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Hot Rods In New England - The New England Hot Rod Scene
What's Happening Back East
By Chuck Vranas
Dave Simard's personal car... Dave Simard's personal car collection just leaves you in awe, with the Ted Frye belly tank lakester being just one of many gems within it. Known as The Salty Shaker, its peak performance records at Bonneville had it screaming across the salt at 250 mph while loaded up with a '57 Chrysler 392ci Hemi strapped to the rails. The Lakester now runs a '59 AB Flathead V-8 topped with Edelbrock heads, a Harman Collins magneto, and custom intake topped with four Stromberg 97s. With the advent of fall in New England, it seemed to be the perfect time to check out those last cool events where you could catch up with old friends, talk about what your plans are for your ride over the winter break, and stop by a number of local shops to see just what they have happening. With the New England scene being a hotbed of rodding activity, it made perfect sense to break our visits up into two portions: one covering Massachusetts featured here, and the other in an upcoming issue covering the balance of the New England regions. We set course out of the Boston area plotting out a number of shops (all within an hour of the city) to visit that are both diverse and unique in their own way. This is a case where you can't let the size of a shop fool you, because there's a lot happening within the walls of each and every one of these businesses that will make your visits worthwhile as you take a peek inside to see just what makes each of them bitchin'. With a hot cup of joe in hand and a sack of donuts on the seat, take the ride with us as we hit the discovery path to uncover a number of shops that you need to know about.
 East Coast Custom Leominster,...  East Coast Custom
Leominster, MA
(978) 537-9474
Originally built into a hot rod back in '58 by Gary Russolillo, this wicked Deuce is at East Coast Custom for a full restoration. Featuring a signature 5-inch chop and 6-inch channel, it has a vintage '57 Olds J2 V-8 for power and loads of tasty details to set it apart from the rest. The coolest factor in the mix is that Gary still owns the car! We can hardly wait to see this one in finished form. |  We found Dave Nixon's '40...  We found Dave Nixon's '40 Ford pick-up undergoing an amazing metallurgical transformation, which includes a 2 1/2-inch chop, an attitude readjustment from a 2 1/2-inch dropped axle, and de-arched springs with reversed eyes. Power will come from a built Flathead linked to a '39 Ford box and '40 Ford rear, while juice brakes will bring it all to a halt. |  This recently completed Deuce...  This recently completed Deuce is finished in mile-deep black gloss and fitted with a '65 Corvette 327-inch V-8 that features many of GM's original cool details, like valve covers, air cleaner, and ignition shielding. Linked to a Muncie 4-speed that transfers the power to a '62 Jaguar rear, its message is clear. It's destined for a gennie '32 three-window body that has been massaged to perfection. |  Dave Simard has been operating...  Dave Simard has been operating East Coast Custom in the quaint town of Leominster since '82. A well-respected member of the hot rod community, the work that Dave and his talented team have completed over the years includes the restoration of the Jim Khougaz roadster for Dr. Mark Van Buskirk, as well as the impeccable classic Deuce roadster owned by Ken Gross. |  Competition Specialties Walpole,...  Competition Specialties
Walpole, MA
(508) 668-7432
www.competition-specialties.com
One of the larger shops (6,000 sq. ft.) on our tour was Competition Specialties, owned and operated by Peter Newell in Walpole. In business for 14 years, Peter and his team handle everything from hot rods and customs to frame-off muscle car restorations. Many cars have rolled out of the shop featuring Peter's signature House of Kolor handiwork topped by his dramatic flame-jobs including Steve McDonough's Sweet 'n Low ISCA winning'67 Camaro. |  In another corner of the shop,...  In another corner of the shop, this '56 Chevy was undergoing the transformation from ugly '80s-era Pro Street to cutting-edge Pro Touring. Once the floors have been replaced with factory-fresh units, the team will lower it onto a fresh Art Morrison GT Sport chassis featuring a polished power rack and pinion, polished IFS, and 4-piston Wilwood disc brakes. A twin turbo big-block will get the message across loud and clear once it hits the streets. |  John Griffith spent many hot...  John Griffith spent many hot summer days in West Virginia riding in his neighbor's old '49 Chevy pick-up that served as a farm vehicle. Today he's knocking on the door of wrapping up his own '49 Chevy hauler that's getting the full-on treatment, including a Total Cost Involved IFS, stroked 355ci small-block, and a decadent coating of midnight black gloss. |  Custom fabrication is one...  Custom fabrication is one of the many services offered at Competition Specialties. No job is too small for the team to take on, whether you are in search of a suspension upgrade or any of the numerous custom body mods to separate your ride from the rest. |  Peter Newell has long been...  Peter Newell has long been know for his amazing craft with a paint gun and here you can see some custom striping that was laid out on a customer's '69 Camaro, giving it just the right amount of custom detail for a signature look. From mild to wild, there are endless possibilities for laying out your own personal candy-job complemented by tasty licks, scallops, or lace. |  Belmont's Rod & Custom Dedham,...  Belmont's Rod & Custom
Dedham, MA
(781) 326-3270
www.belmontsrodandcustom.com
Remember the days when you could stop in and not only see the latest offerings from the top parts manufacturers, but were also able to get advice on everything from that guy who worked the counter? If you think those days are gone, you need to stop by Belmont's Rod & Custom in Dedham to see Billy Belmont and Crystal Beckvold for a chance to step back in time to when speed shops were king! Belmont's place has been a fixture on the scene since '76 and continues to supply both new and vintage speed equipment to the masses at his wicked neat location. |  The jewel of Billy's collection...  The jewel of Billy's collection is Gene Winfield's Jade Idol, which Billy purchased back in '87 from Bob Page of Northern California. Rarely seen, this custom is one of the finest to ever hit the scene and is regarded as one of Gene Winfield's finest creations. |  There are plenty of old shelves...  There are plenty of old shelves and cases at Belmont's loaded up with some of the most unique speed equipment you'll ever find. It takes lots of early mornings spent at swap meets to be able to assemble the mind-bending assortment of goods that Billy has for sale. Just take a peek at this case, which was loaded to the brim with vintage ignitions, intake manifolds, injection set-ups, and gauges, many still new in their original packaging! |  Getting the tour of Billy's...  Getting the tour of Billy's place was a walk back into the good old days when he opened the doors and let us check out the multitude of cool cars and engines on display. This shot lets you see his evil '80s-era Deuce roadster filled with a 513ci Ford big-block running street slicks, his front engined Hilborn-equipped 289ci Ford dragster that once served time in Northern California as a Top Fuel car, and the corner of his ultimate sleeper, a '64 Mercury Marauder loaded with a 427-inch Ford mill. |  Billy has a personal passion...  Billy has a personal passion for everything Ford, especially fire-breathing engines-and there are many on display within the shop. This particular one is a '51 F600 6-cylinder which in its original form displaced 254ci. As seen it's been bored .060 over and is filled with an Isky cam, while an ultra-rare Knudsen head and intake get their spark from a Vertex magneto. |  The Old Car Shop Norwood,...  The Old Car Shop
Norwood, MA
(781) 762-6862
On any given day you could stop by The Old Car Shop in Norwood and find a classic grouping of hot rods parked out front, giving you an idea of just what lurks inside this neat little shop. Owner John Persson has been a fixture on the local scene since '63 and he has been building well designed period perfect hot rods and customs ever since. With a very signature build style, he turns them out one at a time, giving each one a fine level of detail. |  Woody Woodward's '55 Ford...  Woody Woodward's '55 Ford pick-up is almost ready for its bed to be mounted and interior to be installed. In for a ground-up restoration with a twist, its body was ironed out to perfection before receiving a coating of Ford Meadow Mist Green accented by Colonial White. Under the hood John installed an '88 Mustang 5.0L V-8 linked to an AOD trans while a '66 Fairlane rear out back will transfer the power. A Heidt's IFS, power rack-and-pinion, and power discs will bring the best of today's technology to the truck's handling department. |  One of the more recent builds...  One of the more recent builds was John Persson Jr's '32 roadster that has accumulated 11,000-plus miles without a hitch. The drop top is regularly seen heading out to numerous rodding events all over the East Coast. Tasteful design elements on the car include its vibrant orange gloss, black Bop-Top, fully louvered hood, and classic wide whites and steelies. |  Tucked inside the comfy confines...  Tucked inside the comfy confines of The Old Car Shop was a great combination of both hot rod history and a fresh restoration coming around the bend to completion. John's ability to handle both the restoration side of the business as well as the rod and custom portion gives him a great chance to support both sides of the industry. |  Lenny Biondi had the Sebastian...  Lenny Biondi had the Sebastian Rubbo roadster in for some updates at the shop and here you can see John (left) with his son John Jr (right) preparing to haul out the tired Flathead mill for a full rebuild, including replacement of all related clutch parts as well. Lenny has also decided that it's time that the roadster gets a top, so he called on John to design the new lid. John's place is a full service shop, so they can handle any updates or repairs to your current ride if needed. |  Chop-Shop Customs Woburn,...  Chop-Shop Customs
Woburn, MA
(781) 939-5665
www.chop-shopcustoms.com
When we walked into the inner sanctum at Chop-Shop Customs in Woburn, we were immediately impressed with the diverse grouping of cars that were in the mix being worked on. Everything from an Allard, to a Jaguar XK120 and '58 Mercury first caught our eyes, then our gaze shifted onto a '46 Ford custom, early '60s Mustang, and a '70 Lincoln custom. |  We can't remember when we...  We can't remember when we last saw a '58 Mercury Commuter wagon, and we're here to tell you that Ron Barone's sharp cruiser will definitely command plenty of attention. Having undergone a full rotisserie restoration, it also received a mild shave to complement its original body lines. The original engine has also undergone a full rebuild and the suspension has been dropped 4-inches to give it a ground hugging feel. |  Shop owner Lenny Schaeffer...  Shop owner Lenny Schaeffer caught his breath between jobs. Having started his career in Southern California in the early '80s, he then moved back East to continue developing his skills at a number of fine shops before opening Chop-Shop Customs in '04. He recently participated as a member of the build team for the Snap-On Tools '56 Chevy Nomad that recently toured the country, as well as contributing over 500 hours of metal fabrication and paint on the Right Coast Associations giveaway '49 Chevy pick-up. |  Mark Nelson's '46 Ford has...  Mark Nelson's '46 Ford has been in the shop for a while undergoing a healthy number of metal sculpting updates to give it a fresh personality change including a 4-inch chop, rear roll pan, '49 Plymouth grille, extended hood, and frenched headlights. Power will come from a stroked small-block Bow Tie while gallons of black gloss will infuse plenty of style. |  The team at Chop-Shop lays...  The team at Chop-Shop lays down plenty of gloss weekly as they come closer to completion on every job that passes through the shop. Here a '71 Olds Cutlass gets its icing before going into final assembly. |
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