2010 East Coast Indoor Nationals – Maryland Fairgrounds Car Show

Posted by Bubba Harmon on Dec 5, 2010 in Shows & Events | 1 comment

Hot Rods and Custom Car Show in Maryland

The 2010 East Coast Indoor Nationals brought together many fine hot rods, customs, classics, and nostalgia dragsters. Almost 300 rides gathered at the Cow Palace show building in Timonium, Maryland over the weekend to compete for $7000 in awards. This invitation only, Pre-1973, All American car show boasts being the largest of its kind east of the Mississippi and it just might be!  David Cohen, the event promoter, always assembles a great collection of vehicles to gawk at while helping to raise money for Toys for Tots. The show sponsor, Condon & Skelly, was also on hand to answer questions about insurance and to provide quotes.

Over in the nostalgia drag section, Butch and Linda Szollosy’s 1957 Chevy 210 Sedan instantly caught my eye. The car runs in the Nostalgia Stock Eliminator class with a 283 and a 4 speed followed up by a 5.38 rear.

How about something a little different? I think Pat McNeal’s 12 cylinder powered 1942 Chevy COE rat rod fits the bill.

It might have been cold outside but the action inside was hot.  In fact, Jeff Gray’s 1939 Ford rat rod truck is “Hotter than Hell.”

There were many classic hot rods at the show and probably none can better personify the term better than Tony Gatta’s 1931 Ford.

nananananananana-BATMAN! Sorry I had to do it. That is all I could think while I was photographing this awesome Batmobile replica.

Are you man enough to rock the pink? Donald Chatman is in his 1923 Ford T-bucket powered by a supercharged 355 Small block. Pink!?

With the decent number of vendors selling everything from car wax to custom handbags, you could find something for everyone on your holiday shopping list. The neon offerings are always impressive (if anyone wants to get me a Christmas gift, the Route 66 neon would look great in my garage).

For some reason I kept gravitating back to Darrell Davis’ 1965 Buick Riviera. The white pearl paint with flames made this one of my favorites at the show.

People are what these shows are really about. I was lucky enough to spend a few minutes joking with Norm Grabowski. Norm was signing autographs and generally being the crazy guy that he is. He had his newest creation with him called “Grabowski’s Kinda Fresh Fish Truck”. Norm, The Codfather of Sole, carved all the interior pieces including the steering wheel on his 1929 Nash. It has a ’94 Corvette motor utilizing a 700R4 transmission.

So what do you think about indoor shows? Here in the north we are kind of forced to do it or freeze our butts off. Did you attend this show? Are you planning on going to any other indoor shows this winter? Pull up a keyboard and let us know!

A few other photos can be found over in our 2010 East Coast Indoor Nationals Picture Gallery.