In a roundabout way I guess it was a neighbour. There were a couple of American factories local to where I live, Cummins and Torrington bearings (Cummins engines is still here and within 1/4 mile of my house, Torringtons has sadly closed).The US workers used to bring cars over and a neighbour who worked at torringtons used to buy them. To me, a kid growing up on a council estate, they were the greatest vehicles ever compared to the british cars of the day. Huge, finned and with the greatest sounding motors I'd ever heard. Mach 1 mustangs, Big 60's Buicks, Fairlanes, Caprices. Awesome.
Fast forward 20 years to my first trip to a RWYB meet Wow! muscle cars, rods, rails and v8 engines and I got to go down the track in my daily driver!.
Man I was hooked and I've never looked back. This year will be our 24th season.

'74 Challenger..9.46 @ 145.9 1/4, 6.001 @ 118 1/8 so far. 4023lb !!! # N/A, Marsh performance 655ci, Indy Maxx, T/R, Indy 600-13 X's, Street legal, pump gas, full interior, Cal-Tracs, mufflers, 3:73's and real 10.5 radials.
9.51 @ 142.4 1/4, 6.003 @ 114 1/8 with our old mule KB, 572-13, 580 wedge.
RHD '68 Barracuda Fastback 323ci street/strip. Best ET 13.88 @ 99.03