Another Social Lure

On New Year's Day, Southern California's famous Rose Parade never sees a rainout. Folks across the U.S. watch and admire the creative floral-covered floats every bit as much as they long for some Southern California sun and mild temperatures. After seeing the Rose Parade on TV, some Easterners and Midwesterners become so enamored of the SoCal climate that they escape their hometowns and migrate to the land of fruits and nuts and car nuts. Yes, SoCal is also the mecca for most things automotive. We'd say all things, but we'd be certain to get some flak from Detroit and Dearborn dwellers.

The Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS), along with Detroit's Autorama are two of the most prestigious and historic indoor custom car shows in North America. For over 50 years, the home for the GNRS was in Northern California. On Friday, January 21 through Sunday, January 23, 2005, the GNRS took place at the Pomona Fairplex of Los Angeles County, for the second time in its illustrious 56-year history.

On those three sunny days of late January, we escaped our fluorescent lamp-lit offices and entered the Pomona Fairplex to view some finely built custom trucks, custom cars, roadsters, and roadster pickups. If you promise not to flee your environs in favor of SoCal, we'll show you the coolest of the custom trucks and cars assembled those three magnificent winter days. Besides, real estate costs far too much out here!

John Park, of Los Angeles, CA, owns a school-bus yellow '52 GMC that may look familiar to many CCT readers. The reason being, the tasty truck was built on the cable TV show called Overhaulin'. Renowned designer/builder, Chip Foose and his crew constructed the cool custom Jimmy in seven days. The program aired in December, 2004.	Check out the comfy interior of the Foose-designed hot rod hauler.	With flames by Lil' Louie and the overall exterior paintwork by Jr's House of Color, Gary Ewing's '56 Ford F-100 is the opposite of understated. Under the sheetmetal lurks a 428ci Ford big-block mill, C6 trans, a Jaguar XKE roadster IRS, and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes. The Effie offers a flamboyant dash to go with the exterior flash. Gary's pickup earned Outstanding Undercarriage, proving the underneath is every bit as great as the outside.
After conversing with Jack Hipp, the exuberant owner of a fully restored '50 Willys Woody, we couldn't resist photo'ing his truck for CCT. Dina and Jack reside in Beavercreek, OR. Their Willys is 100 percent stock, 95 percent original, and achieves 50 mph, or 60 mph in overdrive. They hauled home a $100 check and trophy for the Runner Up-Outstanding Individual Display.	In the Semi-Custom Delivery Wagon class, Bill Hines of Garden Grove, CA, showed-off his smooth '59 Chevy El Camino.	In 2004, we featured Bill and Carol Raper's gold-hued '54 Chevy 1/2-ton. If you're ever in their hometown of Peoria, AZ, you may get lucky and spot a glimpse of "Golden Rod" rumbling by.
Though the exterior is honey-hued sweet, the Raper's '54 Chevy interior's every bit as neat. Look in your CCT archives for the full scoop.	Ray and Carol Von Uhlit of Fremont, CA, have a '51 Plymouth that's classified as a Radical Custom Delivery Wagon. They garnered three awards: Custom-Sweepstakes ($1,000, trophy, Meguiar's detail kit), Runner Up-Outstanding Professional Display ($100 and trophy), and Car/Truck-Outstanding Color Design (plaque). Congrats!	Earning the Outstanding Engine-Truck Award was Frank Abacherli, of Mira Loma, CA, for his '39 Ford pickup.
Nick Danyluk, of Olympia, WA, calls his '61 Ford Econoline a '61 Chevy Econoline. The pickup gets power from a GM 468ci LS7 big-block that's Hilborn-injected.	Driving in a delicious done-up '48 Dodge panel delivery, one would have a hard time not being noticed. Apparently, Dave Bertino, of Riverside, CA, doesn't mind the attention. Great job, Dave!	Wagons were first known as depot hacks. Hence, Mike and Donna Basso, of Alta Loma, CA, have a mighty nice '57 Chevy Nomad, 'er depot hack, that has a Paul Newman Corvette chassis and a Corvette LS6 drivetrain. Angie Carpenteira of San Bernardino, CA, built the bodacious Bow Tie.
Called Route '57 by the Bassos, Jim Kilpatrick trimmed the depot hack ('57 Nomad) interior all in leather. Gray's Paint Shop of Van Nuys, CA, splashed the exterior with red.	We never grow tired of seeing Siegfried, Brian, and Trent Montano's '40 Ford pickup. The Montanos live in Albuquerque, NM. They picked up the Outstanding-Truck Award prize ($200 and trophy), as well as the Steve Archer Award (custom trophy). Well done, Montanos!	Not only does the Montanos' truck have suicide doors, there's a side-opening tailgate and a trick chassis underneath the pristine paintwork. Chip Foose designed the interior, which Gabe Lopez, owner of Gabe's Custom Interiors, trimmed to perfection.