It may look like the beginnings...
It may look like the beginnings of a brass era restoration, but this Thomas is a hot rod. Inside the huge six-cylinder T-head engine (a Flathead with two cams and intake valves on one side with exhaust on the other) is a billet crank and a host of custom parts. Note the roadster pickup in the background; it's a Great Race participant.
One of the unique aspects of the Road Tour is that the schedule usually allows for personal preference. As an example, some of the group took the opportunity to visit the historic Gettysburg area on the way to Tuesday's stop in York, Pennsylvania, to visit the Harley-Davidson assembly plant. As production of the '09 bikes had begun curious eyes were kept at a distance from the assembly area, but we did see the fender and tank production areas and caught sight of a few new colors being offered.
Posies' establishment in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, was first on Wednesday's list of places to visit. Known for quality work and pushing the styling envelope, we had the opportunity to get an up-close look at the projects under way. On the way out of town, several of our group peeled off to take a tour of nearby Hershey's Chocolate World.
Binghamton, New York, was the next stop. While it's most notable for being the hometown of Rick Love of Vintage Air, and Brent Vandervort of Fatman Fabrications, it's also the location of Southern Tier Harley-Davidson. They were kind enough to throw a "hot rods and Harleys" themed get-together at the dealership where they introduced the West Coast contingent to a local gastronomic delight known as a "Speedy," said to be marinated chicken in pita bread-we suspect there is a secret ingredient or two.
Classic Automobilia donated...
Classic Automobilia donated two pedal cars, a pickup that was autographed by Corky Coker, and a just-released '34 Classic Hot Rod to the auction benefiting the Victory Junction Gang.
Thursday morning Mike Stolarcyk, local Chevrolet dealer, street rodder, and gatherer of the eclectic treated us to a tour of his collection. While Mike has some cool stuff stashed away one of the coolest is the '32 Ford roadster he received at age 11 as a gift from his father. Mike has since turned the full-fendered Deuce into a street rod that his daughter, Michelle drove to Syracuse with us that afternoon.
Produced by the Right Coast Association and held at the massive New York State Fairgrounds, this year's Syracuse Nationals drew over 6,500 pre-1980 vehicles. One of the cars on the Road Tour, Ron Hickman's '32 Ford three-window, picked up a Designer Dozen Award as well as a Turtle Wax Top 10 pick.
By the time we pulled into Syracuse, our initial suspicions were confirmed, the Coker Tire Tour was a good one.
A Couple Minutes With Corky Coker
Just about anyone who is a rodder, restorer, antique motorcycle buff, military vehicle collector, unicyclist, or is somehow involved with anything vintage that has tires is familiar with the name Coker, arguably the best-known name in the specialty tire business.
Corky Coker believes in giving...
Corky Coker believes in giving back to the industry. He is a founding member and former chairman of the Automobile Restoration Market Organization (ARMO) and was elected to its Hall of Fame in 1999. Currently he serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) and was inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame in 2008.
Harold Coker had a successful BFGoodrich dealership in Chattanooga, Tennessee. And while the business of selling tires for everyday cars was good, as an avid antique car collector he recognized the need for specialty tires, and in 1958 Coker Tire opened. In 1974 his son, Corky, took over Coker Tire's antique division.
Today Corky Coker runs a business he describes as an inch deep and a mile wide. It occupies 95,000 square feet of space in six buildings nestled in the historic Southside district of downtown Chattanooga. But while the success of Coker Tire is well known, there are a few things about the man behind it all that aren't common knowledge.
Corky's first car was a '32 Ford pickup, and even with all the iron he's owned since then, there are a few on the wish list, including a '49-51 Merc and an Austin-Healy BJ8. And while he has an assortment of restored cars, Corky confessed he's really a brass-era hot rodder, and he likes them big, loud, and fast. Corky likes to drive them and he's more than capable of handling the challenges that can present. Telling of welding up a 1909 Lozier axle on the road and searching for an errant knock-off wheel that came off a '37 Indy car and disappeared down the road brings a smile to his face. "It's all part of the adventure," he says.
Another not-so-well-known fact: Coker started a Unicycle movement that has resulted in an annual 800K race in Nova Scotia and the creation of a new word-Cokering, a verb for unicycling.
So where's Coker going from here? In Corky's words, "We're committed to the growth of the hobby," which means you can look for even a greater variety of tires to become available. Like the man says, Coker Tire is an inch deep and a mile wide, and getting wider all the time.
This is what is meant by an...
This is what is meant by an inch deep and a mile wide. Coker just has tires, but they have lots of tires. Adding to the breadth are Phoenix race tires, a recent addition to the company.
Next door to Coker Tire is...
Next door to Coker Tire is the reincarnation of the Honest Charley Speed Shop run by Mike Goodwin.
The Honest Charley showroom...
The Honest Charley showroom is filled with new and vintage parts and the warehouse is busting at the seams. If they don't have it, you don't need it.
When the rain came it came...
When the rain came it came with a vengeance. John Barkley (left) and I stopped under a bridge to don our fashionable rain gear-trash bags we got from a service station attendant who felt sorry for us.
A Road Tour tip: If your street...
A Road Tour tip: If your street rod has original-style headlights with halogen conversions, seal the lenses with silicone. A couple drops of water on a hot bulb and it's lights out.
Alex Beam opened up his Memory...
Alex Beam opened up his Memory Lane Antique Auto Museum to give the Road Tourians a private tour. Among other things, Alex supplies vintage cars to movie-makers.
In the haste to get the tub...
In the haste to get the tub together the seal between the windshield and top was left off. John's socks served as a fix; I didn't have the nerve to ask if they were clean.
Jim Barillaro Sr. and sons...
Jim Barillaro Sr. and sons Mike and Jim Jr. provided a lunch stop for the Tour. Known for their expertise building SOHC Fords as well as fabrication skills, they own two of Jack Christman's Comet funny cars from the '70s. To the olfactory delight of those present, they fired one of the nitro burners.
Among the many projects at...
Among the many projects at the Barillaro Speed Emporium is the restoration of Edsel Ford's iconic custom '32 Ford boattail roadster for its current owner.
Not to be forgotten, Lee Petty,...
Not to be forgotten, Lee Petty, Richard's father didn't start racing until he was 35. He won the first race he was in, was the first winner of the Daytona 500, and for 10 years never finished below fourth place. This represents one of the Oldsmobiles he campaigned. Note the exhaust above the rear bumper.
Not only is the NASCAR theme...
Not only is the NASCAR theme dominant at Victory Junction, but also the support of racers and their sponsors helps make it all possible.
In Randleman we visited the...
In Randleman we visited the museum of the town's favorite son, Richard Petty. His '70 Plymouth Superbird scored 18 wins, 27 top five and 31 top ten finishes.
A rare treat was being able...
A rare treat was being able to drive on the grounds of the Victory Junction Camp to see what a great facility it is for kids with disabilities.
Jerry Dixey presented Melanie...
Jerry Dixey presented Melanie Spencer of the Victory Junction Camp with $2,500 that was raised on the PPG/Street Rodder Road Tour.
The folks at Southern Tier...
The folks at Southern Tier Harley-Davidson in Binghamton, New York, sponsored a lunch stop for those on the tour as well as local rodders and bikers. As always, the Road Tour Speed33 was the center of attention.
Mike's collection includes...
Mike's collection includes a number of original Packards and Lincolns, as well as several early Fords.
It's always interesting to...
It's always interesting to stop at Posies', one of the most innovative guys in the business, to see what he is up to.
Did we mention we were rained...
Did we mention we were rained on several times? Jerry has raising the top on the Speed33 down to a matter of seconds.
Not far out of town is the...
Not far out of town is the unique collection of Mike Stolarcyk. Most of the Road Tourians just wandered through, occasionally mumbling "wow."
You never know what you'll...
You never know what you'll find at Posies', as this street rodded Kaiser/Frazier pickup proves.
While not the biggest of the...
While not the biggest of the tours, those who joined us on the road to Syracuse were great traveling companions.
Kris Kassner holds a copy...
Kris Kassner holds a copy of the local newspaper reporting on the event and showing him with Henry Winkler, aka the Fonz. He and Cindy Williams were on hand to sign autographs and have photos taken with fans.