It's easy to tell when the holidays are coming. Christmas songs start playing, lights go up, and snow starts coming down. Out in Southern California, it doesn't feel like Christmas until the annual Mooneyes X-mas party, held for the last several years at the Sheriff's Academy in the L.A.-adjacent city of Whittier. As usual, Mooneyes packed the parking lot. It's a party not a show, so there are no trophies and nobody judges the rods and customs. In addition to the cars (mostly homebuilt, "traditionally-oriented" stuff) and custom bikes, the place was crowded with vendor booths, art displays, and a live music stage. The art auction at the end of the day raised a bunch of money for the Sherrif's Youth Foundation. Cool rods and customs, California sunshine, great bands, friendly vendors, awesome art, peace on earth, and goodwill towards men. That's our kind of X-mas party!
Jeff Dorris from Fender Alley...
Jeff Dorris from Fender Alley Rod & Custom pulled the '30 coupe body out of a Riverside backyard, chopped it six inches, and channeled it seven over a six-inch stretched frame. It runs a 265 Flathead with Navarro heads and a SCoT blower, with a 5-speed. Kim Dedic added the 'striping to the brown basecoat.
Rob Markworth's '31 coupe...
Rob Markworth's '31 coupe on '32 rails was built alongside Dorris' A. It got a 5-inch chop and a coat of suede black decorated with brown scallops. The engine is a 392 Hemi.
Jeff and Lisa Holt's freshly...
Jeff and Lisa Holt's freshly painted '59 Thunderbird was parked over by the Hollywood Hot Rods booth. The matching numbers 352 Y-block-powered custom with 15-inch Supremes is still a work in progress, but the almost-done paint is over the top. Look for a tech story on shooting metalflake on this car in the April '06 issue of R&C.
This '31 sport coupe, homebuilt...
This '31 sport coupe, homebuilt by Rob Harris, is the owner's sole source of transportation. A 3-speed trans backs up the '51 Merc. Chop and channel are both six inches...
... The front axle is undropped...
... The front axle is undropped stock, the dash is from a '37 and the steering wheel came from a '59 Renault Dauphin. The '34 Chevy truck grille was hanging on his neighbor's fence until he snagged it.
Grapejuice purple with white...
Grapejuice purple with white scallops would stand out at any X-mas party, especially in a sea of suede. Gabriel Del Campo brought the '30 5-window down from Bakersfield about two years ago. The 283 SBC is backed up by a Turbo 350 automatic.
We spotted this great '28...
We spotted this great '28 roadster in the motel parking lot across the street. The owner turned out to be long-time rod and drag car builder Sammy V, who told us that the A was a sport coupe before he removed the top.
In two years, Robert Short's...
In two years, Robert Short's '52 Chevy went from $400 bone stock rust bucket to head-turning street scraper. One-piece windshield and rear glass were added, along with '51 Caddy bumpers, a '49 Dodge grille, '53 Eldorado headlights, and '54 Chevy PU running lights. The nose was extended 4 1/2 inches and the rear quarters extended 6 1/2. Bags put the big Chevy this low.
Bellflower 'striper Pauly...
Bellflower 'striper Pauly Olvidalo treated his chopped, channeled, and sectioned '54 Chevy pickup to "all the stuff," meaning a '55 Olds dash and '50 Olds wheel, rear C-notch, spots, and satin maroon paint. Obviously, he's still looking for a Cadillac grille. Anybody got one?
Custom painter Edog could...
Custom painter Edog could use his '66 Thunderbird as a business card. The green metalflake is crawling with elaborate orange licks. The purple roof got the flame treatment too. Check out the custom grille treatment, and reworked scoop.
It's all about the Gasser...
It's all about the Gasser stance for Larry Fader's straight-axle '46 sedan delivery, which he's owned off-and-on since 1969. The engine is a 396 stroker. Trans is a Muncie 4-speed.
One aisle over from the Gasser...
One aisle over from the Gasser delivery was this '37 Chevy, owned by Rick Lynch, who has owned the coupe body for 27 years. The Chevy small-block is topped with a Weiand 6-71 blower and Hilborn four-port mechanical injectors.
The Gearheads driving club...
The Gearheads driving club from Glendale showed up with a hat trick of trio of early Ford roadsters...
...Rick Tokiyedas '17 Model...
...Rick Tokiyedas '17 Model T roadster pickup is powered by a 327 and gets driven to work every day...
...Rex Jarmillo's '30 A runs...
...Rex Jarmillo's '30 A runs the same size mill. Indian John's '27, with the undropped I-beam axle, runs a '41 driveline from the Flathead back, and was built as a three-day project.
We were told that this radical...
We were told that this radical Cadillac was built and owned by Frank DeRosa and is now owned by motorcycle collector Barry Weiss. Late '60s Euro Mercedes headlights fill the front of the fenders. The seats are covered in alligator skin.
Big 5 (that's his name) has...
Big 5 (that's his name) has had his '31 pickup (built from an all-original truck) on the road for three years. Custom dimensions include a five-inch channel, four-inch chop, and 9-inch bed shortening. The frame was Z-d five inches in front and 19 inches in the rear. Power comes from a 312 Y-block.
This bright blue and metalflake...
This bright blue and metalflake silver '59 Chevy Impala, owned by George Cuellar, caught our attention at the Primer Nats in the fall. Here is another remarkably similar shot of George's custom taken at the Mooneyes event.
All we can tell you about...
All we can tell you about this '60 Lincoln hardtop is that it looked better rolling out of the party than it did rolling in...
. ..thanks to pinstriping...
. ..thanks to pinstriping talent of Chick, seen here laying some lines on the decklid.