WILD-EYED & REVVED-UP: RODS AND ROSES!

It’s become a tradition: The High Noon Engine Rev at the Rods & Roses Car Show in Carpinteria, CA. The show celebrated its 20 Anniversary on July 1st – and the roar of the engines this year was a loud salute to local automotive legend, Andy Granetelli.

There were over 150 wicked, wonderful and wild-eyed customs, classics and musclecars lining Linden Avenue, Carpinteria’s main thoroughfare that delivers you to the “World’s Safest Beach” on the Pacific. Proceeds from this always-enjoyable show support local non-profits such as Future Farmers of America and Carpinteria Education Foundation. Our Jim Palam captured the spunk and spirit of this July 4th weekend event.The only thing thorny about Leonard Login’s ’23 Ford “C” Cab Custom, above, is the complimentary Participant Rose catching a stare from wild eyes on the air scoop covers.

If you had a Fury fixation in 1958 then you needed to drop $3,892 to grab the title to this full-option Plymouth Fury. This one features an optional 350/305 dual-quad engine and push-button automatic. Bill Craffey proudly owns this high-fin beauty, left.

It’s official: Chicks dig Porsches! Bill Pitruzzelli’s ‘56 Porsche Carrera GT attracts a bevy of young show goers.

If there’s a car show anywhere near Michael Hammer’s home base in Montecito, you can bet that he’ll be there with a big grin and some eye-poppin’ treats from his impressive car collection – like this super-slammed and sexy ’51 Chevy Lead Sled.

One of the High-Noon noisemakers was this Chip Foose designed, Jordan Quintal built F-100 Custom from the Petersen Museum Collection. That’s a towering cast-iron 502-cube V8 sporting a blower with “F-this” badging!

Purple People Pleaser!. Rob Hansen’s plum-perfect ‘70 Dodge Challenger R/T sits ready to pounce at the intersection of Sleek and Sexy.

Seeing Double: The folks at Mathon Engineering in New Jersey like doubling-up on their project bets. ’23 Ford T-Bucket – another Petersen Museum car – has at its thumpin’ heart a double-Chevy 350-inch motor mash-up.

Ron Lawrence is a retired LA County firefighter who apparently got tired of polishing things. So it’s no surprise that this car guy’s pride and joy is this perfectly weathered and unpolished ‘30 Model A Ford roadster.

How to Drive to Work: This beautiful and original (one respray since new) ‘68 Shelby GT350 is a daily driver for a Santa Barbara technology executive. What, no Tesla?

Heading out of the show I spotted this ‘Work in Progress’ Low Rider parked on a side street. POTUS might call this frugal custom a “Bad Hombre.” But come on, those frenched antennas are a sure sign of style and sophistication. Pass the Grey Poupon, s’il vous plait!

Words & photos: Jim Palam, http://www.jimpalam.com/

For more information about Rods And Roses, please visit https://rodsandroses.wordpress.com/