Classic Auto Nation

Bonneville Salt Flats, the place where drivers broke ultimate land speed records from 1935 to l970, is a two hundred square mile area located just off Interstate 80 near the Utah-Nevada border. It is where the hot rod movement began. It is where drivers in the hot desert sun tried endlessly to break each other’s records. Their reward was simply a sense of accomplishment.

Historically, the Bonneville Salt Flats was avoided by the Native Americans because there was no water and nothing would grow. At a later time a man named Bill Rishel who was the president of the Utah Automobile Association crossed the salt on a bicycle in 1896. Though his crossing was very slow, Rishel recognized the potential. He also claimed that Ab Jenkins brought fame to the salt when he successfully beat the celebrity train from Salt Lake City to Wendover in l927. Jenkins later set an unofficial speed record of 112.94 MPH in 1932, and was followed by Britian’s Sir Malcolm Campbell who broke the 300 MPH barrier on the salt flats in 1935.

Speed records increased through the years except during the WW II years. John Cobb took top honors in 1947 with a speed of 394 MPH, a record that stood for fifteen years. Then came the jet cars of Craig Breedlove and Art and Walter Arfons. By l970 Gary Gabelich had set a new salt record of 630.39 MPH.

Hot Rods at Bonneville
Since the automobile was invented men have tried to see how fast they could go. They supercharged their cars and raced the hills and open roads. As well, the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) promoted racing on the dry lake beds there, but numerous crashes, injuries and even deaths in those dangerous conditions brought them poor press. Ten years later the SCTA approached the American Automobile Association, requesting use of the salt flats to establish hot rod records, as the flats already had a history of land speed records. The AAA declined the request, arguing that it was highly unlikely that a “hot rod” could ever achieve a speed of 203 MPH. But, the SCTA did not give up and eventually secured the necessary permission to stage it’s first event with sixty cars present. The racers successfully set ten new records at that first event.

In 1953 the AAA was present for the first time at Speed Week and the 200 Club was established. Then in l971 the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) sanctioned the event and provided insurance. Over the years Speed Week continued to grow, with what one writer called “some of the oddest shapes the motor age has produced”. That particular year’s Speed Week program noted that although not all hot rod designs had practical production application, there was focus on engineering and construction. By 1957 Ray Leslie set a new American record of 266.204 MPH and the parachute made it’s entrance into the land speed trials. By 1966 the land speed record had reached 301 MPH.

The wide open space of the Bonneville Salt Flats brought a certain amount of safety as drivers walked away from cars demolished by multi-roll crashes at 230+MPH. . One driver was not so lucky though. In 2001, seventy-two year old Nolan White set a new record of 434 MPH in a piston/wheel driven car. At 430 MPH his right front tire blew and the main parachute ripped off the 5,000 lb. car. With forty-five years of driving experience he was able to successfully bring the car to a stop. Then about two months later, after reaching a speed of 422 MPH, all three of his parachutes failed to open. His car went into a slide as he tried to avoid the highway and flipped. White died of internal injuries.

For some twenty-five years the SCTA sponsored the only amateur event on the shimmering Bonneville salt. Then, in 1976 Utah racers formed the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association (USFRA) for several reasons. First, control of the salt flats had moved from the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce to the state of Utah, and then to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). After squabbling for a period of time the SCTA and the USFRA decided to work together and support each other. They developed the 130 MPH Club and provided the opportunity for drivers to test how fast their street cars can go during Speed Week. Together the two organizations have worked together to force Reilly Industries, a mining company to return salt to the race track. And, USFRA members formed the non-profit “Save the Salt” group for the purpose of publicizing the disappearing salt. They also work with the federal government, the state of Utah and Reilly Industries to improve the race track.

Today, beyond the mirage so clearly visible from Interstate 80 lies the proving ground, and the many stories and memories of racers who pushed their hot rods to the limit. It was not for fame, nor was it for money. It was adventure, risk, and a fundamental sense of accomplishment for men who thrived on speed. Ben Zimmerman once said, “I look forward to coming down here and breaking something. If you don’t break something, you are not trying hard”.

Many years ago Charles Salmon, the son of a professional racer loved to go fast, and did so, participating in illegal drag races around Long Beach and Los Angeles with his ‘32 roadster. In the 90’s he accomplished one way runs of 239 MPH and 233 MPH in a 1934 Ford roadster he built after he retired. A few women have also set salt records in direct competition with the men.

Drivers have described racing on the salt flats as being in and out of control at the same time, the elements as hot and miserable, and above all….fun! Bonneville was even a honeymoon destination for a young couple who have returned every year since.

Perhaps a 1980 Speed Week program said it best, calling Bonneville Salt Flats the “bastion of hot rodding”. Bonneville is truly a legacy to future generations. It is the home of extreme speed. Early hot rodder Art Arfon was fond of saying “I can’t wait to get here to race. When I get here I can’t wait to leave. And, after I’ve left I can’t wait to come back”. And so they keep coming back, back to the misery, the starkness of the salt, the heat, the fun and the quest for their personal best through pure raw speed.

Every year, late in the season we hear SEMA mentioned over and over, and we know it’s a big deal show in Las Vegas. The biggest names in classic and collector cars are there along with manufacturers, distributors and retailers. There are unveilings of brand new flawless restorations, two thousand exhibitors at last count in more than one million square feet of space, and almost 1,500 never-before-seen new products on display.

Thousands are on hand for the grandest event in the industry. However, this show is not open to the public so one might wonder what goes on behind those convention center doors that so few have the proper credentials to enter. The four day event is where members of this trade association called SEMA and other verified industry professionals gather to preview and review a massive showcase of technology, trends and products for the automotive industry.

One of the most popular areas of the SEMA show is Hot Rod Alley, which is also known as one of the most creative and artistic sections of the entire show. It is the place of modification and customization, and is where one can find all sorts of custom and specialty products from complete hot rod bodies to wiring kits and everything in between.

SEMA is a very large trade association of some 6,800 members representing the specialty automotive industry. They are a diverse group of manuufacturers, distributors, retailers, publishing companies, auto restorers, street rod builders, restylers, racing teams, car clubs and more. The organization was founded nearly forty years ago by a group of companies in the specialty parts and accessories industry who loved cars and trucks, and turned their hobby into a career. In those forty years SEMA has grown to provide extended services to it’s members in various areas of the specialty market. The association is also actively involved in promoting the youth market of young rodders.

In addition to tracking trends and market growth, SEMA works to protect consumer’s rights. This is perhaps their most important work. It protects our right to drive accessorized, customized and vintage vehicles. SEMA monitors state and federal legislatures so that SEMA members can support good legislation for the hobby of classic cars and protest any pending legislation that would bring harm to the hobby. Interestingly, SEMA has helped consumers on numerous occasions interact with car dealers who wrongly claim that specialty parts void a warranty.

With legislative monitoring, working with major auto manufacturers and securing the place of specialty products in the industry as whole, SEMA has become the umbrella organization under which many smaller groups and businesses flourish. Their presence and leadership is a major factor in the enjoyment and preservation of all classic automobiles.

The 2007 Grand National Roadster Show which will be held in January in Pomona, California is but the first of many celebrations taking place throughout the country during 2007 honoring the 75th anniversary of the l932 Ford coupe nicknamed the “Deuce”.

Having assembled a blue ribbon committee to select the 75 most significant 1932 Ford hot rods, Ford Motor Company chief designer Larry Erickson noted that the ‘32 coupe was a landmark car that began a period of styling dominance for the company, and presented the first ever mass produced V-8 engine known as the Flathead to the public. Some few years after it’s introduction, the ‘32 Ford ushered in the development of the hot rod. Built in backyards and in small garages, these hot rods performed far beyond their original capabilities, and secured the Deuce’s place in automotive history. Sometime later came the familiar tune we all know as “Little Deuce Coupe”.

Ford hopes to have all 75 cars on the list on display at the pomona event. As of this time they have photographs of all 75. Sixty of the cars are known to be in existance. They are still searching for the remaining fifteen.

A number of these hot rod coupes did make their mark on the Bonneville Salt Flats outside Salt Lake City, Utah. One was driven by Jerry Kugel who became a member of the 200 MPH club in l967. That record setting roadster is among the significant 75, as are those of Vic Edelbrock, Ed “Axle” Stewart and Tony Waters. There were many others on the same salt flats where drag racing began.

Besides bringing the “Diamond Deuces” to the people, 1932 was also the year that saw gas tax implemented a one cent a gallon. It was also the year that Ab Jenkins drove for twenty-four hours non-stop at the Salt Flats in a speed attempt that logged 2,710 miles with an average speed of nearly 113 miles per hour. For this historic effort, the local newspaper was not at all supportive, actually refusing to publish the verified results. The presiding board overseeing racing events on the salt at the time called Jenkins’ feat “absurd” and fined the man $500 for making that speed run without their permission.

The coming year will see a long list of “deuce reunions” historical books, and many deuce coupe street rods and racing machines featured in many shows and celebrations from coast to coast.

Regarding the “Diamond Deuces”, versions of the significant 75 display are scheduled to be shown at various locations throughout the year, including the Wally Parks NHRA Museum, Peterson’s Automotive Museum and also the 2007 SEMA show in Las Vegas.

Darryl Starbird is an interesting and colorful man who’s legacy began in l954. He learned on the job when body fender repair meant the art of working with old metal and lead. At the time, customizing was a new and exciting art, and his mentors were the pioneers in that field. They were the true craftsmen…men such as George and Sam Barris, and others who carved out a movement that to this day continues to grow in popularity and market value.

On the side he worked on what was to become his first show car, a 1947 Cadillac. In time his l955 Plymouth made it’s way to the cover of Rod and Custom Magazine. In the years to come Starbird’s many creations and his Star Kustom Shop received awards all across the country. His unique and one-of-a-kind custom pieces have now graced the covers of more than fifty major magazines.

In l963 he joined the Mattel Corporation as a design consultant for Monogram Models Co., a subsidiary of Mattel, where fifteen models of his original designs became scale kits, selling over one million worldwide.

Later in the mid-sixties Starbird concentrated on building his own cars and touring the country in a triple semi-truck caravan known as the Star Car Caravan. The caravan transported ten cars featured in major city shows nationwide. During the following decade his concern for the future of customizing prompted him to found the National Rod and Custom Association.

It is fair to say that Starbird was (and still is) a very busy man, for in l957 he began promoting rod and custom shows, the first of which was held in Wichita, Kansas. He soon was promoting more than fifteen shows throughout the country. As this is written, we are approaching the upcoming Starbird Rod and Custom Show, January 19,20,21, 2007 at the Century II Convention Center in downtown Wichita, Kansas.This will be the 50th annual Wichita show, and four hundred entries will fill every nook and cranny in the center. The weather will definitely be downright cold outside, but inside the climate will be perfect and crowded.

In 1995 Starbird founded the National Rod and Custom Car Hall of Fame museum located in Afton, Oklahoma for the purpose of honoring the efforts of outstanding contributors to the art of customizing and preserving the resulting historic cars for the future. The museum houses Starbird’s own custom creations as well as those representing customizing’s most famous builders.

The 40,000 sq.ft. museum, envisioned so long ago, sits on eighty beautiful acres on the shores of Grand Lake, just an hour northeast of Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to the display of some of the most unique and exotic vehicles you will ever see, many famous rod and custom car builders as well as Starbird designs are presented. The museum overflows with photos and memorabilia of customized and futuristic vehicles, and hosts rotating displays of the unique cars of famed builders. It is definitely a visual and cultural tour from the 50’s through the present through the eyes of innovative designers and builders.

Recognition of customizing’s greatest comes with induction into the museum’s Hall of Fame. Members include such well known names as George Barris, Neil Emory, Boyd Coddington, Roy Brizio, Joe Bailon and Sam Foose. Designer Hall of Fame inductees include Chip Foose, the well-known designer on the television show Overhaulin’. Two additional custom and rod builders will be inducted at a ceremony to be held at the museum on May 12, 2007.

This date coincides with the 12th Annual Hall of Fame Outdoor Car Show held on the grounds of the museum on May 11 & 12, 2007 As well, on that date the 6th Merc/Duece reunion will celebrate “75 Years of the Duece” in Afton, Oklahoma.

Prior to this spring celebration, the 43rd Annual Expo Square Fairgrounds Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma is scheduled for February 16,17 & 18, 2007. One thousand entries are expected, with the Hall of Fame Gold Award and a $20,000 check to be presented to one of those judged to be the “Fine Nine”.

For fifty years now Starbird has worked to preserve a specific area of automotive history. He is quick to complement the tenacity of the people who have joined forces with him over the years. Others believe though that it is the tenacity of Starbird himself who never lost sight of his dream. His beautiful Hall of Fame Museum is a priceless gift to all who share his interest in hot rods and custom cars. Thanks Darryl Starbird. Thanks for the ride!

{styleboxop width=400px,float=left}Visit Darryl’s Website at: www.darrylstarbird.com{/styleboxop}

Look again! What you see is not just any old car from the past. It’s a restomod, complete with all the comforts that today’s technology has to offer. These days the desire for the “look” is there. However, interest in returning to the good old days as far as operating the oldies has faded considerably. The point has become to combine the appeal and desire with a machine that drives and operates like a top of the line car of today.

No restomod is complete without loads of creature comforts. When you slide into the seat it’s not a hard bench. You are most likely snuggled into a soft and comfey bucket seat with electric six-way controls. You can love to touch the plush upholstery and sculptured accents on door panels, above your head and even in the trunk. Multi-disc CD players with monster sound systems replace those tiny little AM radios of years ago. DVD players are coming onto the scene now as well. The sky is the limit when it comes to state of the art electronics available everywhere.

As always, talented builders can and do restore their own. Others with the desire, but low on talent and time, can simply shop and buy almost any make or model. Choices include any era from a true antique year to those street rod favorites, and the memorable 50’s to a wide range of muscle cars. These cars are everywhere and finding one for sale is not too difficult. Look around swap meets and car shows. Check out the many car clubs and even auctions. Other places to look are classified ads, restoration shops, parts houses and even the internet.

When purchasing the finished product or contracting a builder, prices will vary depending on the restoration itself and the quality of workmanship that results. If money is no object you can easily spend upwards of $100,000 to $250,000 on a turn-key restoration. If money is indeed an object and you really just want a neat machine to hang out at your local cruise night or drag strip you can probably find your dream car for well less than $50,000. Restoring your own can be even better when it comes to money invested because you are the labor.

Henry Ford - The Visionary
The story of Henry Ford is not of a prodigy entrepreneur or an overnight success. Ford grew up on a farm and might easily have remained in agriculture. But something stronger pulled at Ford’s imagination: mechanics, machinery, understanding how things worked and what new possibilities lay in store. As a young boy, he took apart everything he got his hands on. He quickly became known around the neighborhood for fixing people’s watches.

In 1896, Ford invented the Quadricycle. It was the first “horseless carriage” that he actually built. It’s a far cry from today’s cars and even from what he produced a few years later, but in a way it’s the starting point of Ford’s career as a businessman. Until the Quadricycle, Ford’s tinkering had been experimental, theoretical—like the gas engine he built on his kitchen table in the 1890’s, which was just an engine with nothing to power. The Quadricycle showed enough popularity and potential that it launched the beginning of Ford’s business ventures.

Ford Motor Company Begins
Ford Motor Company entered the business world on June 16, 1903, when Henry Ford and 11 business associates signed the company’s articles of incorporation. With $28,000 in cash, the pioneering industrialists gave birth to what was to become one of the world’s largest corporations. Few companies are as closely identified with the history and development of industry and society throughout the 20th century as Ford Motor Company.

As with most great enterprises, Ford Motor Company’s beginnings were modest. The company had anxious moments in its infancy. The earliest record of a shipment is July 20, 1903, approximately one month after incorporation, to a Detroit physician. With the company’s first sale came hope—a young Ford Motor Company had taken its first steps.

Ford Motor Company was just one of 15 car manufacturers in Michigan and 88 in the US. But as it began to turn a profit within its first few months, it became clear that Henry Ford’s vision for the automotive industry was going to work, and work in a big way. During the first five years of Ford Motor Company’s existence, Henry Ford, as chief engineer and later as president, directed a development and production program that started in a converted wagon shop.

Ford Pioneers the Moving Assembly Line
Perhaps Ford Motor Company’s single greatest contribution to automotive manufacturing was the moving assembly line. First implemented at the Highland Park plant (in Michigan, US) in 1913, the new technique allowed individual workers to stay in one place and perform the same task repeatedly on multiple vehicles that passed by them. The line proved tremendously efficient, helping the company far surpass the production levels of their competitors—and making the vehicles more affordable.

Henry Ford insisted that the company’s future lay in the production of affordable cars for a mass market. Beginning in 1903, the company began using the first 19 letters of the alphabet to name new cars. In 1908, the Model T was born. 19 years and 15 million Model T’s later, Ford Motor Company was a giant industrial complex that spanned the globe. In 1925, Ford Motor Company acquired the Lincoln Motor Company, thus branching out into luxury cars, and in the 1930’s, the Mercury division was created to establish a division centered on mid-priced cars. Ford Motor Company was growing.

Family Management Adventures
Henry Ford’s insistence that the company’s future lay in the production of affordable cars for a mass market caused increasing friction between him and the other investors. As some left, Ford acquired enough stock to increase his own holdings to 58.5 percent. Henry Ford became president in 1906, replacing John S. Gray, a Detroit banker who had served as the company’s first president.

The years between the world wars were a period of hectic expansion. In 1917, Ford Motor Company began producing trucks and tractors. In 1919 a conflict with stockholders over the millions to be spent building the giant Rouge manufacturing complex in Dearborn, Michigan led to the company becoming wholly owned by Henry Ford and his son, Edsel, who then succeeded his father as president. After Edsel Ford passed away in 1943, a saddened Henry Ford resumed the presidency.

Henry Ford resigned for the second time at the end of World War II. His eldest grandson, Henry Ford II, became president on Sept. 21, 1945. Even as Henry Ford II drove the industry’s first postwar car off the assembly line, he was making plans to reorganize and decentralize the company to resume its prewar position as a major force in a fiercely competitive auto industry.

Henry Ford II provided strong leadership for Ford Motor Company from the postwar era into the 1980s. He was president from 1945 until 1960 and chief executive officer from 1945 until 1979. He was chairman of the board of directors from 1960 until 1980, and remained as chairman of the finance committee from 1980 until his death in 1987. When William Clay Ford, Jr. (great-grandson of Henry Ford) was named CEO at the beginning of the Company’s second century, he was the first family member to hold the position in more than 20 years. Like his uncle, Henry Ford II, William Clay Ford, Jr. led a company where “family” has a much broader meaning, referring to far more than just those with the last name “Ford.”


Ford Goes Public in 1956
In the 50’s came the Thunderbird and the chance to own a part of Ford Motor Company. The company went public and, on Feb. 24, 1956, had about 350,000 new stockholders. Henry Ford II’s keen perception of political and economic trends in the 50’s led to the global expansion of FMC in the 60’s, and the establishment of Ford of Europe in 1967, 20 years ahead of the European Economic Community’s arrival. The company established its North American Automotive Operations in 1971, consolidating U.S., Canadian, and Mexican operations more than two decades ahead of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Modern Day Ford
Ford Motor Company started the last century with a single man envisioning products that would meet the needs of people in a world on the verge of high-gear industrialization. Today, Ford Motor Company is a family of automotive brands consisting of: Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, and Volvo. The company is beginning its second century of existence with a worldwide organization that retains and expands Henry Ford’s heritage by developing products that serve the varying and ever-changing needs of people in the global community.

Today, Ford Motor Company’s CEO Alan Mulally leads the Ford family of employees, dealers, suppliers, shareholders, customers, and more—all those that help fulfill the Ford vision: to create great products that benefit customers, shareholders, and society.

(Source: Ford Motor Company)

Perhaps the most recognizable of all hot rods are the popular ‘55, ‘56 and ‘57 Chevys, also known as shoeboxes. Nearly five million of these cars were manufactured, and the different models lend themselves to a wide variety of design and interest. Not only are the post cars often the choice for street rodding, they are also found at many a dragstrip. For someone desiring the lightest weight race car, the 150 utility model is the most desirable. However, that particular model is hard to find these days because they WERE at the dragstrip.

And then there is this. Someone always has a tale to tell about their shoebox. Here’s one that’s heard over and over with different players. As the story goes, a certain young lad watched the older guys hot rodding around his small Georgia hometown. At seventeen he got his chance at last, delivering the vegetables all by himself from his fathers farm. Long story short, he did some speed shifting and managed to trash the transmission on his fathers ‘55 Chevy six-cylinder beyond repair. He managed to escape the punishment, for his father noted he had been having transmission troubles prior to this vegetable run. Today, the man’s father is gone and he is in the process of restoring the old car and all the memories that go with it. One can only hope the next generation will care as well.

The explosive growth of interest in muscle cars can be attributed to a number of things, not the least is the parade of spectacular specimens crossing the Barrett-Jackson auction block, bringing record amounts.

Many times over the statement is heard, “I had one of these when I was in school”, and sure enough these memory-makers are making an impressive comeback, particularly within the group known as baby-boomers.

The term muscle cars defines as a group a number of different models manufactured during a period from the 60’s through the early to mid 70’s. They are best described as machines with high performance engines and styling creating the illusion of speed. There are a good number of makes and models representing that era, including the all time best selling Chevy Chevelle and the Ford Mustang. Carroll Shelby’s involvement did much to boost mustang sales during this period.

{styleboxop}Muscle cars are described as machines with high performance engines and styling creating the illusion of speed.{/styleboxop}
Some cars, such as the AMX - though they were not as desirable at the time - are now fetching top dollar as savvy buyers are reclaiming muscle car history for enjoyment, investment and collecting.

The preservation of an era is not just confined to purchasing the already restored and completed product. Many a backyard garage burns the midnight oil as personal eforts and projects recreate the past from less than perfect beginnings. The result can be a classic original to hundreds of modifications for looks, style, additional power and modern comforts.

Visit nearly any car show in any area and you will see muscle cars of all makes and models. They may be impeccable restorations vying for top honors. They may be built for drag strip action, or just some cool cruising. Some of the most beautiful and popular muscle cars are the convertibles of that day. To be sure, muscle cars are in huge demand - winning top honors, bringing big bucks and pleasing crowds world-wide.

Fortunately, there are many choices from this era of classics. Major manufacturers provide a long list including the Chevy Camaro, Impala, Nova and Chevelle. The Ford Mustang is a favorite, as are Dodge Challengers and Chargers. There are a number of others as well, including the Pontiac GTO and Plymouth Fury.

It was Halloween Cruise Night at the Sonic Drive-In, and Rob Boardman seemed a bit anxious. And, why not? His beautiful 1954 Ford F-100 literally sparkled under the bright lights on this unusually balmy evening. At last he finally shared the good news with the group of cruisers full of questions about his ride. Rob had just been notified that he was a finalist in the search for the Goodguy’s 2006 Truck of the Year (Late) selection. This was not the first, nor would it be the last, honor for the man who simply wanted to put the hundreds of parts and pieces back together again for his own enjoyment. His plan was to retain the “old style look” of the truck he purchased at age seventeen for just $1,200.

Rob’s father found the truck in a field near LosAngeles, and the past several decades it has remained in storage, with plans to redo it someday. Someday did arrive and the frame-off restoration had begun at Ron’s Restoration in Glade, Kansas. The plan was to restore the little truck to “old school original” and perhaps visually that is so.

Beyond that point however, what rolled out of the restoration shop one year later had the look Rob desired and more, but what was under the hood was definitely high tech beginning with an all aluminum 4.6 D.O.H.C. Cobra engine resleeved to 5.0 liters, engine prep by Sean Hyland and dyno by Jack Roush. Engine chrome came from Street and Performance.

Other equipment includes a 4R75W Mach I transmission, Heidt’s Superride II front suspension, Mandrel 2 1/2″ stainless exhaust, power disc brakes, VDO guages and Ididit tilt steering column with cruise control. Among the interior comforts are electric windows, Vintage heat and air conditioning, and black and gray ultra-leather upholstry. The Vibrance Midnight Sapphire exterior is enhanced with American Racing wheels.

Since restoration Rob’s classy little ‘54 has won awards at every car show attended including Best Early Truck, Best Ford, Best Motor, and Best of Show. Judges named the pickup Outstanding Ford at the Goodguys show at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. At the Goodguys event at Kansas City’s Kansas Speedway the truck was selected as a “Truck of the Year” finalist candidate and was a Classic Truck Magazine top 10 pick as well.

Certainly 2006 comes to an exciting end for the man who just wanted to fix up a sentimental piece of his youth.

Goodguys in Hot Rod Alley
The Goodguys Rod and Custom Association was front and center at the recent SEMA show held in LasVegas, Nevada. Their booth was located where else but right in the middle of Hot Rod Alley. The booth display featured the Goodguys Grand Prize Giveaway Car for 2007, the Foose Challenger. Visitors received the latest issue of the Goodguys Gazette and also the new 2007 events schedule.

Foose Challenger Unveiled!
Chip Foose and the team of Unique Performance and Year One have combined their talents on the Goodguys 2007 Grand Prize Giveaway Car - the Foose ‘70 Challenger! The radical muscle car will be given away at the 2007 Goodguys Nationals in Columbus.

Called “the beast”, the Challenger has a 426 c.i.d. HEMI big block and TKO 5-speed transmission with a Unique Performance Parts rear suspension. The car also sports Foose wheels, emblems and a custom hood.

The Foose ‘70 Challenger will be given away at the 2007 Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. All Goodguys national event participants are eligible to win the car through qualifying drawings until the giveaway.