Cyber Roddin'
Here are three more roddin'-related Web sites for you kids. This month's sites highlight old guys with rods, young guys with customs, and lots of cool car-toon art.
The Dominators Hot Rod Club
www.philds.net/club
In the late '50s, members of the Dominators Hot Rod Club, "city kids from blue-collar backgrounds, drawn together through a mutual craving for fast cars and fierce competition," were tearing up streets and dragstrips all over New England. The Dominators disappeared for several decades until January 1989, when a half-dozen members got together in Watertown, Massachusetts, and decided to start up the club again. One thing they never had in the '50s was a Web site. They do now, and it's great. Pages include photos of members' rides and project updates in addition to stories and photos from many of the Northeastern races and events they've participated in. There's also a Parts For Sale page which also lists complete cars.
HellCat Rods
www.hellcatrods.com
If the HellCat Rods had been around 50 years ago and were based around New England instead of the Vancouver, British Columbia, area, they might've been hanging around with the Dominators. Despite their name, HellCats Rods is devoted pretty thoroughly to customs. This cool-looking site is packed with dozens and dozens of great photos of members' customs, dozens more photos of cars in progress, and a handful of videos (we especially recommend the one titled "Pat's '55" with the Wanda Jackson soundtrack). There is also a message board-mostly relating to topics of local interest. A merchandise page and pin-ups page are both "coming soon." We'll be checking back for those.
Featured Artist: Bill Harper
www.aa-gc.com
Each month, we devote a Cyber Roddin' spot to a hot rod artist. This month's pick is W.A. (Bill) Harper. Bill has been drawing-and working on-street rods since the '50s. You've probably seen his cartoon-style artwork on the cover of the most recent Speedway Motors street rod parts catalog or have enjoyed his cartoons in the Goodguys Goodtimes Gazette. Maybe you've met him at one of the West Coast rod runs where he sells his work. His Web site features hundreds of drawings of popular rods, customs, musclecars, classics, and pickups, categorized by make and year. These drawings can be ordered as prints. The site also provides info on custom-ordering a full-color, 11x14-inch cartoon of your own ride.
Party At Posies'
Even though the temperature in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, was around 7 degrees, more than 1,000 rodders from all over the Northeast showed up at Posies' Rods and Customs on Saturday, January 10, for the annual open house. Visitors scarfed donuts and hot coffee while touring the shop and viewing some of the ongoing project cars, including such projects as a SpeedStar roadster, a '34 Ford sedan, and a '72 Maverick(!). Manufacturers, including Winters Performance Products, Totally Stainless, Alumicraft Grilles, and Rod & Race Fiberglass, were on hand to display products and contribute door prizes.
Speedworld Named Track Of The Year
R&C says congratulations to Speedworld Motorplex in Wittmann, Arizona, (which has welcomed our Asphalt Ego-Rama competition the last two years) for winning a bunch of awards at the '03 National Hot Rod Association Awards Ceremony, including the prestigious NHRA Pacific Division 7 Track of the Year award. Speedworld President "Smokey" Joe Coletti and Manager Victoria Griffey accepted the trophy at the Las Vegas ceremony. NHRA's Pacific Division includes 25 tracks in 5 states and 4,500 drag racers.
Cool Cali Christmas
Most diehard traditional rodders are too cool to wait in line for a car show to open. That all depends on the show, though. In the pre-dawn hours of December 13, 2003, it was a string of retro-style, hard-core hot rods-not billet-laden show queens-that lined up along Whittier, California's Colima Boulevard, patiently awaiting the opening of the gates for the annual Mooneyes Christmas show.
The rodders' bleary-eyed dedication is understandable. After all, the atmosphere of previous Mooneyes parties has been akin to stuffing a biker gang in a track roadster-lots of cool attitude, but not nearly enough space. This time was different.
The party's new locale worked out well for several reasons. First off, the parking lot was big enough to hold more than 400 cars, plus room for the artists, vendors, and bands that the event is known for. On top of that, the former high school facility is now a Sheriff's Academy for Los Angeles County. Having the local constabulary nearby helped prevent friction between show-goers and the community, without diminishing the fun of the event.
By mid-morning the lot was full of rods, customs, and motorcycles of about every description. True to form, there was also a selection of bands playing throughout the day. The real highlight, however, was the participation of customizers like George Barris and Gene Winfield, as well as Kustom Kulture artists like Robert Williams, Jimmy C, Dennis McPhail, and others. It's one of the coolest one-day events we attend each year. Check out the Mooneyes Web site at www.mooneyesusa.com for more event photos and updates on this year's show.
Try Out For Asphalt
Ego-Rama '04
Take a shot at competing in the Asphalt Ego-Rama '04 road trip/ shootout. Send us your entry describing your '64-or-earlier rod or custom, along with a few good photos of your ride. Include any info you think will persuade us to pick your car as a semi-finalist for this year's contest. Readers will make the final picks.
Entries must be received by April 9.
| Name |
| Street Address |
| City | State | ZIP |
| Daytime phone |
| Evening phone |
| E-mail address |
| Car year | Car make | Car model |
In one sentence, why should readers pick your car for the Ego-Rama?
Tell us about your car
Send your entry and photos to: ROD & CUSTOM Asphalt Ego-Rama, 2400 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, CA 92806. E-mail to: rodcustom@primedia.com.
Deadline is April 9, 2004.