Summernats 2012 - Hot Rods!

Summernats is the Street Machine festival, with a culture quite different to that of the 'Hot Rod' set, but in recent years, there has been a conscious effort to include hot rods in the Summernats festival. Street machine even publishes an annual 'Hot Rod' magazine, to appeal to the street machine and rodder communities. I'm a bit of a purist and don't like fibreglass rods, regarding them as 'kit cars'. So, I dont want to know if any of these cars are glass, sometimes its better not to know. These are the best rods I saw at Summernats 25 this year, and although I'm not a rat rod fan, there was one that caught my eye. 

I took a few photos of this T bucket rod but none came out well enough to post, fortunately Billy came to my rescue!

 Kids love rods!

 It takes a lot of work to look this good.

 Bold.

 Old school - ticks all the boxes for me.

 Award winner. 

 I like to see english cars represented - few and far between. 

 utilities are always practical

 even though the plate says 'rat' its more of an old school rod

 you see this is a 'rat' rod - I don't really like it - its a case of 'slap it together' I think

 This rat rod does work for me - very cool

34 3 Window coupe.

Nice sombrero.

See also:

Summernats 2012 - De Tomaso Panteras

Summernats 2012 - GM cars that arent Holdens

Summernats 2012 - Victor Brays 57 Chev TUF 57 

Summernats 2012 - How to get banned from Summernats - NUKINFUTS Gemini burnout

Summernats 2012 - Holdens

Summernats 2011 - Mad Max MFP Big Boppa replica Falcon 

Summernats 2012 - Fords!
Summernats 2012 Supercruise
Summernats 2011

Summernats 2012 - De Tomaso Panteras

The De Tomaso Pantera is an iconic Italian sports car, with a bit of Australian/American power. Built from 1971 to 1991 it was designed by an American for an Italian company, and used an American engine - the legendary Ford Cleveland 351 cube V8. When supplies of this engine were no longer available from the U.S. the engine was sourced from Ford Australia. 

This year two of these cars were seen at Summernats. One was used by a vendor as a static display, with a beautifully detailed engine bay open for all to admire, the other was driven by an entrant, and was seen cruising all weekend. It looked magnificent in deep gloss black. 

Oh yeah, Elvis was so infuriated by his Panteras failure to start that he shot it, three times. 

See also:

Summernats 2012 - GM cars that arent Holdens

Summernats 2012 - Victor Brays 57 Chev TUF 57 

Summernats 2012 - How to get banned from Summernats - NUKINFUTS Gemini burnout

Summernats 2012 - Holdens

Summernats 2011 - Mad Max MFP Big Boppa replica Falcon 

Summernats 2012 - Fords!
Summernats 2012 Supercruise
Summernats 2011

Summernats 2012 - GM cars that arent Holdens

Todays photoessay is on the venerable General Motors Corporations products (excluding Holdens). There is always a nice showing of 2 and 4 door cars from Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac etc. Oddly - never that many Corvettes or Camaros. I know there are plenty of these around, maybe they don't get modified  too much and therefore don't make it to Summernats entrant status. US readers might note how many 4 door cars there are compared to a US car show. I think we are lucky in this country that 2 and 4 door cars are equally valued. 

 57 Chev

 57 Chev

  56 Chev

  57 Chev

  57 Chev

  57 Chev

 Matt black just suits this car - especially with a red interior

 This was the ONLY Corvette I saw!

 Love this Pontiacs nose

59 Cadillac

See also:

Summernats 2012 - Victor Brays 57 Chev TUF 57 

Summernats 2012 - How to get banned from Summernats - NUKINFUTS Gemini burnout

Summernats 2012 - Holdens

Summernats 2011 - Mad Max MFP Big Boppa replica Falcon 

Summernats 2012 - Fords!
Summernats 2012 Supercruise
Summernats 2011