This was a happenin' spot...
This was a happenin' spot at the show with these AD Chevys that ranged from mild to wild to suit your taste. From the left is Jeff and Brenda Kuhn's awesome silver '48, John Mathieu's clean '51, and Sam Boelens' barn-fresh '47. Look for full features on the two trucks on the left!
Hanging out on the far side...
Hanging out on the far side of the Expo Center was Dan Carey and his '39 Chevy from Eau Claire, WI. This subtle, cool-blue truck has logged more than a few miles on the odometer with Dan's foot on the gas.
I am still not too sure why it's called the Midwest when it seems more like the North, but who am I to say? I wasn't sure if I was going to be fighting the heat and humidity or scraping ice off my Mustang rental car when I got to Wisconsin this past August for the Goodguys Great Lakes Nationals, but it would prove to be my lucky weekend. I landed in Milwaukee for the first time and drove around the city for an hour or so to take a quick look before heading west to Waukesha. I've heard the name Waukesha for years in reference to the Waukesha engines that have powered many industrial applications for 100 years now, and, in fact, I believe I had just missed the city's big anniversary party. Nonetheless, the weather was nicer than the tailings of the Texas-like summer we'd had back in California, and I couldn'tbe happier.
The show was held at the Waukesha County Expo Center, which seemed to stretch out for miles (why do I always wear my Converse shoes?). Friday's potential rain kept a few people away, plus many were still in route or at work still, but the grounds were filling up with some interesting cars and trucks, which got me started picking some Top Ten winners. Friday night's party in the parking lot of the Machine Shed restaurant included a hog roast and live music, which I enjoyed before hitting the hay to get a good night's sleep for Saturday.
We couldn't have asked for a better day for a car show! It was mostly sunny, around 72 degrees, and the Expo Center was packed. Being the only magazine covering the event, I had the place to myself which was great, but it meant I had to really hustle to shoot all the great trucks I found. The clouds moved in for a just long enough to shoot Steve Huntington's '53 F-100, and then they decided to dump on us just enough to make a mess and the air kinda sticky, but luckily that didn't last. One of the most interesting things about the show was the number and variety of the "off-brand" vehicles. There were more Studebakers, Nashes, and International than I'd ever seen in one place, plus there were lots of 1930s trucks of all makes, which are a rare sight. All in all, it was a great trip; I ate well, shot loads of cool trucks, made new friends, and saw a new-to-me beautiful part of the country. Go to www.good-guys.com for info on the '07 events.
Like it or not, this truck...
Like it or not, this truck was wild! Anthony Hammock's '52 Chevy looks like it was angle-chopped, channeled, and possibly sectioned, with a pancaked hood and '53 Buick headlights for starters. Oh yeah, it's kinda low, too!
Paul Geweoke cruised his '54...
Paul Geweoke cruised his '54 Chevy 1-ton down from Eagan, MN, for the weekend. The dutiful flatbed serves Paul well as an eye-catcher for his concrete business, but it pulls its weight around with a 350/700-R4 combo.
With seemingly more early...
With seemingly more early trucks here than any other show I can remember, here's Perry and LouAnn Valle's '36 Chevy. The suede pickup has an early small-block with a Rochester Tri-power topped with Thickstun air cleaners that match the rest of the finned aluminum parts between the fenders-cool!
Not only were there many early-model...
Not only were there many early-model trucks at the show, but there were also a bunch of early work trucks, too. The flatbeds, wreckers, and 1-tons probably matched the number of 1/2-tons. Sitting in the car corral looking for a new owner was this '39 Dodge wrecker. Far from being a wreck, it even looked like a fresh resto, with the exception of the Chevy running gear.
I know this doesn't have to...
I know this doesn't have to do with trucks, except that the '60 Pontiac Safari wagon is doing a truck's job in towing the vintage A/GAS Pontiac-powered front-engine dragster! The Poncho mill in the dragster is from '59, but it was bored to a 413 and pushes out 460hp through the Hydro-Stick and early Ford banjo rearend! Owners Roger Mortinsen and John Josephson were busy answering questions all weekend.
Another hit at the show was...
Another hit at the show was John Olson's '35 Ford shop truck. Like a shoemaker's kid, this body shop's truck is probably the last on the list for paint, but with its low stance, whitewalls, spider caps, and tuck 'n' roll, we're sure John enjoys driving it regardless.
Under the hood of John's '35...
Under the hood of John's '35 Ford is a built '49-53 Flathead. Proving that four in a row will go with Holley 94 carbs on top of the rare Edelbrock intake, and that you don't need aluminum heads to be cool, John kept the cast-iron stockers.
We don't see many International...
We don't see many International trucks, so here's Mitch Wakeland's '49 work in progress. The black-primered truck runs a 455 Pontiac V-8 and hails from West Allis, WI. Next to him is Fred Fergande's green '49 Chevy 3100.