It was a busy couple of weeks on the road for Kevin and me as we followed up our trip from SoCal to Lincoln for the Americruise with another week on the road in the same Roy Brizio '32 Ford roadster heading for the 37th NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Perhaps too much excitement for the "average" rodder, but Team R&C took in the event a little at time as to not get overly excited and blow a piston.
As usual, our long weekend in Louisville started Wednesday night as we let Brian Brennan treat us to pizza at the Street Rodder builder's party. Our work officially began on Thursday at the fairgrounds where the newly expanded (to nearly 500,000 feet) Kentucky Exposition Center took center stage. Inside, just about every imaginable street rod vender showed off their wares, which also included the debut of over 150 brand-new products. And the swap meet was located right outside if for some reason you couldn't find what you were looking for or wanted a new project to hang all those new products on, featuring rows and rows of hard-to-find parts and a few great bargains on slightly used items.
For those not shopping and just wanting to gaze at beautiful machinery, there were thousands of different makes and models to drool over and mentally take to the driver seat and cruise into their wildest dreams. We found plenty to drool over, so much in fact that we have decided to present a selection of vehicles in this story that does not include any Blue Oval products that usually take up a fair portion of any event coverage. Do not worry, Ford fans, this is not something that will become a regular way of reporting events; we're just sharing the space a little and showing what cool rides are being built and enjoyed from the "other" camps. For now, enjoy the "alter-Nats!"
Slick and trick is the only...
Slick and trick is the only way to describe David Dickinson's tastefully modified '39 Buick convertible.
The bronze paint on Jim Pearsall's...
The bronze paint on Jim Pearsall's '39 Oldsmobile can't help but grab your attention as it glows under the sun.
John Gardner has his '34 Plymouth...
John Gardner has his '34 Plymouth sedan sitting just right on a set of wide whites, perfectly set off by the bright yellow paint.
The Nats is the place to come...
The Nats is the place to come if you're looking for rodded luxury models. Terry and Trinka Treneff rodded a rare '38 Packard.
Dave and Sue Sylvain are proud...
Dave and Sue Sylvain are proud of the fact that their '34 Chevrolet cabriolet is all steel underneath the rich Brandywine paint.
Danny Bolender gave Bow Tie...
Danny Bolender gave Bow Tie fans something to get excited about with his '38 Chevy coupe.
Joe Wagner's elegant '39 Cadillac...
Joe Wagner's elegant '39 Cadillac sedan looks like the perfect people mover for those long trips.
Recently awoken from a 40-plus-year...
Recently awoken from a 40-plus-year slumber in a leaky barn, this '31 Chevrolet cabriolet was ready for a new, more caring, home for $22,000.
Restorers would have cringed...
Restorers would have cringed years ago at the thought of rodding a luxurious early Cadillac sedan, but as moods change, it just makes more sense to modify these classics and actually use them rather than let them sit as stockers in collections.
Yvonne and Frank Aqueci trekked...
Yvonne and Frank Aqueci trekked down from Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, in their '38 LaSalle convertible sedan.
This totally complete '32...
This totally complete '32 Plymouth was ready to be rodded with a $7,500 asking price.
Don Wolfe cruised in from...
Don Wolfe cruised in from Pataskala, OH, in his slinky '41 Buick Sedanette.
As far as "off brands" go,...
As far as "off brands" go, one of the models that has been popular for years has been the '33 Plymouth, like Brian Schlipf's coupe.
Steve Allen's '47 Chevy convertible...
Steve Allen's '47 Chevy convertible from East Moline, IL, was glowing in gold.
Filling the fenders with some...
Filling the fenders with some big wheels and rubber was the perfect finishing touch on Kenny Allen's deco-delight '38 Packard Victoria.
Mike Back from Belleville,...
Mike Back from Belleville, IL, has one from the endangered species list with his super-rare '37 Dodge woodie.
Joe and Bonnie Grimes' '40...
Joe and Bonnie Grimes' '40 Plymouth sedan proves that just about everything looks good in black primer.
Patrick Magee traveled all...
Patrick Magee traveled all the way from Story Point, NY, to the event in his '35 Buick sedan.
Werner and Theresa Wilson's...
Werner and Theresa Wilson's '48 Plymouth sedan is fun for the whole family.
An interesting comparison...
An interesting comparison in 1933 Mopar styles: Take Matt Dillon's DeSoto sedan on the left and Gary and Paula Ruby's Chrysler sedan on the right.
Open-air cruising is not a...
Open-air cruising is not a problem for Bill and Kathy Dwyer in their '39 LaSalle convertible.
Long, low, and classy best...
Long, low, and classy best describes Gary and Barbara Rhynold's '48 Buick sedanette.
Ted and Evelyn Novicki's '48...
Ted and Evelyn Novicki's '48 Plymouth coupe sports a totally tricked-out original flat six with plenty of rare go-fast goodies under the hood.
One of the earliest "compacts"...
One of the earliest "compacts" to enter the automotive market was the English export Austin. Don't expect this little limey to sip the petrol the way it was originally designed.
The silver and orange scheme...
The silver and orange scheme works great on Mike Smith's '39 Chevy sedan.