Louisiana Peach Festival Antique Car Show – Ruston, LA

Reports are coming in that this show was an “Ada Boy” Show. The Ruston Antique Car Club was the host and it looked as if you were not part of their circle of local friends, you would not be recognized. When a Corvette wins a second in the MUSCLE CAR CLASS you know things have gone south. Anyone that has been in the hobby any amount of time knows a Corvette is classed as a Sports Car not a Muscle Car. More and more of these shows are popping up and I’m finding that these festival shows are just a means to draw a crowd and really don’t promote the hobby. The show had approximately 100 cars and I was told the show was very spread out. Entry fee for the show was $25.00 (included lunch & event T-shirt) and entry in the festival was $5. Since I didn’t attend and don’t have complete details on the show I will not do a complete review. According to sources that attended, they said “I can’t wait to MISS this show next year!” If anyone took pictures at the show please forward to M3. Here is the Louisiana Peach Festival website if you would like further details on the Festival and other Events. Anyone that attended this show feel free to comment.

Project: ’67 Chevy C-10 Rat Rod

After saving this truck from scrap I decided to make my first Rat Rod.  I was told the motor was a Small Block 350 but after doing a little research I found out the SBC 350 wasn’t offered up till 1969.  The two small blocks offered in 1967 were a 283 and 327.  I have yet to run numbers to see if the SBC is original to the truck or not.  It really doesn’t matter to me, just curious.  The 1967 Chevy C-10 P/U was also the first year of this body style.  The ’67 and ’68 were basically the same but the ’69 did have some slight changes with the hood and front fenders that make interchanging panels a bit difficult. Here is the truck in it’s current state.
Here is a pic of a truck I found on eBay that best shows my plans for the ’67 C-10. The only differences will be the truck will be Flat Primer Black rather than the Red and I’m considering chopping the top about 3 inches and adding airbags to lift and lower the truck at will just like this one. Also the doors will have the Miss-Lou Motor Mafia Logo. It’s gonna be a fun build that I hope to involve my family with.
So stay tuned for updates on the project.

First Logo Concept…

Here is my first Logo concept for Miss-Lou Motor Mafia. I’m thinking very seriously of having George Trosley from CAR-Toons fame, create my M3 Logo. But for now here is the first of what I came up with. Tell me what you think. Just click here to check it out.

Car Show Judging Seminar – Biloxi, MS

This seems to be a good idea but I’m curious to know how it goes and the quality of the class.  If anyone attends please contact M3 for an interview.  Unfortunately, I have obligations and will not be able to attend.

Car Show Judging Seminar Saturday July 26 11:00 am. – 1:30 pm. Edgewater Mall Community room and West parking lot. Receive a Certificate of Training. Everyone Welcome. Car show promoters and car clubs are looking for qualified judges, It is our intention to create a Car Show Judge’s pool made up from volunteers who would like to be called upon to independently judge shows. After completing the seminar, everyone will have the same training, and guideines, to ensure continuity on scoring general auto shows. We will issue a certificate of attending a training class to each person who attends. This class is free but attendees are asked to supply name and phone number to be put on Car Show Judge’s pool Sponsored by, Bee Line Auto Appraisals & Gulf Coast MotorSports Information call Larry Burdeshaw 228 392-4374 or Jimbo 228 596-0664

What a Piece of Scrap! Part 2

As I was passing by the scrap yard I spotted these 2 vehicles in line to be sold for scrap. One is a ’49 Ford post and the other is a ’67 Chevy C-10 Step-Side P/U. The Ford had considerable rust but would have made a great project car.  It had a Flathead V8 under the hood.  The ’67 Chevy C-10 had some rust in the usual places but was pretty solid.  It was complete with a SBC 350 with a Powerglide trans.  I pulled the guy out of line and bought the ’67 Chevy P/U.  This will be my next project.  I think it will be a great custom.  He still had the original title from when his brother owned it.  I bought it for a song.

Unfortunately the Ford wasn’t saved.  When I passed I thought it was a Mercury and that is what made me turn around.  That’s when I saw the ’67 Chevy C-10.  My grandfather had a ’69 Chevy Fleetside that was white and yellow.  Well here is another pic of my new project.  It doesn’t look like much but it has a lot of potential.

The Lost Art Of Cruising

I was contacted recently by an old friend that found me through one of the many car sites that I frequent on a regular basis. We caught up chatting about our spouses and kids and where our lives had led us and then began reflecting back about our days of youth.
The conversation went back to my first custom, a 1987 Chevy S-10 Pick-up. I was never much of an athlete in high school, so much of my time and attention went to that truck. It was a black base model S-10 with air with gold fade stripes. It didn’t even have a radio. I remember Dad saying “You can do anything you want to it but DON’T TOUCH THE MOTOR!”. Well I did just that.
The truck was lowered 5 inches in the rear and 4 inches in the front with Keystone Blackstar wheels and low profile tires. My shock mounts were 1 inch off the ground and when ever I changed lanes I would actually rip up the reflective lane markers in the road. I washed that truck every Friday evening for the cruising that would take place on Friday and Saturday night. My grandfather would say “Your gonna wash the paint off that truck!”. It was never seen dirty. The truck would eventually evolve into what you see in the picture. The stripes came off, the grill and headlight bezels were painted black, glass was tinted and smoked headlight covers were added. A friend of mine once said the truck just looked plain evil to him. It was then and there the truck was named “Justa Lil’ Evil”. I actually have a tattoo on my right arm in memory of that first custom. That little truck started it all for me.
I submitted a picture and write-up about the truck to Mini-Truckin’ magazine and they actually printed it in an issue in 1989.
To this day, every time I hear Def Leppard’s Hysteria album it reminds me of the many hours of cruising between Natchez, MS and Vidalia, LA. I remember putting over 200 miles on that truck every weekend just cruising the loop. The “Loop” consisted of starting in Vidalia. LA. then across the bridge into Natchez, MS then through Natchez Mall then through to Tracetown Shopping Center and back.
Cruising was our 80s My Space. This is how we kept in contact with everyone. There were no cellphones or internet. We just cruised and saw everyone.
There was nothing like a full tank of gas, your best girl next to you, great tunes and the road at night to just wander. That was Cruising.
Charlotte, thanks for the trip back to memory lane. Damn! Now I feel like going Cruising. Guess I’ll get the ’71 Camaro out for a few rounds of the “Loop”.

Super Rod Magazine: Boyd Coddington Tribute

I had no idea of the people he actually worked with in the past. The piece is very indepth and gives great insight of a man that left his mark on the HotRod world. You can check out the complete article here but you should really buy this month’s issue to see the excellent pictorial of his life.

Cannonball Run, big cost, but possibly big prizes.

Did you ever watch the the Cannonball Run movies? Here’s a little background if you’re not familiar with the history of the Cannonball- the movies were based on an actual event Car and Driver editors Brock Yates and Steve Smith organized called the Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash to protest the newly instituted 55 mph speed limit among other tightening traffic laws. There were only four “official” Runs, but many have borrowed the name for their own races.

Cannonball Run World Events Ltd. has cooked up their own version of the infamous illegal run, but rather than invitation only, anyone can register for this Cannonball. The catch is you’ve got to be a high roller to play. Still got some lottery winnings left over, or maybe a check from a second mortgage burning a hole in your pocket? Read on to see what it’s all about. You can read Hot Rod Magazines complete article here.

Former NHRA world champ Scott Kalitta succumbs to injuries in accident

Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta, 46, died June 21 from multiple injuries suffered after his car went out of control and crashed in a high-speed racing accident at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park during the fourth and final round of qualifying at the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals. Kalitta was extracted from his car by NHRA emergency services officials and transported to Old Bridge Township Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
You can see the complete article here at the NHRA Website.
Our condolences go out to Scott’s family, friends and fans. He will be greatly missed.

Nice Headlights!