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The Goodguys 11th Annual Colorado Hot Rod & Custom Nationals - Rockin' The Rockies
The Goodguys 11th Annual Colorado Hot Rod & Custom Car Nationals
By Jim Rizzo
For the last dozen years or so, I've been wingin' (I'd rather be cruisin', but time won't allow it) across the country covering various Goodguys shows, but this year I had the good fortune to start my travel season by covering the Goodguys Colorado Hot Rod & Custom Car Nationals. It was my first time covering this event, and I wish I'd drawn this assignment a long time ago! Upon my return and reflection, the Colorado gathering was perhaps one of the best regional Goodguys shows I've ever attended. The cars and trucks were knock-your-socks-off gorgeous and the people perhaps the nicest I've ever had the pleasure to meet. The gathering was a huge indoor and outdoor happenin' at The Ranch at Larimer County Fairgrounds in Colorado, featuring more than 2,000 hot rods, customs, classics, musclecars, and classic trucks through 1972. There were countless vendor and exhibitor booths, a good-sized swap meet for automotive-related parts, and a car corral with a bunch of potential projects for sale. As is the case with all Goodguys get-togethers, there's also lots of fun available for the whole family with a model-car show and a free kids' car model build-and-take, sponsored by Revell, plus live entertainment all weekend long. How's this for a classy Deuce... How's this for a classy Deuce roadster? This Fort Worth, TX-based '32 is on the money; cream-colored paint, Wheel Vintiques wires wrapped in wide whites, and a matching convertible top create a cool hot rod look with an air of elegance. It's a perfect example of the high-quality street rods that made their way to the show. Goodguys' kickoff party was held Thursday afternoon at Pinkee's Rod Shop. The Pinkee's staff went all out with food, beverages, live music, and a great open house so everyone could check out the awesome projects, both complete and in progress, they had in house. The traditional Goodguys TGIF Party was held the following evening at the Hilton Fort Collins host hotel and featured tons of fun and some great live music provided by Rodney James & the Blue Flames-both parties set the fun-filled tone for the balance of the weekend. As I stated earlier, the cars were awesome and the people great. In fact, I'm still not sure which I enjoyed more: checking out the street rods or bench-racin' and shootin' the bull with the attendees! No matter, the Goodguys Colorado Hot Rod & Custom Car Nationals was great all around, and I'm hoping I draw the event again in next year's schedule! I'd also like to take a second to recognize the efforts of the Goodguys' staff; these folks work their tails off just to ensure we all have a great time, and let me assure you, everyone had a ball-especially me! So, make note, if ya didn't get to the show this year, mark your calendar for 2009's Goodguys Colorado Hot Rod & Custom Car Nationals.
Turtle Wax Tech TipsIn order to get the best results from a car wax, it is necessary to first wash the car to remove dirt and road grime. Failure to do this can result in scratching of the finish during waxing due to the presence of abrasive particles in the road dirt. Washing is also effective in removing residue from industrial fallout, bird droppings, and road salt.
Recommendations:
* To prevent scratching, use two sponges-one for dirty areas and the other for cleaner parts.
* Drive the car briefly afterward to ensure the brakes are dry and to prevent corrosion.
* Don't forget to clean the painted areas covered by shut doors, tailgate, boot, or bonnet.
 Aside from runnin' into my...  Aside from runnin' into my pals from back East, I had the pleasure of crossing paths with another close friend whom I hadn't seen in way too long, Roger Ward. Roger is perhaps one of the best painters and bodymen in the hot rod industry, plus he's one of the few guys in the country that's as short as I am. |  Jerry Smith's cool '34 Ford...  Jerry Smith's cool '34 Ford pickup drew a crowd of admirers throughout the weekend. The Golden, CO-based commercial is, refreshingly enough, powered by a stout little 289-cube Ford motor backed by a C4 automatic. |  Harvey Richardson's dirt track-inspired...  Harvey Richardson's dirt track-inspired '31 A coupe was a neat homebuilt hot rod that was also pretty darn popular with the crowd. Heck, it took me a few trips by just to get a clear shot. Harvey's A is powered by a 350-cube SBC backed by a 700-R4 overdrive automatic. |  John Dodson's '33 coupe is...  John Dodson's '33 coupe is a perfect example of a timeless '70s look. Nice rake, full hood and sides, and fat rear tires take one back a couple of decades-and, man, it's cool. |  At the other end of the spectrum...  At the other end of the spectrum from the Hardings' luxo-rod is John Hovdenes' bad-to-the-bone '33 Chevy sedan. This baby, even being a four-door, is a great representative of the hard-core hot rod contingent. |  |  Here's one cool commercial...  Here's one cool commercial that caught my eye. Jenn Berndsen's '36 Ford pickup is powered by a 350/350 combo and sports a resto-rod look that makes for a neat driver. |  Clint and Sue Harding cruised...  Clint and Sue Harding cruised to Denver from their home in Augusta, KS, in this beautiful LT1-powered '34 Chevy cabriolet. It was another example of hot rod muscle nestled in classy coachworks. Are we seeing a trend here? |  Here's a neat little A coupe...  Here's a neat little A coupe I found hiding in a corner of the fairgrounds. Chris Rowe's '30 runs a 302/C4 Ford combo as well as a quartet of Torq-Thrust Ds. |  Now this is my cup of "T,"...  Now this is my cup of "T," if ya know what I mean. Kris and Amy Gordon's '26 was one hot rod I had a real hard time walking away from. From its bare-metal finish to its Model A wheels, this thing just blew me away. Hey, Kris, wanna trade for a nice FLH? |  Got a light? How about a fire...  Got a light? How about a fire extinguisher? Bob Truwillo's smokin'-hot '36 Chevy sedan is one heck of a flamed-out flatback! Aside from its hot licks, Bob's Chevy sports a stroked SBC and all the creature comforts needed to burn up miles of blacktop with ease. |  Jay Page is the rightfully...  Jay Page is the rightfully proud owner of what has to be the world's coolest Ford Falcon. Jay's flawless '63 Squire wagon is amazing-and with its 427-cube Roush SBF, it has to be one of the fastest, as well! |  |  Surprise of surprises! I walked...  Surprise of surprises! I walked around the corner and right into the roadsters of two close friends I had no idea would be at the show. Barry Pleasant of Coventry, CT (my old hometown), and Dale Grau of Rice, MN (formerly of Connecticut, as well), made the Goodguys show while on a cross-country trip to the L.A. Roadsters' Father's Day Show in California. Great to see you, guys, and the cars looked great, as usual! |  The crowd in Denver was huge...  The crowd in Denver was huge and everyone, spectators and participants alike, spent a picture-perfect weekend eyeballing an awesome array of street rods, customs, and classic trucks. |  I almost got the chance to...  I almost got the chance to get my lineup of STREET RODDER Top 100 picks on film-almost. But, five is better than none, I guess. |  Mitch Parker's Greeley, CO-based...  Mitch Parker's Greeley, CO-based '29 A roadster pickup is a great little homebuilt hot rod that's right up my alley. Mitch's A is powered by a fresh Flathead backed by a '39 trans and a Columbia two-speed rear. |  Talk about an E-ticket ride!...  Talk about an E-ticket ride! Ken Schell shoehorned a big bad Boss 429 between the framerails of his awesome bright-red Vicky and hasn't stared at many taillights since. |  |  Post-'48 cars (the Colorado...  Post-'48 cars (the Colorado Nats allows hot rods up to 1972 to join the fun) had a great showing at the event. Jerald Owings' Chevy hardtop is a perfect example; the '65 sports a 350/Powerglide combo and a flawless Roger Ward paintjob. |  Rodney James & the Blue Flames...  Rodney James & the Blue Flames rocked the fairgrounds Sunday afternoon, as well as earlier at the kickoff party. |  How's this for a neat lineup?...  How's this for a neat lineup? Like I said, the Colorado Nats played host to some of the nicest street rods I've seen in a long time. |  Mr. Goodguys himself, Gary...  Mr. Goodguys himself, Gary Meadors, was at the show. I caught him discussing the finer points of chopped tops with fellow rodder Dan Smith as Dan lined up to receive his STREET RODDER Top 100 award, presented by Turtle Wax, Sunday afternoon. Gary, along with his wife, Marilyn, of Alamo, CA, founded Goodguys back in 1983, and the association currently boasts a roster of 70,000 members in the U.S. and abroad. |  Turtle Wax presents Street...  Turtle Wax presents
Street Rodder Top 100
Steve Akre's slick '37 Chevy is a contemporary-style hot rod that even a true traditionalist would love. Its smooth, clean lines are truly classic and the car definitely has class. Steve's coupe is powered by a 350-cube small-block backed by a 700-R4 overdrive automatic, and sports all the creature comforts needed for long-distance cruising. |  Pure class-that's the best...  Pure class-that's the best way I can think to describe Roger Ward's slick Deuce highboy. Roger is known nationwide for building and painting some of the most outstanding street rods, customs, and classic trucks in the country, but his aversion to the spotlight keeps him on the fringe and out of the limelight, more often than not. That said, I just couldn't stop myself from stickin' him in the limelight and giving him and his beautiful roadster a Top 100 pick at the Colorado show. Roger's Wescott's-bodied '32 is outfitted with a Du Vall windshield, a 383 stroker/TH350/9-inch combo, and a quartet of American five-spokes. And, of course, a paintjob that's as flawless and smooth as a pinup's behind. |  Modifieds are neat little...  Modifieds are neat little hot rods, but Tim Van Pelt's '26 is perhaps the coolest I've ever run across. Tim whipped together a homebuilt frame as the roadster's foundation and then proceeded to outfit it with a full-house '52 Merc Flathead, a '35 Dodge tube axle, a quick-change rearend, and a set of '35 Ford wire wheels. Tim also whacked a good 7 inches out of the center of a '40 dash and squeezed it into that tiny T cowl as a perfect finishing touch. Heck, the only thing I see wrong with this hot little ride is that it ain't mine! |  Ken Frasier's beautifully...  Ken Frasier's beautifully modified roadster started out as a '29 roadster pickup body. He cut off the rear portion of the truck cab and then grafted a portion of a '29 sedan body (that he'd removed the roof from) to it. He then cut the rear wheelwells out of that portion and raised 'em 6 inches and set the newly formed body on a shortened and kicked Deuce chassis. As if that weren't enough handiwork, he then fitted it with a Jag rear and a 4-inch-dropped I-beam, four-wheel disc brakes, and a 350/350 combo. |  This hot little pickup is...  This hot little pickup is just plain radical! Ethan Conyers channeled a '46 Chevy pickup cab and handmade bed over a custom-built chassis, dropped in a Dart-equipped 383 stroker backed by an M21 four-speed and a 9-inch Ford rear, and added a modified '36 Hudson Terraplane grille shell in an effort to create a hot rod that would catch one's eye. It worked well enough to garner him a STREET RODDER Top 100 pick, that's for sure! Keep your eyes peeled for a full feature on this baby in the future. |  Mopar all the way! That's...  Mopar all the way! That's what Highland Ranch, CO's Jim Smith says with a smile, and that smile is well deserved, as Jim has built himself one heck of a nice street rod. The sedan is a completely homebuilt hot rod-right down to its awesome flamed paintjob. The '36 is powered by a 354-cube Chrysler Hemi backed by a 727 trans and a narrowed 8-3/4-inch Chrysler rearend. Jim also did the bodywork and chopped the top a good 3 1/2 inches. |  Tracy Rufenacht is one lucky...  Tracy Rufenacht is one lucky guy. Not only is he the rightfully proud owner of this awesome Dearborn-bodied Deuce, but he was fortunate enough to get a ton of help on the build from his dad, a lifelong hot rodder. Tracy's roadster sports a SO-CAL Speed Shop chassis equipped with an extremely stout '48 Merc Flathead backed by a T5 trans, a Halibrand quick-change, and a Super Bell aluminum I-beam. A quartet of SO-CAL knock-off wheels, a louvered Rootlieb hood, and a glass-smooth coating of gloss-black finish off this beauty-a truly deserving Top 100 award recipient. |  Abe Jones' way-cool '29 roadster...  Abe Jones' way-cool '29 roadster is a definite Top 100 contender in my eyes. This traditional-style 'glass-bodied roadster has all the goodies-an original A frame, a Deuce grille shell, an 8BA Flathead backed by a '39 trans, a '40 rearend, '40 Ford brakes outfitted with '57 Buick drums, and a '39 steering wheel. |  I have to admit, Ron John's...  I have to admit, Ron John's '33 was my favorite pick of the show. It's a no-nonsense homebuilt that embodies the hot rodding hobby-no bells, no whistles, just real steel and elbow grease. Ron originally purchased the coupe back in 1981 and not long ago finally got around to sewin' together this baby. Seein' that it was built to drive, Ron chose to power the '33 via a stout little ZZ4 SBC backed up by a 700-R4 overdrive trans. A supple leather interior ensures comfy cruising while a set of 15- and 16-inch blackwall-shod wires and a glass-smooth coating of hot-rod black maintain its true traditional look. This baby's another future feature car, so keep your eyes peeled! |  Don Smith's fresh new three-window...  Don Smith's fresh new three-window elicits exclamations wherever it's seen-and it's no wonder with that Ardun-equipped Flathead hangin' out of its hood sides. Don's Sunset Copper jewel is the epitome of traditional hot rodding, and one you'll soon see a full-blown studio feature of in the pages of STREET RODDER. |
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