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George Barris' Cruisin' Back To The 50's Culver City Car Show - Out On The StreetFrom the September, 2010 issue of Custom Classic Trucks By Tim Bernsau
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Way back when young builders and modifiers and racers were basically inventing the hot rod hobby in Southern California, Culver City was one of the places it was happening. More than half a century later, it still is. In 2004, George Barris-the builder behind some of the best known TV and movie cars and show rods-brought the old days back to town for the inaugural Cruisin' Back to 50's Culver City Car Show. Every year since then, George has been returning to Culver City, assisted by the Exchange Club of Culver City and accompanied by several hundred hot rods, customs, trucks, bikes, and a few favorites from the Barris corral of show biz kustoms (this year, the Green Hornet's Black Beauty Chrysler Imperial had a prominent spot). In addition to the vehicles, there are vendors, live bands, concessions, and a bunch of well-known personalities from the hot rod world. This year we spotted "Miss Hurst Shifter" Linda Vaughn, custom builder Gene Winfield, Car Crazy host Barry Meguiar, George of course, and probably walked right past a dozen others, too distracted by street after overflowing street of vehicles to notice the celebrities. This Saturday-only show has grown so big and so popular that George might have to persuade Culver City to block off a few more streets in 2011. As always, trucks were a prominent part of the Cruisin' Back to 50's show. Enjoy this selection of some of our favorites.  Thanks to show host George...  Thanks to show host George Barris for bringing this event to Culver City. Nobody works harder than George at getting the young people interested in the hot rod hobby.  The paint on this '64 Dodge...  The paint on this '64 Dodge A100 pickup features heavy flake and some wild graphics on the inside. "I wanted it to look like something from the early '60s," said owner Paul de Valera. "With a piece of wood for a front bumper, it could be pushing a dragster to the starting line."  Smitty Smith's mouth-watering...  Smitty Smith's mouth-watering '37 Ford is a genuine custom, with a Dodge Dakota front half, Corvette back half, Chevy 383, '37 cabrio headlights, and '40 Chevy taillights. It also features a leather and tweed bench seat, four-wheel disc brakes, and A/C.  Chuck Hoover's father bought...  Chuck Hoover's father bought this '46 Chevy in 1957. Chuck drove it all through his teenage years back in Oklahoma until his father sold it in 1971. In 2008, Chuck went back to Oklahoma, bought the truck, and limped it home to California, where he completely rebuilt it. This was the first show for the '46.  Remember what we told you...  Remember what we told you in the June issue about Bakersfield work trucks? Here's one more. In the eight years he's owned it, Ron Coffman's '53 Chevy went from rusty to off-white to this shade of seafoam green with a low-key tan pinstripe-and bedliner to protect the running boards.  Another true custom is Steve...  Another true custom is Steve Wessells' '55 Cameo, with '54 Buick taillights, '66 Thunderbird buckets, Impala steering wheel, Lancer caps, and shaved sheetmetal covered with great paint. The pickup is powered by a 454ci Chevy big-block.  In the 25 years he's owned...  In the 25 years he's owned it, Bobby Zullo has torn apart his '41 Chevy three times. It's got a stock 235, T10, and Posi rearend. Bobby says one more teardown and it'll be time to give the truck to his daughter.  A dressed-up 351C Ford powers...  A dressed-up 351C Ford powers Richard Flamminio's on-the-ground '56 F-100, which uses airbags to ride so low. Glide seats and rear fender tubs built from Harley fenders are other cool elements.  Pale red is the name we prefer...  Pale red is the name we prefer for the color of this pearlescent '55 Ford. The pinstriped flame outline starts at the cowl and continues into a splash graphic on the bedsides. Most of the exterior hardware was shaved away and the rear wheelwells were loaded with huge Mickey Thompson tires.  Fidel Ascencio's gold '51...  Fidel Ascencio's gold '51 F-1 is another highly detailed on-the-ground pickup we've spotted all over Southern California. The interior and bed are finished in elaborate white vinyl and the external mods speak for themselves.  Cathy Jarel-Girgis' '47 Dodge...  Cathy Jarel-Girgis' '47 Dodge is another surviving farm truck. This one's from Canada and is loaded with original stuff, including the six-cylinder. Cathy found it five years ago and fell in love with it.  Some white paint on the bumper,...  Some white paint on the bumper, grille, and headlight housings goes well with the top and looks good against the blue paint on Roscoe Smith's dropped '56 Chevy. Roscoe says the Corvette 327, TH350 automatic, and freeway gears make it a great driver.  Moving back into the category...  Moving back into the category of classics, we spotted this well-done '51 Ford F-1. The tomato-soup-red exterior is set off by plenty of brightwork on the outside and tan upholstery on the inside.  Ghost flames cover the hood,...  Ghost flames cover the hood, front fenders, and doors-and leering skulls decorate the firewall of Steve Hernandez' halloween orange '54 F-100. A 305 Chevy powers the pickup, which was a Readers' Truck in CCT's September 2009 issue.  On Andy Carrillo's '56 Chevy,...  On Andy Carrillo's '56 Chevy, it was the blue paint and wide whites that kept catching our eye. Clean, simple, and stock looking goes a long way when you're driving something as nice as this.  In person, it's easier to...  In person, it's easier to see the nice traditional pinstriping on the hood and fenders of Chris Marsiglia's '49 Chevy 3100, powered by a six-cylinder Chevy. The pickup honors the '50s with wide whitewalls and spots.  Rick Erickson's retina-searing...  Rick Erickson's retina-searing '53 Ford is a genuine kustom. The Golden Chariot is the shop truck for Erickson Kustoms in Wildomar, California, with a massive amount of metalwork and amazing paint and phenomenal upholstery.  A 71-year-old old farmer in...  A 71-year-old old farmer in Tehachapi sold his 51K-mile '54 Dodge Job Rated to 19-year-old David Chacon, who was the first person to drive it off the farm. David rebuilt the carb, redid the wiring, and drives it all over. Now he's got to decide whether to keep working on it or keep it original and preserved.  It was going to be Gumby but...  It was going to be Gumby but Dennis Thies chose the Incredible Hulk as a more appropriate theme for his mean green '59 Chevy. No, it's true. He packed his former work truck with a 350 mill and TH700 transmission.  We see legendary customizer...  We see legendary customizer Gene Winfield at this show every year, usually getting interviewed for another TV show or video. This year Gene came to Culver City with the Jade Idol II '57 Fairlane custom he built a couple years ago as a tribute to the original Jade Idol.  Here's one more truck that...  Here's one more truck that turns up at a lot of local shows, including the Hot Rod magazine open house one week earlier. John Stone's '40 Ford is another tribute to detail, the most unusual detail being that partial hood.  Here's one more farm truck....  Here's one more farm truck. Robert DiMassa's '68 Ford Ranger was discovered in Washington in 1996. Ten years later, Robert started on the frame-off restoration. Today the 390-powered truck is finished in Rangoon Red and Wimbledon White.  Originally an East Coast truck,...  Originally an East Coast truck, Steve Monasco's '61 Econoline wore a lot of rust before being rebuilt and painted Pontiac LeMans blue. Nicknamed Muttley, it runs a '67 Mustang 289 with a C4 trans. It was "built to have fun" and gets driven like crazy.  When Candace Rancier bought...  When Candace Rancier bought this '72 Chevy five years ago, all mechanical work had been finished. She lowered it the right way (dropped spindles instead of heated coils) and started using it as her daily driver. The bed floor features practical diamond-plate.
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The Thinker??? - Haul Monitor
Ryan talks about the friendly badgering that goes on around the shop and overcoming obstacles that seemly pop up out of nowhere during a project....
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