The Atomitron

Custom Studebaker Pickup from 2011 Grand National Roadster Show

I promised I had a few customized Studebakers up my sleeve that I found at the 2011 Grand National Roadster Show….so here’s #2 (Check out this Ute if ya missed #1!)

Who’s ever seen a Studebaker pickup like this one!? Believe it or not, this 1949 Studebaker Pickup has been in the works for about 25 years. When the current owner, John Saltsman, got the truck it had already been chopped about 6″ by “Merc John.”

Adventures in Hot Rodding

Car shows, car club, breakdowns, wrench nights, possible near death experiences, getting things fixed, and as always adventuring in the hot rod world – these things and more are what’ve been goin’ on for the past month as I’ve neglected my writing.

Gasoline Girls Invade Ventura Nationals

It was labor day weekend, and you know what that means…leaving LA for the 100 mile drive to Ventura for the weekend. Although the show’s been going on for 8 years now, this year its name changed from “Primer Nationals” to “Ventura Nationals”…so don’t get confused!

Other then being filled with great cars, good music, a pinup contest…it was extra special because it also marked the first official show that me and my girl’s car club attended together! I’ve been meaning to introduce ya’ll to them, so no time is better then the present – say hello to the Gasoline Girls! We’ve been meeting up and getting together to wrench on one another’s cars for a few months now  - and having a darn good time at it!

Standing Out At LA Roadster Show

This weekend the 46^th Annual LA Roadster Show was held at the fairgrounds in Pomona, California. As the name implies, this is a show focused on roadsters. Roadsters aren’t the only thing to see though. In fact last year, I was so busy checking out the informal car show that happens in the “preferred parking” area that I didn’t even make it over to look at any roadsters! This year I decided to remedy that and take a good look at all those purdy roadsters.

As I walked through row after row of pristine roadster my head started to spin! Rather than continuing on with glazed-over eyes I decided to try and learn a little, recognize roadster differences, and figure out which I like the best.

What’s there to learn about a roadster? Tons! First, how about a definition of what makes a roadster a roadster? Most know one when they see one, but could they define it? Then you’ve got Highboys, Model A’s, T-Buckets… what are the differences? I know I’m not the only one who’s unsure about these distinctions. Thanks to some new friends including Lynn from the LA Roadsters as well as Donny and Chuck for teaching me some new stuff! Be on the lookout for that article in the next couple of days!

As I was learning, I was also noticing what I did and did not like on roadsters.

A Roadster That Can Fly? Check out the Platinum Bomb!

“If the guy building a 1943 Lockheed airplane decided to build a hot rod, this might be what he’d build,” said Zachary Norman, owner and builder of Platinum Bomb. While he denies that it’s a theme car, there’s a definite unifying element to this 1932 Ford roadster. One quick glance will tell you it’s aviation. From the aluminum-looking paint job to the dash full of airplane gauges, this car is full of details that make it look like a hot rod that’s ready to fly!