So many Rodders have told me how great the Sheffield Rod Run is that I just had to do it this year, Last year it was my nephews daughters christening so I was not able to go, this year I was determined come Hell or high water nothing would stop me....
I had asked my missse's if she would like to go with me just for the Sunday Show day. Work means I can only get to Saturday runs if I have time off work and I had used well over my quota of time off this year already so Sunday only it was.
We managed to get on the road by 7.15am not the 6am start as we had decided the night before Yawwnnnn far to tired to get up that early.. Our 15yr old daughter elected to stay in bed so off into the morning mist we went....... Mist ..... well actually it was thick deep FOG, and made it heavy going until we got to Manchester then the morning was starting to look very promising. The drive down though taxing at first was great fun and I loved every minute of it. Apart from going down a blocked off road with some bemused looking road workers wondering what the fug I was doing *whoops* all went swimmingly well... I did a quick reversing back onto the main road and up to the traffic lights where I was looking at my directions and a guy in front beckoned me to follow him, turned out we were just a few yards away.. and got there early enough at just gone 9.30am..
The sight of so many caravans in the camping area took me by surprise, as usually at a Rod run its all tents with a splattering of Caravans... this was amass with caravans.. I paid my £4 to enter the show field and was lined up in what looked like a well ordered line for Rods only.... behind us looked like the Yanks line up with classic Brits behind that I think and what looked like Asda Car park at the top of the field. I think that was how it was supposed to be. I thought this was a great way to organize us into Car types, now I can go down the line or lines of Rods, Kustoms, Trucks etc and not bother going down the lines of cars that don't interest me.. This was how it started off anyway but soon things went adrift and there were Rods with Yanks and Pt Cruisers with Rods *shudder* but the idea was there and almost worked.
As I parked up Russ Grieve & his Mates all the way from Sunny Scotland parked next to me, they had been there all weekend and said it had been fantastic though they were looking a bit peaky from the nights partying! (more later)..
I was starving so a visit to the food van was the first thing I had to do before I could get into enjoying the Day. The Food van was a big converted Yankee bus and looked the part for the show field. I met Jon Denton while enjoying my Bun and Coffee, he also said it had been a great weekend so far with a stunning Cruise the day before..
The cars were parking up at an alarming rate and I couldn't get my camera out and switched on quick enough, to get any photos. Mind you, I did have a cup a coffee in one hand and a bacon sarnie in't tother. And I was enjoying the crack with Jon..... So I just enjoyed looking for a change and the burble of V8's as they drove past felt very welcoming :>).... Sarnie eaten, Coffee downed and it was on with the show...
There were a few impressive entrances, one of which is shown above Mark Gee in his oh so perfect Merc, with wife Melissa in her newly imported 5 Window B following close behind with Lynne Stafford's flamed Ford to make a perfect set. It looked like a scene from a 50's movie and brought a dribble to my knees whoops sorry chin!! The Pop and Dodge at the back showed the diversity of car types at the show.
I really am just into our kind of cars ya know Rods, Kustoms early Model Trucks though I am not so blinkered to think we are the only ones that should exist so it was great to see such a varied display of machinery from most car cultures & scenes... Mind you the arrival of a long line of Mondeo's was a bit of a strange car choice for a club I thought???? Each to their own......
I
had seen Paul Gartside and his stunning A Delivery as we came in to the show so
before I started my proper look round I went to see him and see how he was doing and
have another look at his A. Paul was busy polishing but took time out to have a good natter, his
car is just a work of art with some very cool touches and an attention to detail
most of us can only dream about achieving.. I mean get this he stands up one day and catches his door
mirror and snaps it off and a chunk of his door aswell *whoops* So Paul fabricates
a revised stronger design and mills out a whole new set of arms while he is at
it then repairs and sprays the door so you cant tell. Now have a look at mine I
did the same at the Supers, by that I mean I snapped my door mirror off, I stuck
mine on with plastic metal, and painted it with a touch up brush.
Real Nice Chevy Truck with Injected Corvette Power.
Maurice Takoor made the trip in his Ace T.
I had a great time walking a few feet and meeting someone I knew and having a good natter, even my misses joined in the conversations and I got the impression she was very much enjoying the day... which makes it so much more fun if you can share things like that together.. I met Young Matt who does the Leeds and Wakefield cruise reports he is only 16yrs old but his enthusiasm for our Scene is boundless he seems to live and breath Rods, his Uncle Andy along with Ronnie & Reggy sorry Ray & Reggy the Rodding Twins from Yorkshire all feed him the life style, and where there in attendance and having a ball by the look of it Andy kept us amused for a good while and the Rods and yanks kept pouring in.. I am not sure how many where day trippers and how many had done the full weekend though. The Yorkshire gang had been there all weekend and again where shouting the praises for the weekends entertainment and crack. I bet you cant help but have a good time in their presence what a great group of Rodders they all seem to be.
The big leisure center field was soon full to capacity and even had a full trick painted artic unit on it man that must of taken some painting...
There were Rods, std yanks old and new modified Yanks, modified Brits std Brits new style cars some young culture cars and the Mondeo's ?? Oh and one VW Camper van do ya call em a Splitty showing off its high lifting roof with deck chair fabric stretching from van roof to lifting top???? totally Bog std I guess!!! So what was going on there then at a Car show??? a Camper *Huh?*... I didn't look maybe he was selling burgers from it.. ..... So there was stuff there for all tastes and even stuff if you have no taste.. There were a few trade stands but only Pop Parts from our lot. The NSRA and NASC both had tents there and it all made for a great and different car show to what we usually have it showed our cars to a different audience I guess.. and them to us :>)
No he aint praying poor owd Russ is having a chunder.... is that car piss
yella or Puke green Ha Ha
I was on my 2nd walk about when I spied me old mate Paul Johnson and he was by Russ's yella Zephyr, Paul was there to do a deal with the said Zephyr with his cute pinto powered 100E. Russ though not un accustom to doing the odd deal or six came over all funny like and went a shade lighter than his car...... he tried to stay that tough Scotsman that he is but his Sassenach blood shone through and he went round the side of his car and puked up good style :>) And as true friends and fellow Rodders we showed our concern for the very sick Russ by laughing our chuds off and taking a few photos.... Terrrrrr When Russ finally got his colour back I expressed my concern Ha Ha not and left so they could get on with the deal....
(Left) Cool 53 with Mad front bumper, had some nice touches (Right)
Louis's Cool 32 arrives with Phil in the background in his Red 34
I met more and more people as I did the walk again, the weather was good, the cars looked great and everyone seemed to be having a good day. We had a final walk with Paul Gartside enjoying picking out details we liked from the Rods there, Louis's black and flamed 32 had a neat cover on its alternator that caught Paul's eye so look out for one on his A next season made from alloy I guess. Well it was all soon over and I now had the drive home to look forward to. I met Russ again he had done the deal. Paul had gone home in the Yella Zephyr oh and Paul had told me earlier he had told his wife she could have the 100E as her car errr but he had just sold it and was bringing home a Pro Stock styled bright Yella V8 Powered Zephyr I bet she was happy :>) The things we do eh!
We said we would do part of the return trip with Russ and the guys, they had a good 6hr journey home to Scotland while we had a mere 2 1/2hr trip, though only a short spell with them as we veered across country to Cumbria as they went straight up the M1 oh and apparently stopped of in Newcastle to buy a 46 international pickup a guy had for sale, but ended up buying a 60 olds super 88 instead, told ya these guys are no strangers at doing a deal. Russ reckons he has owned over 70 Rods and Customs in his time..
There has been a bit of a rumpus on the e-mail group and just to dispel any rumour's
I love Old Motorbikes almost as much as my Trad Rods :>)
The ex Rutherford Roadster still one of the Best, I remember having a chat
with this guy at Drayton Manor a couple of years back he mentioned he was
thinking of buying it Hey and he did Fantastic..... er I wont mention I thought
he was Mike Key will I Terrrrrrr
The traffic was pretty heavy going most of the way back and we waved our goodbyes as Russ and the gang headed north as we went west young man!! I had been having some banging going on from the rear of the car and the electronic speedo had decided to pack in for a laugh so I just kept with the faster flowing traffic.. As we joined the part where the M62 meets the M61 which is like a switchback One Numpty in a Subaru Impressyou thought I was challenging his masculinity as I blattered past, undercut me at warp factor 5 and so I took up the pursuit well ya have to don't ya.. My misses then put her seat belt on Bullet fashion and as we rocketed down the fast lane I got up behind him and I thought that's really as fast as I really wanna go I have no idea what speed but it was quick.... then traffic became heavy and slowed him/us down... only for a short break and we was off again...... Man was I glad when he shot across all three lanes a few miles up the road and took the next off ramp...... I then backed it down and stayed again with the faster flowing traffic, with a sigh of relief. We got home in no time flat and I parked the steaming 34 in its garage and ordered a Chinese and sat back and reflected on the great day out, Next year maybe we will do the full weekend sure sounded like they ones that did had a ball. Though not a traditional rod run I think it is a good one to do.
The Banging from the rear of my 34 turned out to be the Rubber bushes on the 4 bars where shot, I refitted my old Urethane ones and all is hunky Dory again.. Just gotta source 4 little magnets for the electronic speedo now :>)