When it comes to car shows, there are all sorts of reasons they are put on. However, there aren't many that are put on strictly to help folks Live Strong and fight the battle against cancer. Crusin' For A Cure, held in Costa Mesa, California, is one of those shows dedicated to helping fund research for prostate cancer.
Now before you go making judgments and thinking this show is just some small-time burger-n-shake show-n-shine, hear the facts. Cruisin' For A Cure is a one-day show, where all of the proceeds-entry fees, vendor fees, gate sales, etc.-go directly to City of Hope to help fight prostate cancer. In fact, entry checks are made out directly to City of Hope, which assures people their money is going towards a good cause, and not lining someone's pocket! On top of that, the entire staff-more than 150 people-are strictly volunteers. Now in its 10th year, this show brings in over 3,600 vehicles, 200 vendors, and 15,000 spectators. As you can tell, this event is the real deal, on par with any of the top shows around the country.
Besides the hefty amount of vehicles and spectators in attendance, what also makes this event unique is the 1/2-mile crusin' lap laid out inside the Costa Mesa Fairgrounds. The show also gives away tons of raffle prizes. This year included a full-fendered '33 roadster, a Hemi crate motor, a Chevrolet ZZ4 crate motor, a set of Budnik wheels, and more. Seeing all that this show has to offer, we decided to head over for the one-day event, which was on Saturday, September 27th. Take a look at some of the stuff that happened to catch our eye. For info on next year's show, visit www.crusinforacure.com.
Doing their part to help promote...
Doing their part to help promote the cause, various firehouses in the area brought out vintage fire trucks.
How sweet is this oddity....
How sweet is this oddity. If only more people built '64 Dodge D-100's like Vic's-that was all that was on the show card-well then we just might see an increase in Dodge goers. Because this truck is just plain rad.
Kent Freder was definitely...
Kent Freder was definitely after his own look when he crafted this custom front end for his '55 Ford.
Dig this bagged and slammed...
Dig this bagged and slammed '68 C10. If you look close you'll notice this guy went through the trouble of shaving the driprail as well.
Chuck Haubrick's bitchin'...
Chuck Haubrick's bitchin' Candy Apple Red '56 Ford with a 425hp Ram Jet motor is right on the money.
This is for all those who...
This is for all those who appreciate a good flame job. It doesn't get any better than a purple-flamed Ford cabover. Oh wait, yes it does, by adding a matching street rod and a Cushman work cart.
If one ever ponders the question...
If one ever ponders the question of how popular trucks are in the hot rod community, look no further than Meguiar's booth at the event, for they had more trucks to represent their products than any other vehicle type in their display.
Pickups Limited not only puts...
Pickups Limited not only puts on the F-100 Western Nationals, but they also make their presence known at other Southern California events. As you can see, members of Pickups Limited came out in droves to show their support of the show.
If only there were a few more...
If only there were a few more various scale Prowlers in this picture, this shot would be money. But I guess seeing just the two is cool enough.
Jerry Montgomery, of Tustin,...
Jerry Montgomery, of Tustin, CA brought out his '40 Chevy. Talk about a simple, classy, and elegant truck.
If Tom Wolfe had a truck in...
If Tom Wolfe had a truck in mind to be the Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby, then this '56 F-100 would be it. Because it doesn't get any more tangerine, or flaky, than this orange hauler.
Here's something you don't...
Here's something you don't see every day...
...Bill Thomes, of Monte,...
...Bill Thomes, of Monte, NV, pulled no punches by dropping a Hemi in his '56 F-100.