|
|
The Rest Of The Roadster ShowThe swap and “Specialty Parking” are events unto themselves From the November, 2012 issue of Street Rodder By Tim Bernsau
|
|
There are people who travel hundreds of miles to the L.A. Roadsters Show and never look at the roadsters. For them, Father’s Day in Pomona is all about hiking the countless aisles of the swap meet or exhibiting their non-roadster in the Specialty Parking section of the show.  One of our favorite woodies...  One of our favorite woodies cruised right past us. It’s the beautiful ’49 Mercury wagon owned by Richard Munz. An aluminum Ardun Flathead keeps this wagon rolling.  We could’ve mistaken this...  We could’ve mistaken this as a historic dragstrip survivor, but the Nixon Bros. Special ’32 has been running for just a year. Owner Freeman Nixon mixed a chopped Australian ’glass body with a 350 Vortec crate engine and a lot of retro influences.  As a kid, Jim Callaway used...  As a kid, Jim Callaway used to see this ’33 DeSoto driving around town—totally stock on 15-inch wooden spoke wheels. He’s been the second owner for almost 40 years. The DeSoto now runs a 327 with Muncie four-speed, and has been driven all over the country.  A well-dressed Offy Flathead...  A well-dressed Offy Flathead with dual Holleys powers this straight-out-of-the-old-days channeled Model A coupe.  When Larry Kooiman was attending...  When Larry Kooiman was attending Bellflower High School, his classmate Larry Watson was already a well-known customizer. Kooiman’s ’56 Olds hardtop reflects some of the other Larry’s ideas—such as the silver stripes on the roof.  For good old-fashioned hot...  For good old-fashioned hot rod appeal, this chopped Model A highboy coupe—with Deuce grille and ’rails, plus a Super Red Ram Hemi with four 94 carbs—is hard to top.  This ’51 Merc, dropped over...  This ’51 Merc, dropped over a ’78 Olds 98 chassis, is a sapphire sled, with all the right stuff—5-inch chop, DeSoto grille teeth, spots, white tuck ’n’ roll, frenched headlights, and side pipes, just for starters. It was just a shell when Tom Rodriguez started.  Brayton Matheson sent his...  Brayton Matheson sent his ’67 Ford wagon to his father Ron’s shop, Sky Dog Inc., for the transformation from suburban grocery-getter to street cruiser, with satin black and metalflake copper on the outside and a 5.0L Mustang engine on the inside.  This unchopped, full-fendered...  This unchopped, full-fendered Deuce five-window brings a little East Coast flavor to California. The apple green hairpins, spoke wheels, and Tommy the Greek–inspired pinstripes work real well on “Sparky’s” ’32.  Dale Arrieta built a high-class...  Dale Arrieta built a high-class custom out of his ’47 Cadillac, enhancing lots of factory elements with new leather, airbags, a 5.3L Escalade engine, and a 2-inch chop.  These Auburn gauges, along...  These Auburn gauges, along with several Auburn dash panels and other vintage gauges, came all the way from the state of Washington to the L.A. Roadsters Shop swap meet, and went back on Sunday.  If we were still looking for...  If we were still looking for ’40 Ford parts for the Road Tour coupe, we could’ve had this DeLuxe grille for $600, or another one nearby for $1,100. But our ’40 is already finished and on the road.  This righthand-drive ’32 Fordor...  This righthand-drive ’32 Fordor was built in Argentina, where it served as a military staff car, then a taxi, before being sold to a ranch. The original, unrestored sedan is in California now, in running condition, and for sale for $30,000.  These race wheels and tires...  These race wheels and tires were used on the Dean Moon dragster in its heyday. The seller had acquired them years ago and sold them minutes before we showed up. The slicks are Firestones; the front tires are labeled “MOON” on the firewall.  Last year here, Mark McCann...  Last year here, Mark McCann from DeLuxe Speed Shop found a Riley two-port head and intake for the four-banger in his ’28 roadster. This year, we got to see the Riley parts in place.  Flathead builders had a variety...  Flathead builders had a variety of intake manifolds to choose from here, including Von Esser, Weiand, Offenhauser, Navarro, Edmunds, and Creitz (not shown).  This boat painted on the side...  This boat painted on the side of this ’36 Panel truck is the same one being trailered: an old 16-foot build-it-yourself “plan boat”, built with Chris Craft parts and running a ’49 Gray Marine Flathead six. The asking price (for the boat) was $6,000, or best offer.
|
|
|