Since the weather is so awesome here, we’ve been leaving the balcony door open at night for the cool fresh air instead of running the air conditioning. The light coming in usually wakes me up, but I slept a little later this morning since I was out late racing in Huntington Wed night. Instead the sound of a rumbling flathead woke me up around 7:30….Hot Rods had begun invading the hotel parking lot. I got up and wandered down to breakfast and checked out what we had in the lot – a few guys had arrived from Missouri – driving – two roadsters and a 3w coupe, the Lesky’s of Ionia Rod Shop also arrived with the green roadster.
The big event on today’s agenda was LimeWorks Open house and lunch. This is only the second year they have done this, and it had more than doubled in size – it was advertised as being 11 to 2, but Steve told me people were there at 8am – and when we left at 4, there were new cars arriving. So much for a lunch event, it turned out to be an all day event. I guess that is a testament to the the many customers they have, and people that have purchased their products. I have been piloting my roadster all over SoCal with the 4 Spoke leather wrapped wheel of theirs, and I picked up a new Forty Column and Forty Wheel for my new roadster while I was at the shop today.
The parking lot next door the LW was slammed with cool hot rods – tons of pics below – as well as the rear parking lot, alley, all the curbside parking on Greenleaf Ave, etc. Next year Steve and company are going to have to make some other arrangements for even more parking nearby.
I was sitting inside at one of the tables having a conversation with a guy who drove down from Simi Valley in his ’39 Tudor, and Megan of HAMB fame walked up. She and her friend Matt drove out to CA in a red ’32 Roadster, that was bought in Santa Monica around 1959, then towed to Ohio. I had seen pictures of this car, but not in person. I got up to walk out front, and on the way, about 3 people I knew stopped to tell me to go out front and see this neat little red roadster. Wow.
The car is really cool – built in ’56, sold and sent back east in ’59 – basically untouched other than a few cosmetic things. The original owners name is George Kirk, and Matt would really like to get in touch with him. I was a local hot rodder, and lived in Santa Monica circa 1956-59….he sold the car for $750 on the spot, and told the buyers that he was going to go to Vegas on a gambling trip with the money. So if any of you know this guy, have heard of this, or can offer any more insight on the history of this car – please give Matt a call – 330-904-5268.
We took off from Limeworks, and headed back east over the mountains on Azusa…cool ride over the canyons…I blew past the turn to go back to Diamond Bar and continued north up into the mountains and just wandered around for a while…beautiful houses up in the hills…fun roads, great weather…
Back at the hotel the reast of the FL contingent and rolled into the hotel – the left Indy on Monday – the old Topless Tour route from ’99 – FL to Indy to LA. ’99 was my first year coming to the Father’s Day, and I was standing in the parking lot of the hotel when they rolled in that year – Andy Brizio in front – Dennis Varni(in the ’92 AMBR winner) – Bob Lawrence from FL and more… I still want to make that trip…maybe next year if I have the right car and the time.
About dark we headed over the the Fariplex to see what was up – there were already 5 lines 100 cars deep to get into the swap meet. The LARS swap meet has no assigned swap meet spaces, it is first come first serve. People begin lining up at the gate on Wednesday, to get in first at 10am Friday! Sig Emerson of Rodsville Quickchange fame was 4th in line – he has been parked there since 9am Wednesday. Camping in the truck – taking turns with the others in line to make food runs. The line up for the swap meet is a party in itself – people with motorhomes setting up bars, cooking out…buying and selling stuff between them all….wild stuff.
I’m out the the swap today – get some good pics!
