By Tim Odell
Spring has sprung here in, so it’s time to bring out all the topless, windshield-wiper free rides for an informal car show. CnC Montrose has a different feel than CnC Irvine. Must be something about the air up here.
An alternate title might’ve been Henry’s First Car Show
The earliest risers get the spots by the entrance. In this case, it’s a cabal of Cobras and a pretty spiffy Vette powered bare-metal bucket.
Tied for my favorite from the show is this early Cobra, still labelled all over with “AC”. From the patina on the paint and wheels, it looks like someone just pulled it out of a barn.
There were a couple of Serious Business drag cars in attendance. Keep in mind, they were all driven here.
One of these things is not like the others…
Struck up a conversation with the owner of this ride (and the Lucky 8 Garage). “It’s just for fun”. Looks like it. That’s some nice throttle linkage porn, right there.
Either someone’s an expert at applying accellerated aging techniques to cars, or this custom Chevy’s been cruising like this for quite a while. Extra points for the four speed.
I hope the owner of this Austin van shouts Tallyho! at every green light.
This teal full size Chevy would’ve been a serious contender back in the day: W-series big-block and a four speed.
The old-school crew was out in force. Flatheads and sparse cabins were de rigueur. The gray one with the Winfield head had me drooling.
Did you know early Land Rovers had aluminum bodies? This one’s sporting no paint and a Ford smallblock.
This Porsche 968 looked a little out of place next to the classic hardware, but there’s no arguing with the super-clean turbo motor.
This aside from being quite handsome, this Jeepster Commando got points for having the coolest non-antique gauges I’ve seen in a while.
I’m not sure what lake they pulled this Ford out of, but I can verify that it was driven to the show.
A pair of super-clean Zs showed up later in the morning. Who doesn’t love a set of Panasports (or are those Minilites)?
Stuck off in a corner by itself, this SVO awaits a bulk shipment of Armor All for all of its plastic bits.
There was a pair of vintage karts on hand, part of an art exhibit I just made up called “Beauty Through Simplicity”. Note the matching green-metalflake helmet.
Last, but certainly greatest, just as I was on my way out, this rig pulled in. Nothing beats a station wagon tow rig. Nothing.
There’s tons more that I didn’t have time to write up, so check out the rest of the shots in our flickr set.
Jeff Glucker 
Kamil Kaluski
and not a hint of love for the british show photos.
le sigh…
We'll see what we can do about that.
Ok, I will take the Land Rover and both Datsuns… thank you
That well used "barn find" cobra apeals to me on so many levels. The fact that even in slightly decrepit condition its still beautiful(mabee more so than a shiny trailer queen IMO). While not quite a sleeper, you could still do some sneaky upgrades to scare the unsuspecting bystander.
hell yes.
That yellow cobra is a frequent attendee, but I've yet to meet the owner. I've always thought it a kit because the body looks to be fiberglass.
I, too was suspicious. For as much patina as it had, it was suspiciously smooth, which is how fiberglass ages.
While it's obviously poor form to knock on a car at a show, maybe I should start bringing a magnet to see which cars are actually steel.
Skip the magnet, real Cobras are all aluminum bodied.
[hangs head in shame for not remembering that]
Not Minilites either, most likely Watanabes.
I’ve seen that yellow cobra before. It usually shows up at Fabulous Fords, in the same condition. I can only guess the guy just doesn’t wash it to keep the patina intact. As for the doubts that it’s real, it is unless someone has mastered the art of creating the perfect British roadster interior smell.
The smell.
So many of the cars I leaned close to to get dash/gauge shots had that incredible old car smell…a mix of leather, vinyl and oil.
I remember reading about that Cobra in Motor Trend a few years ago. I think it was kept in a yard under a tarp for a number of years before it was purchased. They got it running, but didn't do any body work. I think it's a ridiculously awesome car, and really refreshing that they didn't restore it and put it on a trailer.
I have to find one of these or start one in Lawrence…
Respected indeed. The 968 Turbo S was ridiculous. The 944S2 had the 3.0, but the 968 was the introduction of Variocam. That plus a turbo made it a beast. Too bad its not a real one, one of the 15…
<img src="http://vista.pca.org/stl/968turbo.jpg"/>
Umm, that was supposed to be a reply to Number Six.
Anyways I shall expoundify, as this is one of my favorite cars ever. 300lbs*ft of torque–same as a 928–in a car almost 1000lbs lighter. Or you could look at it as same power and torque as a 335i, minus 800lbs. Either way, scary fast.
Aah…! What a perfect setting for young master Henry to have an outing…!
Too young for Coffee, perhaps, but never too young for Cars…!
The company that makes the gauges in that Jeep has a website. http://www.bonnevilleworldwide.com/Merchant2/merc… Prices are a bit scary.
Also, I've decided that I must own a rear-drive, straight-six Japanese car with those little fender mirrors at some point in my life.
I'd be happy with a straight-four or a rotary, too. Or better yet, a V8:
<img src="http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/president.jpeg" width="640" height="480" />
Nissan President
<img src="http://www.toyota.co.jp/Museum/data_e/images/a03_10_1_4_2.jpg" width="495" height="371" />
Toyota Century
Oh, there's a rotary on my list too…
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/smokyburnout/b5573f03.jpg">
Mazda Eunos Cosmo JC with the 20B-REW (twin-turbo triple-rotor!). It's still a couple of years away from being import-able into this country, but I'm still a few years away from being able to afford one.
There's one for sale in Toronto right now. $15k Canadian, but I know for a fact cash will make it walk for less than $10k.
I know this is an old Post but I would love to find out more info on the Jeepster commando. I am currently building one and Like some of the Features
I’ll take the British Express, thats one sick lookin ride.
The bare-metal T is brilliant, as is the '57 Chevy set. And while I'm not much of a fan of the '61 Chevys, that ragtop is just so right.
"One of these things is not like the others…"
I honestly can't guess which one you mean. I assume it isn't either of the Vipers, but none of the others have much in common.
One is mid engined, one is turbocharged, one is a Chevy, one's a convertible.
I can keep thinking of more esoteric attributes ('one has a traditional grill, one was based on an existing platform'), but I can't fathom which one you think is most unusual. Maybe the Prowler is the least sporting?
If you count the Vipers as one, they're the only ones not sold under the lowest price marque of their respective corporations.
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