PICS: 2008 GRAND NATIONAL ROADSTER SHOW IN POMONA

The 2008 Grand National Roadster Show is back at the Pomona Fairplex and if you’re heading down there then be sure to bring some extra pocket change. For starters, the site says that admission is $16 but once you get there they charge $20. No big thing but a bit annoying though.

Now in it’s 58th year, this show is the longest running indoor car show around and if you’re a fan of classic muscle, lowriders, vintage rares, choppers, rat rods and lead sleds then this is it. They’ve got something for everyone and included in that line up of cars is special section from the Petersen Museum as well as old school dragsters and more. It’s a fun show and if you’ve never been out to it then be sure to check it out.

THUNDERFLITE: Designed by Dean Arnold, the Thunder Flite as a retro-futuristic concept vehicle envisioning what Ford might’ve concocted had they designed a space age T-Bird back in the late 50′s. Looks like a great concept but it’s also one that’s at the center of a lot of controversy…but it’s the car industry so I guess it’s normal? LOL.

Check out this T-Bucket wrapped entirely in leather. What’s a trip is that you could start smelling the leather about 8′ away. What a bitch this thing must be to keep up.

The Orbitron being used as a trash can outside of an adult book store in Mexcio.

The Orbitron is a classic originally built by Ed “Big Daddy Roth” and if you read up on the history you’ll see that it’s pretty fucked up. The car traded hands between several owners of which one had traded it in because of a drug problem while another owner was killed because of a failed drug deal. The end result? It was found in a front of an adult book store in Mexico and being used as a trash can.

The complete restoration

If you wanna talk Heavy Hitters then this show was it. There was over a dozen vehicles on display from vehicle owners that were featured in Heavy Hitters Magazine and this one was one of them. Beau Boeckman’s Orbirtron was a hit at the show and his booth even featured a short documentary on how he found the car as well as the restoration process.

A funny story about the bubble top is that a former owner was rumored to have gotten stuck inside so he had to break it to get out. Now that’s funny!

It takes big balls to drive this small boat. Mike’s Top Alcohol Hydro boat that hits 210 mph on the water. Put me in that and I guarantee the cabin’ll smell like piss and Top Ramen.

Hemi Trike: Check the phatties out back.

It was good to see Lifestyle Car Club representin’ at the show. The cars added a new spectrum of flavor to venue and this entire row of Lifestyle cars was opened up with Cartoon’s Monte Carlo up on a turn table.

Now that’s a rig.

I’m not really a fan of this style Rod but the display was dope and reminiscent of the caricatures usually found on this model. Check out the flames coming out of the tips – that’s clever…and this is the first time I’ve seen cotton stuffing really work. The worst application has to be when lowrider guys use it to make their cars look like their floating.

more to come later…..