Friday night and rain was forecasted
everywhere so our hot rod stayed in the garage.
Saturday broke much better with a 16% chance of rain late in the
day. We left the WAWA at 2PM and cruised
27 miles to the Burger King near the Manassas, VA airport. The Bull Run Street Rods club manages this year
round, weekly cruise and it is always well attended. We try to arrive early to get a better
parking spot….it seems that each year we have to get there earlier than the
year before.
The event usually attracts over 100
vehicles each week and each week something “new” rolls in. This week it was the copper 1953 Dodge panel
truck. This vehicle was an escapee from a
primo car builder’s garage. Actually it
was a product of B&B Restorations….a local enterprise. There just wasn’t anything wrong with it from
the late Hemi running gear to the sound system that can be heard in the
International Space Station. Just
killer! There was also a very nice green
& white Dodge A-100 with very large shoes tucked under the bed and too much
motor….did I say that? grin I really
liked the white ’57 Chevy Convertible that parked across from us, it too was
very well taken care of. Around 7PM many
of the cars started to leave? I guess we
need to be more attentive to the weather because some said rain was on the
way! So we gathered up and cruised home and
escaped most of the rain. Not enough to
stand on the road surface but enough to spot the pollen all over the truck. Since we usually clean down the truck when we
get home the water on it made the task just a little easier.
Sunday we left N. Stafford and
cruised 92 miles to Charlottesville, VA and the 40th Annual Piedmont
Region AACA Car Show. We had never
attended an AACA deal and thought this might be a good one to try because they
allowed “modifieds”. Modifieds are anathema
to most AACA clubs. We had heard about
the event in Fredericksburg where someone came in with a car that had the
incorrect chrome tip on the exhaust pipe and they banished him to the netherworlds
of modified cars and did not allow him to attend! We experienced that when we had a 34 Nash
sedan….it was highly “modified” with a 454 BBC, Corvette running gear, leather
interior….everything! But when I would
communicate with mother Nash with questions about the car I had to be very
careful not to let on that is was “modified”.
If I slipped and mentioned something like “I had to have a stainless
fuel tank for the fuel injection system on the big block Chevy or that’s where
I put the receiver for the remote power windows”….I would instantly suffer the
wrath of their ire that would include very pointed questions that always
included why would I “molest” a car like that!
Although I can truly understand their thinking, I feel the same way
about vintage aircraft especially warbirds, it was what I had. So I usually just
asked for forgiveness due to my shallow thinking and promised not to “molest”
another car and moved on with my information mining. But this event allowed “modifieds”….hooray!
We arrived at 8:30, about ½ hour
early and the club was still setting up.
They do things a little differently but get the job done anyway. They have designated areas for specific
vehicle types….you have to park where they want you to….not my favorite method
but I understand the methodology to do so.
The parking was tight and we had to crunch together behind our hot rod….another
thing I don’t care for.
The restrooms were an
adventure. As I said before we arrived
early and the club wouldn’t park anyone till they had the parking grid set….I
understand that. But they would let us
come in and register so we waited in line and got that done. As we were leaving the registration we passed
two guys guarding the entrance to the parking and Linda asked them where the porta
potties were. They made a very weak
attempt at humor when they said there were woods all around the lot!? Then they said Sam’s Club was one of the
sponsors and they had restrooms. I then
asked the same two guys where exactly, where were we supposed to park our category
18 truck. They pointed to the far corner
of the lot where a large shade tree was.
Linda asked “over by that big tree?”. They said yes. We turned and started walking back to our
truck so we could drive it to our designated parking spot. The two guys must have thought we were out of
hearing range so one said to the other one “by the porta potty” and they both
chuckled at their continuing tasteless “humor”.
After we set up the Princess had to
visit a restroom. She began her trek,
which was way too far for old out of shape people with bad knees that were recovering
from back injuries, to the Sam’s Club, one of the event sponsors. When she finally arrived at Sam’s she was
told since it was Sunday the store didn’t open till 10AM…..it was 9:30. So she sat on one of the large decorative rocks
in front of the store, crossed legged till it opened. This impacted me too in that when she related
her story to me I decided to limit my water intake all day so I wouldn’t have
to make the same trip. We launched at
7AM and I didn’t visit a restroom till almost 5PM….! It has taken all day today to balance my water
metabolism. So….that is a real issue for
us crippled up old people….but I guess there are not too many of those kind of people that mess around
with old cars….naaaa.
The quality of the vehicles was more
than I anticipated and especially so for the modifieds. The tan ’34 Ford with the blown flathead
motor was much more complicated than I expected. The grey/black ’37 Packard was over the top….the
quality of the build, the choice of the build details was a cut above in every
way. The engine was done period correct
color but modern. The interior and
window moldings were just right. This
car was my best of show! There were many
original cars too like the blue/white ’57 Chevy pickup and the white ’55 Chevy
Cameo. I also liked the black ’34 Ford Phaeton. The silver Lomax was the most unusual car at
the event….I have never heard of the mark before Sunday! I guess now you can find something to do with
all those Citroen 2CV parts you have laying around in your barn….build a Lomax….grin
The award ceremony began promptly at
3PM, as advertised. They give a first
and second in each category….they had 23 categories X two trophies each….a lot
of awards. They also have some “traveling”
trophies….the winner keeps them for a period of time then returns them. That was different. The Princess won a first place trophy in the
1049-2014 modified truck category….amazing.
We met a couple friends at the
event, Bob & Benda from Culpeper, Raymond from Harrisonburg and Butch from
Madison....you just never know where you will meet someone you know at a “car”
event….so cool.
Since no one came down to the event
with us we decided to forgo dining at the Wood Grille Buffet in Charlottesville
and just cruised the 92 miles back home.
We stopped at the first gas station to use the restroom then continued
on. Except for the forced march to the
restroom the day was very pleasant….driving the hot rod…talking to car people….I
love this hobby.
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