In our opinion, the most fun a person can have on four wheels during the summertime is to attend Rod & Custom magazine's cross-country rod run known as Americruise. For 2007, Americruise featured two separate cross-country tours that joined in Lincoln, Nebraska, at the state fairgrounds to show 'n' shine and Go & Whoa.
Beyond the fact that participants actually drive their rods across the country to show at Lincoln is the Go & Whoa segment of the event, where anyone who enters is welcome to join the competitors for Rod & Custom's Rod Of The Year competition in handling and braking trials. New for Americruise 2007 was a Truck Of The Year award handed out jointly by Custom Classic Trucks and Classic Trucks. Proving that cars are cool but trucks are even cooler were the guys driving hopped-up old trucks breaking down the doors to get their rides out on the track to run amongst the hottest of hot cars.
The West Coast tour pulled out of Sacramento Vintage Ford on June 22, led by Rod & Custom's editor, Kevin Lee, with around 150 well-wishers in rods, customs, and pickups present to see the R&C entourage off. On June 25, the Southern tour left from Painless Performance's Fort Worth, Texas, facilities led by Dennis Overholser. With the number of hot-rodded cars and trucks at around 50-plus pulling out from Painless Performance on Monday morning, needless to say, it was quite a sight as the pack worked their way toward old Route 66 in Elk City, Oklahoma, for the first night out.
Of course, time really flies when you are having fun. The next thing we knew we were at Speedway Motors' giant (and we mean giant) facility checking out what has to be one of the largest inventories of cool aftermarket parts ranging from a shift knob all the way up to a '34 Ford cab.
In upcoming issues we will run special features on each of the trucks that toured with us on Americruise, but in the meantime, please enjoy our coverage of the happenings at the fairgrounds in Lincoln. CCT
Hey, look, it's the Beverly...
Hey, look, it's the Beverly truck-billies. We think Granny and Ellie May were up front in the cab skinning a possum.
Somewhere in this world there's...
Somewhere in this world there's an Oldsmobile without its headlights. If the Olds behind isn't careful, his will be next.
Rod & Custom's Kevin Lee and...
Rod & Custom's Kevin Lee and Tim Foss presenting industry icon and neat guy to listen to "Speedy" Bill with yet another trophy to add to his collection.
Here's one of the trucks that...
Here's one of the trucks that drove out on Sacramento Vintage Ford's West Coast tour. It's a Fageol powered with a 440-inch Chrysler motor. Lou Fageol sold the company to a guy named Peterman, and the trucks became known as Peterbilt.
Here we see Gary Coe at the...
Here we see Gary Coe at the line with his '57 Ford F-100 Truck Of The Year, sponsored by Sacramento Vintage Ford Parts, about to tear it up in the Go & Whoa competition.
Another veteran of the West...
Another veteran of the West Coast tour, this '55 Chevy was just short of logging 100,000 miles on the clock and made it to second place in the Truck Of The Year competition.
Here's Rod & Custom's Tim...
Here's Rod & Custom's Tim Bernsau (far right) hanging out with some of the guys he drove with on Painless Performance's southern tour. What a great crew these guys were!
Pete Klucas of Top End Engineering...
Pete Klucas of Top End Engineering puts the '54 Ford he built through its paces.
On behalf of Classic Trucks,...
On behalf of Classic Trucks, here's Custom Classic Trucks' editor John Gilbert presenting Gary Coe with the Truck Of The Year trophy sporting a genuine Grant steering wheel on a base of what felt like 100 pounds of lead.