Since 1998, the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender (VLV) has grown in size and stature. This year's 13th happening established the four-day shindig as the largest of its type in the world, and a prominent Las Vegas event. Since the beginning, the Shifters Car Club, from Southern California, has hosted a car show alongside the musical entertainment. We attended for a few years when the show was held at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, but to be honest, the quality of cars present started to decline and it seemed the show had maybe run its course. Sure it was a fun time, but viewed as purely a car show, it was suffering.
If anyone knows how to get...
If anyone knows how to get a '49-54 Chevy to sit this low and still run tall bias-ply tires, it's Alex Gambino. His San Jose, CA, shop, Gambino Customs, has a '49-54 suspension product line for just such an application! This is his personal ride, a '53, which has progressed over the years. Gambino redid it in time for VLV.
With VLV's move to the Orleans Hotel and Casino last year, and the necessary relocation of the Saturday car show to a huge fenced-off section of the Orleans' parking lot, it seems the show's been rejuvenated, with both quality and numbers bearing this out. Over 700 cars attended the show in April, coming in from all corners of the country. With a strict pre-'63 policy, as well as a requirement that the cars be built in a style from that era or before, it seemed to us that customs outnumbered hot rods compared to our last visit.
While numerous bands played throughout the weekend inside the hotel, including Wanda Jackson, the organizers pulled off something of a coup and secured none other than Chuck Berry to play on a stage erected in the middle of the car show as the sun went down. While this necessitated a large empty area that seemed a little odd during the day when the rest of the show was bursting at the seams, it all became clear as the area filled to capacity as 6 o'clock neared.
The Shifters' Car Show is obviously part of the VLV, and tickets to the latter automatically grant access to the show, but we know some car owners were there for the cars, not the music/lifestyle event, though the organizers are aware of this and allow entry solely to the show. Let's face it, it's not like there aren't plenty of other things to do in Vegas!
A neat old survivor, this...
A neat old survivor, this T roadster pickup had all the cool stuff, from ribbed dirt track tires on spindle-mount 12 spokes and worn metalflake paint, to an oil-encrusted quick-change feeding power to those aged slicks.
Obviously Watson-inspired,...
Obviously Watson-inspired, this panel painted '59 Thunderbird was stock bodied down to every last piece of trim. Paint, chrome reverse wheels, and lowering are sometimes all that are needed to make a great mild custom.
If you're a fan of Overhaulin'...
If you're a fan of Overhaulin' you'll recognize the '54 Customline from season 5, episode 7. Originally a four-door sedan, it was transformed into a two-door "roadster" live over eight days at the SEMA show in 2007.
Not what we've come to expect...
Not what we've come to expect from a Shifters member, but very cool nonetheless. Car show organizer Alex "Axle" Idzardi's latest is this gasser '56, running a flip front hiding a dual-quad tunnel ram-fed 427, diamond pleated upholstery, and white fenderwell headers.
The unusual hue on Tonia Edwards'...
The unusual hue on Tonia Edwards' T roadster caught our eye, and the six-carb Nailhead kept our attention. Edwards took the Ladies Choice award for the best female-owned car.
A nicely proportioned chop...
A nicely proportioned chop and hefty lowering job made this F1 stand out. Rolling on chromed steelies wrapped in wide whitewall radials, twin Holleys on a tunnel ram help fill the deep engine compartment.
An original '60s custom out...
An original '60s custom out of Arizona, this quad headlight '57 Chevy also features scoops where the hood gun sights used to be, molded side pipes, and chrome reverse wheels. The shortened side trim works well too.
Steve Glucoft is one of the...
Steve Glucoft is one of the organizers of the annual Hotrod-A-Rama Show in Washington, and brought his amazingly detailed and tasteful prewar-style '29 roadster down to VLV. The 21-stud Flathead runs a dual-carb high rise and stock exhaust manifolds with shorty pipes.
Still powered by its 241ci...
Still powered by its 241ci flathead inline-six, though now with an Edmunds finned aluminum head and twin two-barrels replacing the stock Carter single-barrel carb, this '38 Chrysler Royal coupe made for a rare machine. Falling somewhere between "rod" and "custom", it made our personal "want to take it home" list!
Though on its way to becoming...
Though on its way to becoming a street rod (recessed firewall, "late" small-block, and radial tires), there was enough of this original '32 roadster intact to retain its original hot rod build style (split chromed 'bones, early drum brakes, steering box, and nicely patina'd body).
A modified '56 Plymouth grille...
A modified '56 Plymouth grille is one of the nicer transplants in traditional customs, seen here filling the painted stock opening on a '53 Chevy. We're seeing so many, we're beginning to wonder if Chevy offered a chopped version from the factory!
The Gasser display included...
The Gasser display included Willys coupes and a couple '55 Chevys, one of each belonging to Solo Speed Shop. Kiwi Kev brought out his project Willys too, the display augmented by a blown straight-axle Falcon.