Peter Koning in USA Peter is a long time hot rodder and supporter of Let's Go Cruisin. He's left his business, Hoppers Stoppers in the capable hands of his staff to travel the US for 12 months. Sure makes some interesting reading!

Follow Peter's Trip

Back to USA for Grand National Roadster Show

Hello to all you Aussies following my travels.
As you may have seen I came home for Xmas, got to take the 32 to the Mornington New Years Day run, the LGC Williamstown run and the VHRA rod show so it was good to be home for a bit.. On the following Tuesday 25th brother John and I flew to LA , he was an hour before me on Qantas and I was in cattle class in V Australia. Still the plane wasn't full so a bit of room to move. All arrived on time and we took a taxi to the storage place near LA airport and unlocked the 36. Good car, she started first go after 6 weeks, and off down the freeway down to San Diego we go.
2 hours later arrived at the RV Park to get the Motorhome out of storage, it had a flat battery but the guys at the RV park jumped started it and all was ok to go out on a site for the night.

Next morning something told me to check the RV's tyres before we load up and just as well because the inner left hand rear was dead flat. Still it was sort of ok to limp around San Diego looking for a tyre fixer,but I wouldn't go on the freeway on just the outer rear.  The usual car tyre places couldn't do it but we were eventually pointed to a truck place. They quickly took the wheels off and found that it was only the valve extension, and the nice manager didn't even want us to pay even thought they had spend 20 minutes on it. So the usual $20 aussie beer money was offered in any case.

I had arranged some bits for the 37 Cabriolet at Direct Sheet Metal in El Cajon, 1/2 hour from the RV park, picked up a recessed firewall and custom dash , got a good price for cash too.
Hit the freeway north and couple of hours later arrived at the RV park in Pomona around dark at 5.30.
Friday is the first show day, on Saturday and Sunday they open the grounds to an outdoor car show,we were with about 500 cars lined up by 8.30 to get the best spots outside around the venue.

Graeme Webb was in LA for the show plus his usual business deals, he goes several times a year and we had arranged to meet for dinner so John and I did a 1 hour drive south to Aneheim to catch up. Graeme has friends all over LA;  like we walk into one of his regular haunts and half the people in the bar greet him. Then he takes us to a Chili's restaurant  and again all the staff know him like he's there every night. Typical LA traffic jamb on the way home, took 1/2 hour to go 2 miles.

GNRS is held in 8 large buildings, each with a theme, eg Pickups in one room, Low riders in another,suede and rat rod types in another, the contenders the top trophies in another, and I reckon the best was the Customs Past and Present building which was just filled with all the great show customs from the 40s to 60's.see the photos the that follow. Icons such as the Hirohata Merc, many of Barris' and Winfield built cars, Max Moxins 58 Chevy etc all there, we met Max and his wife and had a long talk. A few old customs "as found" were a highlight.
I bought some more stuff for the 37, and picked up a lot of bits that I had Bob Drake bring for me.
They had a get together of all the best pinstripers and then held an auction of their work for charity, I bid $60 and got a framed glass pinstiped artwork by Butch Tucker which he later autographed for me. He knew a lot of Aussies too.

Lastly in amongst the photos there are two of the Duece of Spades movie car, incl a photo of yours truly with the star and producer Faith Grainger. Gary, Peter B and Roland  know who I mean, see the film if you can.

We will be back there again tomorrow but its more of the same, hundreds of the best show cars in the world, ours are as good but they have lots more of them.