With a lineup like this, it has to be Paso. Marty Wells' bright green '51 Ford leads the way wearing a '57 Chevy front bumper, '56 Olds headlights, a very tasteful top chop, reshaped quarters, and Cad caps with whitewalls.
Jim Watson's radical '54 Ford was fresh out of Dean Arnold's Tacoma, WA, paint booth, and came dressed in a deep candy burgundy finish with gold accents fading to orange, flames, and a funky flower pattern on the hood. Watson performed the body mods himself--37 of them, including tunneled Buick headlights, a DeSoto grille, chopped windshield, and '63 Mecury Meteor taillights.
How do you make a '59 Cadillac wilder than it already is? Green flames over bright orange paint can't hurt. Austin Curless went a few steps further with a fully shaved body, molded skirts, 18-inch wheels, and a full custom interior.
Cruisn' Paso West Coast Kustoms Keeps the Tradition Alive in 2005
The West Coast Kustoms' Cruisin' Nationals event is a bit of an anomaly in today's rodding environment. Put on by a relatively small, regional custom car club, the show has no corporate sponsor and does not charge spectators an admission fee. Additionally, limited space means official show registration is capped at about 850 vehicles, making it common to find dozens of latecomers and overflow vehicles scattered around town outside the official show area. Despite all this, the event, held every year on Memorial Day weekend in Paso Robles, California, has more clout than many larger events, and is a must-attend affair for thousands of dedicated custom and hot rod enthusiasts.
The show's secret may just be its uncomplicated nature. Those who long for those ever-elusive "simpler times" of yesteryear can appreciate a low-key Saturday show 'n' shine in the historic town square of a small, central California berg. Or perhaps the Friday-night cruise is the attraction, evoking the spirit of yesteryear by offering participants the opportunity to strut their latest rides down Spring Street in the same manner they would've paraded down the main drag of their hometown way back when. Seeing the latest "big name" customs outside the confines of an arena or auditorium is another draw, as is seeing the creativity and craftsmanship of some of the many in-progress rides. It can't hurt that young rodders and seasoned enthusiasts alike have embraced the event as their own, and generally co-mingle in a manner seldom seen elsewhere.
Whatever the reason, the show most people simply call "Paso" has assumed a spirit and a character all its own, and continues to attract some of the most innovative and intriguing four-wheeled wonders from the West Coast and beyond. The 2005 edition carried on the tradition in candy-coated style. We got to witness it all this year--the trickling in of cars on Friday, Spring Street cruisin' Friday night, the show 'n' shine hustle 'n' bustle all day Saturday, and the laid back Sunday morning before awards and departure. As always, it was a great time. Check out the photos and we think you'll see why.
For those who missed the Fresno Autorama coverage in the October issue, here's a look at Gary "Chop-It" Fioto's radical bubbletop custom. Based on a '55 Ford, the wild ride wears Cadillac grille and bumper parts, '60 Chrysler taillights, skirted wheels, a space-age cabin capped by a massive bubble top, and a six-carb Chevy mill.
Sledsville Rod & Custom debuted several new cars at Paso, including this '60s-style '51 Chevy with a hardtop chop, drawer-pull grille, Radirs 'n' whitewalls, and silver scallops over green paint.
Can you guess the origin of this other Sledsville creation? Believe it or not, it began as a '57 Chevy. You'd never know it looking at the frenched Merc lights, '55 Dodge grille with a Plymouth center, '56 Packard taillights, and chopped Carson top with a cut-down '69 Chevelle windshield.
Stitz Street Rods lopped the lid off of a Nova to create a unique roadster. A pancaked decklid, later-Nova taillights, and Steve Deman-squirted copper paint highlight the body. Underneath you’ll find a Total Cost Involved front clip, Heidt’s IRS, and an LS1/four-speed drivetrain combo.
To craft a cool, simple cruiser from his ’60 Chevy Biscayne, Jeff Bachar gave it air springs, five spokes, a full-width tube grille, bullet-centered taillights, and a metallic green spray with a marbleized gray top.
Willie Taitano gave his ’61 Cadillac a strong ’60s vibe with metallic blue paint, flame and metalflake accents, whitewall-wrapped Supremes, Bellflower tips, and white threads.
Greg Lazzerini integrated the frenched Buick headlights and executed the other minor mods (frenched taillights, shaved trim and handles, etc.) so well on his ’50 Merc that it almost looks like a factory job. Slick!
Remember George Cerney’s chopped Plymouth wagon? It appeared in various forms in several magazines, including Rod & Custom and Car Craft, in the mid-’50s. George’s son, Larry, who owns a body shop in Orange, CA, recently got the car back and is planning a rebuild to its previous incarnation.
If Mike Simpkins’ ’60 Cadillac looks streamlined, maybe it’s due to the 2-inch chopped lid—which came from a four-door hardtop—or the tucked front bumper. Underneath you’ll find a ’70 Cadillac frame and 500ci Cad mill.
This was the ninth time Dennis McPhail’s ’52 Chevy made it from Kansas to California under its own six-cylinder power, but the first time it had been at Paso since getting its deep purple paint and chopped ’n’ ’flaked roof.
Some Bay Area rocker named James cruised down in this Cad-capped, satin green Olds and had us drooling all weekend.
E Dog had his ’66 T-bird dolled up in ’60s show style with a reshaped front bumper, rolled pan, custom drawer-pull grille, and a full-width mesh rear grille covering the taillights. The bodywork is covered with lime paint, orange flames, and a purple lid.
We didn’t get a chance to verify our hunch, but David Thayer’s ’63 Riviera appears to be Doug Garrett’s old ride (“Koffee Shop Kustom,” May ’02 issue) with a fresh metalflake spray on the roof and new 20-inch Intro rollers. Looks sharp!
The latest “Batman” flick features a Batmobile that looks like a Hummer crossed with a dune buggy. We think a more appropriate choice would’ve been Brian Nieri’s chopped, flat-black ’57 Cadillac with extended fins and 20-inch Boss Motorsports wheels.
We showed you Terry Hegman's chopped '51 Merc in our Grand National Roadster Show coverage, but were glad to see it cruising Paso showing off its awesome Squeeg-sprayed blue finish in the sun.
Richard Zocchi claimed a spot in the park to show off his latest, this subtly sliced '59 Buick with Aiello bodywork and Himsl peach paint topped with gold pearl. A rearranged grille, lowered front bumper, and frenched custom taillights are but a few of the other mods.
Ye ol' editor is a sucker for Mopars, especially early '60s Valiants. Michael Patterson's '64 wagon is relies on basic dechroming and bold paint -- a sliver base with marbleized red scallops and a 'flaked top -- to make its mark. Simple, affordable, and fun!
We'd seen Val and Gar Tompkins' radical '55 Cadillac at several indoor shows, but it was great to see it in the park. Besides the roadster conversion and section job, the bodywork (by Frank DeRosa and Son and Oz's Kustoms) features a frenched front bumper, molded lower pan, and Art Himsl paint. Dig the 18-inch Wheel Vintiques wires and Vogue tires.
If you want something delivered piping hot, Mike Nixon's orange-licked '58 Chevy is sure to get it there on time.
Tony and Sheila Gambino's '54 Ford takes on an entirely new looks with its chopped top, Pontiac split bumper and side trim, and frenched Merc taillights. This one already looks great; it should look even better with paint.
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