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51st Fresno AutoramaPersonally Invited By Blackie Gejeian From the August, 2010 issue of Street Rodder By Eric Geisert
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Jerry Magnuson, of Magna Charger... Jerry Magnuson, of Magna Charger fame, recently had the team at Foose Design finish up a Muroc roadster for him and the effort paid off as Magnuson won the Best Rod trophy at the 51st Fresno Autorama. In television, as with the movies, the award season seems to roll around at the same time every year. Invariably, you'll find someone who has won a statue or a trophy and when they have a chance to say something to a crowd it usually goes like this: "It was great just to be nominated ..." It's probably the most genuine emotion expressed at one of these functions, as being included in a group of your peers who are considered to be the best at what they do might actually be a career highlight. That's how each and every one of the thousands of people feel who have gotten a personal invitation from Blackie Gejeian to attend his Fresno Autorama through the years. Now in his 84th year, Gejeian has spent the past five decades culling the best of the best show cars from different venues around the country to make up the guest list for the Fresno Autorama. The first 38 years of the California-based event were held at a local fairground before the city built a new convention center downtown. Gejeian immediately set up shop and the annual event has been there ever since (he's only missed one year-when the center's construction wasn't finished and wasn't ready to open to the public).  Sparky Bullock's Money Shot...  Sparky Bullock's Money Shot Model A Tudor sure isn't subtle! A Chrysler Hemi topped with six carbs, 12-spoke wheels mounted with Excelsior tires, and a severely slammed and chopped body makes for an impressive car.  Robert Ruiz from Hesperia,...  Robert Ruiz from Hesperia, CA, arrived with his Royal Hawaiian phaeton. Smoothed up and stuffed with a blown Hemi, the '27 Ford was a nice departure from the "usual."  Starting with a de-tuned dragster...  Starting with a de-tuned dragster motor (a BDS-blown, Enderle/Hilborn-injected 392 Hemi) Wade Keith from Friendswood, TX, had LimeWorks Speed Shop assemble the chassis, do the 2-inch chop, and oversee the build of his Deuce Fordor. Most folks consider it an honor just to be asked to display their ride at the Fresno Autorama because, as those who have experienced it knows, Gejeian puts an enormous amount of time, effort, thought, and sweat into each and every show, which is mostly due to the deep respect he has for the car owners and builders. Gejeian goes all out for the folks who bring cars to the Autorama and, in return, people really go out of their way for him. Ron Flamm's '51 Merc was hot,... Ron Flamm's '51 Merc was hot, in more ways than one! The Las Vegas-based four-door custom has been dubbed "Skullduggery." One example of this mutual admiration is with Doug Weigel, who brought a custom '16 C-cab milk truck to the show from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Placed up front in the Nostalgia Room (which people pass through on their way into the main hall), most people would think it a fine example of an all-out show car, but upon closer examination they'd find it was built from nothing in just 90 days! It was only after a confirmation from Gejeian that there would be a spot for such a special car that Weigel started working on it, which not only included building the body from scratch but some of the wood found inside the vehicle was cut, hewn, and shaped from trees found on his property! As it generally happens, there is a mad dash when a car is set to debut somewhere and the time for the builder gets tight. But when Gejeian says yes, they work that much harder to get their cars done because they know he's going all out for them, too. Only if you attend every show in the country would you have the chance to see the list of impressive show winners who attend the Fresno show. It's not uncommon to see the current America's Most Beautiful Roadster winner across the aisle from this year's Ridler recipient, which is shown just a few feet from a top show contender from the Midwest. Some folks use the Fresno Autorama as a place to debut their vehicles, too, because it's the only opportunity to see this high a caliber of cars all gathered in one place at one time, and yet somehow Gejeian manages to pull it off year after year.  Lots of great design elements...  Lots of great design elements in Joe Moreno's '25 Dodge, partially due to Richard Riddell, who started the project back in 2005 but who passed away in 2008. Moreno picked up the under-slung project and finished it up in great fashion.  Gene and Earlene Elpers won...  Gene and Earlene Elpers won the Fresno show's Best Custom with their '46 Chevy truck. A former Ridler contender, the truck is all metal and much of it was hand fabricated at LaVine Restorations in Nappanee, IN.  Bill Mechleis somehow squeezed...  Bill Mechleis somehow squeezed a Weiand-supercharged, BDS-injected 383 stroker into the front of his '37 Chevy sedan. The chassis came from Fatman Fabrications with a suspension coming from RideTech. But even Gejeian says, he "was surprised this year by the quality of workmanship," and that's saying something considering his 50th show last year was a high watermark for him. But the dedication he sees in today's builders reminds him of his own days when he built and drove his cars all around the San Joaquin Valley in the '40s and '50s. Gejeian was so impressed with a few of the folks who took the time to restore their shop and/or push trucks from decades ago that he gave four of them a special spot in the middle of the Nostalgia Room. Only a former dirt track owner and racer like Gejeian would think of showcasing those types of hot rods in a high-end indoor car show.  Check out the COWch in front...  Check out the COWch in front of Bobby Westbrook's '48 Divco truck. Slammed to the ground with the aid of RideTech's ShockWaves, the delivery is powered by a 400-horse LS1. Power windows and air conditioning make this a comfortable ride.  In from Farmington, CA, Ed...  In from Farmington, CA, Ed Bracco's '52 Buick Super Riviera is nicknamed "Mom's Mink." A '52 DeSoto grille, Hot Candy Red over Pot of Gold DuPont paint, and a 401 Nailhead engine help set this one apart.  All the way from Taylor, MI,...  All the way from Taylor, MI, Bob Fryz owns a nice collection of customs. His '57 Ford Fairlane was done up as a tribute to the old Gene Winfield custom "The Jade Idol." Front fender scoops, bullet grille, frenched taillights, and blended House of Kolor paint complete the picture.  Joey Spada, from Oroville,...  Joey Spada, from Oroville, CA, turned to Oz and Kyle Welch for help with his '54 Chevy. With a great eye and never one to disappoint with the finished product, the Welchs created "Citric Acid," a brilliant orange, chopped custom featuring an interior from Devine's Custom Interior.  You don't see too many LaSalles...  You don't see too many LaSalles in STREET RODDER, but Bill West, from Tracy, CA, has a nice one. Built at Dominator Street Rods, the '39 sits on an Art Morrison chassis and gets its go from a 4.6L Northstar engine.  Maynard Albertson contributed...  Maynard Albertson contributed a lot to the hot rod world before he passed away at the end of 2009, and Blackie Gejeian was so impressed with his body of work he named Albertson Builder of the Year for the 51st Fresno Autorama. One of the most recent cars Albertson crafted was the '30 Ford Tudor that was featured on the cover of the July '07 issue of STREET RODDER. 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.
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