When it rains in Dallas, it's usually beautiful in Fort Worth. This was certainly the case for the weekend of March 4-7, 2004. After we picked up our '04 Ford F-150 Extra Cab courtesy truck at the John Eagle Lincoln-Mercury dealership in Dallas, we aimed her up the I-30 Northbound toward downtown Fort Worth just in time for a mini tornado, bringing with it several inches of rain. This was the trying start of our weekend attending the 30th Annual Fort Worth Rod & Custom Car & Truck Show.
1. Ed Mooney's candy-blue...
1. Ed Mooney's candy-blue '35 Ford pickup hails from Fort Worth and is powered by a healthy small-block. Note the late-model Lincoln polycast wheels.
By the way, we forgot to thank Dallas Region Ford Public Affairs Officer Harold Allen and his staff for the vehicle loan. How did he know we needed a 4x4 to get through the flash flood? He must be psychic. With local rock station KZPS cranked up, we forged past Arlington, Texas, where the clouds parted and the sun appeared.
Thursday was set-up day at the 30th Annual Fort Worth Rod & Custom Car & Truck Show. The Amon G. Carter Exhibit Hall at the Fort Worth Showgrounds was packed. However, with inclement weather conditions in surrounding counties, the entries slowly but surely came in.
By midnight the exhibit hall was packed to the rafters with 300 plus of the area's finest cars and trucks. Suffice it to say, the cleaning towels and car polish concessions probably made enough money to send their kids off to college.
2. If you're into '67-'72...
2. If you're into '67-'72 Chevrolets, Bobby Gilley's Kennedale-based red and white '71 Custom/10 shortbed was clean enough to capture First Place in the Late Post War Pickup class.
All kidding aside, the Texas Show Car Association-sanctioned and Christian Classic Cruisers-hosted 30th Annual Fort Worth Rod & Custom Car & Truck Show (sponsored by Painless Performance Products) was one of the best-attended indoor events of the first calendar quarter. This is Texas, where trucks typically figure high in the equation -- about 40 percent -- and at the end of Sunday, various winners included Tim and Dorothy Cimbanin's (Cimtex Street Rods) candy tangerine Pro Touring '55 Chevrolet Stepside. So impressed were the crowd and judges that the Cimbanin's awesome angle-chopped '55 captured both Outstanding Early Truck and People's Choice. In the late-model sector, Scott Clark's Magnusen-supercharged candy pearl orange '02 Escalade/Silverado won Outstanding Late Truck honors along with capturing First Place in the Contemporary Pickup Full Custom class. This was apparently the year for orange-colored trucks. Other big winners included Ricky Sanders' just-completed '56 Ford F-100 small-window, which captured First Place in the Post War Pickup class, along with nostalgic vehicles such as Chuck Nixon's '29 Model A Ford Huckster, which won Outstanding Antique honors and captured First Place in the Antique & Restored class.
There were many big winners in the truck classes, and if we could, we'd show all of the trucks that came to show off at Cowtown. Here's CCT's hot-rod haulers at Cowtown 2004. CCT
3. One of our show favorites...
3. One of our show favorites was Jerry Thompson's fully restored '51 Ford F-6 stake bed, which won First Place in the Truck & Van category.
4. Roy Mitchell's small-block-powered...
4. Roy Mitchell's small-block-powered candy-black cherry '54 hails from Arlington, Texas. Roy's truck swept the Early Pickup class.
5. This cream '56 Ford F-100...
5. This cream '56 Ford F-100 is owned by Grapevine, Texas-based owner Ray Treff. Powered by a 302ci V-8 Ford with factory tri-power, the '56 captured Second Place in the Post War Pickup class.
6. Joe Bob and Faye Powers...
6. Joe Bob and Faye Powers from Arlington, Texas, showed their dark-green '48 Chevrolet. The 1/2-ton truck featured a built small-block and a late-model Chevy pickup bed.
7. Arlington's Larry D. Sowers...
7. Arlington's Larry D. Sowers rolled out his '02 Chevrolet with an Escalade treatment and captured First Place in the Contemporary Pickup -- Mild Custom category. When not showing his truck, Larry works at the Arlington GM Assembly Plant where they build Escalades.
8. Perennial favorite Maurice...
8. Perennial favorite Maurice Land brought out his big-block-powered orange-and-yellow-flamed '47 Chevrolet pickup. This truck was a First Place winner in the Custom Rod Wagon class.
9. Speaking of Escalades,...
9. Speaking of Escalades, Scott Clark's Magnusen-supercharged orange '02 Chevrolet/Escalade won First Place in the Contemporary Pickup Full Custom class. Clark also captured the Jerry's Chevrolet/Cadillac-sponsored Outstanding Late-Model Truck honors.
10. Yes, that's a genuine...
10. Yes, that's a genuine 426ci Hemi between the framerails of Jim Elmore's '35 Ford pickup.
11. Corbin Taylor, a member...
11. Corbin Taylor, a member of the North Texas Corvair Association, owns this Corvair Greenbriar pickup. Corbin's 'Vair won Third Place in the Late Post War Pickup class.
12. One of the nicest trucks...
12. One of the nicest trucks at the show was Ricky Sanders' just-completed '56 F-100 small-window, which won First Place in the Post War Pickup Full Custom category. You'll see more on this truck in an upcoming issue of CCT.
13. The truck on everybody's...
13. The truck on everybody's lips was Tim and Darrell Cimbanin's (Cimtex Street Rods) angle-chopped and pancaked '55 Pro Touring Chevrolet Stepside. Featured often, it captured People's Choice and First Place in the Post War Pickup Radical category.
14. Randy Popiel's beautiful...
14. Randy Popiel's beautiful tan and white '65 Chevrolet named Dad's '65 not only captured First Place in the Late Post War Pickup class, but it also won the Joe Fuchs Homes-sponsored Outstanding Inline award for its highly detailed inline engine.
15. Billy McSawin's chopped...
15. Billy McSawin's chopped and blown '58 Chevrolet Apache captured First Place in the Late Post War Pickup Radical category. Here's one slick-looking '58.
16. Roy and Brenda Richards'...
16. Roy and Brenda Richards' '72 Chevrolet Cheyenne, named Good Guys, captured Third Place in the Late Post War Mild Custom class.
17. This little yellow '32...
17. This little yellow '32 Ford belongs to Dennis Cannon of Azele, Texas. It's another Ford-powered Ford.
18. Tim Cummings' '42 Pro...
18. Tim Cummings' '42 Pro Touring Willys was introduced at last year's show and is powered by a built small-block Chevrolet.
19. Those who like '32 Ford...
19. Those who like '32 Ford pickups will love Mike Campbell's Chevy-powered example.
20. Cleburne's Rusty Doyle...
20. Cleburne's Rusty Doyle showed his silver-frost '56 Chevy Stepside. The small-block-powered '56 featured a lot of details.
21. Fort Worth's Chuck Nixon...
21. Fort Worth's Chuck Nixon wowed the old timers with his restored '29 Model A Ford Huckster. The little A not only won First Place in the Antique & Restored class, it also won Outstanding Antique honors.
22. If you like nice El Caminos,...
22. If you like nice El Caminos, take a gander at Mike Thurman's '64 Chevelle El Camino known as the Crimson Camino. Thurman's light-duty hauler was awarded First Place in the Custom Pickup class.
23. Ravena, Texas, is home...
23. Ravena, Texas, is home to Tommy Rivers' '39 Ford pickup. Tommy's tune-port-powered pickup was well detailed with a hardwood bed, outstanding red paint, and underhood murals.
24. Arlington's Arnold Persche...
24. Arlington's Arnold Persche had his black '57 Chevrolet Stepside on display. Although it looks stock, this truck featured a Cadillac NorthStar drivetrain and other custom features. The '57 won Second Place in the Late Post War Pickup class.