2010 Goodguys Scottsdale Pictures – Golden Morning Sky

Best Pictures from 2010 Goodguys Southwest Nationals

My new desktop picture!

As I get older, the list of reasons for getting up EARLY in the morning oddly keeps getting longer… it used to be simply fishing. Next as Pops started to take me racing, I added, “going to a drag race” and then as I got more interested in cars, I added, “going to a swap meet.”

Now I’ve added, “taking pictures with morning sunshine.”

See the dude laying on the ground for this shot? That’s me!

I see alot of people cruising car shows taking pictures… some with gear much nicer than me, and quite a few using their cell phones. What are you doing with those pics? I wanted to cover cool shows like Goodguys Scottsdale with the best pictures I could, so I started watching guys like Paul “Swanee” Swanson take pics and trying to shoot like him.  (here’s a few of Swanee’s 2010 Goodguys Pictures from this year) Then, I sought out some other pros and got some tips on Shooting Good Car Pictures. I’m learning! Or maybe it’s just the morning sky!  Who cares!! I’m really happy with these pics.

This custom 1951 Chevy Coupe pictures above is owned by Al de la Torre from Scottsdale, AZ. This is the first time this car’s been to a show and these are the first published pictures. I’ve just barely giving you a glimpse of how great looking this car is. Thanks for closing the hood and trunk for me Al!

Just before shooting Al’s 51 Chevy, I shot my buddy Erick Anderson’s newly painted 1964 Chevy C10. The truck’s really not that low, it was tall grass. HAHA!! Erick’s truck like Rob’s burb and Dino’s head-turning C10 Crew Cab all lay frame thanks to custom installed airbag systems.  All I hear from these guys is, “Are you gonna bag your Falcon wagon?”

Back to my morning shots…

Doesn’t it look like the headlights are on?

My wife even liked this picture!

Notice the grass?  Not sure if Goodguys had anything to do with it, but about 1/4 of the grass at West World has been covered by asphalt and filled with vendors. One of my favorite things about Goodguys Scottsdale is the grass!! It’s high 70′s (cool this year!) and perfect for a sit down or a walk barefoot among the cars. I think the cars for sale at Barret Jackson dictate the new paving?

While not a sunrise, the low sun did help set off this color.

Finally, I had to snap some closeup shots of the diamond port hole windows in this slick custom van. I hope van’s are making a come back. With the panel painted custom van in the back ground, did I pull this picture from the MyRideisMe.com 70′s photo archive?

Any comments? How was the show for you? Bigger, smaller than last year? What was your favorite ride and did we get a picture?  There’s three sets of pictures from the 2010 Goodguys Show in Scottsdale. This one, Swanee’s pics and from newcomer Bill Garrett from Garretterokustomphotoandart.com shared some Goodguys Scottsdale Pictures.

Hope you like it!

Wanna Be on TV? Arizona: Now’s Your Chance!

Casting Car Enthusiasts in Arizona!

You ain’t Chip Foose, but you can be on TV!

I was introduced to Tim Cooper, Associate Producer from True Entertainment down in San Fernando Valley by a great friend who’s always watching out for MyRideisMe.com. (Thanks Susan!) Tim told me about a show they’re casting to shoot, in fact, shooting NOW up in the north part of Phoenix.  They said I was too good looking for the show, so Tim asked me to put out this message:

A new automotive show for a major cable network is looking for your classic car restoration story.  Seeking hot rodders, muscle car fiends, and guys and girls with that almost finished classic pick-up truck.  We’re looking for projects with a strong story behind them, be it a relative’s old car, a car your spouse wants finished NOW, a surprise graduation or wedding present, etc.

The program follows customers as they visit a salvage yard that WILL have that rare part they’ve been looking for to finish their project car. We’d like to see the happy ending to your quest to complete your classic. Looking for car guys and girls, of all ages, in the Southern Arizona area or willing to travel to AZ to get that part.  The yard stocks any and all vintage domestic autos, so contact us, no matter how rare your ride!

Sounds like My Ride is Me, right?

If you’re interested in submitting a car to restore, need a hard to find part that just might be lurking here in Arizona or just wanna get your hands dirty helping a friend at the yard, get in touch with Tim. His contact info is below.

Updated 7/29: Any T-Bird guys out there?

Tim said:

Attention all Thunderbird Owners:

We are doing a shoot this coming Saturday, the 31^st, with Thunderbird owners. It will be near our set in the Northern part of Phoenix, and any classic T-Bird owners are invited. If you know anyone who may be interested, please have them contact me for details.

Know anyone? Is it you? Please pass this info along to all your AZ car friends. Thanks!

Contact: Tim Cooper
Associate Producer
True Entertainment
818-391-5663
carshowcasting@gmail.com

Photo above features Notorious Ang. Find her at her Model Mayhem page here.

Cherish Her – Bear’s Nissan Hardbody

You’ve  probably met guys like Jerry before. He’s a good guy, always worked hard at his job, been around the local club scene for a while, and has built a few cool rides in his time. Then one day, he steps it up a notch and builds something really wicked. That’s just what happened to Jerry Taylor, of Glendale, Arizona and this Nissan Hardbody.

Except Jerry doesn’t go by Jerry. Most know him as “Bear,” a nickname used by all of his fellow club members in Kastawayz. He’s built a little stable of rides over the past few years, including a pair of Hondas, a bodydropped Nissan Hardbody, and a Toyota mini. When Bear bought this particular Hardbody a few years back, the goal was to really go above and beyond what he had done in the past. Something that would get some attention, and really take the custom scene by storm.

It started in Bear’s garage, a cozy little spot named “Bear’s Customs.” In that 20X20 space, he tore into his hardbody, starting with the suspension. The factory Nissan 6-lug had to go, so Bear did a spindle and rear axle swap with a ‘90’s Toyota pickup, giving him the coveted 5-lug he needed to get some decent wheels. Next, it was time to get it on the ground. Up front, Slam Specialties bags smooth out the ride, while the back was completely redone from the cab rearward, with a custom cantilever setup built around a pair of Firestone airbags. In the bed live a pair of 3-gallon air tanks, which are flanked by an Air Zenith compressor. The whole truck was hardlined with copper tubing, for that extra step of reliability.

With the frame resting on terra firma, it was on to the body. With a welder in hand, Bear went on a mission to weld up all the extraneous parts on his truck. That meant the third brake light, cowl vents, antenna, tailgate handle and gas door all went the way of the dodo. While the welder was out, he frenched a license plate box into the tailgate, and welded in a roll pan as well. As a finishing touch, Bear cut in an electric sliding ragtop to let the sun shine in.

The sheetmetal work was out of the way, so now he had to get it all straightened out. Around that time, Bear had started a new day job at Autostyle in Peoria, Arizona, and just two doors down was the crew at Auto Renew. Dave took control of the project, first by blocking the truck down to flat perfection. Then he sprayed the truck with a House of Kolor True Blue Pearl basecoat, then laid down a simple graphic in House of Kolor Light Blue. The result is a paintjob that plays tricks on you; It looks like a single color from some angles, and from others it’s got a killer graphic job.

At the time, Bear’s hardbody had a full interior, but it needed some work. Out it came, and with the help of Cameron from Autostyle, it was all replaced with a Katzkin black leather and blue suede kit. Now he needed a system, so he hopped next door to talk to Jason at Autostyle about doing his stereo. The crew installed a pair of 9” Icon monitors in the doors, and an Eclipse in-dash dvd player up front. Then the extra-cab section was gutted and in its place a mammoth fiberglass box was built. It holds the trio of JL Amps: one 450/4, and a pair of 1000/1’s. Those amps power a quartet of JL Audio 12W6’s, subs known for their poundability. Everything that needed paint, including the dash, was sent off to the legendary Krazy Kenny to lay down some more True Blue Pearl.

For a long time, the truck was rolling on some 18’s that were neat, but nothing crazy. A few phone calls later, and a set of 19” Bonspeed Laguna II’s were rolling Bear’s way, wrapped in some super low pro 215/35 Kumho tires.

It’s been a long, strange trip as they say, but Bear’s pretty happy with the results. He’d like to throw some shouts out to Scott at Autostyle, Air Zenith, Kumho, Auto Renew, his car club Kastawayz, his brother Justin for helping put things back together, and a special thanks to his wife Bobby Taylor, and their son for all their support.

2010 Goodguys Spring Nationals Autocross

Car shows are fun, but I think I speak for alot of car owners when I say: “Get out of the lawn chairs!” Don’t get me wrong, time with friends catching up on new projects and great hot rod buys are essential to car shows, but what else is there to do? That’s where Autocross comes in…

At the 1st annual Goodguys Spring Nationals in Scottsdale, AZ, Goodguys added an event they call the “Street Challenge Autocross”.  Goodguys does a great job of setting up a small, twisty race course that’s perfect for taking cars normally at home on the the straight line quarter mile and forcing them to go left and right. Up for grabs is a set of BFG tires for winners in a few different classes including Vendor, Hot Rod and Street Rod. (Somebody help me with the classes… they’re not listed on Goodguys website)

So who was racing?

The winner of the hot rod autocross was my friend Doug Jerger in his 1934 Ford Roadster.

Doug is the owner and chief painter at Squeeg’s Kustoms in Mesa, AZ. Doug’s built a couple America’s Most Beautiful Roadster contending hot rods including Todd Steven’s Hemi Powered 1932 hot rod and Doug’s own ride that I’ve seen him drive the heck out of: Another 32 Ford Roadster that was a beautiful, blown and driven hot rod. Here’s another shot of the class winning roadster.

Goodguys draws all kinds of rides pre 1972, so hot rods weren’t the only show goers enjoying the autocross. Probably my favorite participant was this straight axled gasser from one of our local race tracks, Speedworld.

Two thumbs up to this gasser! With Southwest Nostalgia Drags painted on the door and drilled axle for all to see, my man was alot more interested in laying down a couple smokey burnouts than setting low time. Way to go!

Also on the stranger side of things is this pickup:

Note the left rear wheel off the ground as these  ladies enjoyed taking everything the track had to offer, including a few cones. Obviously build for autocross, the old Dodge set a record for fan approval.

Why not a long bed Chevy pickup on the course? Goodguys designs the track targeting a max speed of 35 mph, so next year, I hope there’s at least double the participants.

So with the primered and patina’d trucks, this pristine 540 big block powered Camaro hit the track:

Mark’s Camaro may not have one on the Autocross, but who cares! Rather than sit and watch, he showed his hot rod was built to be driven!  Mark’s a member here at MyRideisMe.com. Check out more picture of his Camaro here.

Look for more autocross pictures from Swanee here soon!  I’ll post the link…

So why didn’t more people take advantage of the autocross?

Any chance of having the autocross at the November Goodguys Show?

More pictures from the Autocross:

1st Goodguys Spring Nationals 2010 Street Challenge Autocross

Goodguys Spring Nationals, March 12-14

Street Challenge Autocross

To see all the juicy event details, check below.  What we are excited about and wanted to point out to you readers is the new event they’re having this year.  The “Street Challenge Autocross”!  Take your hot rod and bash some cones and yank that steering wheel around and put a hurtin’ on your tires and brakes.  Check out these 2 hot rods showing you how autocross is done!

 

Check out this CRC Vette getting it on in the twisties.  Man that looks fun!

…or maybe Corner Carving Muscle is your thing, check out Bryan Frank’s Trans-Am. 

I’d love to see some lead sleds or kustoms out on the course.  Or maybe a 32 roadster! 

Details of the event below:

The Goodguys Spring Nationals is a new hot rod and custom car festival featuring the Southwest’s premier custom vintage automobiles! The event will feature over 2,000 1972 & earlier hot rods, customs, classics, street rods, muscle cars, & trick trucks as well as manufacturer and vendor exhibits, a swap meet and cars for sale area, special “themed” parking areas, model car & pedal car expo, kids play area and lots of fun for the entire family.

A special Autocross will also be featured, allowing event participants to test their car’s performance levels on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 12, 13 & 14. Event hours are: Friday and Saturday 8 am to 5 pm and Sunday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Where: WestWorld Equestrian Park, 16601 W. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, AZ, Tickets: General admission: $18 per day, Kids (7-12) $6. $5 spectator parking fee charged by WestWorld. Phone: WestWorld 480/312-6802 or Goodguys: 925/838-9876. Web: www.ggspringnats.com

Event Highlights: Outdoor Show n’ Shine: The Goodguys Spring Nationals officially kicks off Goodguys’ 23-event 2010 season. With an outdoor show n’ shine of over 2,000 vintage classics through 1972, WestWorld will be landscaped with acres of gleaming, candy-colored cars. Lil’ deuce coupes, hot rod roadsters, lead-sled 50’s Merc customs, ‘55-’57 Chevy’s, Camaros, Barracuda’s & Mustangs and other timeless beauties will fill the entire outdoor acreage of WestWorld.

Street Challenge Autocross: Hot rods and muscle cars will be in action both Friday and Saturday making runs through the electronically timed “Street Challenge” Autocross course. The course is approx. 1000 ft in length and features tight turns with rapid acceleration and deceleration. Speeds average 20-30mph while testing to extreme limits the vehicle’s performance capabilities. Winners receive gift certificates from sponsors including tires and suspension equipment and other performance goodies.

Commercial Exhibits/Swap Meet/Car Corral: Commercial and vendor exhibits will fill a large circus-style tent and the areas outside the tent. The swap meet and cars for sale corral offers unlimited bargain hunting and shopping for rare car parts.

Special Feature Areas: Held on Saturday from the 8 am to 2 pm, these areas will include: Timberland PRO’s Homebuilt Heaven, Young Guys—(for participants 25 and younger), Mighty Muscle (1955 through 1972 muscle cars), Ya Gotta Drive ‘Em (for participants who’ve driven their car more than 500 miles to the event), and the Trick Truck Corral for pickup trucks. The Goodguys “Builder’s Choice” area will feature the event’s top cars vying for 10 special awards.

Model Car Show: On Saturday, Revell Monogram will be sponsoring the Make n’ Take session at 1 pm. Model car kits will be available for the kids to build the kits and take them home. A full scale model car show and vintage pedal car exhibit will also be featured. Entertainment: Rock & roll music will fill the desert air all weekend long. Awards Ceremony: The culmination of the weekend will be Sunday’s official awards ceremony which takes place at 2:22pm. It’s a great way to see the best of the best! Additional Event Info: Visit www.ggspringnats.com or call 925/838-9876.

Next Page »