It was either very late at night or very early in the morning when the idea for the Hot Rod Revolution spawned. Keith Tardel and I started the conversation and it wasn’t long before our better halves, Mary and Marcie, joined in. Over the course of way too many margaritas, the Hot Rod Revolution was finalized. It would be a small pre-48 traditional hot rod show set in a small town in Northern California that focused on quality over quantity.
The first year (2006), we had around 100 cars show. It was a tiny get together of some of the best cars Northern California had to offer. Walking on to that little baseball diamond in Penngrove, CA was the hot rod equivalent to walking on to the golf course at Pebble Beach during the Concours d’Elegance. In my mind, a more perfect car show had never been held.
In 2007 we gave it another shot and despite the wet/freezing weather, the event stayed true to tradition. Diehard hot rodders rolled in one-after-the-other. The drivers and passengers were bundled up, tops (if available) were snapped shut, and folks shivered anyway. It was cold… Really damn cold. But the show was still amazing and the company was still perfect.
In 2008, we fumbled. First, we were gonna have the show. Then, it was canceled. Then, it was back on. See, Mary Tardel was pregnant with my god daughter and we would all be damned if we were gonna let our little car show get in the way of that deal. In the end, we decided to let it slide… and I’m still glad that we did. Priorities are important, right?
It’s now 2009 and the Hot Rod Revolution is back with a vengeance. Along with all of the incredible pre-48 traditional cars we’ve featured in the past, we are also trying to focus on cars that have appeared on the salt at speed. To be honest, I’m not sure exactly what cars will be making an appearance. There is just no telling… BUT, I can tell ya that the awe inspiring Tom Cobbs roadster will be at the show. It’s gonna rule gentlemen…
In any case, that’s my pitch… If your interested in joining us at the Revolution on September 26, you can get all of the details here. And I would be amiss if I didn’t mention the companies that are helping us on the financial side. Riley Automotive, Coker Tire, RediRad, and Pete & Jakes have all been REVOLUTIONARY.
And finally, here’s a few of my favorite shots from past Revolutions:
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