hot rods. Musclecars. customs

WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025

There was low & slow and plenty of go at the WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025. CGC’s Jim Palam went along for the fun ride!It was hard to pick just one car that embodied the spirit and essence of the WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025, now in its 44th year. But when the ‘South of Heaven Fifties’ car club dropped their audacious Hemi-powered ’27 Chrysler ‘H-Bomb’ hot rod right in the center of the Santa Maria Fairpark, a smile-inducing shockwave spread throughout the park’s 33 acres. This in-turn released dopamine in showgoers’ brains!

West Coast Kustoms was founded by Rich and Penny Pichette. After Rich passed away in 2010, Penny took the helm and has continued to steer the Cruisin’ Nationals into the hearts of enthusiasts throughout the United States – and beyond. This magnetic show attracts car clubs, lone wolves, exhibitors, and thousands of loyal fans. Many of these Kool Kats n’ Kittens arrived before this Memorial Day weekend, gathering to enjoy Santa Maria, CA and swap car stories and car culture.

Cruisin’ Nationals is a family-friendly community event that shifted into gear on Friday night, May 24th with the popular City Cruise on Broadway in the heart of Santa Maria. The fun rolled-on into a rockin’ car show on Saturday and an awards ceremonies wrap-up on Sunday. Winners included Bob Gomes’ ’49 Mercury in the Top 5 Wild Kustoms category, Rudy Hernandez’s ’56 Chevy in the Top 5 Mild Kustoms category and Mark Garza’s ’40 Chrysler in the Top 3 Early Kustoms category.

The H-Bomb is Brandon Garrison’s stealthy-low, Hemi-powered RHD ’27 Chrysler. He was one of a number of the Sonoma County based South of Heaven Fifties car club who participated in the WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025. H-Bomb’s shiny Hemi is mated to a GM TH400 automatic transmission and rises above the Nardo Gray cowl of this slammed Chrysler. The roof is chopped 10 inches, and the wire wheels are 18-inch up front; 20-inch out back. The Chrysler’s beautifully executed body sits on a custom frame with a ShockWave air spring & shock absorber suspension and four-wheel disc brakes. Oh yeah, Brandon sits low on the right side when he’s piloting his radical hot rod!Girls Just Want to Have Fun! I met Carly Brogren early Saturday morning as show participants were pulling in and parking their unique rides. As we chatted, I found out that in 2016 she satisfied a years-long craving to own a one-of-a-kind custom Lincoln Zephyr. Over the following years of ownership, she hooked-up with the legendary Picasso of Auto Paint, Gene Winfield. He not only created this chopped and stretched ’39 Zephyr’s stunning ‘Fade’ paint job, but soon became a close friend. Carly ultimately became his caretaker until his death in March of 2025. Gene was 97 years young when he passed away. Like his unmatched artistry, Gene’s shimmering spirit shined brightly on the WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025, adding to the event’s undeniable allure.Steve Bowron’s radically customized ’64 International Metro Mite is one kool machine. Known around California’s Central Coast as the 805 Kustoms Ice Kream Truck, this fast and flashy cruiser has an international following. Its top is chopped 12 inches, and it features custom bumper, grille, headlights, taillights and fender lip. An almost endless list of mods includes custom paint with gold leaf, Mustang II front & rear suspensions, air ride, 600 horsepower 350 Chevy motor, TH400 transmission, and Ford 8.8-inch rear.Victor Cacho is a well-known Southern California businessman. His Oak Springs landscape business specializes in high-quality construction, maintenance and hydroseeding. Car guys are more likely to know Victor as the customizer who brings numerous car parts and ideas to Ian Roussel at Full Custom Garage. Joint ventures between Cacho Customs and Full Custom Garage – like this radically altered ’48 Packard named Eater EATER – went from concept to reality in front of a TV audience. Full Custom Garage is now streaming on YouTube TV. Can you guess who did the ‘Fade’ paint job? Yep – Gene Winfield.Brad Mikkelsen of Arroyo Grande, CA is a nuclear energy professional. He loves the technology of power – and he loves the process of building powerful hot rods. This is his black-on-black, Hemi-powered ’34 3-Window Ford coupe. I’ve decided to call it an Extra-Hot-Hot-Rod. Sitting atop the 354 Chrysler Hemi is a Mooneyham 6-71 blower with an Edelbrock dual 600-cfm carb setup. The way things stack-up, Brad’s coupe can not only turn heads, but also snap necks if you’re not careful. BTW, this car is for sale.This sexy, turquoise blue ‘62 Ford is a modified third generation Thunderbird. The owner was missing in action and there wasn’t a show card for the car. So, here’s what I’m guessing are some specs, based on how it came from the factory in 1962. Original two-door unibody coupe styling by Bill Boyer. This custom cruiser is chopped and lowered. Power is from a 390-inch FE-series V8 mated to a 3-speed Cruise-O-Matic transmission. The Holley four-barrel-fed V8 delivers 300 horsepower/427 foot-pounds of torque, propelling the T-Bird from 0-60 in 8.6 seconds and covering the ¼-mile in 16.3 seconds.Low & Slow. It’s the Lowrider mantra, placing a priority on style and flair over speed and performance. This jewel is a ’39 Chevrolet sedan, displaying a Dukes Car Club die-cast gold plaque on the package tray below the rear window. Dukes is a Long Beach, CA club whose history dates back over 60 years, with members scattered around the country and around the globe. Regarding the Lowrider style, a senior member of Dukes once stated, “A Lowrider is nothing if not crisply clean, polished, and lit up with shiny paint and chrome.”The Automitron is a vintage ’49 Studebaker custom pickup that was 25 years in the making. A bevy of giants from Kustom Kulture, helped owner John Saltsman transform the pickup from parts-hauler to show-stopper. When John started formulating his plan for the truck in the 1980s, buddies George Barris, “Merc John”, Gene Winfield, Larry Watson, Keith Dean, Bill Hines and Brad Masterson joined his build team to bring about the artsy and futuristic transformation. A peek inside the radically customized interior reveals a shiny-metal Edsel dash, chopped Olds steering wheel, and an under-dash mounted, rabbit ears antenna mini-TV.I move pretty fast through car shows when I’m on assignment so I can capture as much of the action as possible. Usually, the showgoers surrounding the show cars are laughing and having a good time. But the spirit of the conversation and tentative activity surrounding this sleek and creamy ’36 Buick Lowrider was noticeably serious, if not somber. As I moved from the rear of the car, along its side and up to the front snappin’ pix, I noticed a rusty metal nameplate rising up from the bumper. It read The Ghost. “OK, cue the creepy organ music.”Ahh, memories. I was maybe 14, living in Queens, NY, and already obsessed with cars. My parents had a ’53 Chevy sedan, with basically the same specs as the custom ’53 Chevy Sedan Delivery featured here – minus the words Delivery and Custom! My folks’ car was always parked on the street, and during the winter my mom would allow me to go outside and start the car so it would be warm when she got in. I had never driven before but I had practiced all the moves, sitting parked with the clutch in. One morning I got in, pulled the three-speed column shifter down to first, released the brake and took off! I drove a perfect loop around the block and parked just as mom was coming out the front door. And thus, another Car Guy was ready to roll!Some might say that this flawless, custom ’32 Ford pickup is showy and loud, or maybe they might simply say, it’s brassy. And they’d be right. Everywhere we’d expect to see chrome or stainless parts and trim, this pickup sports brassy bits – from the front grille, to hood ornament, interior gauge bezels, rear view mirrors, valve covers and rear end. The more-reddish brass tones probably come from a higher copper content in the metal’s composition. Complimenting the brass bits are orange-toned gold scallops accenting the fenders and center body line.Attention to Detail. Even if you’re not a fan of Lowrider style, you’ll probably agree that the artistry and craftsmanship embodying some of these custom cars is extraordinary. For example, the barely-visible body panel behind the front bumper of this ’48 Chevy Fleetline is a work of art – as is every inch of this impeccably-crafted custom. From the factory, the Fleetline had a three-speed manual Syncro-Mesh transmission mated to an inline Six with a one-barrel Carter carb. Top speed was wishfully about 75 mph!OK, I’ll admit it. I have two black velvet paintings featuring partially clothed ladies. No, they are not hanging on the walls of my home, but they are part of my “Kitch Art” inventory that I sell on my Etsy store, WellPicked. So of course, I had to take a few minutes away from the hot rods and customs to enjoy this wonderful collection of kitch and coolers on display in the vendor area at the WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025. There were also vendors selling kar kulture clothing, jewelry, signs and swag, plus exhibits of model cars and pin-striping techniques – and of course live music and fabulous hot dogs, tacos, churros and kettle corn.Many of the WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025 participants brought more than cars; they also brought multiple generations of their car-loving families. It was not unusual to see the little kids being pulled around the Fairpark in custom and vintage kiddie-car wagons. When I spotted this Art Deco era, pressed-steel Zephyr wagon by Steelcraft, I wondered how many of us got our first addictive taste of car culture riding low and wide-eyed in a little rusty wagon?

Story & Photos © Jim Palam, https://www.jimpalamphotos.com/

For more information on WEST COAST KUSTOMS CRUISIN’ NATIONALS 2025 and club events, please visit https://www.westcoastkustoms.com/

HOT RODS, CUSTOMS & DRIVE-INS

Rod & Custom guru and automotive journalist Pat Ganahl has spent his hot-rodding career on the left coast and just posted this short-course on HOT RODS, CUSTOMS & DRIVE-INS.

Before social media and cell phones, hot rod and custom car owners communicated with each other at club meetings, shows, drag strips and drive-ins. Drive-ins were where you took your dates and showed off your wheels, finished or unfinished. In some locales, drive-ins were the places to go looking to hookup for runs. Yeah, illegal street racing!

If you were a serious carguy growing up in the New York City metro area, drive-ins were where you went to earn street-racing cred. It only mattered how fast your car was, not how good it looked. It was not unusual to see real Super/Stock racecars (Ramcharger’s CandyMatic Dodge) and even blown gassers with license plates, ready to run if the price was right.

Most of you know that besides this bi-weekly column, I also post individual photos from my archive regularly on Instagram, http://@patganahl. A few weeks ago, I ran a simple black and white version of a color cover photo I set up for a Street Rodder cover in 1975, showing two rods at an A&W drive-in at night. I was astounded at the number of “likes” and responses that one image drew – more than any other. So, this reminded me that I have a whole binder titled “Misc. Color, Drive-ins etc.” You like Drive-ins? I’ve got plenty!

Baldwin-Motion SS-454 Camaro waiting for a “run” at Wetson’s on Sunrise Highway, right, near Motion Performance, Baldwin, NY.

Sometime in the 1980s I joined a group called the Society for Commercial Archeology, a slightly academic “National organization devoted to celebrating the 20th century American roadscape.” In other words, they appreciate and study what we call roadside attractions: bright neon signs, Googie diners, hot dog stands shaped like hot dogs (or dogs), cobblers in shoe-shaped shops, giant Uniroyal tires, big oranges, Wigwam Motels–stuff designed to grab your attention as you drive by in your car. This of course includes drive-in restaurants in several shapes, sizes, and colors. And note the involvement of the automobile.

This group holds annual conferences where members present papers with large-screen photos on a wide variety of relevant (usually colorful, often amazing) topics, and in late-1988 it was scheduled for the Henry Ford Museum, which had recently been redone in diorama form. We had just relaunched Rod & Custom, and I wanted to see and cover the new Ford Museum, so I submitted a paper titled, “The Dynamic Architecture of the Drive-In.” Briefly, its point was that however unique, zany, or neon-lit a drive-in was, it wasn’t complete without a bunch of cars parked around it, which were also colorful, of many shapes and forms, perhaps zany or noisy, and constantly changing. They became part of the architecture, thus making it dynamic, both in sight and sound. So, I collected a whole lot of photos of drive-ins, several I had taken myself, others from sources I can’t remember. Plenty included rods or customs. The paper was well-received.

To illustrate my point, I found photos of several early drive-ins built in a unique round style, usually with a central tower on top with a name in bright neon. But as you can see, they really aren’t complete without a full ring of cars parked around them.

Continue reading HOT RODS, CUSTOMS & DRIVE-INS@ https://patganahl.com/2022/08/08/dandy-drive-ins/

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: CENTRAL COAST WHEELING WEEKEND

Who doesn’t love a special deal? Perhaps it’s CGC’s Jim Palam’s years in advertising that was behind his idea to give our readers two-reports-in-one, combining two of the Central Coast’s popular car shows – The Solvang Fall Classic & The Montecito Motor Classic – into one feature. It’s a great idea, so here’s CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: CENTRAL COAST WHEELING WEEKEND.

Covid changed the 2020 Car Show scene significantly – pretty much eliminating many if not all of the popular gatherings not only in America, but around the world. It was a year to ponder our priorities and for many a time to get back in the garage and finish projects that were in the works or on-hold. What was a bummer in 2020 turned out to be something of a bonanza in 2021 with many of these unseen or improved projects making their way to re-launched car shows, races and auctions.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: CENTRAL COAST WHEELING WEEKEND started early on Saturday morning in the heart of Solvang, CA with The 2021 Solvang Fall Classic Car Show. By 9 AM there were over 200 pre-1990 classics, hot rods, sports cars, customs and motorcycles. The show was free to spectators and thousands of car enthusiasts, tourists and locals strolled through the show-car-lined streets of “The Danish Capital of America.” Proceeds from the show benefitted local charities including The Rona Barrett Foundation, The Vikings Kids Christmas and The Veggie Rescue Program. In years past this show was held during the summer and promoted as The Wheels & Windmills Car Show. As hoped for, there were many cars there I hadn’t seen before and the cooler October weather was perfect. My vote is to keep holding the show in the Fall.

I started the second day of my “Wheeling Weekend” zipping down Highway 101 along the Pacific Coast in my 914 to the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club for The 2021 Montecito Motor Classic. This was the second year the MMC was held at the Polo Club’s panoramic Carpinteria foothill’s location. This was also the 9th year that the Presenting Sponsor for the MMC was the Armand Hammer Foundation which meant that dedicated Car Guy Michael Armand Hammer would be involved, and that we’d see an exciting mix of exotics, hot rods, customs, classics, concept cars and even famous TV cars – like the first “car” I encountered – the George Barris built Munsters Koach, left. This hopped-up hearse was featured on the iconic 1960’s TV series, The Munsters.

One row over from the Munster Koach I spotted the Backdraft Racing Indigo Blue 427 Cobra, top, that had been wheeling down the 101 next to me on the way to the show. The affable owner is an aerospace executive whose passenger was a large Teddy Bear. Once on the show field he donned a Propeller Beanie Cap and shared his infectious effervescence with showgoers enjoying the perfect weather and exceptional cars on the expansive Polo Field.

There were also a number of side attractions at the MMC including the Avenue of Chalets vendor area and a tribute to show honoree and automotive designer, Mark Stehrenberger. Now I must apologize that I kept my camera focused mostly on the 200-plus cars on the show field and I missed the Fashion Hat Competition sponsored by Silverhorn Jewelers!

A trophy winner at The Solvang Fall Classic Car Show and a standout at any show it’s entered in was Keith & Lynne Raphael’s jaw-dropping ’61 MGA Roadster. This ‘lil beast sports a supercharged Chevy 350 tucked neatly into the radically-modified, all-steel MGA body that sits snugly on an altered ’78 Corvette chassis. This red racer is no Trailer Queen and gets driven often for joy-rides and to shows by Keith and Lynne.

This man is not only on the step-up to his “La Bestioni No. 8 ~ Beast of Turin” but on a mission to wow and entertain as many people as he, and his oversize creations, can. Some of you may recognize Gary Wales from his many appearances on Jay Leno’s Garage. Gary’s “Beasts” (he has built 8 so far) are tributes to the original Beast of Turin, a 1911 Fiat S76 that was powered by a massive 28-liter inline-4 engine. To create his “Beasts” he starts with pre-1930s American La France fire trucks and from there let’s his creativity flow. Many of the mechanical chores – such as rebuilding the 14-liter Simplex motor – are handled by his ace mechanic, Andres Aranda. It was one of the most popular exhibits of CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: CENTRAL COAST WHEELING WEEKEND.

In conspicuous contrast to Gary’s “Beast” is Don Nichos’ ‘56 Messerschmitt KR200 Kabineroller (Cabin Scooter) which buzzed into the Solvang show with a BMW Isetta in hot pursuit. This head-turning 3-wheel microcar was designed by Fritz Fend for German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt. While spotting one of these on the road is about as rare as spotting Warren Buffet at the 7-11, they actually manufactured approximately 40,000 of them between 1955 and 1964. Capable of reaching a top speed of 56 mph, the 507-pound KR200 is powered by a 191 cc Fichtel & Sachs 2-stroke engine. If you close your eyes as one passes by you might think you’re hearing a classic Vespa scooter!

It was the very first car I spotted at The Solvang Fall Classic Car Show and I knew immediately that it was special. While over 21 million Volkswagen Beetles were manufactured between 1938 and 2003, this little, unpretentious Pastel Green Bug was one of the last split-window Zwitter Beetles manufactured in 1952. And here it sat, like an obedient and patient Dachshund, perhaps waiting for its owner to come out of one of the Danish pastries shops on Copenhagen Drive. This iconic, concours condition ’52 VW is proudly owned by Randy Maskell of Burbank who purchased it over 35 years ago. Everything works in this all-original survivor including the dash clock that you wind-up by reaching into the right-side glove compartment, and the delicate, flip-out style semaphore turn signals. Open the front trunk and you’ll find all the original tools.

What a difference a day makes! In striking contrast to Saturday’s Solvang show’s humble ’52 Zwitter Bug was this brutish Baja Bug on display at Sunday’s Montecito Motor Classic. Sitting mean and nasty on meaty BFGoodrich Baja T/As, this desert destroyer is powered by a high-revving, deep-breathing 700 horsepower LS7 Chevy. Configuration and Fabrication of the car’s complex suspension and chassis was handled by Bradley Nipper. The Bug’s concept was by Stephan Sutton and the assembly by EWR Racing. Oh, by the way, the car is air-conditioned!

Hi-yo, Silver! OK, I know this ’59 Corvette is painted Roman Red, but that’s Dawn Moore holding a photo of her father, Clayton Moore. If you’re a Boomer like me you probably watched Clayton on TV in his role as The Lone Ranger. He bought this Vette new in 1959 and it’s been in the Moore family ever since. Dawn is the latest family caretaker; she brought this classic up from Beverly Hills to proudly show it at The Montecito Motor Classic.

There are some bad ideas that are fabulous – like John Lynch’s awesome ’51 Kaiser Henry J Gasser! So, the story goes that when John told his buddies that he was going to stuff a blown 392-inch Chrysler Hemi into his diminutive Henry J, they all agreed – that was a really bad idea. When John completed the build – which included details like the Ford 9-inch rear, ladder-bar suspension and Turbo 400 transmission, his friends were speechless. This glowing example of a classic 1960s period Gasser is finished in John’s home-brewed “Evil Orange” paint, with its name Bad Idea boldly displayed on both doors!

Speaking of big motors in small cars – Jeff Jones of RatRod Jeff Fabrications brought customer Roger Regen’s wild & wicked ’29 Model A Tudor Ratrod to the manicured Polo field to tear up not divots, but perceptions of what a show-worthy automotive head-turner could be. Jeff’s intricate tube chassis connects all the rod’s components, serving as a sturdy base for the massive 540-inch, 850 horsepower Mooneyham-blown Hemi, Turbo 350 trans, and also a roll cage in the smashed, 32-inch to the roofline Tudor body. This attention getter drew in many admirers including this lovely lady from Ojai and her taller-than-the-car Great Dane. That’s Jeff enjoying the canine and lovely chapeaued company.

I met British motorcycle and car restoration expert Phil Honer years ago while I still owned my ’74 Triumph TR6. I never knew he owned this stunning Jaguar E-Type Coupe and was excited to see him and his meticulously-restored Opalescent Blue ’67 XKE on Copenhagen Drive for The 2021 Solvang Fall Classic Car Show. I grabbed this photo early on Saturday morning as the first arrivals were positioning their show cars in their assigned display areas. A native of Birmingham, England, Phil boosted his E-Type’s performance with high-lift cams, an aluminum flywheel, improved brakes and an improved cooling system.

Green: The color of money and envy! If you’re planning on putting a plug-in e-hybrid 918 Porsche Spyder in your garage, get ready for a considerable investment of time and money as they are near impossible to find. Touted as one of Porsche’s most advanced models when introduced in 2013, this hybrid features a 608 horsepower 4.6-Liter gas powered engine, paired with a 129 horsepower front electric motor and a 156 horsepower rear electric motor, fueled by a 6.8-kWh lithium-ion battery. Doing the power-curve math reveals a jaw-dropping 0 to 60 sprint in 2.5 seconds! Priced around $845,000 for a base model in 2013 you can expect asking prices from $1.3 million and way-way up today.

There’s nothing like a classic Tri-Five Chevy to bring us back down to earth and to Solvang, after our lofty visit with the 918 Spyder. GM produced over 1.5 million Chevys in 1957 and the odds of finding one at your local car show are very high. I was surprised to learn that even with these impressive sales numbers it was in 1957 that Ford outsold Chevy for the first time since 1935. Chevrolet recovered quickly and Ford spent the 1960s unsuccessfully trying to make a comeback!

Introduced back in 1946, Dodge’s Power Wagon was essentially a civilian version of the Dodge WC Series 4×4 military truck. Many were put to hard work as utility vehicles on farms and work sites and if serious mechanical problems were encountered far too many were left to slowly rust right where they quit running. Over the last 10 years Power Wagon aficionados have resurrected and restored the ones they could find and specialized restoration facilities, like Legacy Classic Trucks, have created growing businesses building Power Wagon conversions that feature high-performance drivetrains and custom interiors. This big orange wagon on the Polo Field was a favorite of the many kids who attended the show with their families.

Another early arrival in Solvang was this 5th generation Plum Crazy ’73 Dodge Dart 340 Sport. Its Chrysler small-block V-8 produced approximately 240 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. With a curb weight of just over 3,200 pounds these cars offered above-average performance. Plum Crazy paint wasn’t actually offered in 1973, but this Dart looked ready to command the intersection outside the Solvang Shoe Store!

Although both the 2021 Solvang Fall Classic and the Montecito Motor Classic’s advertised motorcycles in the mix of show vehicles over my Wheeling Weekend adventure, I only saw two motorcycles on the Polo Field and less than a dozen on the grass at Solvang Park. Even though there was a nicely restored Brough Superior at the MMC, the bike that caught my eye and camera lens was Ron Curtis’ quintessential 1960’s chopper, a beautifully scalloped ’64 BSA. It of course had radically extended forks, “ape hanger” handlebars and a tall “sissy-bar” seat. What it didn’t have was a hardtail frame, the builder opting to retain its original coil spring set.

One of the fun things about these local shows is you will often discover interesting vehicles parked within the vicinity of the show. One such giddy discovery was this authentic Japanese firetruck. To navigate the narrow and twisting streets in Japan smaller vehicles are often chosen as utility and emergency vehicles – such as Bear Erickson and Adriana Ortiz’s red-and-ready Nissan Safari firetruck. I happen to know Bear and Adriana and they have always walked to the beat of their own drummer. Instead of an engagement ring Adriana asked if Bear would get her the firetruck – for no other reason than it would put a smile on her face!

Words & Photos © Jim Palam, https://www.jimpalamphotos.com/

For more information, please visit the CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: CENTRAL COAST WHEELING WEEKEND show websites: https://wheelsnwindmills.com/ https://montecitomotorclassic.com/

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ROD & CUSTOM: ART & THE AUTOMOBILE

Rod & custom archivist/historian, Pat Ganahl blogs about Charlie Smith’s ROD & CUSTOM: ART & THE AUTOMOBILE that turns as many heads as do iconic show-stoppers.

I was going to title this column “The Unknown Artist,” but that’s not true at all. I’ve known Charlie Smith of Kansas City at least since the mid-1980s. I’ve published his work in Hot Rod and Rod & Custom, and you’ve seen it elsewhere. You’ve also seen cars he’s designed, though you might not know it. Just one example is Pete Chapouris’ Limefire ’32 roadster, loosely inspired by Tom Pollard’s green-and-flamed ’29.

This is another piece he did for Chapouris’ So-Cal Speed Shop (on spec) when they restored the belly tank and built similar vehicles for Chevrolet. But look at the detail and realism in this. That’s why I call it Unreal Art–because it’s so super-realistic.

Charlie says he’s not doing this to impress viewers, he’s doing it to show whoever is going to build the car exactly how he wants it to look. But just look at the texture of the Bonneville salt, the mountains in the background, and the detail in the gold-tinted and red-striped mag wheels in this rendition of a ’53 Studebaker pickup/push truck (note rubber strip on front bumper). And this was just a suggestion. It didn’t get built.

Charlie first displayed his version of the classic chopped ’40 Merc at a Design Center at the 1990 SEMA show. Then it was blue. He recently recolored it in this burgundy red. The front “wheel covers” are hub-attached to stay stationary as the wheel turns.

Want more realism? This one has a bit of Euro-flavor to it, as well, which is faintly reflected in the village/mountain background. Calling this his vision of a ’49 Eldorado, below, the obvious change is a slightly chopped and hard-topped roofline. Other changes include the obvious extended stainless rear skirts. Less obvious are ’55 Chevy-type hooded headlights and slightly enlarged taillights.

Continue reading ROD & CUSTOM: ART & THE AUTOMOBILE, (Unreal Auto Art) @ https://patganahl.com/2021/07/26/unreal-auto-art/

FIVE-STAR: THE AMERICAN SPEED SHOP

If you are truly interested in the birth and evolution of hot rodding, the speed equipment industry and drag racing in America, Bob McClurg’s FIVE-STAR: THE AMERICAN SPEED SHOP is THE book to read!

If there’s anyone who should be teaching Hot Rodding 101 at your local community college, it’s Bob McClurg! He’s an accomplished photographer, scribe, author and a true student of the evolution of hot rodding and drag racing – from four-cylinder and Flathead and OHV V8 revolutions, through modern times. At the heart of these iconic times is the speed shop, where dreams were and, in some cases, still are turned into reality.

Decades before the Donut Derelicts launched the Cars & Coffee (and donuts) culture phenomenon in Huntington Beach, CA in 1985, speed shops were where carguys went on Saturday mornings to bench race, hang out and even buy stuff for their rides before heading to tracks. Parking lots at speed shows, however small, were transformed into revolving mini car shows. There was always something to see and talk about. McClurg captures those moments in his terrific tome: FIVE-STAR: THE AMERICAN SPEED SHOP.

To set the tone of when racing started in America, closely followed by the history of speed shop growth and speed equipment manufacturing, McClurg quotes Henry Ford, who certainly was not the only one to say, “Auto racing began five minutes after the second car was built,” in Chapter 1, BIRTH OF A SEEDLING INDUSTRY. Ford’s Model T, followed by the modernized A, started a racing revolution that actually continues more than a century later – stronger than ever – in Pre-War Historic racing both here and abroad. Henry Ford successfully raced a car of his own design before there was a Ford Motor Company.

Claus Mueller’s Model A Speedster, competes in historic racing events in Europe.

Most enthusiasts of a certain age, credit the start of hot rodding to the Ford Flathead V8, an engine that broke cover in 1932 when four and six-cylinder engines were popular power choices for enthusiasts. By the time first Flathead surfaced in the ’32 Ford, thousands of speed and performance garages dotted the map from coast to coast. They specialized in coaxing more power from popular four-cylinder Fords. New-car dealers got into the action as well. They converted used Model Ts and later Model As into sporty cars, hot rods and racecars using Mercury and Langdon Speedster bodies, Ruckstell two-speed rear ends, Franklin steering, Buffalo 20-inch wire wheels and modified engines.

Riley four-port Model A four-cylinder engine with dual Stromberg 81 carbs.

McClurg devotes a good amount of space to how enthusiasts coaxed more horsepower out of the popular four-cylinder Fords of the pre-Flathead era,1920s and 1930s. Ford enthusiasts could choose from overhead valve (OHV), or single overhead cam (SOHC) or dual overhead cam (DOHC) conversion heads made by Clemons, Cragar, Frontenac, Gemsa, Hal, Hunt, Rajo, Riley, Roof, Winfield and others. The Frontenac or “Fronty” DOHC 16-valve conversion, manufactured by Arthur and Louis Chevrolet (yes, that Chevrolet) was extremely popular with racers and hot rodders searching for maximum performance. It was not unusual for highly modified Fronty Fords to produce more than 125 horsepower and redline at over 5,000 rpm. There was also a rare “Peugeot-Type” OHV 16-valve head conversion kit for Model T Fours, manufactured by The Laurel Motors Corporation in Anderson, IL.

In the 1920s in California, the Model T Ford gave birth to the exclusively American hot rod movement. When Ford introduced its new and improved 40-horsepower Model A in 1928, it took over. Highly modified Ford Fours delivered V8 performance, powering roadsters, coupes and belly tankers (Lakesters/Streamliners). They could be found on weekends at both the dry lakes in the Mojave high desert (El Mirage, Muroc and Rosamond) and the wood-board and dirt race tracks in California. Racing on the dry lakes was sanctioned by the Russetta Timing Association (RTA) and Southern California Timing Association (SCTA). When the 65-horsepower Flathead V8 Ford debuted in 1932, it assured Ford’s domination of the hot rod field until the advent of OHV V8s in 1949.

Bobby Meeks, left, and Fran Hernandez, with three-carb Flathead on dyno at Vic Edelbrock’s shop, 1950s.

Ford’s Flathead V8 revolutionized the hobby, fed explosive speed shop growth, and gave birth to speed equipment manufacturers that would completely change the go-fast culture. Many of those names (brands) are still with us today and can see them on traditional “old-school” hot rod, and Specials competing in Historic Pre-War class road racing.

As early as the 1930s, Ford was capitalizing on what would become known in the 1960s as “Win On Sunday, Sell On Monday” marketing. A major win at the 1933 National Road Race in Elgin, IL established Ford as a feared competitor in road racing. Savvy dealers wasted no time bragging about Ford’s win in the Nationals in local advertising. This drove customer traffic and V-8 model sales. Almost instantly new V-8 Ford roadsters could be found, less mufflers and fenders, tearing up racetracks. The 1932 Swedish Winter Grand Prix was won by two mechanics driving a Ford V-8 Special. McClurg focuses on how Flatheads changed racing, from local drag strips and dry lakes to Indy (Miller-Ford Specials) and beyond our borders.

Legendary hot rodders and racers wasted little time developing speed equipment for the Flathead. The list included cam-grinder Ed Iskenderian, aluminum intake manifold and head pioneer Vic Edelbrock, Sr., Ansen’s Lou Senter, Bell Auto’s Roy Richter, above, So-Cal Speed Shop’s Alex Xydias, below, and speed merchants Barney Navarro and Meyer Kong, Eddie Meyer, Barney Navarro, Tommy Thickstun, among others. Racing venues increased thanks to George Wight and George Riley, Muroc Racing Association (MRA), Lou Baney, Russetta Timing Association (RTA), Bill Burke, Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), Art Benjamin, Valley Timing Association (VTA) and, of course, NHRA’s Wally Parks. In addition to popular bolt-on heads, intake manifolds, headers, etc. there were also ARDUN overhead-valve conversions pioneered by Zora Arkus-Duntov and his brother Yuri working out of a small shop, Ardun mechanical Corporation in Queens, NY.

After World War II, hot-rodding, racing and the speed equipment industry experienced incredible growth. As the dry lakes became less and less available for racing, the popularity of quarter-mile drags surged. It would not be until 1950 that the first organized track, Santa Ana Drag Strip, would open on a Southern California airfield. In 1951 Wally Parks, then Editor of HOT ROD and founder of the National Hot Rod Association, produced the first official NHRA race at the Los Angeles Fairgrounds in Pomona, California. The Flathead also distinguished itself in NASCAR competition. Jim Roper, driving a Lincoln, won the first NASCAR race on June 19, 1949 at Charlotte Speedway.

So-Cal Speed Shop of Arizona.

FIVE-STAR: THE AMERICAN SPEED SHOP also documents how OHV V8s changed the course of both street and track performance, 1960s and 1970s: gas and fuel drag racing, the birth of funny cars, Detroit’s Super/Stocks and FX racers, and how the popular Mom & Pop speed shops had to keep up with changing times – big distributors selling retail and today’s online giants. High-profile racecars, drivers and speed shops that you might be familiar with – and many you may not – are covered in detail by McClurg, including rare vintage photography.

David Snyder painting showcases the unique Motion Performance/Baldwin Chevrolet partnership.

One of the phenomena of the mid-1960s through mid-1970s was the unique marriage between a full-service speed shop specializing in dyno-tuning – Joel Rosen’s Motion Performance and a small, neighborhood Chevrolet dealer, Dave Bean’s Baldwin Chevrolet in Baldwin, LI, NY – that generated head-turning and crazy-fast 1967-1974 Camaros, Novas, Chevelles, Corvettes, and even some Biscayne Street Racer Specials. The brand was Baldwin-Motion and you could order a brand-new Chevy powered by a 427-454 big-block engine that could be equipped with mild to wild speed equipment plus suspension and cosmetic options. Turn-key racecars were available as well. No brand in the history of the genre offered more performance and customization options, and for some models, a written performance guaranty!Legendary KO-MOTION L88 Corvette set AHRA record: “In Memory of Astoria Chas Snyder.”

McClurg devotes a lot of space to Motion Performance/Baldwin-Motion, its speed shop services, unique performance products and its record holding racecars that were sponsored by Hi-Performance CARS Magazine. Baldwin-Motion’s competition in the field of dealer-built modified Chevys included Yenko Chevrolet, Nickey Chevrolet, Dana Chevrolet and others are covered as well.

The history of the speed shop is the history of hot-rodding, dry lakes competition and drag racing in America and, nobody tells it better than Bob McClurg. I came of age in the hobby when the Flathead was still very much the choice of hot rodders, owned a customized ’40 Mercury convertible sedan powered by a dual carb, dual exhaust Flathead, and this book really talks to me! I’m proud to see my name listed on the book’s ACKNOWLEDGMENTS page. Best of all, it showcases incredible rare vintage and modern photos, generously contributed by Gregg Sharp, NHRA Motorsports Museum and private collections. It doesn’t get any better; I give it five stars!

FIVE-STAR: THE AMERICAN SPEED SHOP is available @ https://www.amazon.com/American-Speed-Shop-Evolution-Rodding/dp/1613253346/ref=sr_1_1?crid=366CI8Q4DUSNG&dchild=1&keywords=the american speed shop birth and evolution of hot rodding&qid=1619811270&s=books&sprefix=The American Speed Shop,stripbooks,1455&sr=1-1