Goin’ Ta Kansas City! 8th Mid-Western Nationals on Tap at Kansas Speedway

The Goodguys 8th Midwestern Nationals returns to Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas this weekend bringing over 2,500 of the country’s hottest rods and coolest customs to this sparkling speedway. The three day event features a giant show & shine spread throughout the Kansas Speedway’s infield, vendor exhibits, swap meet & cars for sale corral, Saturday evening track cruise, a Street Challenge Autocross, model car show, and lots more fun for the entire family! For a look at the complete weekend event schedule click here

It’s been over a month since Goodguys event participants have gotten a chance to let it all hang out on a Street Challenge Autocross course! The Street Challenge Autocross will be open for business from 9am to 4pm both Friday and Saturday with a one hour lunch break from noon to 1pm. All event participants can take laps for free with no extra charge. The only requirement for participation is that your car pass a basic tech inspection!

Goodguys 7th Midwestern Nationals
Event Hours:
Friday, August Sept 4th 8am to 5pm,
Saturday, September 5th 8am to 8pm
Sunday, September 6th 8am to 3pm
General admission
Adults $17
Kids 7-12 $6

Vehicle Registration Fees (Registration is at the Speedway):
3 day registration – $70 (includes the car and two people for the weekend)
Sunday only registration – $35 (includes the car and two people for the weekend)

Swap Meet & Cars for Sale Corral:
Spaces are still available. At-event price $50
For more info on the swap meet call Ron or Vicki Black (417) 581-1449

For additional Midwestern Nationals event information visit the event website here: www.midwesternnats.com

8th DuPont Blue Suede Cruise Final Race Results!

Three repeat winners re-established their dominance at Summit Motorsports Park outside Norwalk, Ohio this weekend as over 250 racing entries did battle at the Goodguys 8th DuPont Blue Suede Cruise. Steve Nichols (Funny Car), Darrell Wathen (B/GAS) and Sam Patrick (Nostalgia Gas) went home victorious for the second year in a row as racers enjoyed cool temperatures and an ultra-sticky racing surface which resulted in spectacular runs in both pro and sportsman classes. Rich Guasco’s “Pure Hell” and Dave Hough’s “Nanook” fuel altereds also gave the fans their money’s worth over the weekend coming to the line for a three-race match race which culminated in a thrilling Sunday climax run with Nanook’s 6.460 @ 198.79 defeating Pure Hell’s 6.475 @ 214.11! The crowd went wild!!!!

Nostalgia Funny Car action provided wild side by side action. Sunday’s final round between low qualifier Peter Gallen and Steve Nichols turned into the quickest side-by-side Nostalgia Funny Car race in the history of Goodguys Vintage Drag Racing. Gallen and his gorgeous “Poverty Stricken” ’74 Vega were quickest in every round of qualifying and eliminations and it appeared to be his race to lose. But his slightly tardy reaction times proved to be his undoing in the money round as he lost a heartbreaker on a holeshot to defending event champion Steve Nichols in the Mill Road Boys ’70 Camaro. Gallen and his team put on a show that will not soon be forgotten. His successive runs throughout the weekend were 6.048, 5.898, 5.919, 5.913 and 5.899 in the final.

Like Funny Car, the Nostalgia Top Fuel eliminations pitted the two fastest cars on the grounds in the final with Randy Bridges and car owner Joe Hendricks facing off against multi-time Goodguys event champion Howard Haight in Jim Didio’s New York based “Nitro-Diction” entry with Pete Jensen now serving as crew chief/consultant. Bridges and Hendricks have been on a roll since the Goodguys Hot Rod Nationals in Indy back in June and extended that momentum here in Norwalk taking their first-ever Goodguys Top Fuel win! They again set top speed of the meet when their car zipped to a 257mph speed to defeat the alcohol car of Bill Walls in round one. The final was close as both Bridges and Haight ran 240mph speeds but Bridges edged ahead late to take home the Goodguys hemi Oscar trophy.

In the 7.0 second index Pro Comp I Eliminator, Crawfordsville, Indiana’s Mark Vaught got his first Goodguys win as he and crew chief Keith “Rooman” Burgan ran just quick enough to get the popular win. The quickest run they could muster throughout Sunday’s eliminations was a semi-final 7.335 @ 195.06 over Don Slout who broke. They caught another lucky break in the final when #3 qualifier Don Slagle also broke, giving them their free pass to the spoils.

Owensboro, Kentucky’s Darrell Wathen tasted sweet victory again this year in B/GAS (8.50 index) running a near-perfect an 8.504 in the semis then an 8.507 in the final to defeat Paul Suloff who had trouble gaining traction.

Other winners included Wayne Sears (Pro Comp II), Chad Levan (Nostalgia Comp), Sam Patrick (Nostalgia Gas) and Pat McFadden (Hot Rod Eliminator), Ron Normann (Geezer Gasser) Brian Schimmel (1/8th mile Street Rod Shootout) and Kenny Edwards (1/8th mile Hot Rod Shootout).

The third and final stop on the 2009 Goodguys Midwest Vintage Drag Racing Circuit is scheduled for October 16, 17 & 18 at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky. For more visit http://www.good-guys.com

Final Elimination Results
Goodguys 8th DuPont Blue Suede Cruise
Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH
Top Fuel:
Winner: Randy Bridges, Virden, IL 5.973 @ 246.80
Runner Up: Howard Haight, Brownsburg, IN 6.110 @ 243.24
Funny Car:
Winner: Steve Nichols, Newark, DE, ’70 Camaro 5.968 @ 235.02
Runner Up: Peter Gallen, Broomoll, PA ’74 Vega 5.899 @ 243.90
Pro Comp I:
Winner: Mark Vaught, Crawfordsville, IN F.E.D. 8.884 @ 191.40
Runner Up: Don Slagle, Mt Lebanon, PA F.E.D. (broke)
Pro Comp II:
Winner: Wayne Sears, Middletown, OH ’32 Bantam 7.319 @ 184.62
Runner Up: Richard Barnard, Conneaut, OH F.E.D 10.712 @ 100.12
B/GAS:
Winner: Darrell Wathen, Utica KY, ’41 Willys 8.507 @ 154.78
Runner Up: Paul Suloff, Barberton, OH ’67 Camaro 9.609 @ 102.04
Nostalgia Comp:
Winner: Chad Levan, West Liberty, OH ’67 Camaro 8.096 @ 173.01
Runner Up: Dave Bommanito, Chesterfield, MI F.E.D. 8.634 @ 146.56
Nostalgia Gas:
Winner: Sam Patrick, Sand Point, MI ’37 Ford 13.586 @ 66.23
Runner Up: Gene Allen, Pataskala, OH ’27 Ford 20.754 @ 41.85
Hot Rod Eliminator:
Winner: Pat McFadden, Bainbridge, OH F.E.D. 10.625 @ 113.40
Runner Up: Maurice Edwards, Norwalk, OH ’67 Camaro 12.466 @ 110.78
Geezer Gassers:
Winner: Ron Normann, Hebron, IL ’41 Willys 9.984 @ 132.62
Runner Up: Martin Stead, LaGrange, OH ’48 Anglia 11.489 @ 114.60
1/8th Mile Street Rod Shootout:
Winner: Brian Schimmel ’55 Chevy Pickup 6.585 @ 108.25
Runner Up: Mark Treziack ’31 Ford Sedan 7.423 @ 92.16
1/8th Mile Hot Rod Shootout:
Winner: Kenny Edwards, ’47 Chevy 7.963 @ 77.74 (was unopposed)

Pro Round by Round Results:
Nostalgia Top Fuel – Round One:
Howard Haight 6.014 @ 234.61 def Kevin Brewer 6.600 @ 130.77
Randy Bridges 6.008 @ 257.78 def Bill Walls 7.233 @ 194.35
Diamond Dave Miller 6.294 @ 219.86 def David Mullett 7.031 @ 199.29
Jeff Miller 6.732 @ 206.67 def. Dennis Corso 7.766 @ 128.62
Round Two:
Howard Haight 6.116 @ 237.13 def. Diamond Dave Miller 9.240 @ 64.89
Randy Bridges 6.761 @ 164.64 def. Jeff Miller 14.879 @ 64.11
Finals:
Randy Bridges, Virden, IL 5.973 @ 246.80 def. Howard Haight 6.110 @ 243.24

Nostalgia Funny Car – Round One
Steve Nichols ’70 Camaro 6.119 @ 228.11 def. Eric Martin ’72 Satellite 7.123 @ 203.31
Peter Gallen ’74 Vega 5.919 @ 242.76 def. Kyle Wurtzel ’72 Vega 8.566 @ 95.05 (both of these runs were bye runs but the teams ran side by side for the fans)
Round Two:
Peter Gallen ’74 Vega 5.913 @ 242.58 def. Kyle Wurtzel ’72 Vega 6.520 @ 161.52
Steve Nichols (Bye) 5.978 @ 209.39
Finals:
Steve Nichols ’70 Camaro 5.968 @ 235.02 def. Peter Gallen ’74 Vega 5.899 @ 243.90

Sneak Peek! Kansas City Builder’s Choice awards!

Take a look at these awesome Builder’s Choice awards for next weekend’s 8th Mid-Western Nationals in Kansas City! Former Goodguys Trendsetter Award recipient and two time Goodguys Street Rod of the Year builder Dave Lane of Fastlane Rod Shop in Donahue, Iowa will select 10 Builder’s Choice awards at this year’s 8th Mid-Western Nationals at Kansas Speedway. Known worldwide for his one-man hot rod shop, Lane is one of the true superior craftsmen in today’s hot rod scene.

To be eligible for a Builder’s Choice award in Kansas, you will need to park your rod, custom, classic, muscle car or truck in the Builder’s Choice parking area Saturday, September 5th. The Builder’s Choice parking area will be open from 8am to 2pm.

For a complete look at the 8th Mid-Western Nationals visit the event website here: www.midwesternnats.com/

To take a tour of Fastlane Rod Shop and see what Dave’s up to these days and some of the car’s he’s built over the years visit www.fastlanerodshop.com

All eyes on Norwalk as 8th Blue Suede Cruise Takes Center Stage This Weekend!

The Goodguys 8th DuPont Blue Suede Cruise is ready to rumble this weekend at Summit Motorsports Park outside Norwalk, Ohio! A big weekend of show & shine and vintage drag racing is on tap as the event takes over every square inch of the famous facility.

Included in the weekend festivities is the massive show & shine for 1972 & earlier rods, customs & classics, a full scale vintage drag race featuring nostalgia top fuel dragsters and funny cars, gassers, altereds and a super special fuel altered match race between Rich Guasco’s “Pure Hell” and Dave Hough’s “Nanook!” The event also includes vendor exhibits, an automotive swap meet & car corral, street rod fun runs on the drag strip and so much more!

The Kalahari Resort serves as the host hotel this weekend and three big evenin’ parkin’ lot parties are planned starting Thursday evening from 5 to 10pm! Rockin’ Dave will be spinning the tunes and a BBQ dinner is available! Same goes for Friday night and Saturday night!

It’s a giant weekend of fun you and the family don’t want to miss! We’ll see ya in Norwalk!

Event Hours and Prices:
Friday 8am to 5pm
Saturday 8am to 5pm
Sunday 8am to 3pm
General Admission: $20 per day
Weekend Admission Pass: $55
Participant Fees:
Registration is located at Summit Motorsports Park
Weekend Show & Shine Fee: $70
Sunday Only Show & Shine Fee: $35
Racer Fee: $85
Swap Meet & Car Corral Fee: $65 at the gate

For more info visit: www.ggbluesuedecruise.com or call the track at (419) 668-5555

Click here for drag racing class structure and payout information

“Pure Hell” vs “Nanook” Round Two at Blue Suede Cruise!

Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, OH – The world’s most famous Fuel Atereds are back for Round #2 in their 2009 match race series! Rich Guasco’s Northern California based “Pure Hell” Austin bantam roadster and Dave Hough’s Las Vegas based “Nanook” ’23 Ford will square off for a weekend of ground pounding, unpredictable guardrail to guardrail action August 28, 29 & 30 at the Goodguys 8th DuPont Blue Suede Cruise in Norwalk, OH!

Hough’s bright green “Nanook” got the better of Pure Hell back in June at the Goodguys Hot Rod Nationals but Guasco assures his car will rebound in Norwalk. “I’ve been running all over the state of California getting new blowers and making this motor happier” Guasco said. “We had not had the car out in 8 years prior to Indy and were able to run a 6.876 @ 188.81 with Jason Richey behind the wheel. We should be able to run 6.30’s in Norwalk so Hough better tune his up.”

Hough meanwhile has been on the match race circuit all summer long with his driver Vince Generalao running consistent 6.40s. “We’re ready,” Hough said. “I love going to Norwalk. The Nanook will love that smooth racing surface. Pure Hell is in trouble.”

Both cars have over eighty-eight years of combined quarter mile history. Pure Hell first appeared on the dragstrip (with Guasco behind the wheel) in 1963 while Nanook debuted in 1965 and was originally driven by Hough himself. Both cars own the top performance records for Fuel Altered roadsters with a best time of 6.18 @ 236mph for Nanook and a 6.32 @ 238mph for Pure Hell. The last time they appeared together came in 2004, when both cars participated in the Goodwood Festival in the United Kingdom.

The Goodguys 8th DuPont Blue Suede Cruise is two giant events in one. The entire west side of Summit Motorsports Park will be filled with a show & shine featuring over 2,000 rods, customs, classics, muscle cars and trucks. Vendor exhibits and a swap meet are also featured. The east side of the track will be filled with over 300 vintage drasgsters, funny cars, altereds and gassers making it one of the country’s largest hot rodding events.

The event is open from 8am-5pm Friday 8/28 and Saturday 8/29 and 8am-3pm on Sunday 8/30. General admission is $20, kids 7-12 $6. For more visit www.ggbluesuedecruise.com

Goodgus West Coast Nationals Award Ceremony Video Now Available

Check out replay video from the Goodguys West Coast Nationals Award Ceremony live broadcast.

Watch here – www.ggwestcoastnats.com

HD Quality Video posted to the Goodguys YouTube Channel this week!
YouTube Channel Here

America’s Most Beautiful Street Rod Winner!

Pleasanton, Calif – Marvin Bok’s Auburn, Indiana based ’39 Ford convertible won the Goodguys 2009 America’s Most Beautiful Street Rod presented by Hushpower at the 23rd West Coast Nationals in Pleasanton. Built by Ben York’s Roseville Rod & Custom in Northern California, the convertible has now won two of this year’s Goodguys “Terrific 12” awards also taking the Street Rod d’Elegance drown earlier this year in Del Mar.

The car exudes beauty and sophistication in every aspect. From the European style tan leather interior to the candy “Cabernet” PPG paint to the handmade chromed brass brightwork, Bok’s convertible catches the eye from any angle. It also sports the subtleties we’ve come to expect from the Roseville Rod & Custom shop. The car’s beltline was pie sectioned 1 ¾” and the windshield laid back 1 ½” for a smooth, speedy look. The convertible top was chopped 2 inches. But the convertible’s dash is perhaps its most striking feature. The dash template is from a ’40 Ford but has been tastefully reconstructed to house the large oval speedometer from a 1935 Oldsmobile. The Roseville crew custom fabricated the entire dash including the tach and other gauges to match the vintage Olds speedo.

Under the hood is a throaty 4.6 liter supercharged Ford pumping sweet notes through the polished stainless exhaust. It rides low and smooth (make that really, really low) on an Air Ride equipped TCI chassis with polished and chromed suspension components. The shiny chrome wheels with solid centers and classic Ford V8 insignia were made as one off designs by Evod Industries.

Another aspect of the car that catches the eye is the large stock ’39 Ford rear license plate. It was hand painted to match the interior of the car.

The Goodguys America’s Most Beautiful Street Rod presented by Hushpower is meant to honor a beautiful street rod through 1949 vintage. The award criteria states “This is simply a beauty contest. The most beautiful street rod will be chosen.”

The top five finalists for this year’s award included Don & Carolyn Smith, Mansfield, TX (“Hemrod” ’32 Ford Sedan), Marvin Bok, Auburn, IN (’39 Ford Convertible), Tom Smith, Auburn, CA (’36 Ford Coupe) Doug Cooper, Oyster Bay Cove, NY (‘32 Ford B 400), and Doc & Elsie Kinney, Chiliwack, BC (’37 Chevy Coupe).

2009 Great Northwest Nationals Photos Available

Over 500+ photos ready to view on the Official Great Northwest Nationals Website today. Check out photos from 3 categories:
• Event Coverage
• Award Winners
• Friday Night Drags

You can also purchase any photo you see from this gallery. Visit – www.greatnorthwestnats.com and check them out!

Live coverage from the 23rd West Coast Nationals

Live video coverage of the 23rd West Coast Nationals today and Sunday!

You can watch all the happenings live at www.ggwestcoastnats.com or at our Channel at http://www.justin.tv/goodguys where you can chat live with other viewers!

Friday – We will covering a highlights of the show starting at 1:30pm, tentatively including a Roy Brizio interview!

Sunday – Tune for the Awards Ceremony at 3:00pm (PST. Times may vary).

There may be unscheduled coverage Friday and Sunday so check back often! No coverage Saturday.

23rd West Coast Nationals Brings Thousands to Pleasanton This Weekend!

Long known as the “Crown Jewel” of Goodguys events, the 23rd annual West Coast Nationals returns home to the Pleasanton Fairgrounds this weekend bringing over 3,000 1957 rods, customs and classics from around the world! The West Coast Nationals is the largest participant automotive event in the Western United States and offers show goers the world’s finest American hot rods, customs and classics.

All of the event’s traditions are cherished. Starting on Monday, Hot Rod Week takes rodders on four days of guided tours in and around the Bay Area to various collections, hot rod shops, museums and other cool points of interest. Friday’s Shade Tree Social hosted by the Danville Dukes offers wieners and fellowship in the fairgrounds picnic area. A spectacular array of vendor exhibits, special parking areas, a giant Goodgals Gallery (arts & crafts), kids games, seminars, the crowning of America’s Most Beautiful Street Rod, and over one hundred other specialty awards like the Stroker McGurk, Billy B Memorial and Best Bitchin’ plus many others are offered.

A special “must-attend” seminar is scheduled for Friday, August 21st. The Association of California Car Clubs (ACCC) Legislative Seminar “Save Our Cars”, led by ACCC Legislative Liaison/Analyst Bob Stearns will focus on educating hot rodders and classic car enthusiasts on current and upcoming California laws and policies regarding collector automobiles.

Topping the all star weekend is the Roy Brizio Street Rod Reunion. Brizio and his team have rounded up over 100 Brizio built street rods which represent over three decades of superior craftsmanship. All of the cars will be displayed together as one big group on the grass on the West Side of the fairgrounds near the Goodguys big rig. Brizio and his team will be on hand Saturday to chat with friends and fans, take photos and kick tires. Author Bo Bertillson will also be on hand with copies of his new coffee table book “Roy Brizio Street Rods.”

For a complete look at the West Coast Nationals visit www.ggwestcoastnats.com

Event Hours:
Friday 8/21 8am to 5pm
Saturday 8/22 8am to 5pm
Sunday 8/23 8am to 3pm
General Admission: $17
Kids 7-12 $6
Fairgrounds Parking: $8
Registration Fees (Registration located at the Pleasanton Hilton. Registration is open to rods, customs and classics through 1957 vintage only).
Three day registration fee (includes car and 2 people): $70
Sunday only registration fee (includes the car & two people) $35. Please note that Sunday registration is located at the Fairgrounds and is open from 8am to NOON. Enter Rose Ave. Gate.

Great Northwest Nationals on tap this weekend in Spokane!

The Goodguys Goodtimes roll into eastern Washington this weekend, August 14, 15 & 16 for the 8th edition of the Great Northwest Nationals at the Spokane Fair & Expo Center! A weekend full of good times and hot cars is on tap plus a thrilling night of Nostalgia Drag Racing Friday night at the all new Spokane County Raceway!

See over 1,500 of the northwest’s coolest rods customs & classics, through 1972 vintage, plus vendor exhibits, a great swap meet & cars for sale corral, live entertainment with Shyanne (who have been rockin’ the northwest since 1970!), arts & crafts, model car & pedal car show and lots more family fun! Don’t miss out on one of the west’s best rod & custom event. We’ll see ya in Spokane this weekend!

Admission Fees:
General $15
Kids (7-12): $6
Under 6: Free
Parking: Free

Event Hours:
Fri 8/14 8am to 5pm
Sat 8/15 8am to 5pm
Sun 8/16 8am to 3pm

Registration Fees: (Registration Located at the Fairgrounds)
Three Day Vehicle Fee: $65 (includes car and two people)
Sunday-Only Vehicle Fee: $35 (includes car and two people)

Here’s a look at the race classes for the Friday Night Hot Rod Drags:
Friday, August 14th – Spokane County Raceway
Race Classes
Hot Rod – 1954 & Earlier (*No NOS, No electronics*)
Hot Rod 1: 7.50 to 11.99
Hot Rod 2: 12 seconds & up
Street Machine – 1955 thru 1972 (*No NOS, No electronics*)
Street Machine I: 7.50 to 11.99
Street Machine II: 12 seconds & up
Comp – 1972 & earlier cars only (NOS OK, Electronics OK)
Comp I: 7.50 seconds & up
Gates Open 2pm, Tech at 3pm, Time Runs 4pm, Eliminations 7pm
Race Fee: $35 includes car & driver (all race entries must pass a tech inspection)
Spectator Admission: $15
Tech Inquiries: Call Larry Westervelt (925) 895-7878
Track Phone: 509-244-3333
Track website: http://spokanecountyraceway.com/

For a closer look at all the details for this weekend’s 8th Great Northwest Nationals, click here:
www.greatnorthwestnats.com

Walsh Boys Set New Record at Bonneville

Long time Goodguys friends Tommy and Justin Walsh of Danville, showed ‘em how it’s done on the Bonneville Salt Flats last weekend during the annual Speed Week! On Saturday, August 8th behind the wheel of the naturally aspirated Mariani Farms family ’34 Ford A/GAS big block powered roadster, Justin shattered the class record of 236.741 running a stout 253.449!

Meanwhile, the Walsh’s other race car – the bright red 333 ’32 Ford roadster is being inducted into the Gold Coast Racing Association Hall of Fame the end of September.  The Walsh boys have found much success at Bonneville over the years. The new record set this week brings their record run total up to 21!

Congratulations to the entire team.

Air Ride Technologies Announces Name Change, New Hires

Jasper, IN-Industry leader Air Ride Technologies announced new changes during their annual midyear company summit July 14, 2009. Founders Bret and Sharon Voelkel unveiled the all new RideTech logo as they explained “In the past 15 years Air Ride Technologies has matured into a full line suspension company…the RideTech name more fully reflects our current and upcoming product line. Our core product will continue to be the Air Ride Technologies air suspension, but we are applying our experience and resources to an expanding product line and customer base”. RideTech currently offers a variety of suspension systems. They are also involved with many OEM, marine, and military suspension development projects.

Additionally with great enthusiasm Voelkel announced the hiring of long time industry veteran Bill Floyd as the new Vice President of Sales for RideTech. “Having Bill join our organization provides us with 30 years experience and leadership in sales & marketing as well as his successful history with manufactures of racing and high performance products,” says Voelkel. Floyd acknowledged the company by stating “I’ve known Bret Voelkel and Air Ride Technologies for many years and have always had the greatest respect for their products.  But over recent years I have witnessed a changing company with the expansion to their engineering, R & D, and manufacturing facilities. This is a world class operation and something I want to be part of. The place breeds passion and it’s contagious to our customers and distributors.”

It was also announced that long standing employee Steve McPherron was promoted to Vice President of Operations for RideTech. “Steve has long been the backbone of Air Ride Technologies…now he will get the opportunity to focus his energies to direct our expanded engineering, manufacturing, and sales efforts of RideTech”

Three Famous Coupes Headed North for West Coast Nationals

Three famous hot rod coupes are on their way to the 23rd West Coast Nationals. The original “California Kid”, Jake’s ’34 and the Super Bell Coupe will be on hand at this year’s event. Better yet – they’re being DRIVEN to the event by the Slover family and Frank Morawski – owner of the Super Bell coupe.

Next year is the 35th anniversary of Pete & Jake’s and the So-Cal to Pleasanton boogie will help jump start the celebration. The three cars will be photographed on their journey by Steve Coonan and the Rodder’s Journal crew.

The coupes of Pete Chapouris and Jim Jacobson first gained national prominence when they appeared together on the cover of the November 1973 Rod & Custom magazine. Many remember it as the “Chicken Coupe” cover. The story goes that a Hollywood producer was on vacation with his family when he saw that issue and had to have Pete’s flamed coupe as the featured vehicle in his movie “The California Kid.” Chapouris was contacted and the car (driven by Martin Sheen in the movie) became forever known as the “California Kid.”  The coupe’s world famous flames were applied by Manuel Reyes. The Cal Kid featured a small block Ford, mag Halibrand’s on the rear and American Standards up front as well as a quick change. Making the car even more famous was the late Gray Baskerville, who followed the build of the coupe for Rod & Custom. The car was also the catalyst for the launch of Pete & Jakes Hot Rod Parts.

Jake’s Coupe was built while he was on staff at Rod & Custom Magazine. The lakes style ‘34 was bright yellow and had a perfectly chopped top (chops were rare back in those days). A narrowed truck grille, nail head Buick, no fenders and the chopped top really enhanced the cars lakes influence. It was a trendsetter for that era for sure.

The bright orange Super Bell Coupe, built by the late Jim Ewing towards the end of the 1970s was a groundbreaking chopped and channeled coupe that featured a track roadster nose over an extended front end. What was unusual about this car was that it was powered by a trio of engines including a big block Chevy, small block Chevy, V-6 – all Ewing trademarks as he loved to change things up.

Coonan is salivating at the chance to photograph all three original cars. “The cool thing about all three of those cars is that they returned the scene back top traditional hot rodding and away from the resto rod thing that was going on in the early 70s. They really practiced what they preached too. Those cars were regularly driven across country to hot rod shows. They were pioneers and road warriors,” said Coonan.

The plan for the West Coast Nationals road trip is to leave the NHRA Museum on Friday morning August 21st then roll into Pleasanton later on that evening. The photos from the road trip will appear in issue #47 of the Rodder’s Journal which goes on sale Thanksgiving week.

Look for the coupes in a special display on “Windmill Hill” in the center of the Pleasanton Fairgrounds on Saturday and Sunday August 22 & 23.

Pacific Northwest Nationals Photo Galleries Now Available!

2009 Pacific Northwest Nationals photo galleries now available! www.pacificnorthwestnats.com

3 galleries to view (600+ photos) – Event | Award Winners | Friday Night Drags

All photos for purchase are high-resolution quality prints shot by the Goodguys Photo crew at the event. Check ‘em out or take a shot home today!

Goodguys Classifieds Website Gathering Momentum

Business has shifted into high gear over at www.goodguysclassifieds.com! In the last 30 days over a quarter million visitors stopped by the new online automotive swap meet to see what’s for sale! The site had over 255,000 page views from 21,000 visits. That’s an average of 12 pages viewed per visit! When was the last time your car for sale got that much visibility? 

The classified shoppers are serious too. With an average visit time of more than 6 minutes there’s a giant audience out there just waiting to pounce on the right deal. Constantly growing with new posts, the site showcases hot rods, street rods, muscle cars, classics, trick trucks, vintage drag racing machinery, parts and more – all for sale! 

Got a car to sell? Got some parts to sell? Head over to www.goodguysclassifieds.com and get started today!

“Save Our Cars” Seminar Seeks to Educate California’s Classic Car Enthusiasts/owners

A very important seminar will take place Friday, August 21st at the Goodguys 23rd West Coast Nationals at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds. If you have a classic car, rod or custom and you reside in the state of California – consider this seminar a “must attend” function.

The Association of California Car Clubs (ACCC) Legislative Seminar “Save Our Cars”, led by ACCC Legislative Liaison/Analyst Bob Stearns will take place at 1pm 8/21 inside the Court of Four Seasons and will focus on educating hot rodders and classic car enthusiasts on current and upcoming California laws and policies regarding collector automobiles.

The state emissions board is under constant pressure to clean up California’s dirty air and for some reason, the state senators have frequently targeted hot rods, customs and classics- lumping them in with older junked out cars. Here’s s a look at two of the pressing issues currently facing enthusiasts like ourselves:

- Assembly Bill 859 – This bill would mandate cars 15 years and older to be reintroduced to annual smog checks.
- Senate Bill 232 – This bill is very important to the hot rodding industry. Senate Bill 232 seeks to lift the cap on specially constructed vehicles (which is currently at 500) to unlimited status (meaning as many specially constructed vehicles that are built annually in the state would be exempt from smog controls).

Stearns warned that even if A.B. 859 is defeated now it doesn’t mean it will go away completely. “We need the involvement of California hot rodders and car enthusiasts,” he said. “We need rodders to support us to write their congressmen assemblymen and send e-mails. We need to educate car people on what’s going on in Sacramento because with one stroke of the pen – they can put a serious cramp on the old car hobby. These issues affect everyone with a car at the Goodguys events and every classic car club in the state. Please attend the seminar so we can band together and take action.”

Another issue Stearns pointed out is “Remote sensing.” “This is an issue that will continually come up as we go forward,” he said. “These are remote sensing stations that check exhaust emissions as you accelerate onto the freeway. It is a wide sweeping program which does not exempt any year make or model of car so this is serious stuff. There’s a lot to be concerned about and lots to cover. Please come to the Save Our Cars seminar Friday August 21st in Pleasanton. If you’re a car guy or a car gal, we need your support so we can all continue doing what we love to do.”

More About the ACCC…
The Association of California Car Clubs (ACCC) is a volunteer organization with regional representatives who represent the interests of individual members and member clubs across the state. The ACCC consists of thousands of automobile hobbyists throughout the state who are interested in California laws and policies regarding collector automobiles. For more visit http://www.acccdefender.org/

49 States in 9 Days – Checking in with Dave Schaub

Article courtesy of Laura Fishman – Los Gatos Observer

Dave Schaub is about to embark on a journey that seems almost impossible. In his 1932 Ford Highboy Roadster, the 59-year-old Los Gatos resident will be traveling through all 49 of the mainland United States in a mere 9 days.

Schaub has set up his road trip as a fundraiser, where he hopes to raise at least $100,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities. He is asking for just a penny a mile, or $98 for his 9,800 mile drive. “It’s a win-win for me because I love driving cars and if it’s going to help some kids out, then that would be really cool,” he said.

Schaub, the founder of Schaub’s Meat, Fish and Poultry in Palo Alto, got the idea for his driving fundraiser from a friend who said driving through 48 states in 10 days couldn’t be done. After doing some research, Schaub took on the challenge and one-upped his buddy by committing to 49 states in just 9 days.

Schaub is set to start his expedition on September 9 in Needles, CA at 12:01am, and will be crossing the finish line in Hyder, AK on September 17. As a longtime hot rod enthusiast, Schaub has driven across the country several times and says he has grown accustomed to driving 1,300 miles a day.

In order to train for the long, grueling drive ahead, Schaub has been walking 10 miles three times a week, from Los Gatos to Saratoga and back. For the past year he has also trained himself to sleep for no more than six hours a night. And while his wife hassles him for spending hours each day in his chair using his computer, he assures her in a jokingly manner that he’s “in training.”

Most of Schaub’s driving will be done at night in order to avoid traffic through large cities, so that his vehicle can “fly under the radar.” He will be taking power naps along the way and has committed himself to driving no more than 16 hours daily for his own health and safety. “Sixteen hours is on the edge of sane. Any more than that would be crazy,” Schaub says.

In the Roadster, Schaub will be tracking his journey through a GPS navigation system, and people will be able to visually see his progress through an interactive map embedded on his personal website.

On Friday Aug. 21 at the 23rd West Coast Nationals in Pleasanton, Schaub will talk to fans and the press about his journey. For more information about Dave Schaub’s road trip or to donate to his cause, visit www.49in9.com.