We Interupt Our Regularly Schedued Articles to Bring You....
Canadian Rodder at Performance World
by Frank Colgoni
   
 

We’re going to break from our usual format for this article (that is, about the build-up of our ’32 Ford project car) because the car is, in fact, finished and has been seen by some of you at the recent Performance World Custom Car and Truck Show in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. As such, we’re going to share with you some photos of the car at that event and talk a bit about our experiences at the show.

This article will tie in with event coverage available HERE.

After this article, we’ll resume with articles about the build-up, picking up where we left off with the articles about our flame job.

I’m going to begin with an observation that seems to be common among those trying to finish a project by a specific time or date. The observation: regardless of the time available, you’ll be thrashing around completing tasks, sourcing parts and arranging for all the odds and ends right up until the final moments. I’m not sure why this is exactly but it seems to be a common phenomenon. We did however get our “stuff” together and made it to the show for setup on Thursday..

Before going any further, some thanks to those who helped with last minute details, setup and teardown and general preparation of the car for the show:

  • Tom VanDerGeld of Lowdown Hot Rods for keeping everything moving and keeping me from freaking
  • Our painter, Dave Bell for making it pretty and for his show prep
  • Paul Horton for helping expedite last minute part details
  • Ron Gibbs for finishing up our engine cover graphics at the last minute
  • Richard Ruiter for display prep and setup
  • Mike Wagg for transportation
  • My buddy Moe Loveless for spit and polish, setup and teardown
  • Hank VanDerGeld for his help during teardown and general encouragement
  • Bob Hilton for keeping everyone in good humour
  • Mike Donnelly of Relay Graphics for busting his butt to get our poster done and delivered
  • Last but not least, my wife Judy for her support, getting her hands dirty during final cleanup both top and bottom (Bob Hilton quipped that he “didn’t know of many men that would let a woman clean their rear end.”) and for being there during the entire show process

I’d also like to acknowledge Performance World’s Brenda Brough and Gary Challice for organizing a first class event. The organization behind the scenes was top notch.

When we started this project, it wasn’t our intention to show this car but as time went on it became obvious that it would be the right thing to do for two reasons:

  1. To introduce a broader audience to this type of project and the Canadian Rodder web site
  2. To showcase the work and products of the craftspeople and suppliers who participated in this project.
If you’ve ever participated in an event like this, you’ll already be aware that there is a lot of work involved in getting your vehicle ready, getting there, setting up, babysitting and teardown after the event. It can be exhausting for sure but it can also be very rewarding and NOT because of how you did relative to awards.

You know that we have stressed over time that this hobby is as much (maybe more) about people as the cars. We talked to a lot of people over the course of three days, made new acquaintances and renewed old. We also received encouragement from some veterans who were gracious in recognizing our efforts. If it’s your first time visiting canadianrodder.com, then you’ll not be familiar with the term “comrodderie” – a play on the word camaraderie. If you’ve been hanging out here for a few years you’ll recognize it as a term we use to refer to how we interact. There was a lot comrodderie going on at Performance World.

While we don’t want to blow our own horn, it’s totally appropriate to outline how we did at the show in recognition, once again, to those who helped make this car possible.

So, here we go:

  • 1st. place – top ten in show
  • Rookie of the year
  • Best Paint – Street Rod
  • Best Graphics – Street Rod
  • Best Engine – Street Rod
  • Grand Champion – Street Rod
  • 1st. in class
  • Shearer’s Hot Rod Parts Pick
  • Right Coast Award

When the Right Coast presented their award, they were very generous in recognizing me personally for my contribution to the hobby through canadianrodder.com. I’m grateful for that.

A final thought before moving on to some pics – it seemed surreal while setting up for the show that we were actually there. And, after the show on Sunday night, it also seemed surreal that we had actually been there. Ok then, some pics from the show starting with setup and ending with teardown:
 

At the crack of dawn on moving-in day. Hard to believe it's the same space.
Gary Challice's staff got everyone in in an orderly fashion.
 

We got the car off the trailer and set up to this point fairy rapidly actually.
It was at this point that I realized I had forgotten the handle to the vacuum!
Oh well, I'd rather crawl around on my hands and knees anyway.
 

Rick and Moe pause for a "Timmy's" while Rick's son works on.
FYI for non-Canucks: a Timmy's is a most revered Tim Horton's coffee
 

By Thursday night we looked liked this
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Then, after 3 days of show and an awards ceremony, we looked like this.
 

Finally, by about 9:00 pm Sunday night, we were back here again
waiting for the trailer to negotiate its way to our spot.
Thanks again to everyone who helped out and supported our effort.