Dave Crouse's '28 roadster...
Dave Crouse's '28 roadster pickup looked every inch the old hot rod it was, with dual 97s on a Flathead squeezed under the stock hood and rolling on 16-inch wires. Towing a belly tank and trailer, the combo took home more than one award.
It's funny how times and attitudes change. Take the "traditional" section of our hobby for instance, be it rods or customs. It wasn't that long ago that they were shunned at mainstream shows. I talk from firsthand experience as my own trad '29 A-V8 roadster received many unfavorable comments in the mid to late '80s until it was painted. But in recent years we've seen a shift in attitudes and it's good to see a promoter like John Buck making space for, and encouraging participation by this segment. Of course you could say these mainly younger builders somewhat hold the key to the future of the hobby too!
Under the capable organizational skills of Alex and Celeste from the Shifters CC, the Suede Palace at the GNRS has grown in both numbers and stature over the past couple of years, with a healthy showing of not just suede cars, but very nicely finished painted and detailed traditional rods and customs, with nary a "shock value" rat rod in sight. Okay, so a couple may have slipped in under the radar in the outside display, which comprised around 100 cars on the Saturday despite the inclement weather, but inside the Suede Palace the showing was very respectable across the board, from original old roadsters to kustoms and gassers, all vying for one of the unique trophies hand-made by some of the participating clubs.
On Saturday and Sunday the courtyard and areas between the buildings were filled with hot rods and customs that braved the cloudy skies and the bit of rain that came with them. We were surprised at the large number that showed up Saturday morning despite the less than rosy weather when they rolled in. Lots of hardcore rodders that don't mind driving their cars-just the kind of people we like to hang out with.
 Richard Freng received an...  Richard Freng received an R&C Drive-In award on Sunday for his cool '39 Tudor. The missing hood allows access to a tri-carbed full house Flattie. |  Michael Chavez was one of...  Michael Chavez was one of the few owners who brought his car out for both days of the Drive-In show. His very cool '65 Riviera sported a red 'flake roof and tastefully accented and 'striped black paint, all rolling on Supremes and narrow whitewalls. We selected the Riv for one of our R&C Drive-In awards. |  The Beatniks were represented...  The Beatniks were represented by Jack Rudy's '52 Chevy sedan, sparkling in its recent fogged metalflake paint, applied by Brad Masterson. Retaining much of its trim but with mild body mods such as peaked headlights and shaved handles, it's dropped but not chopped. |
 Mike Woodley's shoebox is...  Mike Woodley's shoebox is now a hardtop and uses an S10 clip and rear axle, small-block Chevy and airbags all round. The transplanted Merc grille surround is filled with an abbreviated Riviera front bumper. |  The towing brackets on the...  The towing brackets on the front axle of Tony Miller's '24 turtledeck T are a neat touch, along with the aluminum hood and belly pan looking way better in their natural finish than painted. |  Tracy Ledford brought his...  Tracy Ledford brought his '31 coupe down from Merced. The coupe runs a six pack-fed 392 Chrysler Hemi backed by a Torqflite and '58 Ford rearend. Reversed '50 Merc steels keep the '32 frame off the floor. |
 With "KAOS Special II" lettered...  With "KAOS Special II" lettered on one side, and the steering exiting the cowl on the other, Mark Nimmo's '29 coupe was a great looking hot rod. The three twos on an early intake and rams horn exhausts set the period for the Chevy motor, continued throughout the car. |  Johnnie Walker took Best of...  Johnnie Walker took Best of Show honors in the Suede Palace for his '32 five window. Rolling on kidney bean Halibrands, the blisters set amongst the louvers on the custom hood sides are both unique and necessary to clear the 331ci Chrysler Hemi's rare Parker valve covers. For a closer look you can check out the feature on our web site in the Featured Cars section about 16 pages back. |  The mix of faux and real patina...  The mix of faux and real patina carried the Solo Speed Shop lettering on the doors of Bill Fowler's dual quad-fed all-steel '40 Willys gasser coupe. |
 If you'd suggested a mix of...  If you'd suggested a mix of suede and gloss paint a few years back, you'd have received some odd looks, and as for mixing suede with 'flake...? But it works, as evidenced on this chopped 'n' dropped '50 Chevy. |  Art Moore from nearby Upland...  Art Moore from nearby Upland knows how to draw a crowd of traditional rod aficionados! I probably had to wait longer to snap his coupe than any other, even indoors, but a tri-carbed banger motor will have 'em gawping for a while. |  Russell McBurney's '55 Buick...  Russell McBurney's '55 Buick Century looked all the better for keeping its trademark side trim, despite extensive shaving elsewhere, and took a club pick too. White rolls and pleats mark this satin-finished mild kustom as finished. |
 Keith Griffin's '27 employed...  Keith Griffin's '27 employed some interesting ideas, such as a bell crank in the steering system to reverse the wrong-way steering box mounted high in the cowl, along with a con-rod for a Pitman arm, and what looked like motorcycle mufflers in the four-into-two headers. |  With no name on the window...  With no name on the window sticker and no-one around it, we know very little about this chopped shoebox other than what we, and you, can see, but it sits right and looks great, especially the slanted B-pillars. Unusually for a California car, it even retains cut down windshield wipers! |  Jeff Thielman's '29 A roadster...  Jeff Thielman's '29 A roadster was channeled way down over a stock Model A frame with a stock height windshield. A tri-power-equipped small-block Ford sits behind the sectioned Deuce grille shell. |
 Cisco Farias braved the rain...  Cisco Farias braved the rain and drove his small-block Chevy powered custom `51 Mercury to the show on Saturday. The candy paint really popped with the sun eventually came out. |  The '40 Mercury coupe makes...  The '40 Mercury coupe makes a great kustom, given its increased length over the same-year Ford. Chop the top and add Matranga-style side window frames, and while you'll draw comparisons with that icon, it's a timeless style. |  As well as the Willys, Bill...  As well as the Willys, Bill Fowler also entered his Blair's Speed Shop '55 150. Blair's installed the tube axle in the '60s. With vintage decals and a mix of skinny Cragar five-spokes and chromed steelies wrapped in pie crust slicks in the radiused rear fenders, it's pretty similar to how it looked when racing from 1966 to 1972, minus the lettering. |