Small Town USA Car Shows: The Future of Hotrodding

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The Bountiful, Utah “Coats For Kids” Car Show was just another example of small town USA and the car nuts that make up this great hobby/pastime. 

Personally, I think its crucial that towns big and small keep hotrodding alive and passing the automotive genes onto the next generation by supporting and putting on car shows and cruise-ins like this one in downtown Bountiful, Utah. 

 

 

 

 

Looking over these pictures again, I thought about how events like this create a sense of community and make family memories for years to come.  Nothing more american, or human, than a good car show with your friends and family. 

 

Here are some of my favorite pictures I took while hanging with my family.  How else can you teach your kid to hang his arm out the window like a true hotrodder than by owning a ‘32 roadster?  How else will he know what a 4bbl carbed big block V8 sounds like unless he can stand next to it and feel the ground shake! 

Shoot me an email at hechtspeed@myrideisme.com and I’ll post up your “small town USA” car show pics and info.  Let’s keep this hobby alive and growing.  My sons should be restoring a 2005 Mustang GT or a 2008 Challenger in about 25 years as long as I keep taking them to car shows and working on project cars in the garage with them right?!  Right! 

When is the next car show?!

Hechtspeed

Ashley Force Hood Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

MyRideisMe.com is a big fan of John Force and John Force Racing.  Combine that with the idea that we’ll help worthy causes and this is a win-win.

This food drive is Saturday,  May 9th, so help out any way you can.

John Force Racing Press Release:

ASHLEY FORCE HOOD ASKS FANS TO JOIN HER AND STAMP OUT HUNGER
YORBA LINDA, CA (May 7, 2009) — NHRA Funny Car superstar and 2007 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future winner Ashley Force Hood would like fans to join her in helping “Stamp Out Hunger.” Please join her in the fight to end hunger on Saturday, May 9, 2009, by leaving non-perishable food donations in a bag next to your mailbox for your letter carrier. Stamp Out Hunger is the nation’s largest single-day food drive. Last year, over 73 million pounds of food were donated to food banks.
“I found info about the Stamp Out Hunger event in a magazine a few days ago and jotted it down in my organizer since it’s such a simple thing to do and yet a very important cause. When I got to work I emailed it to a couple of close friends and then realized I should just send it out to every person I’m in contact with so I hit pretty much my whole email list which includes racers, family and friends from all over the country,” said Force Hood. “It’s a small act of kindness but when a lot of people do a small act it makes a big impact on those in need.”

In addition to Saturday’s national program Ashley Force Hood as well as John Force Racing are partnering with the Orange County Food Bank on a monthly basis with their wildly popular Cruise Night Car Show events.
“John Force Racing is also involved with the Orange County Food Bank during our Cruise Night Car Shows at our shop in Yorba Linda. People from all different places and backgrounds come together for some fun and donate to one common cause while they’re at it.”

The first John Force Racing Cruise Night Car Show brought in 550 cans of food for the OC Food Bank. The next event is scheduled for Saturday, May 30th from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. and the goal is to greatly exceed the April events total.
The Stamp Out Hunger event was created by the National Association of Letter Carriers, in conjunction with Feeding America, and is sponsored by Campbell Soup Company and the United States Postal Service.
Learn more at www.HelpStampOutHunger.com . Learn more about John Force Racing Cruise Night Car Shows at www.johnforceracing.com and click on JFR events.

Somebody tell us about the cruise night. Good? Bad? Nice cars? John’s a riot?? Let us know…

10 Nissan Cube(s) Stack into Scottsdale Car Show

Someone asked me, “How’d you get 10 Nissan Cubes?” I said, “Well I broke the first Cube 9 times.” Figuring I didn’t answer his question, I continued… “I asked and they said yes!”

They is Nissan and they’ve got 10 Nissan Cubes being prepped for release to the media for evaluation, write-ups and sometimes criticism. That’s what the consumers read in print and online magazines like MyRideisMe.com.

For those of you lucky enough to live in Arizona, you’ll get a sneak peak of the new Nissan Cube. And.. if you haven’t seen one in person, check out the Nissan GT-R.

Except for inside national super-shows like the Los Angeles Auto Show where the Cube first occupied equal space on all side 6 sides last year in November, this is the first time the geometric, love-hate styled Econo-box (couldn’t resist) has been seen in the wild with other shapes.

Where: Scottsdale Pavilion at Indian Bend and 101
When: 4:30 to 9 PM on May 2nd, 2009 (This is a one-time only deal!)
What: 10 Pre-release, totally new Nissan Cubes, plus 1 rockin, bad-to-the-bone Nissan GT-R!

Since I haven’t driven it yet, I’ll have to let you know what I think, but I can tell you there’s a handful of creative features in the Cube not found in other Nissan. I especially dig the kooky, ripple-waved head liner. The mood lighting and accents are covered at length by everyone already, so I won’t go there.

Let me have my drive of the Moss Green 1.8L SL with all the “Sport” goodies and tell you what I think, what others, customers and non-customers think about and then you can love it or hate it for yourself. For my review, I’ll give you nothing but the oppisite over the adjacent side for this Cube and not go on a tangent.

Fine, criticize my writing… do you know Thesaurus.com has no words with similar meaning to geometric?

Customize your own Cube

Cool Nights in Phoenix – Cruise on Central

Info about the October 2009 Cruise and the $5 Charge

Carbon footprint size 12 triple E, but that was fun!

For those of us living in Arizona, April’s not necessarily the START of the cruising season, but it the sure is nice! After some ill timed rain canceled the cruise on April 11th, we got treated to some especially nice weather for April 18th. Wow, enough BS about the weather!

So how was it? PACKED! I showed up late after a busy day of honey-do’s and sports with my boys to find a packed house! At 8PM, about when I got there, some of Arizona’s finest hot rods, customs and lowriders were found cruising to the delight of the packed sidewalks along Central in front of the Park Central Mall just south of Osborn. I didn’t get a chance to cruise into the parking lot, but from the street it looked packed with cars and people and even the mandatory kettle corn vendor.

For about 2 miles, it was a rare treat to actually enjoy “stop and go” traffic cause you were surrounded by cool cars and folks having a good time. The police were out in force, but I didn’t see anyone pulled over. From what I saw, a very well organized cruise that would have probably been even bigger if not for the rain delay. I can’t wait for the next one!

After a mixup with my main photographer, Swanee, (the cruise is on CENTRAL, not in the Main Street Cruise in Mesa!!) I showed up to take some amazingly blurry night shots, as usual. The only decent one I shot was this one of this straight six powered roadster parked with my car’s kiss’n cousin 27 Roadster with 2.0 Pinto power in the Burger King parking lot.

The cruise was also somewhat of a “coming out” party for E-rock’s dually. He recently put 22’s on and sill drops it down on the pavement thanks to an air ride system fabbed by the guys at Lowboy Motorsports in Mesa. Erick was so jazzed about getting these wheels for his own dually, he’s made a couple other sets. He’s got them for sale, so get with him in his garage if you want some. Erock’s Garage

Anyone get any decent photos? If so, leave a reply to this blog and let me know how to get in touch. Also, anyone else with comments about the Cruise on Central, please leave them below. You don’t have to be a member to leave a comment, but you can join at any time… it’s free and we’re packed with folks from Arizona.

Mesa, Arizona Cruise on Main – Monthly Event

Cruisin’ Main Street
New Downtown Mesa Monthly Cruise

Beginning this Friday night December 12th, from about 6pm to 10pm, the downtown Mesa merchants will host a monthly cruise night on downtown Mesa’s Main Street from Center Street to Country Club Drive.

All years and types of vehicles are welcome to cruise or park along Mesa’s Main Street to enjoy the parade of rolling sculpture’s pass by. Most of the stores and restaurants will be open late so bring the whole family and make a night of it.

This cruise night will become a monthly event to coincide with the downtown Mesa merchants successful “Friday Night Out” program held on the 2nd Friday of the month. Mesa’s next 2nd Friday Night Out event and cruise night is scheduled for January 9th 2009, so be sure to mark your calendars.

Among the many activities planned for Mesa’s “Friday Night Out” event will be an “Art Walk” featuring over 80 artists displaying their wares along Main Street. Also, live music will be playing at several locations along Main Street too. As I said, most of the stores and restaurants will be open late so plan to make a night of it.

All this culture and family fun plus 2 and 4 wheeled works of art cruising up and down Main Street will make for an inexpensive family night out in Downtown Mesa. Money may be tight, but gas is still cheap, so load up your ride and cruise on out to Mesa for a fun “Friday Night Out.”

For more information on Downtown Mesa’s “Friday Night Out” event go to: http://www.downtownmesa.com/friday_night.htm for more details on this and upcoming 2nd Friday events and to see photo’s from past events and cruise nights in Mesa.

If you have any more questions that the web site’s can’t answer, call Anita at the Jersey Girl Cafe (218 W. Main) at 480-924-7887 or e-mail her at: jerseygirlcafe @ gmail.com.

Don’t forget, with any purchase, Jersey Girl Cafe is giving out $50.00 off coupons for Discount Tire—-which also includes $100 off for a set of rims !!!! (Anita just posted me today about the $100 off rims part).

Also, two other terrific restaurants on Main Street are Queens Pizza for some great pizza prepared by Dave, or S-Bistro for some high end French-American-Tuscan food, prepared by Chef Brian.

Contributed by:
Bill Gilmore
Senior Appraiser
Automotive Research Services

Church of Hot Rod II – Congregation’s Growing!

UPDATE: 10/10/09 – I’ve been getting a few calls and emails about restarting Church of Hot Rod. If interested, leave a comment here or reply in the forum.
Ah brothers… It was another fine couple-o-Sundays. Cool morning air and hot coffee strong enough to peel paint off our vintage rides. After notifying a few people at the Chandler/Gilbert Community college car show, I expected there to be a few more members. I’ve also been fulfilling my duties as an elder in the church by notifying RoddinandRacinTV.com and cruisinarizona.com.

If you’re looking for a great excuse to get out of bed and meet some fellow rod and custom car enthusiast over on the East side of town on Sundays, please come on over.

Time and Place: Every Sunday morning at 7 AM over at the Starbucks in downtown Chandler. The address is: 1 San Marcos Place, just west of Arizona Ave, south of Chandler Blvd. We’re kinda hard to miss, just look for the Hot rods! Can I hear an AMEN?

For winter (yea right, it’s still in the 80s in November!) we’re meeting at 8:00AM.  Feel free to email if you want to make sure we’re meeting: churchofhotrod @ myrideisme.com

(Click on the pics to see’m full size)

Church of Hot Rod – Sunday Cruise

UPDATE: 10/10/09 – I’ve been getting a few calls and emails about restarting Church of Hot Rod. If interested, leave a comment here or reply in the forum.
Whatever you do on Sunday, it’s always a great to meet friends and go for a drive. We’re pushing it here in Chandler, Arizona cause it’s still damn hot, even at 8 AM in the morning.
This was a special Sunday cause our better halves joined the normal Sunday coffee run and we made it a breakfast cruise over to the Good Egg near Chandler Heights and Alma School. We had some special occasions to celebrate too.

Bonnie, my hot rod, was celebrating the repair of a CRACKED FRAME, found, luckily while the car was parked in my garage. Doug from Squeeg’s Kustom, helped me fix the crack on Saturday and make today’s breakfast 5 roadsters strong. More on that later. (of course I took pictures!) I celebrated the cruise-in by putting a new red rag on the oil breather. (nothin but the Sunday’s best!) My lovely wife Miyuki also joined in and let me comb her hair at 50 ripping down the road. (I was the only topless roadster)

Then, Sammy was celebrating the purchase of his roadster. Its an all steel 29 roadster that’s sits just right and has many very well done finishing touches, like the polished quick change rear axle out back. Sammy and his wife Cassie cruised in from Mesa to join us.

Be sure that women cruise too. Melissa, Doug’s wife and co-founder of the brand, Hot Brods custom hot rod apparel for women, cruised her own flawless black deuce roadster.

Finally, Tony and his wife Andrea made the trip in their killer orange deuce show here with Sammy’s new ride.

Good friends, good breakfast and a perfect excuse to stretch the road legs. I loaded the best of the pics I took into a MyRideisMe.com gallery. Check out the pics from the Church of Hot Rod here.

UPDATE: 9-13-08: Want to join in? Sunday morning at 7 AM over at the Starbucks in downtown Chandler. The address is: 1 San Marcos Place” just off Arizona Ave, south of Chandler Blvd. Or, just look for the Hot rods!

The Iowa Supercruise for Charity

It’s a long haul from Arizona, but I wanted to tell you about a great cause, a great man and what looks like a really fun event. It’s the Iowa SuperCruise & SuperShow’n Shine in Des Moines benefiting those suffering from spinal injuries, disease, and paralysis in coordination with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (CDRF). Joe Kelly, the organizer and chief promoter, contacted me to see if I’d help spread the word. Of course I will, this is what hot rodding’s all about!

For the past ten years Joe has suffered and survived the crippling pain associated with spinal injury, disease, and permanent nerve damage. So it’s no wonder he’s got his heart and soul behind this show. He credits his beautiful wife and three wonderful children for his strength to continue when his own pain, at times, leaves him unable to care for himself. I’m inspired by his courage. It’d be easy for any of us to give up to the pain, but not Joe.

Held August 30th, the Iowa SuperCruise & SuperShow’n Shine is an all-day event consisting of a cruise around metro and the surrounding suburbs of Des Moines, Iowa. The cruise is open to Hot Rods, Choppers, Custom, Antique, Exotic, Import, Original, Street, Rat Rod, Tuner, Low Rider, Roadster, Monster Truck, Lead Sled, Bagger, Bobber, Softail, Rigid, Cruiser, Auto, Truck, Motorcycle, or any custom vehicle. I think that’s everything on wheels, right?! The owner/driver gathers sponsors who will donate $1 for each mile driven in the SuperCruise. It’s like a walk-a-thon on wheels!

Utilizing the interstate highways 35/80 and the by-pass highways of 65/69 and 5, participants will then circle the entire metro and surrounding suburbs of Des Moines exiting only at predetermined stops at fundraisers and mini-shows held by local businesses. At these events, the cars will be on display and show attendees will be join in and learn about the CDRF.

The show will start at Kelly Insurance Agency, chief sponsor and Joe’s business. From there, you’ll have fun at: Plaza Lanes Family Sports Complex / Trophy’s Bar & Grill / Volley’s Sand Volleyball Center/Johnston Station. Kelly’s Business is the starting point on the route of the SuperCruise while Plaza Lanes will hosts the SuperShow’n Shine where all vehicles will be eligible for trophies, including a best in show.

The funds raised from this event will go to support our nearest spine center the Twin Cities Spine Center at Abbott Northwestern Hospitals in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Joe Kelly Spinal Surgery Foundation, as well as several Pain Control Centers across the Midwest with concentration on contributions to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (CDRF).

Joe’s looking for help in contributing to all of these worth causes. You can get involved in a variety of ways: We are seeking the donation of parts and accessories for the build of our 1950 Chevrolet Custom 2 door Sedan we have named The “Go Forward” 50 named after the “Go Forward” slogan of the CDRF. Utilizing the color scheme of the CDRF Logo we hope to design a lead sled styled custom. Any donation of parts and accessories to this project would be greatly appreciated and all parts sponsors will be listed in all advertising and promotional materials when we tour the country with this Super Custom! Your support and assistance in any form is greatly appreciated.

To get involved, get in touch with these guys… you’ve already met Joe, shoot him an email here: (Email Joe). You can also contact co-promoter and proprietor of Nutlugs.com a cool website and MyRideisMe.com friend, run by John Shelton: (Email John) I hope to update everyone on the show’s success at the end of August and share some pictures from the event. Thanks for contacting us Joe!

Cruise Missile: 1994 Nissan Skyline GTS25t

You never know what might show up at your local cruise-in. I am always on the lookout for something different; something you don’t see every day. On a recent trip to the local Friday night hangout in Charles Town, WV, I noticed a nice looking black import from across the lot. I moved in to investigate deeper and my curiosity peeked even more since it was a right hand drive. It was actually a 1994 Nissan Skyline GTS25t owned by Ric Wells of Berryville, VA.

Ric told me the story of how he purchased the car while he was stationed on Okinawa, Japan. After retiring from the Marines he had the car imported state side and sent to a company named Motorex for legalization. Soon he was tied up in the Motorex defrauding mess. It took more than two years before he was finally able to drive the car again.

While not a GT-R (which actually makes the car rarer in the US), Ric has modified the original RB25DET motor to put out more than 500hp. Some of these mods include: Greedy intake and plenum, HKS Intercooler and blow off valve, Precision 1000cc injectors, Infinity Q45 throttle body, TiAL 44mm wastegates, and a Garrett GT40 87mm turbo. After the all these mods Ric says, “the Skyline is a blast to drive, especially here [in the States] since it is right hand drive.”

You can find more photos and information in Ric’s garage (dreamrides) Thanks for joining Ric!

Written by Bubba Harmon (bubbastoybox)

Northwest Side Cruise-in: Peoria, AZ’s Saturday Night

A short 55 miles away from my house in Chandler, AZ, I met up with AzAmber, at the Saturday night 83rd Ave and Beardsley cruise-in. What a great show! I took off Saturday and stopped by Industrial Chassis, then hit the Safeway parking lot at about 6PM. There weren’t many spots left!

The show was a nice mix of cars. You had your hot rods, street machines and even a few exotics, but there were also a couple low riders mixed in with the new factory muscle. Something for everyone!

I handed out every card I had that night to a warm group of people saying I’d write a blog about it, so here it is. I won’t feature the cars I saw in this blog, but they’re coming! (Leave a comment if you see your car!) Here’s the sneak peak:

That nasty looking 1954 Studebaker’s running a former NHRA Top Alcohol dragster engine! Watch for a feature story on that one! The pretty Jag’s for sale and will be show at the Brighton Ranch Paint and Body show coming up next weekend 5/17/08. Look at their website for more details. I’ve got more details on that GT-40 too.

If you get a chance, stop by the show. It’s a laid back atmosphere, there’s plenty of places to eat near by and everyone I talked to was really cool. Now, if just a few of you would join My Ride is Me! All pics from the 5/10/08 Saturday to be loaded soon…

Find all everything you need to know about Arizona Car shows Here: CruisinArizona.com

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