10:00 am. Here we go again. Time for the 1998 West Coast Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour. From deep in the confines of the MOTHERS® facility in Huntington Beach, California, two of our “MOTHERS® Cool Car” roar to life. On the left, the 1959 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery and on the right, our brand new (as in newly-restored) 1967 Oldsmobile 422 — the beast we’ll be driving cross-country this year.
10:05 am. We leave for the kick-off party 45 miles away at the Pomona Fairgrounds. We decide to leave a couple of hours early to avoid the crowds. . .
. . . naturally everyone else has the same idea.
In the hot Pomona sun, dedicated hot rodders wait patently, each one desperately hoping that the kind folks at Hot Rod Magazine will let them know how to register. It never happens. Eventually some of the more restless hot rodders start to drive around aimlessly, pretending they know were they’re going. Other cars start to follow — the blind leading the blind. After a few failed attempts at gaining entry, we decide to join a line of cars that has formed on a tree-covered hill.
After a while I walk up the hill and see what’s up. In the distance I spot the registration tent. There’s plenty of parking up top, if only we can get past the log-jam of hot rods (it seems quite a few people mistakenly thought it was drive-through registration).
With a little bit of improvisation, we find just enough room on the left embankment to get by the other vehicles. We park our cars near the registration tent and join what can only be described as “The Official Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour ’98 Line from Hell®.” (Registered trademark, all rights reserved.)
Good thing we got here early. Eventually the line will stretch all the way from Pomona to Cucamonga (yes there is a town in Southern California called Cucamonga — Rancho Cucamonga to be exact. It’s on old Route 66, about about ten miles east of Pomona.) Once things settle down, we get a chance to check out some cool cars. Here’s a really clean 1967 Pontiac GTO.
This 1965 Sunbeam Tiger is all engine, with just a touch of body for style. It weighs all of 2,550 lbs., including its 289 Ford engine.
I wondered if I would every see this Bel Air again. I signed it last year in Mount Clemens, Michigan at the end of the 1997 Power Tour. Just below my signature (middle of photo, “ Ken Holland — MOTHERS POLISH”) is the signature of Hot Rod Magazine Publisher, Jim “Give Me All Ya Money” Savas.
A 1958 Chevrolet Corvette.
Music for the kick-off party was supplied by none other than legendary surf guitarist Dick Dale and the Daletones.
For the sake of Biscayne lovers everywhere, we lined up our MOTHERS®’ 1959 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery and Vintage Air’s 1959 Chevrolet El Camino. Notice any similarities?
Hot Rod Magazine photographer Scott Killeen jockeys for a shot on top of one of the support trailers.
Brizio was there with his latest roadster. One of the best things about it is the trick Dupont Rainbow Paint. Soooo Coool!!!
Jack Trepanier brought along his ultra smooth 1961 Chevy Biscayne. This is its second year on the Hot Rod Power Tour circuit.
Tune in tomorrow as we cruise cross-country to the neon mecca of Mesquite, Nevada. Story and photos by,
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