2010 LA Roadster Show – Father’s Day Special
June 19, 2010 by pikesan · 6 Comments
For 46 years now, the LA Roadster Show brings the best topless hot rods to the Pomona Fairplex on Father’s Day weekend.
2010 LA Roadsters Show
Southern California, no doubt the Father and birthplace of hot rodding, knows how to pack in roadsters for a show. As I’ve mentioned before, this show also packs in every other kind of vintage ride cruising LA’s overcrowded and bumpy highways . Walking what I’ve call the “proper” LA Roadster Show grounds, I shot these pictures. More shots of what’s outside the show are coming.
Utilizing the golden morning sun that finally peaked out of the morning haze, I shot this roadster. Maybe it was parked in the swap area, but it woulda easily fit inside.
While not offering a lot of shade, these palms offer a sweet California backdrop for this dark blue deuce roadster.
I’m shooting what I think are the best detailed engines at the show. That’s why I noticed this black roadster with traditional style flames and wires.
From there, I started thinking of my kids and how I’d haul them around in these roadsters… hey, it’s almost Father’s Day! To fit the whole family, these next roadster, while not your every day grocery getting rides, get you to the show in style!
First, pure hot rod is spoken here: Deep black paint, flathead motivation and details drooling from every clean line…
Finally, kids, how’d you like Dad to drop you off in this cool cruiser? With the unchopped top and four doors for easy access, this roadster’s ready for daily family duties.
It’s late, the show was immense and we all need rest! More pics on the way, so much more you’ll find the best coverage of the LA Roadster Show here at MyRideisMe.com.
Update! Check out all the pictures here:
LA Roadster Show Picture Gallery
13 of the Best Hot Rod Engines at LA Roadster Show
First Look: 2010 LA Roadster Show
Hot Rod & Custom Car Show Pictures
2011 LA Roadster Show coverage available now!
Shiny and finished roadsters from 2011 LA Roadster Show
Line-up of LA’s finest roadsters in Pomona, CA
What to get the father who has everything and likes it? The LA Roadster show in Pomona, CA.
2010 LA Roadsters Show
Arriving at the Pomona Fairplex, we were row 7 of 8 waiting in lines almost a quarter mile long to get into one of the best swap meets you’ll find. Maybe not the biggest swap, but in terms of the hard to find and rare items, this swap’s got you covered. Expect to pay a fair price though, buyers come from all over the world to take part in the LA Roadster Show events.
Vintage gauges and gauge panels anyone? This swapper had several complete sets to choose from or finish your set with the extras he had on hand.
After you check out the swap, the vender area’s not disappointment. Brookville steel deuce body anyone?
I also found the steel roadster bodies made by our friends at American Speed Company.
A few years ago, their display had one car and 3 bodies on display. Now they have 3 extremely fine examples of cars built using the American Speed Roadster body.
The vendor area’s also got special interest cars like Don “The Snake” Purdhomme’s funny car brought in on it’s old time carrier is a look back in time. No 18 wheeler fleet back then. (what, no spare bullets in the other rig? Where’s your data acquisition system?!)
Then there’s the roadsters! The LA Roadsters club has been around 50+ years so this show draws the finest roadsters in the LA area, but also non-members from all over the world. Just make sure you’re bringing a finished, shiny paint car or you won’t get in.
Amongst the vendors but leading the roadster charge for years are cars built by South San Fransisco builder Roy Brizio. The color of this purple-perfect drop top can’t be described in words or this picture.
I’m pretty sure this blacked-out mag wheel with redlines was a Brizio car too. (I’ll confirm that when we’ve caught up on sleep!)
But when you make your rounds past the shiny painted beauties and start to circle back near the swap, you find the “show within the show”.
Some of these cars might fit the LA Roadster Show criteria but for whatever reason, don’t park over there. They park in the swap or near by and it makes for some great photos!
So this is just the start of the LA Roadsters weekend. Heck, officially, it hasn’t even started yet. So look for more posts about the Roadsters, the swap finds and our favorite rides and pictures from the So-Cal show too.
2010 LA Roadsters Show Coverage – Check out these stories too!
2010 LA Roadster Show – Father’s Day Special
Standing Out At LA Roadster Show
LA Roadster Show Picture Gallery
13 of the Best Hot Rod Engines at LA Roadster Show
Pinstriping pictures from the LA Roadster Show
Fisheyed Look at the Grand National Roadster Show
February 7, 2010 by pikesan · 6 Comments
Well if I could paint like Tom Fritz, I would. If I could draw like my friends Brian and Dwayne, I’d probably do that too. Since my creativity’s pretty much limited to taking pictures, I’m doing my best to catch up to the great shots taken by Swanee, my main man shooting for MyRideisMe.com. Swanee’s yet to lay down his shots from GNRS, so here’s mine, FISHEYE style.
A fisheye lens is an ultra wide-angle lens that takes in an extremely wide, hemispherical image. A side effect of this super wide shot is the distortion. I’m shooting with a 10.5mm fisheye lens. Sometimes that distortion looks kinda cool with the swoopy angles of a custom or in tight on the details of an engine like the Stromberg powered flathead in Blackie Gejeian’s “Blackie” Roadster.
Sometimes, the look is just sinister! This is the grille from “Camel Toe Racing” 1932 Ford. The closer you get, the more distortion. I’m just a couple inches off this grill and I probably cropped the shot some. Too bad I have to give the lens back to my boss!
Shooting in the Suede Palace at the Grand National Roadster Show, you can either love or hate the florescent lights that line the exhibit hall. With this lens, the lights seem to stream on forever and have a distinct curve. Don’t worry, it’s not your mind playing tricks on you!
The fish suits the wacky hemi powered and bubble topped “Atomic Punk”.
This is just a couple of the goofy, love-it-or-hate-it fisheye shots I took at the show. Take a look at the picture gallery called:
Grand National Roadster Show – Fisheye
I’m curious. Does the fisheye work for you? Yea? Sometimes? Let me know…
-Pikesan
Grand National Roadster Show – Kickoff
January 29, 2010 by pikesan · 5 Comments
Links to 2008 to 2012 Grand National Roadster Show Pictures and America’s Most Beautiful Roadster
2012 Grand National Roadster Show Coverage
2012 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster Winner
10 Roadsters, 40 Photos of 2012 AMBR Contenders
Tons of PICTURES from 2012 GNRS
2012 Grand National Roadster Show – First Favorites
Jack Howerton – Behind the 2012 AMBR Winner
2011 Grand National Roadster Show Coverage
12 Contenders for 2011 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster
Vote for the 2011 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster
Idaho Invades Cali for America’s Most Bitch’n Roadster
How the AMBR Award Judging Changed Explained
Suede Palace Beauties at 2011 GNRS
2011 Grand National Roadster Show – First Favorites
A Japanese Man’s Perspective: 2011 GNRS
Jake’s Road Savage 1954 Chevy Bel Air Custom
Bubble-Topped Futuristic Customs from Roth and Winfield
AMBR is all in the details at 2011 GNRS
Pinstriping Masters at 2011 GNRS
Custom Studebaker Hauls More Than a Kart
Wild AND Mild – Custom Studebaker Pickup
2011 GNRS Pinup Contest Winner – Megan O’Mary
2010 Grand National Roadster Show Coverage
1959 Cadillac Elvis Would be Proud to Own
1959 “Custom Restoration” Cadillac
Fisheyed Look at the Grand National Roadster Show
2010 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster?
2010 GNRS AMBR Contenders – 4 Winners at Any Show
Different Ways to Win at GNRS
The World’s Fastest Hippie – Go ahead and Inhale
Nostalgia Drag Race History from 2010 GNRS
2009 Grand National Roadster Show Coverage:
2009 Grand National Roadster Show – The Aftermath
GNRS Suede Palace – more than flat pain
Show & Go Hot Rod is Double Trouble (America’s Most Bitch’n Roadster!)
AMBR Hot Rod Special in Pictures and Video
March Pinup of the Month – Angela Ryan (from the GNRS)
Japanese Hot Rod Culture Pinstriped & Flaked! (pinstriper’s Jam at GNRS)
Pinstriper’s Reunion – Pulling lines for Charity
50th to 60th Grand National Roadster Show
The Picture gallery: Hot Rods and Customs from GNRS
2008 Grand National Roadster Show Coverage:
2008 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster
GNRS 2008: If You Missed This One…
GNRS Suede Palace – more than flat paint
GNRS Show Cars, The Under-over
The Picture Gallery: 2008 Hot Rods and Customs at GNRS
I couldn’t resist the first collection of historic hot rods I found at the Grand National Roadster Show. Especially since I’m experimenting with a fisheye lens.
What do you think?
These ride were all cover cars for Rod & Custom or Street Rodder. This collection includes the first cover car from the 1953 issue of Rods &
Custom, plus 32 others!
GNRS Suede Palace – more than flat paint
Damn slacker! Oh well, better late then never.
I did take quite a few shots at in the Suede Palace at the 2008 Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, CA. For those of you who missed it, the Suede Palace is a show within a show featuring vintage hot rods and customs that pushes back against the modern looking 20+ inch-wheeled billet monsters of the main hall. Some might say that’s where all the “rat” rods are, but look closely, there’s more to the Suede Palace than just flat paint. With help from his wife Celeste, Axle from the Shifters Car club puts the best of live music and vintage hot rod movies together with DJ’s playing doo-wop, rockabilly, rhythm and blues and surf. The vendors inside sell the unique items Suede-folk are looking for. Also, 2008 marked the first year that Bombshell-n-Ink will host a vintage style pin-up contest sponsored by PinUpGirlClothing.com. Somehow I missed the pinup contest… don’t miss Pinupgirlclothing.com… it might be better than the Victoria Secrets catalog!
You can learn more about the Suede Palace at their Myspace page: Suede Palace or check out the sister show at the Sacramento Autorama (we already missed it) called the Suede Pavilion. It’s the same idea, just up in Norcal.
So here are a few of the shots I like… the rest are over in the events picture page. Click HERE to go.
If you have any good shots, be sure to let us know, especially if you have pics from Sacramento. Feel free to comment too. Did you know you don’t have to be a member to comment?
(Click on the pic to see it full size…)
