Classic Nation

I was checking out some of the local classic car websites from the Northwest and I came across the site of the Northwest Classic Chevy Club. I have seen this logo at a few familiar places like car shows and cruises so I immediately recognized this club has a presence in my area. This got me to wondering. How many classic car enthusiasts belong to a car club? How many belong to more than one?

Let me know your thoughts.

After a few years of sitting around and getting wet, many rear window seals start to leak. When this happens, water gets into the car and ruins the interior. My car has a very small leak, but it was enough to warp a new rear parcel shelf that I had purchased from Year One a few years back. These original pieces were made our of a cardboard-like material, so I decided to fabricate one.

First, I bought a 8′x4′ sheet of 1/4″ particle type of board. I bought it at Home Depot, but this type of material can be found at almost any lumber or building supply store. I got 1/4″ because I wanted it to be light but easy to work with. I then took my old piece out and used it as a template to cut the shape out of the wood. I used a jig saw to make the cuts, being careful not to cut too small.
Once I did this, I put the piece in place to see how it would fit. Perfect!
I then crawled in the trunk with a pencil and marked where the speaker holes were. Previously, I had opened the factory holes to allow my 6×9s to fit. Since I was going to be getting a new parcel shelf, I treated myself to a set of brand new Infinity Kappa 6×9s as well.

With this all done, it was time to do the carpeting. Since I have a black interior, I used black carpeting. I elected to use the thin, speaker-grade carpeting, as it molds better and is easier to work with. Also, the stock floor carpeting (80/20 loop) would definitely look out of place. I covered the entire panel and folded the carpeting around the edges, overlapping the back about 4″ all the way around. I then stapled and used spray adhesive to keep it in place. Around the edges, I would cut slits so that the carpet would lay flat. For the speaker holes, I poked a hole in the center and made cuts in every direction to meet the wood. I then folded these flaps back and staples and glued them as well.
With this piece done, I was almost ready to go. I first put in a thick piece of juke padding down to help insulate and help with sound.
The piece fit perfectly and looks great.

Today I was thinking about all of the Goodguys Car Shows that I have gone to over the year. Those guys really know how to put a car show together. All across the country each summer, they organize some of the best classic car shows anywhere. It is a great opportunity to meet other classic car enthusiasts too!

Checkout more of our classic car pictures.

Last week I checked into the legalities of conducting a classic car raffle in my home state of Washington. As it turns out, raffles are sanctioned through the State’s gambling commission so not any Joe Schmoe off-the-street can conduct a raffle.

Unfortunately, in order to properly hold a raffle, an organization need to be a non-profit and submit an application to the board for review.

So for now - we will not be planning on having any classic car raffles. But - we will keep you posted if any cool ones come to our attention.

More and more frequently I see classic cars set up “low rider style” with the 13 inch Daytons and white walls, hydros or air bags, and gold accessories at local car shows. I am a fan of any custom classic car, and these lowriders are a subset of them. Here are a few lowriders that we found at the 2007 Spokane Goodguys Show.

You’ll notice that Impalas still are the favorite car for lowrider enthusiasts - partially because they have great unique lines that are not easily mistaken for anything else. But - I have started to see lowriders out of various others, like Buicks, Pontiacs, and Caddys.

If you were able to pick your ideal model for a custom lowrider, what would it be?
I would choose a 1958 Impala.