Trendsetting at Mooneyes Xmas Show 2013

• December 10, 2013
• Story By
  Kristin Cline

Not too many classic car enthusiasts get to have a "Xmas Party Show and Drag", but that's exactly what Mooneyes does every year - due in large part to their Southern California location. Just a couple of years ago, I recall pulling into the Mooneyes Xmas Show with my 1955 Studebaker and walking around in shorts...that wouldn't be the case this year. Every so often So Cal has to accept their fair share of rain, and this year's Mooneyes Xmas Show was destined to be a wet one. The day started off nice enough, barring the ridiculous 6 am start time and long line of classic cars waiting to get in...but that's unfortunately normal for shows in this scene. Old cars don't like standing in line and there are inevitably always some that blow smoke, as you can see in the background below. For a moment, I thought the clouds might just pass us by and laugh in the face of the 80% forecast chance of rain. This show was a special one for me, because my husband and I have been working on restoring a 1960 Ford Falcon and this was its inaugural outing (literally...we only got it on the road the night before, and were up till midnight test driving it). The Falcon took the 30 mile drive to Irwindale Speedway well, but overheated sitting in line to get in - you can hear and see more about that over on the Falcon section of my personal blog. After snapping a few pictures during the sunrise, we snuggled into the Falcon for a nap. Before we knew it, the rain had started. The wet stuff put a damper on the drag racing that normally happens during the Mooneyes show, but plenty of people and cars still showed up - and walked around under hoods and umbrellas and hung out socializing underneath tents while the rain drizzled down. One of my favorite aspects of Mooneyes is the variety of cars that show up each year. From show-quality rides to daily drivers and everything in between. The classic car scene encompasses a plethora of different styles, and you can see a little bit of everything at Mooneyes Xmas Show. I'll walk you through some of these classic car scene trends as we check out a few of my favorite rides at Mooneyes - or if you just want to see the pictures, jump to the end for a full gallery. Aged signs painted on doors or sides of cars can increase its cool factor. An original worn-out sign is hard to find, sometimes people fake it by giving new paint a patinaed look. Here's another sign example on this great delivery truck, which is another trend that's been growing. Until recent years, you rarely saw a van of any sort at classic car shows, now they pop up everywhere. From old delivery trucks and sedans, to Econolines, to slightly newer-modal vans. Flames of course have been a long-time standard in the hot rod scene. As have scallops and pinstripping. A slightly newer trend is the suede-finish paint job. Something that started from this automotive niche and has spread far and wide - you can now see brand new cars sporting matte-look paint. Dressing up matte paint is the metallic suede look. This truck also demonstrates another widely-practiced modification...lowering. Peeking at the creation just behind this truck, you'll see low taken to an even more extreme level. Crowds were gathered to figure out exactly how this chopped and dropped 3-window got it's frame rails all the way on the ground. Lowering cars is nothing new and most definitely isn't confined to classic cars. Getting a car to ground levels requires the use of airbags, so cars can be raised to driveable stances after the show is done. Lakes pipes, exiting after the front wheel and following the body line, are another long-time custom addition. Customizing the front grill can be accomplished in many ways. Whether it's building something from scratch, modifying parts from another car, or utilizing an aftermarket accessory...like the shapely ladies here... ...or the cones and knob pulls seen across this old truck. At other times a random item is substituted for a hood ornament, like the "Creature From the Black Lagoon" hood piece on this 1952 Ford. This hooptie brings us to another option, that of forgoing a paint job altogether, and opting for the patina look that naturally accumulates on 50+ year old cars. Or of course you could choose to leave paint off  altogether. Eventually the no-paint option will lead to rust taking over, unless of course you clear coat it. While this permo-convertible looks like it came out of an old farm yard, it's clearly on airbags - and I would venture to guess it's got a couple of other custom modifications, perhaps under the hood. While some people spend the majority of their effort on the outside of their vehicles, others mainly focus on the engine. The Ugly Kid vintage station wagon has a lot more umph than when it originally carted around the Brady Bunch, a blown big-block sits beneath the hood (and through it). On the other hand this awesome custom obviously put a ton of work on its exterior. I couldn't actually figure out what it started as, my best guess would be a Nash Rambler, but it has a healthy chop and tons of other body-worked elements - like it's mostly-enclosed front wheel wells. Oftentimes when a chop is done people don't bother with side windows, but these were modified to fit, including the wind-wing window! Interiors are just as diverse as the outsides. Mexican blankets are a popular choice to cover up a frayed seat. In the other direction, interiors can get pretty fancy - this custom brings its metal flake paint job inside, integrating scallops as well. Wide white tires are the most popular way to round-out a wheel choice... ...and sometimes the best way to finish a roof is with a lace paint job. Of course, some people choose not to mess with perfection, this nostalgic roadster is proof of that. Here's hoping next year is dry and the many nostalgic drag cars that show up get to burn rubber down the course! As for me, my goal is that the Falcon will drive to the show and back home. It's all part of the hot-rodding life... -Kristin Cline