The Ford Barn

rowens55 · 03-22-2018, 01:57 PM

How do you apply "opium" to an "early car"? Very little of that "definition" makes sense to me. "Gow (as in cow) job" sounds like nonsense!

Tim Ayers · 03-22-2018, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowens55

How do you apply "opium" to an "early car"? Very little of that "definition" makes sense to me. "Gow (as in cow) job" sounds like nonsense!

What do you mean? Are you doubting it was used?

The word gow or gow job can be found in many different pre-war automotive publications. It was a term that was used.

rotorwrench · 03-22-2018, 03:33 PM

In relation to gow job, "gow" could be pronounced more like "know" or "snow". Gow like "cow" doesn't make much sense to me. This term relates to the vehicle more. I think hot rod started as in relation to the person driving the car. Unless it's like Hoosegow!

A rod can be defined as a whip too. A hot rod may have had meaning as someone who uses the whip on their horse more than they should.

rowens55 · 03-22-2018, 03:41 PM

I have no doubt that it was used, I just can't get my head around how or why. After reading the link posted above I still don't quit get the term. All I said was it sounds like nonsense. And I still don't get that "opium" reference. I must be more dense than even my wife thinks. Oh well....

john in illinois · 03-22-2018, 04:21 PM

There is also Jalopy, wonder how that fits in.

John

Tim Ayers · 03-22-2018, 04:40 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

It morphed from Go. Go turned into Gowz

Tim Ayers · 03-22-2018, 04:41 PM

[QUOTE=Tim Ayers;1608303]It morphed from Go. Go turned into Gow/QUOTE]

Tinker · 03-22-2018, 04:44 PM

Another term, which came from the stationary "hit/miss" engine was "running balls out".

Referring to the centrifugal governor mechanism that regulated rpms. When the ball weights were spinning at max rpm they spun at their farthest position out.

ford38v8 · 03-22-2018, 05:10 PM

A plethora of opinions, a dearth of fact.

JSeery · 03-22-2018, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinker

Another term, which came from the stationary "hit/miss" engine was "running balls out".

Referring to the centrifugal governor mechanism that regulated rpms. When the ball weights were spinning at max rpm they spun at their farthest position out.

Finally a term that makes sense!

JSeery · 03-22-2018, 06:07 PM

When folks like Wally Parks say they don't know where the term Hot Rod originated, I would guess the origin is going to be hard to pin down.

Tinker · 03-22-2018, 07:00 PM

So then, were does Drag Racing come from? You aren't dragging anything behind your car nor are the guys driving in dresses.

Sprint cars racing makes sense, cause your sprinting to the finish line. Or a tractor pull.

zzlegend · 03-22-2018, 07:21 PM

Not sure if I agree Tinker. A lot of Drag Racing going on here in Hollywood.

Go figure.

Lanny · 03-22-2018, 07:34 PM

shirley muldowney want-to-be's

click on picture to Enlarge.

Tinker · 03-22-2018, 07:48 PM

Lanny I don't think anyone here cares what you do with your weekends.

Ha ha... jut kidding' but... yikes

Lanny · 03-22-2018, 07:54 PM

.
Aw jeez Tinker, I'm sure I told you not to say anything.......

Ha Ha Ha

.

Tinker · 03-22-2018, 08:03 PM

Glad you have a sense of humor.

Graeme / New Zealand · 03-22-2018, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rowens55

How do you apply "opium" to an "early car"? Very little of that "definition" makes sense to me. "Gow (as in cow) job" sounds like nonsense!

I read "Gow" was slang for opium. In the earlier parts of the 2Oth century Opium was used to "fix" race horses to go faster. Gow was then adapted to cars that got their fenders torn off, etc,etc, to get more speed..."Gow job" ( now if the car was "blown"?.....that's another story

)

GB

Graeme / New Zealand · 03-23-2018, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lanny

shirley muldowney want-to-be's

click on picture to Enlarge.

Lanny thanks for the picture of yourself.......don't worry you won't get banned, I 'm sure all us Barners are "Inclusive" and "value diversity".

GB

Henry Hopper · 03-23-2018, 03:56 AM

My opinion and it's only a guess...is that it's an abrieviation of Roadster....if at the dirt tracks or wherever the classes were displayed on the board , Roadsters would/ could be written as Rods'....like Coupes could be written as Cpes'....Sedans could be Sdns'...

So the abrieviation took hold as slang and hence became the term used to describe a hopped up roadster at first and then more widely ,just like today where any modified car gets called a HotRod by Joe Public.

03-22-2018, 01:57 PM	#21
rowens55 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: woodland Ca Posts: 333	Re: Hot rod word orgin How do you apply "opium" to an "early car"? Very little of that "definition" makes sense to me. "Gow (as in cow) job" sounds like nonsense! __________________ Alive n kickin n mostly kickin!

03-22-2018, 03:33 PM	#23
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,440	Re: Hot rod word orgin In relation to gow job, "gow" could be pronounced more like "know" or "snow". Gow like "cow" doesn't make much sense to me. This term relates to the vehicle more. I think hot rod started as in relation to the person driving the car. Unless it's like Hoosegow! A rod can be defined as a whip too. A hot rod may have had meaning as someone who uses the whip on their horse more than they should. Last edited by rotorwrench; 03-22-2018 at 04:14 PM.

03-22-2018, 03:41 PM	#24
rowens55 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: woodland Ca Posts: 333	Re: Hot rod word orgin I have no doubt that it was used, I just can't get my head around how or why. After reading the link posted above I still don't quit get the term. All I said was it sounds like nonsense. And I still don't get that "opium" reference. I must be more dense than even my wife thinks. Oh well.... __________________ Alive n kickin n mostly kickin!

03-22-2018, 04:21 PM	#25
john in illinois Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Illinois Posts: 2,185	Re: Hot rod word orgin There is also Jalopy, wonder how that fits in. John

03-22-2018, 04:40 PM	#26
Tim Ayers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 6,181	Re: Hot rod word orgin Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) It morphed from Go. Go turned into Gowz

03-22-2018, 04:41 PM	#27
Tim Ayers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 6,181	Re: Hot rod word orgin [QUOTE=Tim Ayers;1608303]It morphed from Go. Go turned into Gow/QUOTE]

03-22-2018, 05:10 PM	#29
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,646	Re: Hot rod word orgin A plethora of opinions, a dearth of fact. __________________ Alan

03-22-2018, 06:07 PM	#31
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: Hot rod word orgin When folks like Wally Parks say they don't know where the term Hot Rod originated, I would guess the origin is going to be hard to pin down.

03-22-2018, 07:00 PM	#32
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: Hot rod word orgin So then, were does Drag Racing come from? You aren't dragging anything behind your car nor are the guys driving in dresses. Sprint cars racing makes sense, cause your sprinting to the finish line. Or a tractor pull.

03-22-2018, 07:21 PM	#33
zzlegend Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Reseda, Calif. Posts: 2,188	Re: Hot rod word orgin Not sure if I agree Tinker. A lot of Drag Racing going on here in Hollywood. Go figure.

03-22-2018, 07:48 PM	#35
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: Hot rod word orgin Lanny I don't think anyone here cares what you do with your weekends. Ha ha... jut kidding' but... yikes Last edited by Tinker; 03-22-2018 at 08:00 PM.

03-22-2018, 07:54 PM	#36
Lanny Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mn Posts: 2,411	Re: Hot rod word orgin . Aw jeez Tinker, I'm sure I told you not to say anything....... Ha Ha Ha . __________________ If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. But if daddy ain't happy...RUN Last edited by Lanny; 03-22-2018 at 08:10 PM.

03-22-2018, 08:03 PM	#37
Tinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: MN Posts: 7,053	Re: Hot rod word orgin Glad you have a sense of humor.

03-23-2018, 03:56 AM	#40
Henry Hopper Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: N.W.England Posts: 439	Re: Hot rod word orgin My opinion and it's only a guess...is that it's an abrieviation of Roadster....if at the dirt tracks or wherever the classes were displayed on the board , Roadsters would/ could be written as Rods'....like Coupes could be written as Cpes'....Sedans could be Sdns'... So the abrieviation took hold as slang and hence became the term used to describe a hopped up roadster at first and then more widely ,just like today where any modified car gets called a HotRod by Joe Public.