On The Move

By Ed Zimmerly

Last year The Prowlers Car Club moved their annual event (over 60 years running) to Mission Bay. If you haven’t already heard, Simpson’s Nursery in Jamul is no longer available for car shows. So, as the 2013 local car season has started to take shape the number of clubs moving their events to new locations is worth noting. Jim Signorelli of the Mopar Club recently announced that their “Annual All American” show was now going to be held at Mira Costa College. Santee’s unofficial Mayor, John Morley was at the 29^th Annual True Line Hot Rods Galore Show last month and mentioned that he’d help the East County Cruisers secure the Santee’s Town Center Park for one of their upcoming events. The Motorhead Misfits Car Club …(key players in the Annual Restoration Ranch Car Show) reports that this year’s show will be moved to a church in the (more central) Ramona area. It’s a smart move bringing this event into town…the dirt road out the ranch had killed their attendance in the past.

Thanks To All You Swabbies!

The Team Jen Donor Event Follow up….Given the fact that there was only about a month’s worth of planning to get this event off the ground, the job got done…some would say well done. Breaking it down by the numbers… almost 200 perspective donors stepped up to have their checks swabbed in hopes of being the match for Total Performance Greg Grosset’s wife, Jennifer, who has a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. The Registry said that this was the largest privately held donor event response. More numbers to share…at least free 650 tacos were consumed…mention FREE lunch and you know the local hot rod guys will show up in droves. Manzanita Brewing Company gave anyone who took part in this donor drive a free sample of their award winning brew to help wash down the tasty Mexican cuisine. At least 50 off road trucks and hot rods were on display. Several hundred friends, family members and local well-wishers dropped by to share in the fun. Local DJ Jim Ackley was spinning some old time popular tunes and judging from the smiles on everyone’s faces this event can be considered a huge success. Greg & Jen would like to Thank: Steve Johnson, Bill Rodriquez /Baja Pits Crew, Estrada’s Mexican Restaurants, Butch of BE Motorsports for the event T-Shirts, Jeff Seifert and his Sak Tea Monster Race Team Semi Truck Rig with it’s HUGE Awning. The best part about this event was that everyone involved donated their services, food, beer, music and t-shirts and were more than happy to do their part and help Jen beat this disease. We got your back, babe, go get’em.

It Was Really Hot Rod Galore!

Hold onto your hats boys and girls cause we’re in for some fun times ahead. If True Line’s 29^th Annual Hot Rods Galore Car Show is any indication of what we should expect local car shows to be this Summer. Then happy days are here again. Last month it was a combination of great weather, and an abundance of free hot dogs that some might sat did the trick. Others will say Tony Cortes and his team of gearheads have been doing this gig for almost thirty years and probably know a thing or two about hosting a good old fashion car show. It really doesn’t whom you listen to cause over 250 local hot rodders made the run to El Cajon. And a great time was had by all. The West Hills Girls Softball team made out like bandits. Granted they had to work for it, selling raffle tickets and cooking the hot dogs, but our sources tell us that they doubled their take from previous years efforts. In this day and age of education budget cutbacks that money will go to good use. Over The Hill Gang member Hilton Vail was awarded the Best of Show trophy for his heart stopping mid-fifties Chevy truck. Now one can only wonder what True Line’s BIG plans will be for next year when we all gather in celebration of thirty years of chrome, metal-flake and flames.

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Dan Esposito’s 1966 Mustang Fastback

And She Said “Muscle Cars Put Her In The Mood!”

OverDrive Feature Model Bonnie Sibilia on location in Del Mar California. OverDrive Model Adrian Reynolds appears in the feature car slide show. Photos by Bud Beech.

Let’s get something clear right from the start; this ain’t no Shelby clone car. As Dan Esposito, this month’s OverDrive Hot Rod News feature car owner puts it, he built this car to be like none other, and it is. He purchased the car in 2000 in San Bernardino, California. It took ten years to get it on the road, but many of us know (all too well) how that can happen. And doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun anyway? This Ford was originally a six-cylinder car with a factory automatic. Dan took his resto-mod to the garage and like something out of a Frankenstein movie created a monster.

1966 was the first year that Ford saw the results of the Mustang’s popularity. It was also the first year that consumers began to regard the Mustang as a car with power and performance. 1966 was also the year that Ford produced its one millionth Mustang. In all, they had over six hundred thousand units roll off the assembly line. There were a few changes made in this model year. The most noteworthy was the addition of the option of an automatic transmission available with the “Hi-Po” V8 models.

Advertisements became popular reminders of the Mustang’s youthful appeal. It was the car to have if you wanted to hit the road for fun and adventure.

OverDrive Model Adrian Reynolds on location in Del Mar California. Photos by Bud Beech.

Photos by Bud Beech.

About The Car: 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback. At first glance, the exterior shows an unmolested car with few body mods. Under the hood rests 500 horsepower small-block 408 built by Total Performance of Santee, California. Esposito married this bad boy to a Tremec five-speed transmission. A Currie nine-inch rear end with 3.7 gears completes the drive train. The ride was improved with new Mustang II suspension along with coil over shocks. On the inside there’s a well fitted roll bar and Dan added Fox Body seats with three point seatbelts. A third brake light was added and the caption “Politically Incorrect” you’ll have to ask Dan about that one. Pat Smith of Pat Smith’s Custom Cars shot the immaculate white with blue stripe exterior paint. Seventeen-inch New Gen wheels finish off the overall look and create a great profile. As the proud owner states she’s “nice but nasty” and we couldn’t agree more.