The National Street Rod Association wrapped up its 39th Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, and Custom Classic Trucks was there to enjoy the festivities. With over 10,000 1948 and earlier vehicles in attendance it's interesting to note the 2008 NSRA Nats was the largest show CCT covered for the entire year. One of the first thoughts that came to mind as we walked around the massive show grounds was the unusually high number of panel trucks and sedan deliveries present in comparison to pickup trucks. This fact made it clear the street rodder's truck of choice is a sedan delivery or panel truck over a pickup. What makes this even more intriguing is the production numbers of panel trucks and deliveries produced throughout the years in comparison to pickups is just a mere fraction.
The style of vintage trucks present ranged from salmon- and fuchsia-colored billet-bombs with heartbeat graphics to freshly constructed "rat-rod" type stuff with faux patina shop truck signage and Sears ponchos for upholstery. One thing was for sure, and that's everyone is welcome at the NSRA Nats. Everyone got along and it was a great time. The '70s and '80's street-rod-style trucks we found still cruising around intact in the 21st century were a true living testimony that the quality is really there when it comes to aftermarket street-rod parts. The funny thing is, same as avocado shag carpet and Olds Fiesta hubcaps, the time will come when the billet-bombs will be as cool as they ever were, and we'll all have to go back to concealed hinges and high-tech-looking air cleaners.
Although the summer temps were in the triple digits and the humidity was as about as muggy as it can get, we were absolutely amazed at how good the air-conditioning in the Kentucky Exhibition Center was. It was a real treat to step inside the 110,000 square foot building and visit with vendors and friends in what has to be the best air-conditioning in the whole world.
The Hooterville Express, void of a sign and without asking the owner, appears to be a '34 Chevy sedan delivery. Those '39 Ford taillights can throw you off every time. | 
It's true, as a community us street rodders are an aging demographic, but thanks to improved vehicular signage and a willing soul to drive the pilot car we all made it to Louisville, KY, safely. | 
There's not a whole lot of difference between a '33 Ford sedan delivery and a '34. Add a smoothie hood with a big 'ol blown motor underneath and your guess is as good as ours. |
Mommy, where do COEs come from? | 
The Willys Series 77 light-duty 1/2-ton panel delivery was introduced in 1933. Maybe even more popular than taillights plucked from a '59 Caddy Larry's Express features '39 Ford taillights and a fully functional wheelie bar. | 
If you are starting to get the idea street rodders prefer sedan deliveries and panel trucks over pickup trucks you might be right. This one is an Anglia Thames panel with what appears to be a speed induced paint adhesion problem. |
This '39 Willys pickup is a cross between a jacked-up Gasser and a street comp-style custom. Notice the cab is smaller than the '48 F-1 behind. | 
A new Flint, MI, assembly plant was opened in early 1947 to handle the expanded production of the new Advance Design series introduced in the summer of 1947. The Los Angeles plant opened in late '47. | 
Although the '41 Chevy grille appears the same as a '42 or '44-early-'47 series, the grille bars are narrower than the American Eagle-style introduced in 1942. Historical records indicate production of the Series BK light-duty Chevrolet truck resumed in low numbers in January of 1944. |
The 1948 F-1 Fords done to look like shop trucks at Louisville outnumbered all the other brands combined. | 
In 1937 there were 3,256 Plymouth sedan deliveries built, and in 1938, 1,601. It's a 50-50 guess this yellow-hued Plymouth is a '37. | 
Speaking of '48 F-1 Fords, this bright-red beauty featured a glovebox door signed by Boyd Coddington at the 2006 Louisville Nats. |
Someone did an incredible job turning a garden-variety Ford four-door sedan into a tasty little pickup truck... | 
...Details include rounded bedrails and matching bodylines on the front and rear fenders. | 
This International, according to the grille, is either a '41 or a '46. In 1947 the grille bars widened at the base, and by 1950 the new body style was introduced. |
This '42 Chevrolet COE started out life as an Army truck and then years later moved to Wisconsin where it was placed on a motorhome chassis and turned into a hot-rod hauler. | 
With the cowl vents wide open on this '47 Chevy it's no wonder why Chevrolet officially proclaimed this was the "cab that breathed." | 
Once the color of royalty this purple '48 F-1 sports five-spoke billet wheels and a hidden omnidirectional TV antenna. |
You would never know it by looking at it now, but this old Dodge was a Gas dragster pickup for the better part of the '60s and '70s. Today, it's running a late-model Hemi and rides in air-conditioned comfort thanks to Vintage Air. | 
According to numerous minutes of research, this is a '40 Ford O1C pickup with '39 Ford passenger car headlights. | 
Although it is similar to an Australian Ute, here's another pickup truck that Ford never made. |
We found a little kitten sleeping under this Suburban and returned it to its rightful owner. | | |