Tag Archives: Phoenix

Car show, Uncategorized

Drew’s Garage Spotlighted with 68 Charger

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Drew’s Garage in Tempe, AZ is featured in the August, 2014 issue of Performance and Hot Rod Business.  Our friends at the publication did a nice feature on this local garage.

logo for Drew's Garage

Here’s a link to the six page article.

We recently featured Drew’s Garage with this article on Larry Fitzgerald’s 1968 Dodge Charger.  Here’s the link as well.

Rear end of 68 Charger

In the article. the owner Drew Tennant discussed the origins of his shop and how showcasing his cars at Barrett-Jackson and Goodguys Rod and Custom helped his business grow.  It is interesting to read that most of his employees are auditioned and hired from out of state.

Nice compliments to a true class act.

 

Auctions, Car show

Boyd Coddington Cars from Ron Pratte Collection

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Boyd Coddington built a great variety of award winning cars.  This Southern California icon left us way too soon.  But fortunately his cars remain to showcase his vision and talent.

Ron Pratte Collection

Ron Pratte collected plenty of cars over the years and will be selling them at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Arizona in January.  While specifics haven’t been finalized, it is thought that all his cars will be sold.  Here’s a link to our first article about Ron Pratte selling off his cars.

Pratte never has opened his car collection to the public but we got an exclusive peek a few years ago.

Boyd Coddington

Amongst his collection, Pratte owns the largest collection of Boyd Coddington built cars.  Coddington earned fame after winning an AMBR award but many first heard of him on a reality TV show, American Hot Rod – that set the theme for car building TV series.

In Pratte’s collection are a stylistic version of the classic 57 Chevy – Chezoom,  a homage to a 32 Delahaye called the Whatthehaye and the AlumaTub.

All three cars reflect Coddington’s iconic style, long sweeping lines and smooth bodysides.

Here’s a link to an article we contributed to eBay Motors on these Boyd Coddington cars.

Which is your favorite?

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Auctions, Car show, Uncategorized

Pratte Car Collection Selling Soon

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Classic cars from the Ron Pratte Collection
Collector automobilia from Ron Pratte’s display
Classic cars from the Ron Pratte Collection

Ron Pratte has been a prolific classic car collector and is known for the size of his private collection and his generosity in buying “charity” cars, with the  proceeds going to specific charities.

Arizona Auction

Recently Barrett-Jackson confirmed the swirling rumors that Ron Pratte was selling his entire collection next January at their Scottsdale, AZ auction at Westworld.

Ron Pratte Collection

Ron Pratte stored his cars behind closed doors in Chandler, Arizona and only rarely allowed outsiders to see these cars.  These pictures are rare glimpses of some expensive and profound historical cars.

Here is a link to an eBay Motors article we recently wrote highlighting three vehicles from Ron Pratte’s collection that presumably are selling.  What do you think they’ll sell for?  Subscribe to this blog for a future update on another part of his collection.

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Car show, Uncategorized

Cruise on Central revisited

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55 ChevyWe had the chance to write an article for eBay Motors  n the Cruise on Central.  Here’s the link to the article.

We wrote about it earlier here and even submitted a quick video on YouTube as well.  Some additional pictures have been shared on Google + as well.

Cruise on Central

The Cruise on Central has some legendary history especially among long time locals and natives.  Find out how it started back in the 60’s,  was policed out of existence and then revived first as an unsanctioned event and now a local promoter has taken it under her wing.

 

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Auctions, Car show, Uncategorized

Central Avenue Cruise

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55 ChevyTwice a year, Phoenix, Arizona hosts the Cruise on Central.

60’s Cruise

Back in the day Central Avenue was the main arterial for Phoenix, Arizona.  On Friday and Saturday nights youths would flock the entire length to cruise with their cars.  Of course back then, Central Avenue didn’t go as far!

Gone

Eventually the police and local businessman tired of the antics and “encouraged” drivers to disperse elsewhere.  Strict law enforcement helped this encouragement as cruisers went to Metrocenter Mall and Mesa’s downtown Main Street.

90’s Unsanctioned Cruises

“Somehow” in the 90’s the cruise on Central resurrected as an “unsanctioned” cruise.  Somehow cars just showed up along Central twice a year.  Now a local car show promoter Nancy Perry has taken the cruise under her wing and has organized it with police security, port-a-potties, some vendors and  arrangements with the owners of Park Central Mall, which is mainly office complexes now with lots of empty parking spaces on Saturday afternoon.

Enjoy this video of a few burnouts and watch for full coverage in a later post

You Tube Video

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Car show, Uncategorized

Goodguy’s Displays Top 12 Cars of the Year

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This past weekend, at the Goodguy’s 16th Southwest Nationals car show held in Scottsdale, Arizona attendees had the chance to see all the Goodguy’s Terrific 12 Award winners displayed together in one space.

goodguys-2013-fall-0004

Goodguy’s

This year the Goodguy’s AutoCrosser of the year was determined after Saturday’s AutoCross Finals Shootout.   All 11 of the other finalists were already on display for Friday and Saturday.  Some of the Terrific 12 were seen at earlier Goodguy’s events, other car shows and even at the recent SEMA Show.  But this is the one chance each year to see all the cars at one time.

Goodguy’s Award from Snap On

Adding to the uniqueness of the exhibit, will be each winner’s custom toolbox from Snap-on. Each winner receives their large toolbox in Scottsdale, wrapped with pictures of their ride to display alongside their car of the year.

goodguys-2013-fall-0029

The cars are displayed at the Westworld show grounds on the top level of the asphalt.  There the public can go by and see these cars up close.  Throughout the show, the owners, builders or their representatives were usually around to answer questions and show off special features.

Goodguy’s had a great show overall with lots of cars and great weather.  Subscribe to this blog to learn when we write up our coverage of the show.

[Show picture list]

 

 

Auctions

Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong’s 1964 Impala Sold at Silver Auctions in March, 2013

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On March 16, 2013 at the Silver  Auction’s “Spring in the Desert” car auction at Fort McDowell AZ, a nondescript 1964 blue Impala was offered up for sale.  Here’s the listing from the auction web site.   Silver Auction

To say it was well worn would be an understatement.  The interior was torn up and the paint was in poor condition. What made this car somewhat interesting was the past ownership.  It was listed as titled in Green Day’s vocalist – Billie Joe Armstrong’s – name and was claimed to be his personal car.  The seller’s description could be best described as “optimistic”.

Although the auction indicated the title was in Billie Joe Armstrong’s name it had just recently sold on eBay .  It sold for $12,600 at eBay and at this auction it now hammered sold at $12,250 plus 8% commission (Total price for the math challenged is $13,230) .

This was probably not the type of crowd that knew who Billie Joe is or listen to Green Day, so it’s not surprising that the seller couldn’t generate more interest in this car.

What say you?  Was it a buy or a dud?  How much is the past ownership by Green Day’s vocalist worth?

Driver's SideInterior

 

Auctions

Green Day’s Mike Dirnt offered his 56 Ford Panel Truck at Silver Auction’s Arizona in the Spring

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The bass player for Green Day, Mike Dirnt, was recently offering up for sale his 56 Ford Panel Truck.  It was for sale March 15-16, 2013 at the Silver Auction held in Fort McDowell,AZ (Phoenix metro area).  It drew some interest but never approached the actual reserve (the required minimum bid needed to buy it).  It might have been a deal if the bidding reached $60,000 or so.  Instead it went back on the trailer.

Here is some background on the build from Custom Classic Truck’s June 2012 issue.  http://www.customclassictrucks.com/featuredvehicles/1206cct_1956_ford_panel/viewall.html   My understanding is he invested $160,000+ in the restoration.

Seems that Dirnt bought this panel when a struggling band member and after they hit it big, he had the truck restored to how it was when he first bought it.  It was funny to hear the auctioneer explain who Green Day was to this “mature” set of buyers.  They probably never heard American Idiot.  Not sure why he decided to sell it, but I’m sure another place and time it’ll sell.  The panel is nicely done but a bit of a plain jane.  A little pin striping

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Uncategorized

NHRA at Phoenix, AZ – End of an era or a new begining?

Drag racing
Erica Enders-Stevens NHRA Pro Stock driver

This weekend marked the 29th annual National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) meet at Phoenix’s Firebird Raceway.  But is it the end?  The dragstrip is on leased land owned by the Gila River Indian Community and was once out in the middle of nowhere on the southeast edge of the Phoenix area.  The 30 year lease expires at the end of March, 2013 and while the president of NHRA is optimistic, one can only hope that a new management team can keep NHRA coming back in 2014.

Phoenix is blessed with not only being the site of all four major sports – baseball, football, basketball and hockey – but also hosts two NASACR races and the Arizona Nationals for the NHRA.

Hopefully we’ll see NHRA back for more action like Erica Enders-Stevens’ win this past week.  What do you think?