Police estimates say there...
Police estimates say there are roughly 500 cars at any one time during the SO-CAL Speed Shop’s three-hour afternoon event, though many of them start parking three-wide in the street hours before the official start.
Like a snowball gathering mass rolling down a hill, the SO-CAL Speed Shop party started off as a small gathering between friends of the shop with hot dogs for all. The food got more elaborate and, 15 years later, SO-CAL Speed Shop has to employ a mobile In-N-Out Burger truck cater to the thousands of folks who show up at the Pomona-based shop between 3 and 6 p.m. Friday before the L.A. Roadsters Show.
Due to constraints from the city fire department, only 125 cars made it into the shop’s parking lot, but 400 or more were spread around on local streets and lots. Folks got to wander through the facility, which has 14 high-level hot rods being worked on at this time. Got a nice car? SO-CAL’s Pete Chapouris says he’s already got a file started for the 2012 event!
“Limefire” is arguably one...
“Limefire” is arguably one of the most famous cars Chapouris and company have built—second only to the “California Kid.” After a couple of owners, the car is back in the family as Chapouris’ son-in-law, Greg Betzler, now owns the rod, which was built in 1987.
Earlier in the day some of...
Earlier in the day some of the off-site parking started to fill up. Many of the cars that attend the SO-CAL happening don’t go to the weekend show at the Fairplex, which makes the SO-CAL event a mini show-within-a-show.
Chapouris remembers seeing...
Chapouris remembers seeing this ’26 Ford roadster when it first impressed him on the streets of Temple City, CA, back in the early ’60s. He stumbled across the car again 47 years later and it is in untouched condition with its 6-71 blown 392 Hemi, slicks, shortened bed, and a severe chop job. It is now owned by Jack Foye.
Though there are 263 In-N-Out...
Though there are 263 In-N-Out burger restaurants in and around the Southwest, SO-CAL Speed Shop had one of their lunch trucks come and hand out a free hamburger plate to everyone who showed up. Over 1,000 burgers were served.