Taken in on Trade, this Cool Custom C10 is a Keeper
IN THE HISTORY OF HOT ROD shows, trucks were at first limited to those based on A’s, T’s, Deuces and competitive makes and models to fit a certain pre-war time period, just as the same criteria was applied to cars. It took Goodguys’ founder, the late Gary Meadors, to broaden the scope of what constituted a hot rod and take the risk of alienating or infuriating some traditional hot rodders by including trucks up to 1972 (and later through the ’80s), thus ensuring truck owners and enthusiasts had a place in their events and felt welcome.
Subsequently, other promoters and associations bowed to pressure from vehicle owners and sponsors. Restrictions were eased somewhat, and more trucks were allowed in once the other hot rod organizations realized pre-war hot rod owners were aging along with their rides.
They were losing business to Goodguys, and fewer “real” hot rods were being built.
Fast forward to the present. At the 31st annual Goodguys Pacific North West Nationals, the Washington State Fair Events Center in Puyallup hosted an annual gathering of epic proportions. One of the largest events in Goodguys’ 35-year history, the number and variety of trucks was staggering, with over 2,500 vehicles from all across the
U.S. and a good number from western Canada. Hard to imagine what a hot rod show was like without trucks, isn’t it?
Unlike previous years when rain was a factor at least one or more days during the show, this year it was dry throughout, making for near-perfect conditions. Capturing the essence of trucks in this area of the country was the goal. Without further ado, here’s what we found.
BRIAN KRAFT’S ’72 GMC JIMMY IS LS1 POWERED WITH A 4L65E TRANSMISSION—ONE SMOOTH RIDE.
THE 5.7L LS1 IN KRAFT’S JIMMY.
UNIVERSITY PLACE, WASHINGTON’S JOHN GILCHRIST IS THE CARETAKER OF THIS FINE C10.
BOB WOOLERY’S ’48 FORD F-1 WITH A 351W IS AN UNDERCONSTRUCTION HOME BUILT THAT SURE LOOKS GOOD TO US.
TOM JACOBSON’S COOL
’65 C10 PANEL HAS A HIGH TORQUE 292 I-6 BACKED BY A “GRANNY 4” SPEED.
HIGH TORQUE 292 INLINE SIX IN TOM JACOBSON’S PANEL TRUCK.
“BLACK AND BAD” IS HOW RON MOLZAHN DESCRIBES HIS 383 SBC POWERED ’56 FORD F-100, AND WE AGREE.
ABOVE. IN CLEANING OUT FRIENDS’ GARAGES, JEFF EISCHEN’S ’29 MODEL A GOT A ’56 RED RAM HEMI, 700R4, 9-INCH REAR, MOON TANK AND HEIDTS FRONT SUSPENSION. THOSE ARE SOME FRIENDS!
LEFT. BOB JACOBOWITZ’S ’69 GMC SIERRA CUSTOM HAILS FROM LAKE TAPAS, WASHINGTON.
J & T COLMAN’S ’60 GMC USES A 406 GM ENGINE BACKED BY A 700R4, AND “TOO MANY” DETAILS TO MENTION.
EDBOB CLARK CALLS THIS ’49 STUDEBAKER WITH A 350 CHEVY AND MUSTANG II FRONT SUSPENSION HIS OWN.
JACOBOWITZ’S OTHER ENTRY, A RARE 2WD ’72 GMC JIMMY, FEATURES A 454/350 TH DRIVETRAIN AND DARK GREEN PAINT.
CLEAN SQUARE BODY BELONGING TO ONE OF THE EXHIBITORS HAD NO INFO ON IT.
ABOVE. NO INFO ON THIS BEAUTY, A GOLD AND WHITE C10 AND MUSCLE MACHINE OF THE YEAR CONTESTANT.
RIGHT. CHRIS KUNNEN ISSUED A CHALLENGE, “SEE IF YOU CAN FIND ‘EM,” WHICH MAY HAVE REFERRED TO HIS ’54 CHEVY 3100, OR MAYBE THE 350/700R4 DRIVETRAIN?
PARKED IN FRONT OF THE NURSE’S STATION, WE FOUND GARY ELLIS SR. & JR.’S ’54 “FORD IN A FORD” F-100.
INSIDE THE SHOWPLEX, MORE THAN 50 ARTISTS TOOK PART IN THE PINSTRIPER’S BRUSH BASH.
TRACY NELSON’S 305 V-6 ’61 GMC SUBURBAN IN WHAT THE OWNER CALLS UNRESTORED “NEW PAINT” IN TAN AND WHITE.
BELOW. WANT TRADITIONAL? TIM LARSON’S 327/350 POWERED ’34 FORD ROLLS ON WIDE WHITEWALLS AND STEEL WHEELS.
ABOVE. FUN FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES, THE FAIR’S MERRY-GO-ROUND IS A FAVORITE.