52nd Annual L.A. Roadsters Show & Swap
Pomona, CASaturday, June 18, 2016
Story by Richard Parks
Photographs by Roger Rohrdanz.
The L. A. Roadster Club puts on quite a show. They’ve been a successful roadster club for something like six decades and counting and 52nd roadster show and swapmeet. Roger Rohrdanz and I drove out on Friday to watch the set-up and speak to a few vendors, sponsors and participants. We like to get there early and get a feel for how the show will go and then come back on the weekend when the crowds start to pour in. We didn’t have much trouble getting into the show on Friday, so bright and early on a warm, sunny June day in Southern California we headed for Pomona and the Los Angeles Fairgrounds on Saturday to see the show and swap meet. The long lines to get into the Fairgrounds and park are irritating and both the Fairplex and the club could have opened more car lanes to handle the traffic. Roger explained patiently that this is standard with most car shows. One old car overheated and the owner had to push his car along inch by inch. We came to a county employee who demanded ten dollars to drive in line about the length of a football field until we came to the gate, where another parking fee was charged to park. A Fairplex employee screamed at a driver in line who kept up a continuous stream of complaints.
We parked and entered the swap meet and car show and I can honestly say that after that it was one of the best roadster and car shows that I have attended. Some call the merchandise in the swap meet area old junk, but to many people there were treasures to be found after much haggling, bantering and some good natured ribbing. There were vendors and sponsors lining the midway and into Building 4, which was air-conditioned and comfortable. While it was hot it wasn’t unbearable outside and there were plenty of tents to find shade. I always like to talk to the vendors and sponsors whenever I can and when they are not surrounded by customers. I receive a bit of flak from readers about stressing the vendors, but you can learn more about what is going on at a car show from them than anybody else. Some vendors are cranky, but most are there to make some money and create good publicity for their companies. Many are friends and racers, or whom you may know indirectly through other sources. Vendors and sponsors have to pass the time and promote their businesses and most love to talk to their clients and the public. They will also tell you about other shows that they go to and which may interest you as well.
Another group that you can approach are the members, associate members, volunteers and guests of the LA Roadster Club. Like any person you meet some of them can be a little gruff and grouchy, but most will go out of their way to talk to you and tell you about their club. I used to look for Jack Stewart, a gentle man and a gentleman who constantly made my job as a reporter easier. Jack passed away in 2014, but he is still mourned and remembered by many. Another man whom I truly admire for his can-do spirit, hospitality and friendliness is Mort Smith and we talked at length. He is an unassuming man who doesn’t like to brag, but he has quite a history behind him. “On Saturday we will have around 600 roadsters parked around the buildings. We give free admission, a pewter mug, decals, program and a Saturday barbecue dinner up on the hill,” Mort said. “The show belongs to roadster guys, we do it for them and when they bring their roadsters to the show they get all of this free,” Mort added. We talked about the past, it was pleasant in the shade where Mort and other volunteers checked in the roadsters and directed them where to go to find parking right in the middle of the car show. “This is the 80th Anniversary of the 1936 Ford Roadster and the Ford Motor Company is putting on events all over the country and we are honoring the ’36 Ford at our show,” Mort went on.
We talked about the old racing days, suicide doors that put a great many of us in danger and people we knew who were no longer around. “Maybe 60% of the roadsters at the show are fiberglass or modern steel bodies by Brookville and other makers, but that’s all right because they’re beautiful and they’re works of art. You know, Richard, I go way back and remember the old days. I was a hot rodder in the 1950’s and I raced at Bonneville, the dry lakes and the early drag strips. I raced at Santa Ana in 1950 and later for Gene Adams at Lion’s in Long Beach where I was the first to go 150 mph on gas. I drag raced at Saugus in 1951 when it was run by Lou Baney and Louie Senter and then I raced at Irwindale and San Fernando drag strips. I drove a B-Coupe at El Mirage under the Rosetta Timing Association when the SCTA (Southern California Timing Association would let us race coupes. My time on the dry lakes was 154 mph. In 1953 I went 163 mph at Bonneville. I also drove for Lee’s Speed Shop in Santa Monica,” Mort concluded. He worked for a number of speed manufacturers including Jack Engel Cam Shafts.
Other LA Roadster members that were kind and helpful included Lynn Houchin who is in charge of the vendors and sponsors. Dick Bergren is a Lifetime Member and committed club member. John Buck is always helpful. Buck also owns and promotes the Grand National Roadster Show at the LA County Fairplex each January. Tom Thibodeaux is the club Secretary. John Kiley is the club President. John and Anna Corno are hardworking members who assist with registration and other duties. Rich and Linda Boyd create the beautiful program. Jeff Tann is the club Vice President. Doyle Gammell is always cheerful and a great help to those in the media, as well as the Treasurer for the club. Carl Maurizi is the Show Chairman and he did a fantastic job of coordinating everything. I heard no complaints from anyone. David Kiley was the Co-Chairman. Just as helpful are the Associate members who live too far to attend the club meetings on a constant basis but are there at the show to help it run smoothly. The LA Roadster Club keeps membership at a reasonable level and it is a high honor to be accepted into the club as a full, associate, Lifetime, Honorary member or to be asked to simply volunteer. I can’t forget the wives, who are busy everywhere, preparing food, selling souvenirs of the club, working the registration and other jobs that are needed to pull off such a great car show.
There is a tremendous variety of merchandise that you can buy from the vendors and in the swap meet. They have something for everyone, including wives and children. I met Tom Fritz setting up his art booth. Tom is a friend and an excellent artist. He just welcomed into his family his first grandchild and he told me that he runs in 10K and half-marathon races, often with his two children, who are now grown and married. Another artist of renown is Darrell D. Mayabb who also does cartoon work under the alias C. Cruz, which I think he said stood for “cruisin.’” I spoke to his wife, Sharon, who told me that Darrell is a work-a-holic who spends all his time in the “Barn” painting and creating. You’ll have to ask Sharon and Darrell about the story of “The Red Headed Flea.” Two very friendly vendors were Jose Godinez and Mike Broome who were manning the Sacramento So-Cal Speed Shop. He told me about the shows they go to, which includes the Ventura Nationals, NSRA Nationals, Goodguys, Grand National Roadster Show, Sacramento Autorama, among others. “We didn’t choose our spot, they just assigned it to us, but we are quite pleased as it is on the main drag of the show,” Jose beamed.
Faith Granger, director and producer of the hot rod movie “Deuce of Spades,” has come out with a three hour plus work on film clips and deletions from the original movie that is quite interesting. She is planning a tour of the movie for next year and if your car group would like to have Faith show her movie and speak to your group you can reach her through her website; just search “Deuce of Spades.” It is an excellent movie that I reviewed for www.hotrodhotline.com and the script and acting are well done. I ranked it right up there with “American Graffiti” for a story on hot rodding and the car culture. She also has handbags and other souvenirs for sale with a “Deuce of Spades” motif. Brizio Street Rods of South San Francisco was there with 15 roadsters. The Jokers car club from San Francisco also came in force as did many other car clubs. Save The Salt, the SCTA/BNI, presented many of their land speed cars and their efforts to get the BLM and Federal Government to follow the law and preserve the National Treasure that we call the Bonneville Salt Flats from further degradation and loss by mining companies. Ron Main, Dan Warner, Joanne Carlson and many other land speeders were in attendance at the show.
Some of the main sponsors were Brookville Bodies, Edelbrock and Justice Brothers. I spoke to Ed Justice, CEO and President of Justice Brothers. Ed is committed to the car and hot rodding culture. His radio show always kept our interest and at reunions he would do his magic tricks. Ed is a full member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, a group of magicians who try to keep that heritage alive. He also is the publisher for books on car racing and hot rodding and with author Tom Madigan, the creator of many fine books. He told me that he has other projects and hopes to keep Madigan busy. I’ve reviewed Madigan’s work and his work is interesting, fast paced and well researched. Ed is concerned about the condition that the car culture faces and is active in helping to promote auto racing and car shows like the LA Roadsters, which he sponsors. His family has amassed an impressive collection of memorabilia and race cars which is on display at the corporate office in Duarte, California.
The last person I interviewed gave me a wealth of information. Doug Evans is a high ranking official for the new Rev’n Television Network that promotes car events over 40 outlets or more. In the Los Angeles market the programs are on Channel 8.6. Doug started out in the publishing business over thirty years ago as an account executive and rose through the ranks to become the executive vice-president for the Petersen Publishing’s Group Publishings. He met and worked with notable editors, writers, photographers and other magazine staff such as Robert E. Petersen, Harry Hibler, C. J. Baker, Dick Lague, Eric “Rick” Rickman, John Dianna, Don Francisco, John Asher and others. He knew my father, Wally Parks, as well as other notables in the publishing field. Petersen Publishing became Primedia and recently TEN, Inc. Doug ran the TV programming for TEN. He mentioned how he moved the archived records of the old Petersen Publishing Company to the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles where they will now become public records.
Rev’n Television is over the airwaves and antenna received transmissions and is also available on cable and internet access. He explained to me how the change from analog transmitting to digital formatting opened up a lot of new channels for broadcasters and made it possible for the public to receive a great deal more in the way of programming. This will be good for car shows and our car culture. In addition to his official work duties, Doug is the board chairman for SEMA, in Diamond Bar, California and also for Save The Salt. SEMA was influential in getting the government and Marine Corp to open up the 29 Palms area for off road 4-wheel drive vehicles. SEMA also helped to write the language for the 1970 Clean Air Act. That act was endangered by politicians and the EPA who wanted to outlaw race cars that were not specially built for racing. In other words, if the car was issued a VIN number then it could not be rebuilt into a race car, which would have destroyed many racing organizations.
Roger and I left the LA Roadster show early to report on another car show in Orange County sponsored by a major company that promotes the car culture and auto racing. We had no trouble parking at this show and the organizers created an exceptional show on a venue site that was well laid out. There was food, music, entertainment, great show cars and well-known race cars. We met many old and dear friends and famous car people and racers. Midway through the event their security notified me that we were trespassing on a private event and no photos or coverage would be allowed. Due to the sensitivity of the subject I promised not to release any notice of this event and advised Roger not to publish any photographs taken there. It is a major sponsor of racing and car shows and we do not want to cause any problems for them. I mention this only to advise everyone to check first before taking photographs or writing a story on a car show, race or similar event. Had I known this beforehand I would have stayed at the LA Roadster Show, an exceptional event. But it wasn’t the first time I’ve been thrown out of an event and it probably won’t be my last, either.
Gone Racin’ is at [email protected].