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Goodguys Southeastern Nationals - Rods And Customs In Nascar CountryBack In Charlotte For The Goodguys Southeastern Nationals From the February, 2009 issue of Rod & Custom By Tim Bernsau
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Many people were puzzled by... Many people were puzzled by the engine in Fred Majka's '32 roadster. It's a blown 327, but the unusual valve covers from the early '70s kept 'em guessing. If you've ever been to a famous landmark or met a celebrity--or seen a well-known historic hot rod or race car--you might know how unreal it can be to see a person or place or car that you've only previously seen on television or in photos. There was a little bit of that feeling at the Goodguys 14th Southeastern Nationals, held at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, the capital city of NASCAR country. Walking through the rows of hot rods, customs, musclecars, street machines, and classic trucks was a familiar enough experience. But looking upward at the banked oval, expansive grandstand, and multi-story suites of the historic superspeedway was a bit of sensory overload. Let's just say it's more impressive in person. Goodguys made the most of the facility by letting participants drive their cars on the track on Saturday evening. Even at a fraction of the speeds the track is used to, a couple of mile-and-a-half counterclockwise runs is a kick in the pants. Goodguys also set up an autocross driving event for folks who actually wanted to compete in something besides the show `n' shine. Of course the real action was down on the infield, where an estimated 3,000 cars were lined up for another three-day weekend of good times, Goodguys style .We kept plenty busy that weekend, hiking the rows of rods and customs, photographing as as we could, and selecting 10 of them for the R&C Top Tin corral held on Sunday. If you've read our show coverage in the past, you know we tend to notice (or imagine) different trends within the hobby in different parts of the country. Here's what we saw in Charlotte: a very high number of '32 Fords in addition to a high number of black cars. It would have been easy to choose 10 excellent black Deuces as our Top Tin winners. We might just do that next year, but this time we decided to find a mix of makes, styles, and model years. Our picks are subjective, but we hope you'll agree with most of them. Of course, what we really want is to get you out to the show so you can see these cars up close. Let's just say they're more impressive in person.  There aren't many in the whole...  There aren't many in the whole world, and there was only one in Charlotte. This '52 Nash custom convertible Landau, built and owned by Don and Melissa Fitzgerald, is customized with a 330hp GM Performance crate 350, tube chassis, leather interior, '95 Monte Carlo Seats, and a Mercedes cloth cable-driven top- and had a crowd around it all weekend.  Don Conley originally built...  Don Conley originally built this '27 T pickup in 1959. It was featured in Hot Rod in 1961. Gary Moore found it in 2002 and rebuilt it to close to it's original shape. It now runs a '49 Olds 303 with an Edmunds intake and dual Rochesters, including a '49 Olds 303, similar to Don's engine. It rides on a '37 Ford pickup frame, and the fenders are from a Model A and the fuel tank is a B-52 de-icing tank. Best of all, Gary has been in contact with Don to keep him involved with his historic hot rod.  There aren't too many in the...  There aren't too many in the whole world, and there was only one in Charlotte. This '52 Nash custom convertible Landau, built and owned by Don and Melissa Fitzgerald, is customized with a 330hp GM Performance crate 350, tube chassis, leather interior, '95 Monte Carlo Seats, and a Mercedes cloth cable-driven top-and had a crowd around it all weekend.  One of many beautiful black...  One of many beautiful black '32s we saw was Gene Shreffler's five-window driver. The 302 has 351 heads, and a Holman Moody intake and dress-up stuff. The coupe is full of excellent details, including some custom-fabricated motor mounts and a bunch of old water-transfer drag race decals that Gene found on e-Bay.  We kept coming back to this...  We kept coming back to this '50 Ford ragtop taildragger. Ron Bales had a '50 as a high school kid in 1956, but no money to build it up. Now he's doing it with this one, customized with '54 Buick trim, a '54 Pontiac grille center, '54 Chevy parking lights, and some baby Appletons. It runs a 0.030-over LT1 and rides on front and rear Air Ride bags.  Genuine hot rodder Ed Ratliff...  Genuine hot rodder Ed Ratliff built this '32 Ford from parts he'd been collecting for years. The tub was a Tudor sedan before the top was removed for use on another car. A pair of 409 heads disguise the '58 348 engine. The interior is filled with steel panels and a handmade dash, plus bass boat seats shot with Mar-Hyde. Pie-crust Firestones roll on '35 Ford wire rims.  At it's firsts show ever,...  At it's firsts show ever, Bart Goodson's just-finished '50 Chevy won a Meguiars Magnificent Masterpiece Award and an R&C Top Tin. The low-key-looking pickup has a 502 crate engine under the hood, cooled by a NASCAR-style crossflow radiator. There's a Fat Man front end and a Corvette C5 rear, plus a knockout Paul Atkins interior in the cab.  Nobody has more fun in a hot...  Nobody has more fun in a hot rod than Butch Fairchild, who drives this '31 A sedan all over. The project started as a swapmeet Deuce grille shell. The suspension includes Sprint Car style front torsion bars, and the engine is a Chevy small-block backed by a four-speed. Butch was boasting about his 14.32 second/98mph quarter-mile pass at the Blue Suede Cruise, with a passenger riding shotgun.  Speaking of drag racers, Larry...  Speaking of drag racers, Larry and Pat Barbera's '48 Austin Dorset had a career on the dragstrip before being rebuilt for the street. It now runs a ZZ4 with a Turbo 400 automatic. The frame is handmade, suspened by front and rear coil-overs. And since so many people ask, it's all steel.  Willard Robertson is just...  Willard Robertson is just getting started putting miles on his '37 Lincoln Zephyr, which has covered more that 43,000 so far, including the road trip to Charlotte. There is a blown 5.4L Ford SOHC motor under the hood and a Fatman front suspension, Air Ride shocks, and a triangulated four-link underneath. Willard performed the bodywork and shot the champagne metallic paint.  We love old survivors like...  We love old survivors like Jim and Vicky Cliborne's '49 Merc. Jim has owned his candy green custom since high school in the mid '60s, which is when he did most of the body mods. The 389 it ran then has been replaced by a 455 with six 2s. Rear Air Ride parts and dropped Fatman spindles help drop the sled.  Goodguys was looking for a...  Goodguys was looking for a "Kustom of the Year" finalist in Charlotte; their pick was John St. Germain's amazing '36 Ford roadster, built in the Westergard style but with a lot of personal touches. The Packard grille is flanked with '35 Olds side trim. The powerplant is a 296 flathead with a 4-speed.  John Bauer did a great job...  John Bauer did a great job on this full-fendered Deuce coupe, dressed up with beautiful paint, some tasty 'striping, and the right rolling stock. John's wife, Bonita, did the tuck 'n' roll interior work.  It didn't have a hemi when...  It didn't have a hemi when it was originally built in 1956, but the 241 with a high-rise intake and three deuces looks right at home in this channeled '29 roadster, owned by C.S. Bagshaw.  Here's another sweet survivor....  Here's another sweet survivor. Harvey Bagshaw chopped the top on this '32 sedan when he first bought it 30 years ago. Five years later the interior was redone, which now includes '64 Mustang seats. The '55 small-block is running four Strombergs. Harvey's been working on it recently and got it running the night before the show.  Stay tuned for a full feature...  Stay tuned for a full feature on Will Hudson's '50 Ford, built at Hudson Rod & Custom. The 351W-powered sedan was built with a full bellypan, subtle exterior trim pieces, and numerous custom touches in the interior. This was it's first outing, and Goodguys jumped on it for a Fab 5 award.  Killer kustom is a Goodguys...  Killer kustom is a Goodguys award and the perfect description for Rich and Cheryl Hughes '50 Pontiac. The shaved custom has a 455/TH400 drivetrain combination.  Here's another nice black...  Here's another nice black Deuce. This coupe is owned by Ronnie Staples. We liked the red accents on the grille, steelies, interior upholstery, front axle, on the flathead, and on the motorcycle tank mounted in front behind a custom nerf bar.  Hats off to Jack Mills for...  Hats off to Jack Mills for this super sanitary '49 Ford woodie, packed with a 5.0L Mustang engine. Shaved panels, dog dish caps, a perfect stance, and absolutely no extemporaneous accessories keep it clean and cool. Mmm mmm.  Our sister magazine, Classic...  Our sister magazine, Classic Trucks, gave a Finest 5 award to Tony Stacey's '66 Ford F-100 pickup, finished on the outside with great-looking two-tone paint and on the inside with leather early Thunderbird seats.  With diamond plate on the...  With diamond plate on the door panels, floor, and bed of this '28 Model A roadster pickup, only the owners, Rudy and Dawn Zierden, get soaked when it starts raining. You can see the small-block up front, and the autographs from George Barris, Gene Winfield, Pete Chapouris, Jim Jacobs, and others, on the dash.  We keep telling you-tall Ts...  We keep telling you-tall Ts are making a comeback as trends move into the '60s and '70s and T roadster kits are abundant. Darryl Bobzin is already there with his '23. Note the huge Mickey Thompsons, the big stacks and manifold on the 350, and all that chrome.  Bobby Hobbs kept a good balance...  Bobby Hobbs kept a good balance between tech and tradition with this 502-powered '57 Bel Air. The Recovery Room did the cream colored contemporary interior. Billet Specialites wheels, a nice exterior color, shaved panels, and an Air Ride-provided stance work together well. The '57 was a Goodguys Rep Pick.  Charles Libby pulled a page...  Charles Libby pulled a page out of history with this '28 Model A tracknose roadster. From the paint to the dropped I-beam axle to the quick-change rearend, from the cloth-covered buckets to the drilled split 'bones, it's great. The extended nose covers the straight-six engine.  It might not be the wisest...  It might not be the wisest way to advertise a body shop, but Bill Nichols has a blast driving this patina'd '48 Chevy, built over an S-10 frame. Lancer caps, a Mexican blanket over the bench, and some careful sheetmetal neglect contribute to the desired effect.  Wayne Hawk pulled this '28...  Wayne Hawk pulled this '28 sedan out of a barn and dropped it on a Brookville chassis during the three-week build-up. He's had it to Louisville and the L.A. Roadster Show. But it's the old bike hanging off the back that got our attention.
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