This turquoise and white '55 Bel Air hardtop, owned by Jeff Warinski of Papillion, NE, is restored and dropped around 18-inch and 20-inch Coddigton wheels. It runs a freshened-up 265 Power Pac and original-style upholstery.
Ed Loose's '46 Merc convert looks great in dark green set off by a white top, off-white leather, and green carpet. Corvette grille, '49 Ford taillights, and '49 Plymouth bumpers are custom touches.
This past event season we headed, as usual, for Omaha, Nebraska, and the annual World of Wheels. It's dependable. Always the same time. Always, for all its 46 years, at the Omaha Civic Auditorium (although one year my son and I almost missed one-third of the show because we didn't know they had added a whole third level). Always well-managed by Championship Auto Shows, Inc. (CASI) and the Midwest Street Rod Association. And always a showcase of the best in the world of hot rodding from the local Nebraska-Iowa area along with some of the top national showcars competing for the season points championship.
Among those in Omaha this year was Ron and Maggie Dubberstein's fantastic '55 Chevy Bel Air from Winfield, Kansas. Ron was little more than a pup when he first customized the sedan in 1958. Now totally updated, it won the show's Best Custom award.
Among feature attractions was a display of two of John D'Agostino's recent Cadillac custom creations, along with George Poteet's "Intruder" '57 Ford Ranch Wagon.
So, as dependable as a calendar, the World of Wheels rolls around each year at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, and the guys and gals from the Midwest Street Rod Association will be on hand to set it up. Depend on it!
This '57 Ford Ranch Wagon, "Intruder," was built by Troy Trepanier for George Poteet. A Ford Racing 351-W is practically molded into the smoothed engine compartment. Stylized "sidetrim" is painted on, the grille, taillights, headlights, and bumpers are all customized.
Randy and Darlene Sukovaty of Lincoln showed their mild custom '54 Chevy two-door with 350 power, Weld wheels, and black vinyl interior.
Everybody in the '50s longed to move up from a Ford to a mild custom '53 Merc like Scott Merwald's Monterey hardtop from Omaha. In traditional fashion, he added triple carbs to the flathead and white-and-red, rolled-and-pleated vinyl.
Ron Dubberstein first customized his '55 Chevy in 1958, then Darryl Starbird worked his magic on it and used it as a feature car for a couple seasons. This is the car's latest--and Ron says last--incarnation, finished in peach with tan cloth and leather, a smoothed dash and custom console, and, still, a six-carb manifold on a 283 engine.
Championship auto shows gave Midwesterners a look at some of the country's top customs: John D'Agostino's '59 Cadster and '54 Cad Star (now owned by Frank and Arlene Mercede of New Caanan, CT) and George Poteet's Troy Trepanier-built '57 Ranch Wagon.
Believe it or not, this '50 Merc was chopped in the '50s by Omaha legend Worrell Jones, Sr. and never finished. Mick Rau finally completed it with a finish of light-and-dark green with matching (tuck 'n' roll) leather, Cal Custom grille bar, and frenched '50 taillights.
The realism in this drive-in theater diorama by the Chevy Classics Club is incredible! Guess what was playing? Two Lane Blacktop!
Among the customs show manager Joe Gautreau assembled for the Custom Rodder Cavalcade of Customs was this mildly smoothed and white-pleated '58 Impala owned by Gary Wakehouse of Council Bluffs, IA.
© 1998 - 2008
