Cool Limo Bike!

I love it when car buddies send me kool photographs! Thanks Rocky for these incredible pictures! This thing is really sik! I'm sure it draws a lot of attention wherever it goes!

If it isn't raining on Saturday afternoon, I'll be taking the Nifty Fifty to "Special Cars for Special Kids", a local show put on by a former student of mine. The show is at BLD's 50s Cafe on State Route 32, right outside of Muncie. Registration starts at 4 pm. Hope to see some of you there.

Spread the Word!

It's hard to believe that we are just a few weeks away from our "Wheels for Williams" event! I've had a lot of emails and phone calls from people that are planning on coming to little Ol' Losantville on the 15th! Hope to see you there!

Beauty and the Beasts...

Thanks to a Facebook friend for posting this link this afternoon. Thought it was a pretty unique way to try to sell a car!

Not Much To Post Today...

(I visited the Suede and Chrome archives to find this picture of my 3 oldest kids at the Richmond IVY Tech show several years ago. They are now 18,16 and 15! Where does the time go?!)

Well, due to the rainy Spring conditions in East Central Indiana last weekend, I don't have the pictures that I thought would carry me through this week. The IU East show in Richmond was smaller than it has been for the last several years due to rain. I also didn't make it over to National Trail High School in New Paris, Ohio on Sunday afternoon for their annual car show due to poor weather. I haven't heard if they had the show or postponed it due to weather, I know they had a rain date of May 1st.

I'm planning on attending a cool little show this weekend in Muncie, Indiana. The event is called Special Cars for Special Kids, and is put on by a former student of mine. He has a child with special needs and the money goes to a program at Ball State University that his son is involved in. Avid Suede and Chrome readers may remember pictures from last year's event held at the BK Root Beer Stand. This year's event will be at a larger venue...the BLD's 50s Cafe on US 32. It will be held Saturday, May 1st. Looking at the weather forecast this morning though...and they are calling for showers for the entire weekend.

One of my favorite local shows over the past few years has taken place within a mile of my house. The ME Zoo always drew a nice variety of vehicles. Sadly, last year was the last year for the show...and the zoo. Due to financial reasons, the ME Zoo closed it's doors last fall. I've ridden my bike by the place a few times this spring...and it's a ghost town. All the lots and cages are empty, only a few Bison are left in a back lot. This picture was taken @ the ME Zoo show a couple of years ago. This Buick belongs to a couple from Parker City, Indiana. Was always good to see it at area shows.

Another area show that usually draws 100+ cars is held at Jerry's Ice Cream in Parker City, Indiana. If memory serves me, it's usually held the last weekend in May. I haven't seen any flyers for the show, maybe I'll have to swing by Jerry's this week, get a Colossal sized Strawberry Milk Shake, and try to get the 411 on this year's event.

A couple pictures from last year's show at Jerry's Ice Cream Parlor in Parker City, Indiana. Man...my neighbor's Black Plymouth is a beautiful car! I never get tired of seeing it.

Final Shots from IVY Tech Show in Richmond, Indiana

Well, like I said yesterday, there weren't a lot of vehicles that were "Suede and Chrome worthy" at Saturday's soggy IVY Tech Car Show.

I believe I heard that this was the 19th annual show. I know that we have been going to this show for the last several years and it seems that the weather has not cooperated the last couple of years. Last year it was very cold and windy. This year, it wasn't cold, but it was wet with on and off sprinkles and showers.

I thought the little custom 3rd door was pretty unique on this Dodge pickup truck.

Well, I had anticipated being able to take enough pictures at this event to last me through May 1st (the next event that I plan to attend). However, that is NOT the case. If you have any cool car related pictures, stories, video links, etc., please email them to me asap so that I can fill the next few days with "Suede and Chrome worthy" posts! Have a great week.

-Scruff

Rainy Day Keeps the Cars Away.

Well, it was a soggy forecast for the entire weekend that greeted me Saturday morning as I turned on the news and ate a big bowl of my youngest son's fruit loops. According to the weatherman, Indiana was going to get off and on showers throughout the day, with a chance of severe weather moving in sometime Saturday afternoon.

Well, that was enough to change my mind about getting the Nifty Fifty out of the garage, but I did want to get to the show to pass out flyers for our May 15th Wheels for Williams show and our June 19th Millville Run @ the Wilbur Wright Birthplace Festival.

I apologize to my H.A..M.B. friend Aaron who drove his Pontiac wagon to the show. He was really one of the only traditional hot rod/rat rod guys at the show.We had planned to meet up at the show, but I didn't get his H.A.M.B. message in time to let him know that our plans had changed. Instead, another member of our club, his wife and baby girl, my father (also a member of the Righteous Rodders Motor Club) and myself with my 4 year-old son, met up in our daily drivers in the parking lot of the event.

Can I get an "amen"?

There were LOTS of import/tuners at the event. I did give them flyers for our upcoming shows, as I want ANYTHING on wheels at our charity event. However, I did not take pictures of their rides, as I didn't think they really fit on a website dedicated to traditional hotrods and ratrods.

Come back tomorrow to see a few more pictures taken at this year's Ivy Tech Car Show in Richmond, Indiana. Due to the weather keeping many cars at home, and the fact that I spent a lot of my time there passing out flyers and talking to folks about the Wheels for Williams show, I didn't get a lot of pictures.

Another Rob Creation...

A few months ago, I featured a series of photographs of some cool custom models hand built by a car buddy of mine down in Nashville, Indiana. Well last week, he sent me some shots of his latest custom motorcycle model...I think you will agree that this is VERY Suede and Chrome worthy! Nice work Rob!

Wheels for Williams Less than a Month Away!

Well, it's hard to believe that winter is finally over and "car" season has officially begun. One of the first shows of the year in my "neck of the woods" is held at the Indiana University East/Ivy Tech Campus in Richmond, Indiana. This year's event will take place this Saturday, April 24th. There is usually a pretty good showing, although there have been a few years when the weather is still a bit windy and wet. I'm hoping to get the Nifty Fifty to the event, and if not, at least make the show so that I can pass out flyers for our club's "Wheels for Williams" event.

The Wheels for Williams show came about after I received an email from the Williams Syndrome Association. WS is a rare genetic disorder that affects about 1 in every 10,000 births worldwide. The disorder is characterized by a microdeletion of genetic material from one of the number 7 chromosomes. If you remember back to your freshman biology class in high school, you may recall that humans have 23 pair of chromosomes in every body cell of their bodies. One of each of those pairs comes from mom and the other in the pair comes from dad.

For some reason, sometimes there are mutations that occur when those chromosomes are being copied, sometimes chromosomes stick together and those the offspring ends up with an extra chromosome in every cell (Down's Syndrome is an example of this, in which the individual has 3 number 21 chromosomes). Some times there may be an insertion of genetic material, sometimes an inversion of a section, and still other times a deletion of a section of DNA. In the case of WS, it's the later. Just a small section of a few genes that for some reason gets left out. Even though it's a small section, it's enough to cause delays in milestones, learning disabilities, characteristic "elfin" facial features, and cardiovascular issues.

That's probably much more than you cared to learn on a website devoted to traditional hotrods....but I know a lot about it because I have an 18-year old biological son, and a 9 year-old adopted son with WS.

Anyway...the Williams Syndrome Association is trying to "get the word out" about our kids through the 1st annual "Williams Syndrome Awareness Week"  The WSA is supporting grassroots groups in organizing many local activities through the week of May 9th through the 15th. Most of the activities involve "Walks for Williams", but our car club thought it would be pretty cool to host an open show instead. With the theme: "If It's Got Wheels...Bring It!" We sat out to put together a show in which we hope to involve as many "wheel" enthusiasts as possible. Whether it's a traditional hot rod, a muscle car, a monster truck, new generation tuner, vintage tractor, motorcycle, scooter, bicycle, tricycle, pedal tractor or pedal car...we want to see it at the show!

Initially, we thought that we could probably easily pull 50 or 60 vehicles to the show, and sat a goal of raising a few hundred dollars, with all profits going to the WSA. Well, once the "ball got to rolling", the event has taken on it's on momentum, and now we are enthusiastically anticipating a much larger turn out. We've had an out pouring of interest, and now plan to have live music from 2 bands, as well as a DJ spinning some tracks before, between, and after the bands. We've got several goody bag donations, door prize donations, and even a few larger items that we plan to auction off.

As the word gets out, we've had emails and calls of inquiry from car and motorcycle clubs from around the state of Indiana and a few inquiries from the state of Ohio.

If you can make it out to the event...we would absolutely appreciate it! Registration is just $5 and we will register vehicles from 9 am til 11 am. Awards will be at 2:30. Losantville, Indiana is a very small town (one of my car club buddies calls it a "one horse town") located at the crossroads of US 35 and US 36. It's approximately 30 minutes southeast of Muncie, Indiana, 30 minutes northeast of New Castle, Indiana, and approximately 30 minutes northwest of Richmond, Indiana.

If you have ANY questions, please feel free to email at: scruffyratrods@hotmail.com

Over 900 Posts!

Wow! I just noticed this morning that I have now made over 910 posts to this blog. That's unbelievable! I remember when I started this thing several years ago, I was worried about finding enough things to post and/or say. It would have been hard for me to imagine back then that I would be able to consistently post new content on a daily basis almost EVERY day!

It would have also been hard for me to imagine the amount of support and following that this website has received. I truly appreciate the numerous post comments and positive emails that I've received from readers over the past couple of years. Initially this site was created to have a place for me to share the pictures I take at area shows and my interest in traditional hotrods. It has become equally enjoyable for me to hear that readers like the content contained within this site.

 Another kool thing about this site is that it's given me an opportunity and a reason to venture a bit further away from the area shows that I've attended in the past. Yep...because of this site, I've ventured out of the state of Indiana and attended the 2008 and 2009 Detroit Autoramas. I've also made the drive into Illinois for last year's Hunnert Car Pile Up and down to Louisville, Kentucky for last year's Beatersville.

Through these experiences, I've gotten to met a lot of great people in the industry, and a lot of great hotrodders! I've developed friendships with car owners, business owners, photographers, pinstripers, etc. I've also been able to increase the level of interest in traditional hot rods in some of my friends, and form a car club in the past year. Last year the club hosted their first show, and this year we've added a second show.

Who would have ever thought that a little website that started "just for fun" would lead to so many opportunities and friendships? I certainly appreciate everywhere this site has taken me over the past couple of years. And I look forward to what may wait ahead in the next 900 posts!

A LOWERED Nifty Fifty!

Thought I'd post a few pictures of the Nifty Fifty after a car club buddy of mine helped me install a Jamco Deluxe Suspension Kit. New coils, leaf springs, bushes, stops and shocks all the way around lowered the car's stance about 3". Looks and rides ALOT better!

Final Thoughts from Speedway...

Well, again, I'd like to thank Scott Linder for the invite, we had a great time. Having never been down to this event in year's past, I don't know if the rain kept the number of cars down...but I'm guessing it did. Nonetheless, the cars and trucks that showed up to the event were definitely "suede and chrome worthy"!

I'd like to thank my father for volunteering to drive to the event...and that reminds me, I owe him some gas money! Sorry pop!

I'll leave you with a few pictures I took of a very cool International pickup. International trucks are kool and in my opinion, even more overlooked than Studebakers. I'm guessing in the future, we will see more and more IHs saved from rusting away in a farmer's back field and turned into something cool like this pickup.

Well...we are just weeks away from several area shows which will signal the start of the car show/cruise-in season in the Midwestern United States. I'm looking forward to several, including a new event our club will be hosting on May 15th called, "Wheels for Williams". All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Williams Syndrome Association. Williams Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects about 1 in every 10,000 births worldwide. The disorder consists of a microdeletion on one of the number 7 chromosomes which causes characteristic heart and circulatory issues, learning delays and disabilities, and unique personality characteristics.

I know a bit about WS because our oldest son, who is 18, and our 9 year old adopted son both have WS. For more information about WS, check out www.williams-syndrome.org. For more information about our event, check out the facebook event page at:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=263280349717

If you live within driving distance of Losantville, Indiana, or will be in the area on May 15th, I would love for you to come to the event. If you are at the event, make sure you find me and introduce yourself!

More "Kool" from Speedway, Indiana

I really liked this chrome skull with a home-made leather helmet and what appeared to be LIVE ammo turned into a hood ornament!

This 1949 Chevrolet got my attention. Especially when the owner fired it up and that sweet sound of a six-cylinder with a split manifold rang out! Man...that's GOT to be the next "upgrade" on the Nifty Fifty!

I don't know if he has been noticing....but I got a comment from "Just a Car Guy" a few weeks ago requesting that I try and take more than one photograph of cars once in a while. Well....that was a great suggestion, and I've been trying to do a better job of it! Like this 1939 Ford pickup truck for instance. The truck may look a bit "barn-fresh" and patina'd on the outside...but I spied a sweet V8 flathead under the hood!

Come back tomorrow for the finally installment from Bubba's/ISRA Pre-Easter Open House!