king of the world

i'm sure the owner of this 1959 dodge custom royal didn't know what to think of me. the usual suspect: "do you work for a magazine?" in his eyes, yet he didn't ask. he did run over to the car and ask if i'd noticed the seats. they just looked like seats, did not appear to have been specially reupholstered or anything. he opened the passenger side door and ta-da: the seat swivels. i guess that could come in handy. he explained that for several years it was standard on these cars. if they still made them that way, perhaps a couple of sets of sheepskin seat covers would have lasted a lot longer for my passengers.

well, thanks for pointing that tidbit out, i wouldn't have known otherwise. really.

anyway, the distinctive front end and prerequisite back fins caught my eye. really an interesting car to let your eyes wander over. maybe i'll post the back end sometime – the fins are quite different form others i've seen, and you know how i feel about the fins... :)

rolling amethyst

i finally got the front of this car.

first saw it at pal joey's show at the santa elks club in march. i shot the back end while my husband did the other side – kind of like a car sandwich. he still wasn't satisfied with his shots, so i continued on to other cars. by the time i came back around for my shot, the owner was in the car and driving away.

and that always has been the case ever since, until last weekend at original mike's. i got there early. the owner was polishing and polishing this 1940 ford coupe. he was still polishing it when i took this shot, but you can't see him from this angle. he stopped long enough to take my card that had the back end shot on it and pocket it.

anyway, its a nice, shiny car. keep polishing...

three's a crowd?

not bad. not bad at all. found these cars at fatburger's in orange yesterday. small show, i suppose because there are no raffles, trophies or other razzle dazzle. just locals enjoying each other's camaraderie and showing off their rides. at least its honest pride and ego strokes.

the owner of the '31(?) or '32 (?) ford hot rod stopped me twice, to particularly make sure that i checked out the backside—not his, the car—where i found this. the car was painted in fine glitter paint and was clean as can be. showed the guy my book and gave him my card, since he asked about my photography. so, i will assume he'll see his baby here...what do you think?

the 1941 chevrolet happened to be the same one i saw at garden grove main street show in april. the owner was sitting in the back seat of the car with the doors open. i had a small picture of the main street photo and asked if it was his car. at first he didn't think so, but i pointed out that someone must be driving around in a similar car, similar paint job, and same license plate. anyway, he said the car has been used for weddings, parties, and hollywood events. easy money, you've earned it with this baby. very nice.

never got a shot of the truck on its own, other than this bit here. thou art very plain, but i like your fuzzy dice.

older and wiser

so, yep, i've been really busy at work. hectic. i've been lucky if i can catch an hour toward the end of a car show lately. and, as its been colder, not as many cars show up anyway, so by the time i can get there, most are already gone that were there.

anyway, i made a point to get to the ruby's in whittier last friday, a bit of enderle on sunday, followed by original mike's. figured that more than a few from enderle would go over to mike's, since its not very far. and they did.

this old 1936 chevrolet sedan has seen better days. you've already seen it's hood ornament a few days ago. got a nice aged patina going, i think. the dusty windows make me imagine they drove in from an old barn or garage somewhere norman rockwellian. owner was probably in the restaurant or partaking of the beverages on the patio, so i didn't get the background on it. always welcome to comment or shoot me an email to add the story here, ya know...

crazy for his mercury

i see this guy and his car a lot. usually drives up and immediately pops the hood. well, if you look in, the engine is really clean and chromey, dual headers or whatever those things are called. even has some matching pinstripes going on, but that isn't what i want a picture of, though i did take a few.

maybe he noticed that i walk by most cars with the hoods open, or maybe someone told him (there were a couple of other guys chatting him up), but he offered to close it this time. great. he stayed in his chair, so that's him on the right. everyone say hi to him when you see him.

he did leave the hood down the rest of the time i was there. came back to his car later, while he was gone, took a few more shots, with palm trees in the background; better shot, but the sun was really heading down, and i showed up too much as a long shadow across the pavement, which kind of messed it up.

i feel the need for speed

my dad used to have a 928, so i kind of understand why people love porsches. not only fast as hell, but beautiful styling and aerodynamics.

found this 1957 porsche 1600 super at the trabuco canyon show. maybe it was just someone's car, not actually part of the show, but there it was, and there i was, so i took a picture. looks fast just sitting still.

it's the pits

i think this car has seen better days. this hood ornament is on a 1936 chevrolet sedan 2-door. looks like nothing has been restored yet, as if the car has been wasting away in a garage for a long time.

owner wasn't around, so i don't know the story, but i found the image interesting.

hot as i wanna be

i see this car at a few shows almost every week. finally got a shot that i like. would have been better if the hoods were down on the other cars, but oh well. not gonna ask them to close them because they're ruining the picture of this other car, especially since i didn't take pictures of those two. hoods up, cameras down.

guessing by the radiator that it's a 1929 ford model a roadster. i like the reflection in the window. just now noticed it while writing this post. yes, there were hooters girls milling about, serving drinks and food to the participants, and posing for pictures.

check out my husband's version from the broiler in downey here.

humble huddie

found a new car for my collection at ruby's in whittier: a 1949 hudson classic sedan. not too many people bothering to look at this car. i don't know why. just as clean and classic as any of the other cars there. well anyway, i liked it. owner wasn't around, so i don't know the story on this one.

i wanna fly like an eagle

this 1957 ford thunderbird was spectacular. spotless. wow. this was on an overcast mother's day in trabuco canyon at the classic chrome car show at friends bar & grill.

i heard the owner telling a small crowd of admirers that he'd won seven best-of-shows and that he doesn't bother to enter anymore. well good for him. doesn't need the ego strokes any more...he knows it's da bomb already. lol.

anyway, he's got my card, so maybe he'll see it here for one more hurrah.