If you've read MyRideisMe.com long, you know we don't do many stockers, but the unrestored and original 1960 Starliner from part 1 was special. Contrast that with the billet-wheeled'n candy painted sweetheart you see here. Or is it? I met Mel and Lynda Swafford at the NorCal Knockout in Vallejo, CA. From the pics you can see it was a cool show nestled in the trees of the Solano County Fairgrounds. As the first annual, it wasn't that big, but everyone who showed enjoyed a perfect California July day. (Look for Nick K and my pics soon...) Back to this "sweetheart" known to the Swafford's and their friends as, "Christine". Oh you remember! Stephen King's 1958 Plymouth Fury that didn't mind running folks off the road... It's not a nickname you give to a car that's been nice during a rebuild. (Are they ever nice?) It all started well. Mel's dad owned a white 1960 Starliner way-back-when and Mel, "Always loved it." It's often a special memory a car brings back that make it, "My Ride is Me." To get started, in about 2006, Mel traveled to Denver to...

Words and Pics by Nick Koljian On Friday, June 18th, this was posted on the Facebook page of Road Zombie Johnny Koonce: "Went and bought 430 Hamburger patties and buns, 250 Hotdogs and buns and a shit load of other stuff for tomorrow! You guys better show up, or we're gonna have to eat it all our selves!!!!!!" Well Johnny, as they say, "Be careful for what you wish for!" 15th Annual Road Zombies CC BBQ and Car Show Saturday, June 19th at Santa Clara's Elk Lodge was the 15th Annual Road Zombies CC BBQ and Car Show. Let's just say there was no shortage of rod junkies. I showed up right at 12:00 so I could get in and get some shots off before the crowd got too heavy. As I made my way in, cars were still pulling in to jockey for position on the lawn. It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood and a perfect day for a BBQ and car show. Not only were there grub and wheels, but the Road Zombies also supplied the day with some groovin tunes by booking Fresno's own...

Words and Pictures by Nick K. When you think of a "swap meet" your mind all of sudden makes you think "flea market" which in turn will redirect your mind to used tube socks and old 80's VHS tapes. But, if you are a gear head or for that matter a hot rod enthusiast or just an owner of one, a swap meet is like rodders Christmas for a day. Swap meets are a virtual hodgepodge of old car parts not readily found at your local Pep Boys. From original to repo's, new to rusted, "rodder's Christmas" parts lined the "dust bowl" (aka Candlestick Park's alternative parking area) for the 2nd Annual Hood Rats Car Club swap meet. The car parts in the swap weren't the only rusty things... The Hood Rats filed in with some of their own rust rats along with some old school bombs from the Midnighters CC, also out of Nor-Cal. Being that it was a hot day in the city... yep I said, "hot day" in the city... I cruised into the show early morning and made my rounds rapping with some of the...

Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures Story Contributed by MyRideisMe.com member: Nick Koljian "Hellcity316" Capitola, CA is a beach village tucked in a river valley in Santa Cruz County on the Monterey Bay. It's well known for it's antique shops, beach side surf condos and grub huts like Pizza My Heart and El Toro Bravo. And in recent years the Capitola Rod and Custom Classic. This the 5th annual Capitola Rod and Custom Classic, they pulled all the stops for this 2 day event.  I would like to say for those of you that can't make it to the Ink-n-Iron festival (more coverage of Ink-N-Iron) that in past years, this show falls on the same weekend and makes a great substitute! When you pull into Capitola they have all of the village, as the locals would put it, closed off. The streets are lined with roadsters, classics rods, customs, woody's, rats and so on. For that matter I could have sworn I saw a dragster this year. This show, hands down, is for the hot rod lover in all of us. The show carries on through the village...

NorCal Hot Rod Car Show Story Contributed by MyRideisMe.com member: Nick Koljian "Hellcity316" There's something about a car show that's 15 minutes from the house that gives me the warm fuzzies. That my rod enthusiasts was Nite of the Hot Rods in Antioch,Ca. A quick trip over the hill and *BAM* there I was pulling up to the pier at the Riverview Lodge. The Riverview Lodge is a classic place to have a show. The breeze off the bay kept the crowd cool as cars lined the lodge's pier. And if the breeze wasn't enough, drinks at the lodge bar also helped! The lodge is like a old Elks club lodge turned restaurant but still keeping with the old beat up look. This would be the 3rd annual show hosted by Antioch's own Dragoons CC. Being in Antioch I knew it would be a diverse show and boy was I right. Everything from your classic and custom bombs brought in by Bay Bombs CC and the Dukes CC of the East Bay. Then there were the rat draggers provided by Vallejo's Swanx CC. Not only did they roll in...

Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures Story Contributed by MyRideisMe.com member: Nick Koljian "Hellcity316" This time of the year for the past 10 years the Strangers CC has it's annual car show & BBQ at History Park in San Jose, California and for the past couple of years I've been wanting to go, but something always prevented me from going. Whether it be work, being out of town or just plain too lazy to drive an hour or so down 680. Well this year was the 10th anniversary of the show and I did not have to work, I was in town and it was just to nice of a Sunday to be lazy. So I packed up the camera bag, flipped the A/C on and down 680 I sailed. Hoping by the time I got there that I would be feeling a little bit better than I did earlier that morning. About a hour later I pull up on History Park. History Park is a very cool setting with old historic houses set in the park, hence the name. I stroll up and pay my 2 bucks...