Havin' Fun in the Midwest Sun! If John Wells wrote up a recipe for the perfect hot rod event, it would look something like this: Take one large bowl of tradition Fill it with real hot rodders (no fillers, posers or fakes, please) Add in heaping helpings of patina, chrome and some shiny customs Pinches of flirty pinups, great vendors and some parts swapping welcome Surround the whole thing in excellent tunes and activities that can be enjoyed by the whole family and… We got us a hot rod festival! A little indoor action as well You have to wonder if John is just a little obsessed as the details for these shows is becoming legend. Worked heavily by volunteers (myself included!), the Vintage TorqueFest for 2014 in Dubuque, Iowa May 2-4, drew hundreds of vehicles and vintage bikes and thousands of spectators from 9 states, all carefully orchestrated so there was ample parking, great food available and a vibe that you just couldn’t help but enjoy. These old Lincolns are custom from the factory! The sun shown brightly Saturday when the bulk...
Vintage TorqueFest 2014, May 2-4 in Dubuque, Iowa
posted by Jim Volgarino
What Makes This Show So Different? It's not just a show! It's an all-out, ultra-cool festival!!!! Artists, live bands, swap meet, vintage apparel and furniture dealers, classic pin up girl contest, vintage motorcycles, hot rods, and custom cars will all join in one group at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. Cars and motorcycles are already registered from MI, OH, IL, MN, KS, MO, NY, MA, SD, TX, OK, IN, and of course many from WI and IA. The car count is expected to be around 600-750 classic hot rods. This show strives to bring back a specific time in history. A period before muscle cars, and before old cars were brought up to date with digital technology. In an attempt to solidify this specific era there is segregated parking. There will be a Friends parking area for the cars that don’t meet the entry guidelines. With the inclusion of the Friends parking area (an area designated for cars that were made after 1964) there could be 800 cars rolling into the Fairgrounds! Live music from internationally known music acts will be playing at the...
1956 Ford F100 – Dual Hemi’s Just in Case He Needs to Pass!
posted by pikesan
2014 Detroit Autorama - Hot Rod's at Their Best #5 I found out some about the auxiliary power plant from the owner: "By the way, the motor in the back is "functional". We have LED lights for brake and turn signals in the water ports of the heads, the gas filler is in the bellhousing for the rear mounted stainless tank and the oil pan is hiding the cut out in the floor for the pumpkin to come though on the nasty sucker bumps." Many times, I'll take bunches of pictures of hot rods I like at a car show. Too many times, I don't post those pictures cause I never interviewed the owner. It's best for me, and hopefully you the reader to see AND hear why, "My Ride is Me" but if should I hold back the pictures? How many visitors only look at the pictures anyway?? This time, I did worse than normal and didn't get an overall shot of the truck! But... here's the Hemi up front! That makes 2 Hemi's and one bad F100! The Other Best Hot Rods from...
1947 International Pickup – 390 FE Big Block Powered Hauler
posted by pikesan
2014 Detroit Autorama - Hot Rod's at Their Best #4 Many times, I'll take bunches of pictures of hot rods I like at a car show. Too many times, I don't post those pictures cause I never interviewed the owner. It's best for me, and hopefully you the reader to see AND hear why, "My Ride is Me" but if should I hold back the pictures? How many visitors only look at the pictures anyway?? The Other Best Hot Rods from Detroit Best Hot Rod #1 - Nostalgia 1932 Ford Roadster Best Hot Rod #2 - 1930 Ford Model A Best Hot Rod #3 - Blown Hemi 1929 Model A Best Hot Rod #5 - Dual Hemi 1956 Ford F100 Want to see more great hot rods? Check out the Hot Rods Page at MyRideisMe.com Here's a 1947 International pickup from the basement of the 2014 Detroit Autorama basement. What first struck me about this hot rod and many others in Detroit is the variety of engines! Don't you get tired of too many small block Chevys? No denying their worth, but... I like...
1929 Ford Coupe – Blown and Bad Model A Hemi Hot Rod
posted by pikesan
2014 Detroit Autorama - Hot Rod's at Their Best #3 Many times, I'll take bunches of pictures of hot rods I like at a car show. Too many times, I don't post those pictures cause I never interviewed the owner. It's best for me, and hopefully you the reader to see AND hear why, "My Ride is Me" but if should I hold back the pictures? How many visitors only look at the pictures anyway?? The Other Best Hot Rods from Detroit Best Hot Rod #1 - Nostalgia 1932 Ford Roadster Best Hot Rod #2 - 1930 Ford Model A Best Hot Rod #4 - Big Block 1947 International Pickup Best Hot Rod #5 - Dual Hemi 1956 Ford F100 Want to see more great hot rods? Check out the Hot Rods Page at MyRideisMe.com Here's a 1929 Model A with a blown Hemi shown proudly in the UP-stairs car show at Detroit Autorama. This hot rod's clearly one of my favorites... I picked it as a Best Hot Rod for a story I did at Power and Performance News. Check it out! I'd...