(Words and photos by Doug Gregory) – Rods, to me = traditional definition of a ‘street rod’ which is pre-1949 vehicles. Now with the jargon defined lets delve into this array of rides from the very traditional to the most modern stuff and trends. 2nd car in the gallery couldn’t look more traditional if it tried. Black ’32 Ford 3-window hi-boy with classic flames, chrome reverse wheels, and baby moons. All the items on the menu in one plate. There are actually a bunch of cars in this gallery from the 2017 Carl Casper Car Show that fit the more traditional or throwback moniker. Wires, subtle tones, white whites, steelies, laid-back windshields, chopped-tops, and more.
Then you have some that appear stock or awful close to it. Nothing wrong with these either. The more the merrier and these cars represent the more purist in us that think the engineers and designers got it right the first time. You don’t have to look far to find cars sporting some newer trends and approaches to the breed. Textures, lack of paint, speed holes, stance, rolling stock, color, and more display even more of the diversity in building an early ride. I’ve heard some say the street rod crowd are lawn-chair folks and there’s nothing new to see. I’ve been enamored with street rods since I was little and have attended events as long as I’ve been driving. Every single year I see new touches, styles, and details incorporated in these cars that keeps them interesting. As for ‘lawn-chair’ folks…..most the people I know who own one fry tires on a regular basis and drive them hard as often as they can. There is something in here for everyone and if you can’t find one car you can like then you might need to visit your doctor because ‘you ain’t right’.
Enjoy and make a trip back for more from the Last Carl Casper Car Show.
