Staying close to home.

Friday evening and the usual suspects started rolling in to the VA BBQ in Fredericksburg, VA. As always there are some cars that we have not seen before. The blue ’71 Buick GS with the 455 was cool as was the beautiful dark green ’69 Road Runner with the redline tires. The green ’54 Packard was smooth and the black ’39 Chevy sedan that came in late was a driver like us, he even had a GPS on the dash! But the best car on the lot was the red ’62 Austin Healy 3000II….this car was done better than new, the owner should be very proud of this fine example of a British sports car of the early 60’s. The attention to detail was perfect….I hope he “fixed” the Lucas electrics so it is reliable now. There is a dark green AH 3000 I have seen around here that has been updated with modern running gear and suspension….I wonder if they know each other? The evening was perfect and we stayed visiting with people till we were almost the last ones to leave….nice.

The weather guessers were forecasting rain in our area by 2-3PM but it was coming from the S. W. and would get to the southern areas first. We had planned a run to Ruckersville, VA (S.W. from us) and their cruise but it was 70 miles away and didn’t start till 3PM. So we decided to go to something close so at least if we started to see dark clouds we could pack up and run for home, maybe before the rain got to us. So the Berea Baptist Church was having a small show and they were about 11 miles from home AND we could get back using country roads so the road spray would be minimized if we did have to run in the rain.

We left the WAWA a little after 8AM and Fred led us to the show….you remember Fred from our little excursion a couple weeks ago. We arrived and set up our camp and as I settled down was when I noticed trouble. Real trouble. The church was having an inside yard sale as well as a car show! There is something in a woman’s psyche that when she reads or hears the word “sale” the neurological pathway from the eye to the purse suddenly bypasses the “reason” stop for evaluation….it’s just a straight shot from I see to I buy….big trouble. And the Princess had an ally in Debie; we were in real trouble now. As soon as the Princess got a little settled down she got up, looked at me and in a voice that sounded like Linda Blair in the exorcist she said “give me money”! WOW I did the only thing any man could do in that situation….I emptied my wallet into her cupped hands and watched while they both scurried off to the “sale”. I’m doomed.

While they were gone I walked around the cars and took some pictures. There was only about 17 cars that showed up which is sad because it was a nice venue and part of the entry fee was a free lunch….except for the above mentioned “sale” it was a neat deal. The outside restroom was a fully equipped porta potty, the music was good and the fellowship was relaxing. As long as you didn’t get too close to Jim while he was reading and sounding out the big words you could enjoy the music just fine. It is interesting how at a small show I take more time to actually look at the cars and think about what I’m seeing….like the blue ’69 Chevelle. I have seen that car for a while now and never noticed the wood carb spacers! Yeah, wood! I asked him how long he had run the wood and he said 3-4 years! Very interesting….I hope someone doesn’t try to whittle a tunnel ram out of oak now….weird. I actually made a wood adapter in the last VW I built. I don’t remember why I did it but I ran it for a year or so with the wood between the carb and intake manifold. The green ’50 Chrysler was very clean and it’s flathead 6 reminded me of the Powell P.U. I had in the early 60’s that used a Chrysler flathead 6….a good strong motor. A red Cobra came to the party but just stayed for a short while….evidentially he was having trouble with the starter fighting with the F.I. computer for distributor advance….the computer was calling for too much advance while starting and killing the starters when they kicked back!? So he left it running while he walked around and talked! Finally he and his son buckled up and drove off. The orange ’70 Chevy P.U. of Bill’s is the kind of vehicle you can see and think, nice pick up, and keep walking on. Bill has done many detailed improvements to this truck that requires a second/third look. The interior, the bed, the engine compartment, the antenna and especially the exhaust termination through the rear fenders! This is a truck that will stand out when you really look at it.

The weather was nice and changing from overcast to bright sun but about 1PM the sky started to look consistently dark. The event organizers called the show around 2PM so we could get home before any rain started to fall. The two girls decided to go back to the “sale” and do some shopping shopping….it’s code for REALLY shopping, I think!? It’s part of their secret communication that keeps us mortal men guessing. So off they went to spend more money money (my code) to save money? HUH I guess we need more stuff so our kids will be able to have a really big yard sale when we are gone! So while the girls were gone the awards were given out….and the Princess won best of show! And I had to accept it for her since she was shopping shopping….I did my best “Princess” interpretation, I squealed and giggled while saying mine mine way too many times but I don’t think they thought I was really the Princess. grin We decided to hide her trophy inside her car under the first “sale” stuff she bought so we wouldn’t have to endure an acceptance ceremony….but she found it. After listening to way to many reasons why she deserved the award, we packed up and ran for home. About an hour later it started to rain, whew.

Wow....what a weekend!

For the last few weeks I have been a little stressed because the guy that built the RedRat was going to visit us with his wife Anne and another couple, Sam & Carol. Those of you that have grown kids will understand a little better what I was going through….especially if you had girls. You spend 18 years of your life working on doing the best for your kids and taking care of them, listening to their sorrows and their triumphs and then you give them to someone else to take care of and the other “kid” says he will take care of her!? Oh yeah? Riiight! So off they go and for a while you don’t know how well or bad he is taking care of one of the most valuable things in your life. Don had spent 5 years of his life crafting the RedRat then enjoyed it for another 10 years….then I came along and took it away from him. I knew I took some of his life with me in that car. I never thought much about it till Don emailed me a few months ago and told me they were going to plan a road trip to Virginia sometime this summer! Whoa…. Now some of you also know about not selling your cars to people that live near you….that way you never see what they are doing to the car you were so attached to, good or bad, mostly bad! So now the builder of the RedRat was coming to Virginia….to see his kid after being gone for 3 years!? I thought since Don lived in Michigan and we live in Virginia he would never actually see the RedRat again….oooooooooh nooooooo When we finalized a date for their visit I started to stress a little and began to think about what I have done to his kid/car! Hmmmmmm mirrors, breather, floor skid mat, rear end, shifter handle…. Hmmmm, they should be ok? The closer the date came the higher my stress level went….I started driving the RedRat very cautiously….I thought maybe I should email Don and explain that the Princess had contracted a communicable disease….like Ebola or something and he shouldn’t come down because we couldn’t meet them. I couldn’t sleep very well Friday night….kind of like the night before Christmas when I was a kid. Oh well it’s too late now, they’re on the way.

Our three cars arrived at the All American Street Rod car show in Gainesville, VA around 7AM….to make sure we got a good spot for 5 cars. We unpacked and set up the canopies and I waited for the Dad to come and visit his kid! The fact that he brought one of his friends also caused a little trepidation for me….then I remembered that they brought their wives so it couldn’t get to rowdy if he/they were upset with the Rat. They finally got to the event and parked….they got out and we shook hands and talked for about….18 seconds then Don & Sam swarmed over the RedRat…. pointing…. nodding…. looking at it very closely with that stern, all knowing look….then I thought I saw a little smirk on Sam’s face! Hmmmm maybe…. Then they both smiled and seemed to agree that I had indeed taken care of their kid OK. Whew….now I just had to refrain from patting their kid on the behind while they were looking and I would be ok…. So no raucous demonstrations of speed & power for 2 days! I can do that? Did I say that? We’ll see….
Don’s copper ‘34 Chevy sedan was nicer than the RedRat….it has A/C and leather seats! It also has many nice details like the engine breathing system, the tail lights and many others, you have to look close! And Sam’s very red ’49 Chevy….It looks and sounds like it would have in the 50’s or very early 60’s. The car looks like a very comfortable road car and since I learned to drive in a '52 Chevy, it brings back many memories…. and what’s not to like about a smooth very red car with the right stance? Who knows what kind of car the hood vents came from? A clue, it doesn’t start with a B. Ya gotta love the sound of the open lakers too….check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR4i5Ao2yFI The show was on asphalt with some of the spaces having grass behind the curb to sit on, a nice deal. The bathrooms were very well covered with some porta potties in the parking lot and the indoor facilities at the host business. There were a few vendors and a killer DJ. The weather was perfect….no really it was perfect except for the wind. The wind was blowing 20-25 mph but gusting up to a million mph when it blew over a couple canopies that were not secured adequately. Three cars were damaged; one black ’67 Nova was very seriously damaged. This is always a danger one has to consider when erecting a canopy around cars; you are responsible for what the canopy does.

The quality of most the cars was on par with a National event…. what we call “high dollar”…. much power, much chrome/billet and knock out paint. I think there were over 85 cars registered which is a good turnout of these kinds of cars. The judges had their hands full picking the winners but I think it was done fairly and efficiently. The Princess won an award so life will be good in Stafford this week! I liked the black ’37 Chevy humpy the best, I have seen the car once at BK and it is very straight and has an intimidating look & sound….a car that would be welcome in my garage! I also liked the red BBC T-Bucket. This was a fun show and an opportunity to see some very nice cars and bikes….oh yeah the bikes, you have to check out the pictures….the bikes were also first class. I like the psydelic one and the one that was styled like a ’95 1200 Sportster I had, the black and silver….neat!

We packed up and I led six cars to the cruise in Orange, VA at the Burger King on Highway 15. The cruise to get there was through 55 miles of Virginia countryside and is always a treat. The cruise is held every third Saturday during the season and DJ Ron takes care of the music and always provides a fun ambiance. The personality of this cruise is always a little different, tonight it seemed to be all about horsepower. I think there were 20 pro-streets growling around the parking lot. The red Caddy that’s long enough to be in two time zones at the same time was there as well as the “Shortcut High” school bus. The red blown ’70 AMC Javelin was unique and the yellow Maverick was easy to look at.

Right before dusk Sam started getting a little….distant. Don had warned me about Sam’s affliction with butter pecan ice cream but I thought he was exaggerating…. Sam and Carol disappeared for about half an hour then re-appeared walking down the grass toward our chairs with some grocery bags in hand….he had two half gallons of ice cream….he bought dishes, spoons, dipper and ice cream! Sam made sure we all had some before he began to devour most of one of the containers of butter pecan! I think that’s an addiction I could support….hmmmmm So after Sam’s ice cream was gone his shaking and mumbling stopped….it was the same Sam as earlier….WOW….spooky. The manager of the Burger King at the cruise picked Don’s ’34 for the monthly “car” award so now Don could go back to MI with two trophies….did I mention that he got one at the show too? Now the Princess was beginning to whine a little….she didn’t get two….I knew we had to leave so she would get that out of her system. So we all cruised back to our homes/motels….the weather was cooler and the return ride was just as much fun as the earlier one getting there. But the bugs….the bugs were terrible at night, I have never seen so many bugs on our cars when we got home and checked them out in the garage light. The Princess will have her work cut out for her in the morning! Hehehehe That’s our deal, she keeps them shiny and I keep them noisy.

Sunday we cruised to the Cracker Barrel in Dumfries, VA then after breakfast we cruised to the Hundred Car Pile Up show in Woodbridge, VA. This show is put on by the Prince William Cruisers and is at a boat marina restaurant, the Water’s Edge. It’s a nice restaurant and the parking lot is asphalt. After the canopy accident yesterday we didn’t want to erect a canopy on the pavement so we sat in the sun, not a fun thing. The restroom facilities were good and the music was the best. The song mix was dead on, a little of everything but constant….Ramona says he played songs she actually remembered!?

As advertised there were over a hundred cars registered so the event was a success. I liked the green ’66 T-5 Mustang; it’s very unique and nicely done. I also liked the silver & black ’34 Chevy 4dr sedan restorod and the red ’48 Chevy Fleetline. As with anything the PW Cruisers is involved with it’s a pleasure to attend one of their events, everything runs like clockwork and everything happens like it’s supposed to. They just need to find someone with a little more enthusiasm to sell the 50/50 tickets, grin Check out Sally in one of the pics with the tickets! And she does all that with a broken suspension that’s on the mend. What else can you ask for? The Princess also got a trophy so now she is happy; she and Don got two each for the weekend. Congrats Steve and the PW Cruisers on another job well done!

Don & Anne and Sam & Carol had to get ahead of their trip back to Michigan so they left early. We said out goodbyes and wished them a safe journey and they cruised out with that noisy red Chevy leading the adventure. That’s what hot rodding should be about….friendships that endure the test of geographic separation and the respect of other’s interests. Driving from Allen Park, Michigan to Virginia just to hang out for a couple days with kindred spirits is a special thing…. I love this hobby!

Colder than a ......?

Friday evening and we congregate at VA BBQ in Fredericksburg, VA for the weekly cruise. The usual suspects are in attendance and a guy etching glass is plying his trade. Wesley and Ken tried him out on their car; Wesley had a pair of dice done on his vent window and Ken had “55” put on his ’55 Chevy….what a concept! It looks cool but I don’t have enough glass surfaces on the RedRat…. maybe…. we’ll see. We haven’t seen Steve and his rowdy blue supercharged Maverick for a while and the yellow gigandious Dodge PU with more chrome than a parking lot of Harleys was there. Claude’s noisy very dark blue ’34 Chevy coupe came to sit a spell and we were treated to a twofer rarity! You don’t often see a ’35 Chevy 4 dr. sedan….but two on the same night, at a little local cruise? Paul drives Anita’s red & black ’35 and he visits often but the other mauve & dark purple one was special too. Gary called the evening around 9PM and we cruised home, another fun & restful cruise at VA BBQ.

Saturday we wanted to go on a nice leisurely cruise for lunch and end up at the Foster’s cruise in S. Stafford. It was cold and very windy but we knew it would be a nice adventure. We left at noon and headed for Lowrys seafood restaurant in Tappahannock, VA. It’s about 70 miles to the restaurant from Stafford, VA and it’s a nice easy cruise through the flat lands near the Rappahannock river. We usually take Rt. 17 down and back but today someone thought it would be more fun to go home a different route! So after eating enough food to feed the crowds at a Beach Boys concert we left for home….by a different route. Sometimes I ask if someone else will lead our little excursions and allow me to relax a little and not have to deal with the stress of keeping everyone together (like herding cats!) and navigating for the group. It also gives me the opportunity to try to take some pictures from the back of the group while we are cruising. I asked Fred to lead and as usual he stepped up to help. Fred drives a red & white ’57 Dodge so challenges are no stranger to him. hehehehe And I think during one of his trips in the mother ship Fred had a GPS implanted somewhere on/in his body….you’ll have to ask Debie where it is!? After an inauspicious start when half our group went straight instead of following Fred at a critical intersection we got back together (cat herding) and headed home via Rt. 3. This road is smaller than Rt. 17 but it gives us a different look to our trip. Did I mention it was windy? I think it was blowing about 117 mph and gusting up to Cat5 hurricane strength! We had been meandering up Rt. 3 for about 25 miles when we spotted some smoke over the road! After stopping and evaluating the situation we realized that the wind had blown a very large tree into a power line and set the woods on fire! At first we didn’t realize how dangerous it was where we stopped or how long it would take to clear the problem. During a conversation with the firemen they told us it would be a while before we could pass through so we decided to turn around and seek another way home. Fred talked to the firemen and got instructions on how to go around the area without going back to Tappahannock so off we went. Now this part of Virginia is very rural and sparsely populated….as the roads get narrower and the side lines go away then the center line disappears it starts to feel….different. We now have to put our faith in Fred and his biological GPS and hope he remembered what the fireman told him! The Princess was getting low on fuel and I had less than ½ a tank. The trees started growing over the road like a tunnel and the road got narrower…. I thought I heard banjo music…. This is not the way I wanted to remember our 45th wedding anniversary! After many turns and watching the sun change directions way too many times we popped out on Rt. 3 again! Whew….now I wouldn’t have to hear any squealing piggy noises…. Fred found some fuel for us and we cruised on to Foster’s cruise….uneventfully! By the time we got there the cruise was in progress but only about 15 cars showed up! I’m sure the cold and wind had a lot to do with people’s decision to stay home. I guess some people just can’t take it….sitting outside in lawn chairs, in 45-50 degree weather, with a wind chill of -87 degrees….can you say don't be a sissy!? We stayed about 2 hours and then headed home. The Princess was just a little cranky because as I mentioned earlier it was our 45th wedding anniversary on Saturday and she was still not understanding our card exchange earlier in the day. You all know I'm retired and like to save a penny when I can....I bought her a nice Mother's Day card and wrote something gushy & sensitive inside and thought since our anniversary was the day before Mother's Day why buy two cards? I mean I could buy a gallon of gas for the price of another card! So I wrote a nice verse inside the Mother's Day card wishing her a happy anniversary and told her she got a twofer card! I thought it was funny....the Princess says she wants to see the report card from that sensitivity training class I have been taking? She says I need to be retrained? I guess it didn't help much when I told her that when she talks to me through her clinched teeth it makes the lines on her face appear deeper....I'm not sure what she said after that, she was muttering and stuttering as she walked away....I hope her birthday goes better!? The Princess and I had to spend 3 hrs getting the coupes ready for the show on Sunday when we got home but we were glad to be back home with our dignity intact, thanks Fred!

Sunday and we left the Bob Evans in Stafford, VA at 8AM. It was very cold and the wind was still blowing briskly. One of the cars that was going up with us was JV & CJ….in a T-Bucket! When I saw them come in it reminded me of our years on the Harley. They looked way too cold to be having much fun. At 8:10 our little convoy of 4 cars headed up I-95 for the 30 mile trip to the Mothers Day show at the Coast Guard Station in Alexandria, VA. This show is 33 years old and the club that hosts it, Cruisin Company, is 33 years old too!? We have never been to this deal because on Mother’s Day we always go to the show in Fredericksburg at the Walker Grant School and have been more than happy with it. But since some of our friends have been talking about the Coast Guard show for a while we decided to try it this year.

The show is on rolling grass and under mature trees….a perfect venue. The bathrooms are permanent and were easily accessible from where we parked. The cost of the event was $20 but included a very tasty lunch, something other clubs might want to consider. I think Dan had 19 hot dogs! I’m told that the show is something of a reunion for a lot of folks; in fact Steve told me that some of the cars only come out for this event!

There were about 195 cars in attendance and many very nice examples of Virginia craftsmanship. The first thing I saw was a black ’37 Chevy built like a gasser of the late 50’s. You do remember that the vehicle of choice back then was the 36-39 Chevy and the 33-34 Fords…. Right? These Chevys were the scourge of the ¼ mile till I think ’62 when guys started using the Willys more. The Willys was lighter and could go faster with the engines of the time, Caddie & Olds. There were a few vehicles that were there to increase the awareness of POW/MIA issues, which is always a good thing. There were vehicles of every type from antique, custom, low-rider, hot rod, traditional hot rod, street rod, new stock, pick up, race car, motorcycle, muscle car, super car and heavily weighted in the pre-60’s genre. The Princess liked the 58-59 Corvettes; she says if she ever gives up her coupe it will be for one of those Corvettes! Another thing I liked was that almost all the vehicles were drivers, bugs in the radiator and chips in the paint drivers. You all know how I feel about trailered hot rods. I think that if they are “special” enough to come in a trailer to play they should be “special” enough to be classed separately and judged separately. I liked the orange & black ’64, 454 Chevy PU and the black ’32 high boy with flames and zoomies.

The above mentioned “free lunch” was a really welcome thing since no food vendors were present at the event. Sometimes the event food vendors are terrible because they have you trapped and they know you have few other choices except their food and they don’t care about the quality of their food. This was the case here as far as being trapped but the food was very good, if fact the line for food stretched from the concession area to the restrooms….about 75 yds! And I think Dan went back so many times they began telling him he couldn’t have any more food….it’s so sad to watch Dan pout…. so we had to promise him we would go to dinner later after the show…. Dan was happy again! I liked the band too….they played music I knew and I saw a lot of foot taping and head nodding while the music was being played so I knew others liked it too! Please check out the pictures I took this weekend at; http://community.webshots.com/user/33coupe

As with most established shows this one ran like a machine and ended on time. You could tell the club members knew what each one had to do and they executed like they had done it many times before. The Cruisin Company was helpful and assisted the participants when needed. This is one of the best shows we have attended in the last 6 years….you need to put it on your calendar for next year….Mothers Day 2011….be there or be square!

Where did the weekend go?

Friday evening and we weave our way through the Friday get-out-of-town traffic to Fredericksburg, VA and the cruise at VA BBQ on Rt. 1. This cruise has been hosted by Fredericksburg Classic & Muscle Car Club for many years and never disappoints. It is a comfortable cruise with 50-90 cars each week….not like the MD cruises with 400-500 cars each week but a nice mix of local cars and some from the surrounding environs. About half the cars come out every week and the other half are infrequent visitors.

The car that spun my tires was the little yellow ’61 English Ford panel….I had one of these cars in ’63-’64 and drove the wheels off it! I had the original 4 cyl motor with four individual pipes coming out one side, like a funny car. I had a lot of fun cruising the beach cities in SoCal with that car….I can’t imagine how much trouble I could have found if I had a small block Chevy in it like the yellow one at the cruise. Jim brought out his ’46 Ford PU, “The Rotten Peach”, to share with us….he had it repainted and added a new fuel tank….ya gotta see this. Hoppy brought out his yellow ’55 Ford, the Chevy killer!? We had a great time talking to friends and making new ones….please check out the pictures at; http://rides.webshots.com/album/577539128XeTJKa

Saturday morning and we attend the 2nd Kate Waller Barrett MS show in Stafford, VA. The school opens its doors for the show so the restroom facilities are great and there was a good food vendor which helped since there were no restaurants close by. It was hot for this time of year, I think it went up to 274 degrees, which wasn’t welcome but we dealt with it. The heat crept up on me as I didn’t hydrate properly….I have to remember to do that better. The music was a victim to the many announcements and talking. After a while we just tuned out the “noise” since little music was being played and as a consequence we didn’t hear when the 50/50 was called and we probably missed other things we may have wanted to hear.

There were about 70 cars of all types from Sam’s original Model T to a 2010 Camaro….that why I like open car shows….everyone comes out! I have a few favorites….first is Brian’s red ’88 Fiero GT with the 3800SC motor! Brian had done all the work himself on this beast and it worked out just right. This type of car is often overlooked by hot rodders and I don’t know why. With its inherent great handling and killer motor possibilities this is a super street car if there ever was one! I also liked the dune buggy. I saw many of them in SoCal when I lived there in the 60’s….in fact I think the Meyers Manx was invented there. The one at the show was done flawlessly. And then there was the Noble….this is a rare car and you need to talk to the owner when it is at a show with you. It is so unique, and it’s 2000 lb weight and over 500 hp should make it a fun car on the street.

There was confusion at the award ceremony and some frayed nerves that could have been avoided but in the end most were happy with the outcome. The Princess got a plaque so she is all giggly and happy. Please check out my pictures at; http://rides.webshots.com/album/577537128IgfZZH

We left the show and cruised to the show at Foster’s Grille in S. Stafford, VA. The VA Stockers are the host club and Foster’s had gone all out to promote their show that kicks off the cruise season for them. It had been on the radio and internet for a couple of months. They had two moon bounces and radio station WZRQ 99.9. Foster also gave the participants a discount on their food AND the show was free! That’s right, no cost to enter! They had nice prizes and trophies and gave $50 cash with each trophy! I think they really wanted to support the show/cruise!? Foster’s has always encouraged participation at their cruises but this was special. They really don’t have to pay people to come to Foster’s….it’s a nice place, the food is great and they always take care of us like they want us there.

There were around 90 cars when it was done and because they threw a large net of advertising many of the cars that showed up were new to us. The yellow blown T-Bucket, the red ’49 Ford custom, the white & blue ’54 Merc and the red ’57 Chevy panel were all new. Then Richard’s immaculate blue & white ’60 Chevy and many of the usual suspects rounded out the field. My favorite was the orange & purple ‘60’s Chevy PU. This truck was perfect and had a 600 + cu. in. motor that if you close your eyes when it was running you thought you might be listening to John Force’s car! And Jerry’s yellow Willys is never hard to look at…. another classy local car. Check the pictures at; http://rides.webshots.com/album/577546273yBcVDi

It was a very long day for us so after most of the cars left we were glad to be on the road home. We had a very busy day doing what old people do with their hot rods on the weekend when they don’t have proper supervision. On the way home the RedRat wanted to stretch it’s legs so I let it go on the Rt. 17 on ramp….it’s very long (about ¾ mile), straight, flat….hmmmmm. That wasn’t me turning gasoline into noise and filling the air with tire smoke, no sir, not me….hehehehe I love that car!

Sunday cruised to the Manassas, VA Burger King near the airport to attend the Bull Run Street Rods annual show. We like this show because it’s on grass and it is always well attended by pre 60’s cars. The show's main sponsor is Burger King and it always run well, everything happens when it should and no grumbling is heard about the show. This club is another one of Virginia’s premier car clubs….they are well respected and their show is one of the “can’t miss” shows of the year around here. Some years it has rained on show day which makes the venue a real challenge but this year the weather was near perfect. A short little shower around 10:30 helped dust off the pollen then sunshine the rest of the day. I think there were around 170 cars which is near what the show can handle comfortably and the parking was more organized than years before.

Many very nice cars….please check out the pictures at; http://rides.webshots.com/album/577536407ZCbaai The one I liked best was the pearl ’32 Ford PU with the Boss 429 Shotgun motor. I took a picture of the car and walked to the next one then went back and did a double take….I could see through the grille….no radiator? The radiator was in the truck bed….nice! The owner told me the motor was from a drag boat and its 1800hp had to be detuned to around 800hp for the street! This was one cool truck! I also liked the orange & black Camaro with the neat engine compartment housing the 427….cool. The Princess liked the way the black ’34 small block sounded….the one driven by another lady! She says the Princessmobile should sound like that too….I said all it takes is money!? The look she gave me told me I should not worry about what I will be doing this winter! Hehehe We met many old friends at the show and made some new ones too. I had a couple people walk up to me and ask….”Are you Chuck the Slacker?” After I said yes they told me how they like to read my stuff and how they follow us on HotRodHotLine. That helps when you write this stuff and wonder if people read it and if they like it….a little feedback is good!

We cruised home and our old bodies crashed in the A/C so we got a few hours of rest before our adopted children (Dan & Ramona) drove us to dinner. Now to rest up for next weekend….I love this hobby!