Since this is the last Free Wallpaper Friday before Monday’s release of “Class of 2008,”, I’m leaving you this week with another sample of what you’ll find in the site’s first book. This photograph is an ‘86 GMC Wrangler half-ton pickup, turned pro-street racer. Even though it looks like it belongs on the drag strip, this extra short truck is fully street legal.
1280×764, optimized for wide-screen monitors
1024×768, optimized for regular-screen monitors
The book is looking great, and is just waiting for the celebrity foreword to be put in before it’s sent to the printers and made available to the general public. I’m getting really excited, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading it just as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it!
Don’t forget to check out the all-new Sunday Cruise Fever Facebook group. Be the first to find out when new articles and pictures are posted, meet other gearheads, and even post photos and videos of your own ride. Everyone is welcome to join, so sign up today!
Looking for a rant about rat rodding? Or maybe pictures of Kari Knox’s sweet Rat Rod Beetle? Don’t read it here-check out this article at the all-new SundayCruiseFever.com! You’ll not only get bigger, better pictures, you’ll have the chance to get the full Sunday Cruise Fever experience!
They’re everywhere. Every time you pick up the paper or turn on the TV news, there they are. They’re a disgrace to our culture, a drag on our society, and they’re just plain trash. Our world would be so much better off without them.
Buzzwords, that is. Those so-called “cute” mutations of useful words that chip away at the grand institution known as the English Language. They ingrained themselves so deeply in our society that the New Oxford American Dictionary is now adding them as real words.
Which brings us to a word that many of us are familiar with: Rat Rod. A word that started innocently enough, but is fast encroaching on buzzword status. In the beginning, a few cars would be done up in this style, serving as transportation for folks that live the rockabilly lifestyle. Others started to “get it,” and made similar vehicles. This led to more people catching on and building their own rat rods, creating a new phenomenon in our passion. Now, thousands of vehicles are being done up in the rat rod style, driven to car shows by their white collar owners who paid gobs of money to have it built for them.
Before we go on a rant here, let’s step back and try to figure out what the term “rat rod” entails. According to Wikipedia, the term is defined as “a style of hot rod or custom car that, in most cases, imitates (or exaggerates) the early hot rods of the 40s, 50s, and 60s.”
Translation: Cars that look like cars from the days when cars were cars. Sure there’s more to it, but that’s about what it boils down to. Of course, there’s more to the look as well. Pinstriping seems to be important, as is John Deere black muffler paint for anyone that’s not lucky enough to have rust on their rides. Flathead Ford V8 engines seem to be the driving force, but there’s a few that get away with small block V8s and old straight 6 mills. Apparently a straight axle is mandatory, but many cheat their way around this requirement.
But where there’s rules, there’s rebellion. And given that rat rodders take pride in being rebellious towards the institutions of hot rodding, shouldn’t some rat rods go against the checklist they’re forced to pass? For example, should the mid-’90s Caprice pictured below be considered a rat rod? It has the primer, it has the pinstriping, and it has a complete lack of visible billet parts.
But wait-it’s a mid ’90s Chevy Caprice. Yes, the car that the police probably busted you in at least once. Should a car known for transporting “The Man” be the hot rod for people that aren’t supposed to be down with “The Man?” Hey, at least it wasn’t a Volkswagen Beetle rat rod.
But this is:
And you have to admit, it’s pretty freakin’ awesome as a car. But is it a rat rod? Flat black primer? Check. Chop top, like they did in the day? Check. Steel wheels, chrome hubcaps, pinstriping, and crazy metalwork on the hood, the way the old masters would have done it? Check. Well, if it looks like a rat rod, and smells like a rat rod, it must be a rat rod. Right?
Viva Las Vegas, the biggest rockabilly gathering in North America says no. The car show portion strictly prohibits VW’s of any kind, no matter how they were done. Does this mean it’s not a rat rod? And if not, what is it?
The correct answer is “who cares?” Who cares if someone thinks your car isn’t “rat” enough to run with the slick-haired boys? Building a hot rod is about personal expression, creating a car or truck that’s meant to show off your attitude and personality at highway speeds. And if what you create doesn’t fit the rules that someone else laid out for you, all the better. Conforming can seem like an easy way to live your life, but it’s certainly not a way to achieve fulfillment. The same goes for your ride. Driving a menopausal blue Chevy Lumina might get a nod from grandma, but how much more fun would you have had if you opted for something with just a little more patina.
All the cars seen in today’s post came from Sunday Cruise Fever’s first book, “Class of 2008,” available May 2009. There’s 88 pages of cars and trucks like this, from all-original Model T’s to prototype Dodge Chargers. To get your own copy, contact the author, Jordan, at (204) 997.8827, or jordan.morningstar@gmail.com. Alternatively, hunt him down on any cruise night or car show and get a copy from him personally!
Want this unique content in your magazine, newspaper, newsletter or website? Contact Jordan Morningstar at (204) 997.8827, or jordan.morningstar-at-gmail.com to find out about licensing images and text for your media outlet.
Full Disclosure: Aside from blogging about cars every week, I also write professionally-or at least as professional as I get-for Canadian Hot Rods & Classics, a Victoria, BC magazine that covers every aspect of the hot rodding scene in Canada. Being that CHRC is one of a very few print magazines that’s thriving in Canada right now, it’s really an honour to be a freelance contributor to them. Today’s post is an extension of an article I wrote for the current issue, available on news stands across the great white north.
Being bad-ass in today’s day and age is something of a misnomer. From crappy action movies like the XXX franchise, to extreme gardening, it seems like anything that was boring last week is now marketed as being for the righteous motherf*****rs of the world. It seems like being a badass just isn’t what it used to be.
That’s what makes Paulo Callisto’s ‘65 Mustang fastback so truly badass. To look at it just makes you think that someone really did a great restoration and threw a reasonable body kit on it. Sure, it sits a lot lower, but that’s an easy enough fix on any car. Besides that, it’s a grey car for crying out loud. No, not dark silver-it’s definitely grey.
At least, that’s what you think before Paulo cranks up the motor. All peace and quiet is lost as the rumble of a V8 motor turns to a roar, along with the high-pitched scream of a centrifugical supercharger. It’s enough to scare the hedge clippers right off of an extreme gardener.
The sound you’re hearing is that of a 331 cubic inch Iron Horse V8 engine, which Paulo built from the ground up. The block, a cast-iron version of the Ford Aluminator advertised in magazines, was brought into Canada at a cost of $20,000. Yes, just for the block. Add to that a Holley Systemax fuel injection setup, fed by a Vortech supercharger. All that fuel/air mixture is sparked off by an MSD ignition setup, and vented by as little muffler as possible. In total, the motor spits fire to the tune of 750-825 horsepower, depending on the amount of boost.
Nothing else is what it seems, either. To someone who doesn’t know Mustangs, the interior looks stock. To anyone who knows how sparse an original 60’s interior should be, it’s a hospitality suite at the Hilton. Not only are there comfy leather seats all around, the new console (and all the gauges) take up every inch of space not used for legs. The B&M shifter controlling a C4 automatic is tucked into this console so perfect that it looks factory, much like the stereo and the billet inserts around the speedo and tach. In fact, the only thing that didn’t look factory-Ford built this day was Paulo’s cellphone, which he left on the seat.
There isn’t an inch of this ride that doesn’t scream “Bad Ass MoFo” in one way or another. Even the grey paint is a shade from Aston-Martin’s colour book, recently seen on James Bond’s DBS in Casino Royale. Even the big stereo (to compete with the big motor) hides its huge subwoofers in the trunk.
Cars that scream “look at me!” are easy to find in parking lots, and easier to find in rear-view mirrors. It’s cars like Paulo’s-hard to find and impossible to catch-that give our passion a positive direction for the future. Because if we aren’t building’em like this, the extreme gardeners win.
Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Canadian Hot Rods & Classics before they’re sold out. Or better yet, visit their website to order your subscription. And if you still have room on your bookshelf, get yourself a copy of the first SundayCruiseFever.com book, “Class of 2008.” It’s jammed full of amazing cars, trucks, and bikes, including pictures of this bitchin’ Mustang. Available online from December 1st!
Want this unique content in your magazine, newspaper, newsletter or website? Contact Jordan Morningstar at (204) 997.8827, or jordan.morningstar-at-gmail.com to find out about licensing images and text for your media outlet.
Well, OK, so Free Wallpaper Friday is supposed to happen on Friday, not Saturday after I get home from work. My deepest apologies to anyone who was waiting for this, and I hope you weren’t too put out by it. Unfortunately, that’s the downside of trying to meet deadlines for big projects like the first Sunday Cruise Fever book. Which, by the way, will feature cars like this trio of vintage Datsuns:
1280×768, optimized for widescreen monitors
1024×768, optimized for regular monitors
They’re not as pricey as a big ol’ 60’s musclecar, but they’re even more awesome in the minds of the owners (and probably in the minds of other Datsun enthusiasts, too). They’re probably a lot more rare, given that there’s only a handful of these amongst the dozens of Dodges, Oldsmobiles, Fords, Chevys, etc., that roam our streets in summertime.
But the best part of these three Datsuns? They’ll be appearing in SundayCruiseFever.com Class of 2008. It’s available online starting December 1st, featuring hundreds of gorgeous cars, trucks, and bikes in full colour. And not just Datsuns, either. Everything from Jimmy Genakis’ ‘76 Cadillac Eldorado, to huge 4×4’s, to a prototype Dodge Charger. There’s even information on the featured rides-who owns them, who built them, and what makes them go.
That’s it for today, but come back Tuesday for more awesome pictures, and maybe a story or two out of the book. ’Till then, keep it shiny side up!
It’s a beautiful August day, perfect for taking in a car show. As you wander up and down the rows of cars, you notice what a clean 1950 Ford coupe this is:
That’s when you start to think “Such smooth bodywork, with the sexy post-war curves mellowed out just enough. And the way the owner worked over that windshield really adds a modern look. It’s almost as if it was a newer car with older car bodywork grafted onto the front end.”
Well, guess what.
You’d be right.
This 1990 Thunderbird LX-slash-1950 Ford Coupe was started 14 years ago by John Scheel of Scheel’s Auto Upholstery. Although John wasn’t the first to do this conversion, he’s quite likely put more work into his than anyone else. The entire front clip was stretched three inches wider, which means the centre “lump” had to be re-shaped in order to make it look right. And don’t forget that John had to pull three inches of chrome grill from out of nowhere, so as to wrap around the front end properly.
More metal work was saved for the ass end. The stock rear fenders were morphed together with the ‘50 Ford fenders to create the sharp edges leading into the old car’s taillight housings. The trunklid was also stretched three inches sideways, although it needed to be “pie-cut.” That is, the top was sliced the way you would cut up your mama’s saskatoon pie, then re-welded together so it would a) fit right and b) look right.
Under the hood is all original 1990 Ford equipment. The car is powered by the stock 3.8 litre V6, hooked to a 4-speed automatic. It’s not a musclecar, but at the very least it’s still a rear-wheel drive vehicle. And not being a big street monster, it gets great mileage.
Of course, it doesn’t stop with just the bodywork. The car also features hubcaps from a ‘56 or ‘57 Olds Fiesta, a pair of vintage-style chrome spotlights, and a set of non-functioning lake pipes. ”That’s a trick we used to do in the 60’s” John explained, “so I did it on here, too.”
All in all, John’s 1950/1990 Ford Coupe/Thunderbird is a wicked ride. It’s one of only a few examples of a car that blurs the line between oldschool style and new school comfort and convenience, without having hundreds of thousands of dollars invested to make it that way. The best part is that John’s car is one of many wicked cars, trucks, and bikes featured in SundayCruiseFever.com’s first book, “Class of 2008,” available online December 1st, 2008. It’s jam-packed with nearly 80 pages of sweet rides, from John’s T-bird to a rare 1926 Pontiac, and from huge pickup trucks to tiny vintage Datsuns. To find out more, come back for Free Wallpaper Friday for a sneak preview of what’s to come.
Want this unique content in your magazine, newspaper, newsletter or website? Contact Jordan Morningstar at (204) 997.8827, or jordan.morningstar-at-gmail.com to find out about licensing images and text for your media outlet.
Now that Christmas is coming, I’ve been working frantically to get the first Sunday Cruise Fever book done. So far there is 64 pages of photos, although the finished product will be 70-80 pages, and all but a few of them will have full-colour, glossy photos, such as this shot of Mario’s ‘64 Impala SS hardtop.
1280 x 764, optimized for widescreen monitors
And it’s not just going to be little pictures like what you see on your screen. Many of the images are what they call “full page/full bleed.” That is, they take up the entire page, all the way to the very edge, without any white border. And each page will be a full 10″ wide by 8″ tall, just like the prints you can order from this site. Got questions? leave a comment below, and I’ll get you an answer ASAP.
Want this unique content in your magazine, newspaper, newsletter or website? Contact Jordan Morningstar at (204) 997.8827, or jordan.morningstar-at-gmail.com to find out about licensing images and text for your media outlet.
When we started this series on the history of the Corvette, we asked you, the reader, to name a car that’s had the lasting power of the Corvette. Although some of you may have tried, the truth is that you can’t–there has never been a model in the short history of the automobile that has achieved such fame for so long. Even the venerable Ferrari, whose entry-level models are often compared to the ‘Vette, is barely older. That’s right, the entire Ferrari corporation was conceived just a few years before the Corvette.
With that first question answered, it’s time to ask another question: why?
Why has the Corvette become the definition of a North American sportscar? Why does it still turn heads, arouse dreams, and make gearhead’s hearts flutter every time one drives by?
One reason might be the big engine. Ever since GM ditched the Blue Flame inline-6, the Corvette has been synonymous with oversized motors. From the infamous 427 of the 70’s to the new 630 horsepower ZR-1, the Corvette, like America, is about “hot, nasty, badass speed.” But if its big motor is what makes it so famous, why aren’t other big-engined rides even more famous? The “Blastolene Special” currently owned by Jay Leno has a Volkswagen Beetle sized V-12 engine from a 1950’s Patton-class tank. It was recently retrofitted with a custom fuel injection system, bringing it up to 800+ horsepower and over 1,500 ft-lbs. of torque. So then why does the one-off Blastolene Special only have a single Wikipedia page, compared to the multiple, lengthy pages for each generation of Corvette?
Is it the high technology going into each and every one? It’s not easy for any major manufacturer to develop new bells and whistles to make one car more space-age than the other. That said, The General has done a wicked good job bringing the future to the Corvette, with every fancy new doodad possible wired in somehow. But if technology is what makes an automobile famous, why does the all-electric Tesla Roadster–possibly the world’s most technologically advanced sportscar–only have one fan club?
But what about the racing legacy? Sure, the Corvette has won some prestigious races in the past, but racing legacy didn’t do much for the McLaren F1. The McLaren Group, a British race car manufacturer pisses excellence when it comes to Formula One, but they still only squeezed a 6-year, 107-car production run out of their first road going car.
So what is it then, that’s given the rock star of sportscars such a great run? It’s not the engines, although I’m sure that helped. It’s not the technology, or the racing legacy, even though it probably had some impact. It’s probably not the fibreglass body-face it, who cares about fibreglass?
How about this: The average rock band usually has a lifespan of three to four albums at the most. The debut album gets your attention, and the sound is perfected on the second album. By the third album, the music hits a “sophmore slump” leading to a “greatest hits” fourth album, cashing in before everyone forgets who the artist was in the first place. However, there are a select few rock stars who carefully build a loyal following, who stick with them through thick and thin, leading to platinum record after platinum record.
The Corvette is that rock star.
Doing a Google search for Corvette turns up 37,200,000 websites, 4,560,000 images, and 2,600 news articles-fifteen million more web sites than Elvis Presley. The Idaho Corvette Page lists over a hundred Corvette clubs, including some in countries that drive on the wrong side of the road. Even the Corvette Club of Manitoba (a province of less than one million people) can attract over 40 specimens from across several provinces just to attend a backyard BBQ in Winnipeg. The Corvette museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is several times bigger than the Beatles’ museum in Liverpool. And although both museums enjoy millions of visitors per year, a good percentage of the visitors through the Liverpool facility had other reasons to visit Liverpool. Bowling Green? Meh, not so much.
So in the end, that’s why the Corvette has been the world’s longest lasting automotive marquee. Just like a quality rock star, it provided its fans with something that gave pleasure, enjoyment, and in some cases a sense of belonging amongst fellow fans. In return, the fans gave back their passion, their energy, and their willingness to believe in something that began as a car, but became so much more.
Like what you see? stop by the shop and find out how to get prints made from any image on this website. And if your walls are already full, we also have T-shirts and mugs ready to be printed with your favourite picture from this site!
Want this unique content in your magazine, newspaper, newsletter or website? Contact Jordan Morningstar at (204) 997.8827, or jordan.morningstar-at-gmail.com to find out about licensing images and text for your media outlet.
1280×764, optimized for wide-screen monitors
