Greetings Paul, It was a pleasure meeting you in Maggie Valley. Thanks for the photos. Have safe travels. Snowman
Just to whet your appe***e I am off today to see Pete Aardema in his new shop and check out his Bonneville stuff and his hot rods. Last time here he was reproducing the Merlin V12. Here is an article on that and his other overhead cam engines. http://www.hotrod.com/articles/hot-...un-create-scratch-built-12-cylinder-behemoth/ Then on Friday night it is off to Cruzin Grande in Escondido. Saturday is a special visit to Jim Lattins collection. I went there a few years back and it is exceptional collection of Indy cars, Bonneville stuff and motorcycles. Photos will follow except for the Lattin collection where no cameras are allowed.
Pete Aardema is an ingenious engine builder and maybe not entirely traditional. He is well known for his overhead cam heads for all kinds of engines. He is currently doing overhead cam heads for a Flathead engine. Pics here.
He was at Bonneville with this car. Got one record at 221mph but went for gas and had a failure on that run. This ch***is belongs to a friend and runs Pete's Model A engine with overhead cam head. Makes about 500hp
BEWARE A COUPLE OF NON TRADITIONAL PHOTOS Pete's 34 coupe with overhead cam engine. Certainly not traditional but innovation is the gr*** roots of hot rodding.
Pete has built his own version of the V12 Merlin. Started with a block of aluminium and made EVERYTHING from scratch in his shop. Uses a 4 inch stroke instead of 5.5 inch in an original Merlin. Should rev to 6000rpm and produce 3000 horsepower. Possible use in speed boats but more just Pete doing it because he can.
Then back at our friend Rocky's place. Getting the 57 ready for Cruzin Grande at Escondido tonight. When I went down Rocky had some familiar magazines and calendar on the bench.
Also Pete had this at his shop. Got this when someone owed him money. F Truck with Mustang front,big block Chev. Quite nicely built. Will try to get photos of rear setup as bed floor out. Yours for $17,000. PM me if you want more details.
Went to Escondido for Cruzin Grande last night. Poor turnout because of the hot weather and start of holiday weekend. Some nice cars though. The Model A coupe with the nailhead had Nevada plates and looked like a fresh build. The Roth like roadster had a blown V6 that the owners father said pulled 1200hp on the dyno!! Mostly originals or restored and only a few hot rods.
Hey Hudson, Great photos of the weekly event. Those cars are always representing the best of So Cal. Escondido is trying to keep the old Hot Rod flame alive in the whole area. The heat...103 in Mission Viejo in the OC. 105 on the Ortega Highway leading to Lake Elsinore. Coastal cities ranged from 95 to 101. It was "Lake Pacific Ocean" all day and night. Whew! The late evening fog will arrive soon and start the cooling trend. Jnaki Have a safe and great trip... keep the photos and information coming.
X2! Looks like you are having a lot of fun seeing things and cars here in the states that many of us that live here will not see. Thanks again for sharing your experience!
The party is over. Leave tonight from LAX. Then when we get back we have two weeks to get ready for Valla Park Hot Rod Run. This is the 41st year and we have missed only one. Hudson going down this year but the Dragens are convinced it is not a 1948. But then they don't know their Hudsons.
The Jalopy Journal
