The 20th Annual Carlisle Truck Nationals was held August 6th-8th at the Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Fairgrounds. This is one of 10 annual events held by Carlisle Events at the 102-acre facility. If you are a truck guy, and you live in the Northeast, this is a must-attend event. Where else can you see custom classic trucks, restored classics, frame-dragging mini trucks, lifted or lowered 4x4s, and tricked-out big rigs all at the same venue? Such a mix of subcultures at one event is unique.
In last year's coverage of this show, we characterized the venue as a "melting pot of truck subcultures." Ditto for 2010; things were cooking again. As I worked my way around the show field, talked with truck owners and photographed their trucks, I again observed a high level of interaction between truck folks of all genres. This really is a meeting ground for truck lovers of all kinds. Folks were kicking back and having a great time, a lot of interesting engineering was on display, and it was easy to have a good conversation about some unique aspect of a build.
In addition to some 2,000 trucks on display, the show always features a great swap meet area with vendors showing up with lots of solid old metal. Given the area's winters and the prodigious amounts of salt laced on the highways, quality material is often difficult to locate. This is the place where builders can find a good selection of replacement parts at reasonable prices. The event's "car corral" is also a great source for solid project trucks. Every year there are a couple "barn find" trucks that are offered for sale, but you'll need to show up early to snag one of these.
Also, since many truck owners attend the show every year, you can follow the progress of their builds. For example, last year's coverage included a former trick mini-truck owner's '65 Chevy C10 rails on the ground "build-in-progress." We had to push it off his trailer so that I could photograph it. This year, although it's not quite finished, he drove it to the show. As you'll see in the photo, his truck is coming together quite nicely.
Logistics for attending the show are straightforward. There are many motels in the area, or should you prefer, campgrounds that are conveniently located. The 2011 Carlisle Truck Nationals will be held August 5th-7th. More information about the event can be found at www.CarlisleEvents.com. At this same site you can find details about Carlisle's annual spring and fall swap meets, which are legendary for the selection of material offered to custom car and truck builders.
We saw Jason Hayes' '65 Chevy...
We saw Jason Hayes' '65 Chevy C10 at last year's show. He'd worked out most of its engineering based on his S-10 mini-truck experience, but we had to push it off the trailer to photograph it. The bed was covered with a sheet of plywood and the bodywork remained to be started. It's clearly still an on-going work but she's a driver; the bodywork is done, and a nice wood bed is installed. The interior remains to be sorted out, yet it's already clear that this is going to be a truly unique ride. This kind of genre "crossover" keeps things interesting.
Fred Neidigh's '53 F-100 is...
Fred Neidigh's '53 F-100 is powered by a '67 Corvette 327 hooked to a 350 Turbo tranny. The front end is a '76 Camaro clip and the rearend is a 9-inch Ford.
We see our fair share of early...
We see our fair share of early Ford roadster pickups, but it's extremely rare to see one of their Chevrolet brethren. It looks like a factory job, but we weren't sure if they made a roadster/convertible pickup as late as 1946 or in general for that matter! We look forward to your letters.
Robert Moore bought this Custom...
Robert Moore bought this Custom Deluxe Fleetside in 1971 and drove it for more than 20 years. After his son drove it into the garage, Robert parked it. In 2000, he began a complete rebuild and got it back on the road three years later.
Carlisle's swap meets continue...
Carlisle's swap meets continue to be one of the best sources for old metal in the Northeast. If you need an original replacement part, chances are that you can find it, or get a good lead for locating it, in the swap area.
Twenty-one-year-old Tyler...
Twenty-one-year-old Tyler Parker has owned this '70 Chevy CST 10 8/400 longbed for four years. There are not many of these around. Tyler got it from his uncle; it was originally his grandfather's truck.