Today at Toppers we discussed the highs and lows of the GNRS and then put our thoughts toward the LARS which is the next big event for the “Office”. It is important that we all be ready for the BIG 50th Anniversary show. Most of us are still active in the building and driving of hot rods. I am working on saving a bunch of Deuce cross members from the boneyard, Dave is busy hunting parts for his tudor and Bob-O is busy priming his model-A body. We still find time to drive our cars on a regular basis and repair the ongoing maintenance items such as a leaky master cylinder, dripping water hose connection and a multitude of other annoying problems that go with owning a hot rod. I only have one car so it is not so time consuming but most of our gang have four or five cars (poor folks) to keep in running condition. Batteries seem to be high on the list of items that require constant attention even with the new maintenance free styles. If you let an Optima battery go dead you are in big trouble and will have to have a mega charger to bring it back. I drive my car every day so I have never had a battery problem other than a poor ground connection on Ruby. Probably one of the most embarrassing moments is when you turn the key (or push the button) and nothing happens. This usually occurs when all of your friends are leaving and you are sitting in the driver’s seat wondering what to do. We all decided that we will be ready for the Father’s Day event and ensure our cars are in excellent condition.
Cars that sit for extended periods of time develop leaks in various places such as transmissions, rear ends, water pumps and engines. Most hot rods have leaks but Pepe does not have any so far. I attribute that to constant driving and a quality built drivetrain. The moral of this story is to drive your cars and keep them in use which will result in a positive driving experience. Most of the travels prior to the LARS will be 200 miles or less which provides a nice workout for all of your components and builds confidence for your next trip up the coast. February brings the Early Times Mid-Winter run which is one of my favorites. I have some paint work to be done on Pepe so I better schedule an appointment.
The last big event is the Super Bowl and all of the great advertisements. I am a Broncos fan so I will be wearing my hat and hoping for the best.
Stay Tooned!
Lynn
Prior to the show we stopped at the Early Ford Store of California to see the latest in old Fords.
Seldom seen anymore, the 33 Ford sedan is a real looker and is high on my list of favorite sedans. The perfect stance makes this one stand out in a sea of Deuces.
Tom keeps his 33 in top shape by driving it regularly.
Gary’s son has a very nice hiboy sedan that is almost finished. I believe this was built by Cornhuskers a few years ago. The sedan in the background is his fathers.
You would have to look real hard to find a better example of a true hot rod. I walked around this one more than once. Pete and Rick did a super job on the clone.
John had Roy build him a 4-door Victoria and the result is very stunning. The color and interior along with the wheels makes this a current Resto-Rod. Nicely done men and a true trend setter for the 4-doors of 2014.
The “Suede Palace” had this cutie on display. Not the lack of windshield posts. The color was perfect period correct for a model-A.
Now this is the way the grandkids need to ride around the fairgrounds. Facebook photo.
Custom Auto had this one on display and I have been following it on the HAMB. I hope he doesn’t burn his legs on those pipes. The amount of work involved was documented in a long series. I loved the engine and color as well as all the little details.
I am an Auburn dash fan and this one looks good in the reworked deuce dash. I would guess the tilt wheel will be replaced.
Here is an early build with lots of old tricks including the deuce style motor mounts for the SBC. The owner replaced the engine with a flathead.
Winter’s Beauty!
Cory rolled his beautiful hiboy out for a quick photo in cold Detroit. He has a new hood and 18″Divco wheels in the rear. Thanks for the photo and turn the heat on in the garage.