The Road Agents' Hot Rod & Rock-A-Billy Rumble

It's funny how some things get started. The street rod industry (a hobby that has become a mega-dollar business) basically began in small, backyard garages around the country. Some talented builder decided to fix up his old hot rod, made some parts because he couldn't find what he needed, started selling them to his buddies, and soon an industry was born!

The same could be said for car shows. Who knew that a gathering in a field in Peoria, Illinois, in 1970 would be the blueprint for more than 30 years of street rod nationals? All that is needed is a good idea and someone behind it to drive it in order for it to become a success.

Luke Karosi, a member of the Road Agents car club from Ashford, Connecticut, didn't think much of it when he used to drive his custom '55 Ford to the local cruise night. But when he rode up on his '49 Panhead Harley, organizers turned him away, even though they allowed late-model Mustangs and VWs into the gathering!

When the 33-year-old Karosi informed the other Road Agents about his cruise night rejection, the idea of doing their own show came up. Luke had previously organized a car show (a '49-59 Ford, Lincoln, Mercury event) in his home state, so he thought this one, christened the Hot Rod and Rock-A-Billy Rumble, would be no different.

The Road Agents made up flyers with an explanation of what type of vehicles they were interested in having at their show: "Pre-'63 hot rods and kustoms in true '50s or early '60s style only. No pro-street, billet, high tech, bone stockers, or trailer queens would be allowed." Pretty aggressive for these Politically Correct times, but the Agents wanted to make a statement.

The first show was held in 1999 and featured four rockabilly bands and drew about 240 cars. The second show, held in 2000, saw six bands and 500 cars. This year nine bands played over two days and more than 550 vehicles filtered onto the grounds of the East Hartford Elks Club in East Hartford, Connecticut. Held over a Friday and Saturday (so people can get home at a leisurely pace on Sunday), the Rumble began on 6 p.m. Friday night with a kick-off party featuring three bands.

The gates opened at 9 a.m. Saturday morning and, for a $10 entry fee, you could try and get your car into the show. The Road Agents were prepared to turn cars away at the gate if they didn't fit the published criteria and turn them away they did. Once inside, vendors selling vintage clothes, kustom kulture art, old magazines, and tattoos were mixing with the "right" element: like-minded rodders steeped in rodding nostalgia. Conversations were about leaky 97s and where you could find six-carb intake manifolds. Six bands played throughout the day, including one that is based in Holland!

But even though the face of this event is young (many into the '50s cars and rockabilly scene are of the 18-to-25 year-old crowd), the younger rodders really enjoy the older rodders. Many of the older New England rodding community (who actually lived through the original '50s hot rod era) are also seen mixing at the event, and are considered by the Road Agents (and many others) hot rod heroes. One such hero to the club, Jack Eaton (brother of another pioneer New England hot rodder, Ed Eaton), passed away in August of 2001 and the Road Agents would like to dedicate this year's show to his memory.

And though some of the younger crowd resents the spotlight of national magazine coverage for their show (how can something be cool if everyone knows about it), the success of this event will continue regardless if a magazine prints an article about it or not. People that live in Driggs, Idaho, or even Jewett, Ohio, who read this article will now know there is something else besides what they knew the day before, and that's how this whole thing got started anyway--rodders telling other rodders. The fourth Rock-A-Billy Rumble will be held July 19-20, 2002, and you can catch up with the Road Agents on their Web site at www.theroadagents.com.