Goodguys Indy 2005

Sometimes Driving There is the Story

By Brian Brennan

There is an old adage that says, "Getting there is half the fun." Well, the drive to Indy may or may not have been half the fun, but it most definitely is a story worth telling.

It wasn't that many years ago when everyone drove to a rod run or an event like Goodguys Indy. Trailers were verboten, but times have changed and nowadays trailering is commonplace. The vast majority of cars are still driven, and most likely always will be. Even though the modern street rod is increasingly more reliable and capable of being driven further distances, we are driving shorter distances and some would even say fewer miles per car. There are a hundred different reasons why, but that's not the point. The point is, it's a car, drive it!

With this in mind, Lil' John Buttera and I made the decision to drive our new roadsters to Goodguys Indy. John was already scheduled to be the honored Hot Rod Hero and I was to attend the event--it is my job. Hey, I am always looking for a reason to drive, and since it was time away from the office and a chance to go to an event, it couldn't have worked out better.

Let me start by saying that there is too much to write about in one magazine story, but you will be able to find the rest of the story on the STREEET RODDER Web site (www.streetrodderweb.com), and it is worth the read. Here I will give you the highlights (and some of the lowlights!) and a different perspective of this year's Goodguys Indy.

Let's see, leave on Sunday, arrive Wednesday night. That's almost 2,300 miles in four days--piece of cake, even in a roadster. Now, you always count on at least one day of rain and several minor hiccups that cause you to break stride, but it's still doable. At least that was our plan. Seeing as how we had to jumpstart Lil' John's roadster before we even left his house, that should have given me cause to be forearmed.

Well, let me tell you that we didn't hit any rain, but this was, without a doubt, the hottest and windiest transcontinental crossing I have ever made. But that was the easy part. You see, Lil' John decided that working out any mechanical bugs would be best served on the road. According to Lil', "Why take three months of precious time working out bugs in a new car when you can do it in three days!" Well, the logic is inescapable. But, sometimes it's best to slow cook your meal!

OK, we have jump-started the roadster; the neighbors line the driveway and applaud as we leave. The first day would set the tone for the remainder of the trip, and as I have stated before, you will have to read about this on the SRM Web site to get the complete story. However, just understand that by 3 p.m., we were stranded on the roadside (mile marker 72 on Interstate 10 in the California desert) for the third time. We had already survived a melted shifter cable (thanks to John Robinson, or J.R. as he is known) driving an hour from home with the necessary tools and parts to make the repair. The second breakdown was actually pretty mild, as the dry sump oil system needed additional oil added, but the third breakdown would have been a deal breaker for most, but not for Lil' John. "That's not a climb for a climber!" You get to hear a lot of his great one-liners when you spend as much time as I did with him on the side of the road.

Now, it should be said that while technically I left Lil' John on the side of the road and continued on to Flagstaff, Arizona, I had found a great group of rodders who would open their garage and their home to John. Craig Walgren and his two sons, Jim and Mike, did everything they could to help. Without hesitation, Craig opened his home and garage for Lil' John to work on his roadster. They would eventually get him back on the road a day and a half later.

Lil' John continued to have electrical problems for the remainder of the trip, but each time he was able to find someone who would gladly help. Another great story occurred just outside of St. Louis, Missouri. Originally, plans called for hooking up with Bob Rothenberg and the four of us (Lil' John, myself, Andy Brizio, and Bob) continuing onto Indy. Bob is a longtime rodder who is always a great hoot to have on any road trip.

Since Andy and I found ourselves always about half a day ahead of John, we continued on through St. Louis and let Bob hook up with John, as he would need the help. The continuing saga of electrical woes caught up with John just outside of St. Louis. He called Bob and told him he was on the side of the road with electrical woes and had no idea where he was. Bob talked with John, trying to get an idea of where he was when Bob asked if he was near Cuba, Missouri. After we eliminate the expletives, John basically said he had no idea. In time, John turned around and noted he was parked next to a city limit sign of--where else?--Cuba, Missouri. Bob told John to go to the next off-ramp and wait at a gas station, and one of Bob's friends would be there shortly. Sure enough Bob's friend showed up, and turned out to be an automotive electrical guru and immediately figured out John's problem--for now. But that was OK since it got John to Indy where we started exploring other electrical problems and a handful of little things that needed tweaking. But more on this story on the SRM Web site. Let's get back to the event.

Officially this year's event was the 17th Hot Rod Nationals presented by Advance Auto Parts held annually at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The event is open to cars and trucks through 1964. (Race cars are '72 vintage and earlier.) Typically this is the summer kickoff event for Goodguys (it's not the first, but it is the first major event) and, with 5,000 cars and a number of them making their debut, Indy has earned its position as one of the summer's "places to be and be seen."

For the past several years, Mother Nature has played havoc with Indy and, while this year saw Sunday's activities rained out, it did not dampen Friday and Saturday, which featured beautiful weather and great atmosphere. Indy is a great car town and, while you go there for the event, there is plenty to do outside IRP. Everywhere you travel within Indy or the surrounding towns you will find people who love cars and are always willing to talk cars or just give directions, if that's what you need.

This year we couldn't place our editorial "fingers" on anything particularly new or groundbreaking in build styles, but we can say that nostalgia is still in, Deuce Fords and fat-fendered rods are popular, and there is more than enough room for all of the current build styles to fit well together. Let's keep in mind that next year's event should prove once again that Indy is the place to kick off the summer's activities.

Twenty-year-old Riley Buttey of Middletown, IN, carries on family tradition with his '34 Chevy coupe that Dad and Grandpa originally built in '76. Power is SBC, TH350, 8-inch Ford rear, and MII frontend.

"American Graffiti" will always be with us as Wade Root of Ft. Atkinson, WI, proves with a very nice reproduction of the famous yellow Milner '32 highboy five-window coupe.

The SRM Top Ten winner is Kent Findley of Santa Rosa Beach, FL, with his reworked PPG black Down's bodied rod resting on 18s and 20s Colorado Custom wheels. Air Ride Technologies air spring system controls the LS1-powered '33 Vicky.

Earl Gaerte of Rochester, IN, is an SRM Top Ten winner and it shows with his outstanding all-original steel red '32 Ford highboy coupe powered by an Edelbrock dual-four equipped 425 Nailhead (now 451ci) with a TH400 and 9-inch Ford rear behind it.

Doug Hoppe of Sioux Center, IA, took home an SRM Top Ten with his Roger Burman-built '37 Minotti-Ford coupe powered by a 355 Chevy with a six-speed resting on Coddington 17s and 20s.

Joe Jenkins and Dave Haas took home SRM Top Ten honors with their old-time-appearing black body-on-red-frame Deuce highboy three-window coupe. I-beam, '40 Ford rear, '39 trans, 283 SBC, and '55 F100 steering add to the period look.

Allan Lewis of Marleville, IN, captured SRM Top Ten honors with his PPG green '34 Willys on Billet Specialties wheels powered by an LT1 with a 700-R4 tranny and a Ford 9-inch rear. Other appointments include Lokar, Wise Guys seating, and Auto Meter gauges.

Bob Wigington of Jasper, GA, took home SRM Top Ten honors for his red with white scallops Zipper Lakes Modified powered by a ZZ4 and a Winters quickie outback.

Look for Gai Wilson's Louisville, TN-based Alloway-built Deuce in an upcoming issue to see how great it is. In the meantime, it captured a SRM Top Ten, powered by a BBC with Hilborn EFI.

Dave Reinhold of McCordsville, IN, was another SRM Top Ten winner with his highly modified '29 closed cab pickup turned into a roadster pickup. It is powered by a 4.6L Ford, five-speed trans and a 9-inch Ford rear.

One of the most popular cars at Indy was the '32 Ford highboy of Jim Smith from Sand Springs, OK. Look for the feature on this car next month and take particular note of the interior and the front braking!

Ken Zopaa of Alma, MI, was another SRM Top Ten recipient for his Greening Automotive-built '39 Willys powered by a blown 383 Chevy with a 700-R4. Other appointments include Halibraand wheels, BFG rubber, Lokar cables and pedals, VDO gauges, and ididit steering column.

The night before the drive to Indy and the Buttera-built roadster is almost ready (after lots of help from friends). The roadster is powered by his Indy motor from 1987. To say everything is handmade and garage-built is an understatement.

John Robinson (Fat Jack's son) was instrumental in getting the roadster built and also came to our rescue after the first on-the-road hiccup.

It's amazing how many friends it takes to keep a street rod running--standing is Bob Rothenberg who teamed up with Lil' John in St. Louis. Cleaning the hood side is Andy Brizio, who was always looking for a way to help. Friends do come in handy!

It's said you meet the nicest people on the road: SRM freelancer Scott Killeen (and the publisher of the "Build Book") passes on the road in Missouri on his way to Indy.