ROD and CUSTOM: MYSTERY MERC!

ROD and CUSTOM: MYSTERY MERC!
Hot Rod Archeologist Pat Ganahl has been tracking a long-lost customized and chopped Mercury with Tinseltown credits, but the trail on the ROD and CUSTOM: MYSTERY MERC! has gone cold. Help anyone? I love a good mystery. Whether written or real life, some are better than others. The thing is, in mystery books, if you can’t solve it along the way, by the end it reveals who done it.  In real life, that’s not always the case. Also in real life, as you’re solving one mystery, sometimes other...
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HOT RODS & CUSTOMS: CRUISIN’ ANGELO’S

HOT RODS & CUSTOMS: CRUISIN’ ANGELO’S
Pat Ganahl digs into his archives and retrieves memories of living in Anaheim in the late-1970s, early-1980s and shooting HOT RODS & CUSTOMS: CRUISIN’ ANGELO’S for So-Cal mags. I think it was one of my Instagram readers who mentioned recently that a photo reminded him of cruising Angelo’s on State College in Anaheim. I hadn’t thought about that in quite a while. But we lived in Anaheim from 1977 to 1984 – in fact son Bill was born there – and Angelo’s was just a little more than a m...
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CHEVY & FORD: 1950s CUSTOMS

CHEVY & FORD: 1950s CUSTOMS
Pat Ganahl showcases CHEVY & FORD: 1950s CUSTOMS – ’58 Impala and ’49 Ford – that celebrate an era when car enthusiasts truly personalized their street and show rides. First up is the ’58 Chevy Impala, a head-turner even in stock form, built by Lee Pratt. Growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, back in those days when young boys talked cars, read Hot Rod magazines, and fantasized about “how they did it out in California,” Lee figured he was a typical kid who just happened to like the smooth customs...
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ROD & CUSTOM: GARAGE TOUR

https://patganahl.com/2020/05/25/in-the-garage/
Serial hot-rodder Pat Ganahl takes us on a rare ROD & CUSTOM: GARAGE TOUR of his man cave, revealing what he has been working on for decades. And, is still working on! Today, Pat Ganahl takes our hi-tech readers on a guided tour of his garage that’s packed with cars and enough hard-to-see, half-hidden details to keep you busy for at least a week. I’ve already mentioned a couple of times that I’m quite happy – as most hot rodders should be – that the garage is obviously considered part of th...
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PAT GANAHL: OLD SCHOOL HOT RODS

PAT GANAHL: OLD SCHOOL HOT RODS
A scavenger hunt - PAT GANAHL: OLD SCHOOL HOT RODS - uncovers photos and magazines showcasing hot rodding’s golden years, including a 1961 issue CUSTOM RODDER edited by CGC Editor, Marty Schorr! What does Sailor Bob’s ’27 T have to do with this? Serendipity. I showed one of these non-color-shifted Ektachromes from ’58 recently, asking where did this one go, and why has no one built another like it? Well, I was paging through my May ’56 copy of Car Craft because it was supposed to have something...
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’32 FORD: BLUE PLATE SPECIAL

’32 FORD: BLUE PLATE SPECIAL
Veteran hot rod journalist Pat Ganahl uncovers a treasure trove of hot rod  features, originally submitted in the 1970s to iconic magazines like Rod & Custom and Rod Action. ’32 FORD: BLUE PLATE SPECIAL is one of the best examples of 1970s rodding. Pat Ganahl blogs about a California blue-plated ’32 Tudor that’s picture perfect. Neal East and Jack Stewart were two of the most prolific West Coast based freelance automotive journalists, specializing in hot rods and customs back in the day. In ...
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SHOWTIME: RODS AND ROSES 2019!

SHOWTIME: RODS AND ROSES 2019
Thousands of people attended the 22nd annual hot rod, custom and specialty car show in Carpinteria, CA, including our intrepid photojournalist, Jim Palam, who managed to smell the roses while capturing the essence of the car culture. Summer is the time that car shows are in full-bloom all over America. Experienced Car Guys have an uncanny ability to sniff-out the best local shows by following the residual scent of high-octane fuel – left behind when pedals hit the metal. Ahh, but in seaside Car...
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RODS & CUSTOMS ON THE COAST: MONTECITO!

Some of the finest machines in the area came out to help raise money for a great cause. Our man on the Left Coast, Jim Palam, captures some of the highlights. This year’s Coast Village Classic Car Show attracted more than 150 head-turning show and go specialty cars and thousands of enthusiasts to the tony town of Montecito, CA this  past weekend. They also celebrated the Corvette’s 60th anniversary. Show benefited  Special Olympics of Santa Barbara. It’s Hammer Time! Michael Hamm...
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HOT RODS & MUSCLE CARS: STARS & STRIPES HILL CLIMB!

Next month UK’s Prescott Speed Hill Climb celebrates America’s hottest cars on  their side of the pond! Once again, the legendary Prescott Speed Hill Climb will be presenting its All-American Stars and Stripes weekend, October 5-6. In addition to vehicles competing, there will be special displays by American car clubs alongside USA-themed entertainment. Special displays will include American cars and motorcycles: Pontiacs, Mustangs, Cadillacs, Chevys, Flathead Fords, Hotrods, Indians, ...
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HOT RODS & CUSTOMS: THE STREETS OF SOLVANG!

Hundreds of hot rods, customs and specialty cars filled the streets of Solvang, CA for the 9th Annual Wheels ‘N Windmills Show. Our man, Jim Palam, was there to capture the moment for the Chronicles. It was a picture-perfect day In Solvang, CA last Sunday when over 10,000 car enthusiasts flocked to the 9th Annual Wheels 'N Windmills Car Show. More than 300 show-stopping cars were on display. Proceeds from the show benefit three California Central Coast children's charities. Here are some of ...
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