For many, this past Memorial Day Weekend was not quite the same as it had been for the last quarter century or so. For the first time in over 25 years, the old trek to kustom car Mecca-the Paso Pilgrimage, as it were-made a southerly detour...to the town of Santa Maria, California, to be exact. Foreign land indeed, especially to those who'd attended each and every West Coast Kustoms' Cruisin' Nationals, otherwise simply known as Paso...at least till now. Sad as it may be, Paso is no more. But that may not be such a bad thing after all, especially considering the fact that, for most intents and purposes, the actual city leaders of Paso are why the show moved in the first place.
The dawn of a new era was a hard pill for some to swallow. While Santa Maria welcomed WCK and all its wheeled patrons with open arms, the talk of the town over the May holiday weekend was nothing less than a broken record. "This definitely ain't Paso!" And they were all right-it wasn't Paso. Despite not having the convenience factors that so many loved about the old venue, such as the open park with shops, eateries, and lodging all within walking distance, Santa Maria Fairpark's enclosed setting didn't seem to hamper attendance numbers in the least bit-at least not from our perspective. While it may have taken some time for a lot of people to get acquainted with their new surroundings-gone too is the famous Friday night Spring Street Cruise-once Saturday had kicked into full swing, everyone seemed to settle in, the atmosphere became more relaxed, and it was official-Santa Maria is the new kustom Mecca...at least for now.
But how and why does Classic Trucks fit into the picture? Well, if you've been paying attention to the magazine over the course of the last four years, you'll see that we've devoted coverage to WCK's Cruisin' Nats for the pure and simple fact that, among the hot rods and kustoms, there are plenty of pickups in attendance. See for yourself-and if you feel like checking out the event itself, well, just keep next Memorial Day Weekend open and start mapping your route to Santa Maria!
 Though the surroundings were...  Though the surroundings were quite unfamiliar, the faces at this year's 27th Cruisin' Nationals were anything but. And as has been a running theme for the past few years, '47-54 Chevys ruled the roost! |  It's no secret that celebrities/musicians...  It's no secret that celebrities/musicians and exotic cars go hand in hand. When it comes to hot rods and kustoms, though, they're usually relegated to rock stars, and Metallica frontman James Hetfield is no exception. His latest-and "grape-est"-you'll be seeing featured here quite soon, so stay tuned for more details of his elongated Effie. |  This chopped, slammed, and...  This chopped, slammed, and skirted AD Chevy may not be a newcomer to the Cruisin' Nats... |
 ...but it is for its new owner,...  ...but it is for its new owner, Kyohei, from Japan, who added a deserved clearcoat to the mint green fade finish. |  Lowered and restored! Or is...  Lowered and restored! Or is that restored and lowered? No matter how you mince it, this fresh (and unfortunately unnamed) '46 Chevy from SoCal is about as nicely done as it is rare-i.e., very! |  Satin and shiny can make a...  Satin and shiny can make a nice pairing-and that's pretty much what we have here with this motorized beach cruiser-toting '56 F-100! |