Today, my brother and I got there early to take advantage of the hour participants gets before the public at noon. By 11:20 there were at least 300 people waiting to buy tickets (Sat & Sun it will open at 10).
When we got over to my car, I set out some pictures, propped the hood open, and tried to look busy for a few minutes. And before we knew it, the place started filling fast up like the first summer day at Disneyland.
These are big crowds for a Friday! So it wasn't long before people were ducking & dodging, in & out of pictures. "Oops, I'm sorry", & "oh, watch-out honey" can be heard as people focus on little the camera screens through bifocals. As expected, smells of buttered popcorn, pizza, hot dogs, and Budweiser start mixing into the air of these enormous fairground halls --tempting. But the prices keep me away.
Certain building were obviously more popular with the crowds. Building 4, where the main stage, big vendors, and most notably, the America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR or 'amber' for short) competitors stand on display, was bustling! Building 10, or the 'Suede Palace' was hopping early on, it is the first building nearest the entrance. But it must have been building 9, the crowd was elbow to elbow.
This theme building #9 held the Then & Now Customs display, some of the most notable custom cars ever produced were on hand. Most of these cars started their claims to fame right here in the LA area. Now spread around the country, the have been brought together under one roof. I'm sure this is the only time we'll ever see, really the most famous of them all, together in the same place
Below are some of my favorite cars of the show. We'll start with the customs.
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| Astra Coupe restored to it former glory |
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| One of my favorites. Looks great front to back, below. |
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| Jack Calori 3-window, something I'd want |
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| My favorite paint -- a Gene Winfield signature car, "Jade Idol" |
Pictures out of the Suede Palace:
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| Travis Perich's RPU, we are new friends. Car is an attention getter |
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| Also a fav because of this view. A '36 5-window coupe. |
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| Hopped-up flatty in the '36 touring convertible below |
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| Fairly rare car I must say |
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| Unrestored hot rod, lots of great parts on this '32 |
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| Another memorable Model A survivor with 50 year old silver paint, Donald Pennington. |
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| I like the look of slammed, but unchopped coupes |
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| ...and what an engine! |
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| Another favorite of mine |
Later that night...
A short drive over the hill from Hollywood, the fun continued at Bob's Big Boy in Burbank for some yabbering with friends, checking out what drives in, and din-din with the wife.
I drove My A there. And boy the wind gets cold! But exciting for sure.
I'm going back to the show Saturday. I'll be staring at more hot rodding icons. But this time the icons are people. There is a Low-Flyers car club of Santa Monica reunion with some very famous names --think fuel-injection for one.
