim weren't there, but there was plenty of Rockabilly/skiffle music from 2 local bands, neither of who's names I can remember. Between the tunes Missy Malone & Slinky Sparkles did their thing above the crowd on one of the car lifts, a-twirlin' & a-tasslin', (funny how I can remember their names but not the bands), though bizarrely, the young Valley Gas lad who collected up the discarded feathers & corsets afterwards got more wolf whistles & applause all night than the girls!
A donation thrown into the Heart Foundation collection bucket got you as many bowls of Chilli, hot enough to make your mouth sweat, as you could handle, with bottled beer & tubs of mystery fruit punch, (purportedly Vodka based), to quench the taste buds afterwards. Lots of friendly faces, old & new. I've started realising I'm getting old, when I begin bumping into guys I haven't seen for 10 or 15 years.
The Basingstoke Monkeys included Loony, Loony Senior, Chris, Postie Dave & my workmate Bob, who recently bought my trike project from me. The Guzzlers car club also made it over from Hampshire, as well as members of the Surrey Street Rodders, Victory Wheelers, Beaters etc. Had a long chat with Chunky & his family, who used to run the local motorcycle shop in Newbury, Berkshire when I was a teenager. Haven't seen 'em for years. He now collects tractors. Miles, the guy I bought the V8 engine that's in my Pop from, was there. He was chuffed to bits to hear it's gone to a good home & is out on the road again in my truck. My big brother Brock & lovely Leslie, (Mrs Brock), were there, as well as Scottie the hotrod haulier & his lady Gina, celebrating her birthday. Oje brought along his chopped Volvo Amazon, winning a trophy, presented by his old employer Jimmy, for his efforts.
Lots of period correct rodders & gorgeous ladies in full 50s pin-up make-up & clothes. So much more stylish than today's baggy jogging trousers & trainers.
As the only non drinker in our group, I was the designated responsible adult so drove the less sober ones, (or "slober" as Chris put it), home at the end of the night. Great company, cool cars, music, dancers, free food -a great evening. Many thanks to Jimmy, Ellie & the gang for putting it all together.
Digital cameras are cr*p in low light conditions, so apologies for the blurriness, but here's a few snaps from the evening.
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