PUSH RODS AUTO CLUB
1956 – 1965
The club was organized in the summer of 1956 after a meeting of about eight local teenagers at the Hunter Tire Company in Austell, Georgia. Charles Furr was the first president of the club. It was active until about 1965.
The club had their shop in a garage located in the middle of downtown Powder Springs in a building on main (Marietta) street between the old telephone exchange (now a courtyard) and Lovinggood’s Grocery Store. Here the club met and worked on their own cars, each other’s cars and built race cars for drag racing. These cars were very active on the drag racing scene during those years, winning many trophies.
Members during this time included; Earl Abernathy, Aubrey Brady, Ray Caldwell, Guy Camp, George Eubanks, Gary Eubanks, Tom Ellerbee, Charles Furr, Jim Gunnell, Raymond Gunnell, Sammy Hardy, A.C. Hunter, Donald Hunter, Ed Hunter, Russell Hunter, Jack Lane, Jimmy Lindley, Virgil (V.A.) Lovinggodd, Jr., Bennie Meadows, James Meadows, Jimmy Meadows, Butch Mize, James Moss, Raymond Moss, Virgil Purvis, Grady Roberts, Wayne Roberts, Charles Scott and Johnny Turner.
On October 3, 2000, Push Rods held their Second Annual Union and Car Show at the Threadmill Mall in Austell in which they honored the founding members, recognizing the ones who were still living. These men were presented with a plaque commemorating the occasion and honoring their part in starting and making Push Rods what it is today. Founding Member, James Moss has donated his plaque and original jacket to the Seven Springs Historical Society and is on display at the Seven Springs Museum.
1967 – PRESENT
The club was re-organized in 1967 and continues to meet monthly on the first Tuesday evening of each month.
According to an article in the Marietta Daily Journal dated in October of 1967, the young teenage boys of Powder Springs did not have a home or place to meet to enjoy their love of cars, but were a loosely knit band of high-speed drivers. They however, did call themselves “Push Rods ‘67”. with the help of the Powder Springs Police Department and Fire Department, local ministers and businessmen, this group of teenagers began a new Push Rods Club. With this help and guidance, the Push Rods Club was able to find a place to gather and work on their cars.
The business community helped them secure and remodel an old garage with high ceilings on main (Marietta) Street in downtown Powder Springs. They now spent as much time in this old garage street, working on their cars, talking about them and how much they love and enjoyed driving them.
The original Push Rods of 1957 gave them the old Push Rods sign and a ‘rail job’ with an engine which would be the club’s new Hot Rod and racing entry. This garage, which they now rented, was available to them 24 hours a day. The club then became a non-profit corporation.
The club planned fund raising events to buy jackets and front bumper tags with the Push Rod emblem for their members.
Some of the early members were: James McTyre, Tony Dudley (VP), Larry Croker, Greg Wehunt, Richard Mellichamp, Wendell Brumbelow, Ricky Shiflett, Roger Puckett, Tim Crawly, Gary Huggins and Terry Cochran. Early advisors for the club were: David Hilton, Powder Springs Fire Chief and Captain Larry Barkwell of the Powder Springs Police Department along with a minister and an attorney.
The club has won several racing trophies over the years.
In 1978, the Push Rod’s Garage was used as part of a movie staring Tim Conway, “They Went Thataway and Thataway” The front of the building was destroyed as part of the scene where they ran/crashed a car into the building. Afterwards, they repaired the building. Powder Springs Push Rods continues to be totally non-profit today.
Proceeds are used to provide assistance to those in OUR community and Calvary Children’s Home, Bullock and Caring Hands. The club holds various events and car shows throughout the year that help fund these charities.
The Push Rod Members still enjoy working on their cars, talking about them, showing them off and talking to anyone else who enjoys automobiles as well as they do. Even though the members of the club may have changed over the years, here in 2018, they are still an active part of our community.