8th Annual Southeast Showdown - A Laid-Back, Old-School Show in a New Location

More like a family reunion than a car and truck show, the latest Southeast Showdown brought together more than 400 vehicles and two thousand spectators, with everyone intent on seeing some cool new trucks and reconnecting with old friends. Event Coordinator Jon Fulmer has been active in the car and truck scene for most of his life, with numerous feature articles to his credit. The decision to become a show promoter was a good one and his SESD has become a fan favorite. Vehicle owners arrived to find a new venue this year, moving from the Anderson County Fairgrounds to the Anderson Motor Speedway, just a little further out in the country and remote enough so that late-night burnouts would not disturb the neighbors.

While temps may have been off the charts, the heat did not diminish the number of cool classic rides at the show, with a collection that ran the gamut from highly polished and ‘faux-tina’, to downright rusty and dusty. You’ll be seeing a few of the shiny ones in upcoming issues like Sam Turner’s elegant 1951 Chevy five-five window, combining vintage lines with modern upgrades. Running a Mustang II/triangulated four-link air suspension, a 5.3L Chevy V-8 under the hood, and a bone-colored leather interior that contrasted with the Indigo Blue exterior, the Chevy impressed the judges and won the Best Classic trophy. Doubling his fun, Jason Shook from Baldwin, Georgia, arrived with not one but a pair of classics beginning with his bright green ’55 Ford equipped with a complete 2002 Ranger chassis and engine. His 1972 red Cheyenne was equally cool, boasting double A-Arms and a four-link for modern handling along with a new 350 V-8 crate motor for easy cruising on the Interstates. The 20-inch rims were just the right touch. The father and son team of Kevin Harrell and 16 year-old Richard Harrell drove their 1974 F-100 project vehicle to the event. The dropped I-beams and Ride Tech air suspension upgraded the handling of their vintage Ford while the 20-inch wheels filled the wheelwells. Under the hood, the 5.0L V-8 crate motor from Jasper Engines ensured quick acceleration. Look for more on these soon. Old favorite rides also arrived at the Showdown like John Pruitt and his stretched ’48 Chevy, a CCT feature back in February, 2009. They didn’t make extended cabs back then but John says, “I’m tall, and I needed the room!” Besides the 20-inch-longer cab and custom interior, the ’bagged truck featured frenched headlights borrowed from a ’56 Olds and a ’94 Chevy Fleetside bed.