Gordon Tronson must have a...
Gordon Tronson must have a lot of time on his hands, which is a good thing because he'll need it to explain to the rest of us how he got two 4.6L engines to work side by side in his '27 Ford roadster. That's 1,007 hp, 64 valves, two blowers, and 16 exhaust ports, if you're counting.
And it's Gejeian's history and hands-on experience that separate him from most any other car show promoter. His understanding of what it really takes to build a car allows him a special insight when he announces his choice for Builder of the Year. Having great admiration for who he calls "true builders who really know how to turn a wrench", like Bailon, Barris, Winfield, or DeRosa, Gejeian's pick for this year's Builder of the Year went to Maynard Albertson, who passed away at the end of last year. Gejeian wanted to honor the man who had done so much (so well) with his cars, and who built many cars through the years (including the black Model A sedan on STREET RODDER's July '07 cover) and has shown them at the Autorama.
Another unique aspect of the Fresno Autorama is there are only two "Best" trophies handed out for the show: Best Rod and Best Custom-there is no Second Place or "best use of rock salt" awards. Best Custom was given to Gene and Earlene Elpers from Evansville, Indiana, for their Mint Green '46 Chevy pickup, and Best Rod went to Jerry Magnuson for his '32 Muroc roadster. Gejeian also surprised a few folks when he announced he would take 2011off from producing the Autorama to address some nagging health issues, but plans to be back in 2012. Concerning the '10 show, Gejeian understated the fact when he said he "was happy with the way it turned out," and so was everyone else.
Bob Page's '46 Ford woodie...
Bob Page's '46 Ford woodie has such a classic look to it, even though it's been made into a street rod. Page resides in Stockton, CA.
Slow Burn is owned by James...
Slow Burn is owned by James Hetfield and created at the hand of Rick Dore.
Hard to find a bad angle on...
Hard to find a bad angle on this one, as the slippery Auburn body looks as if it was made to be customized. Darryl Hollenbeck's Vintage Color did the deep chocolate paint.
When was the last time you...
When was the last time you saw a custom '54 Studebaker convertible? Lorin Brown from Bellevue, WA, updated the exterior before making the interior look as if it rolled off the showroom floor just this year.
John Dillon's '51 Chevy convertible...
John Dillon's '51 Chevy convertible was pretty radical, with its heavy chop, Carson-style top, and bagged suspension. John's Agent Orange is also a daily driver.
A member of the Instigators...
A member of the Instigators Car Club of Fresno, CA, Robert Collins uses a 472 Caddy engine to motor-vate his '40 Chevy pickup. The chopped and channeled hauler was painted House of Kolor's Blue Pearl.
Not only did Doug Weigel scratch-build...
Not only did Doug Weigel scratch-build his '16 C-cab milk truck in just 90 days, the wood used inside the delivery was cut and shaped from trees found on his property.
John D'Agostino has had a...
John D'Agostino has had a long, colorful history building stylish customs, and his "Elvis II" is a fine example of what he likes to do. The body on the '59 El Dorado Biarritz convertible was massaged at Aiello Customs while Art Himsl shot the perfect Sky Blue paint.
Mike Sue's '36 Ford cabriolet...
Mike Sue's '36 Ford cabriolet is about as cool as you can make one of these cars. Chopped, with '41 Ford bumpers and '40 Chevy headlights added, the 'vert is equipped with an 8BA Flathead.
Scott Clothier's '23 T reminds...
Scott Clothier's '23 T reminds us of how they used to build 'em: level! A '66 Buick 401 Nailhead with a Hilborn EFI gets the T to go while the color from Rod's Body and Paint works perfectly with the pleated white interior and whitewall tires.