Priority Vendor Gate: 6-7am, $30 for all the space you want.
Vendor General Admission: 7am, $20 for all the space you want.
Spectator Entry: 7am, $6
Everybody driving vintage or modified truck into the Cruise-In this month, receives a $10 Eckler’s Gift Certificate!
The weather is supposed to be great—you’ll kick yourself if you don’t come out Saturday morning!
Gear Jam Vintage Drags, Car Show and Swap Meet, May 11-12
The Gear Jam is rapidly approaching! Full details can be found at www.gearjamvintagedrags.com, but here’s the highlights:
4-speed, Heads-up Gasser group; Southern Slingshots Front Engine Dragsters group; South East Nostalgia Dragsters Group; Outlaw Gassers… they’ll all be there, along with hot rods, muscle cars and Nostalgia Super Stocks!
Two-day swap meet—spaces still as big as you want!
Midway for manufacturers and specialty vendors—clothing, art, etc. We’ve still got spaces available on the midway, so give me a call to reserve yours.
Car show open to all makes, models and years, with every entrant getting a $10 Eckler’s Gift Certificate. Car show entrants can make Test and Tune passes on the drag strip throughout the day, after passing tech inspection.
$5 of every show car entry goes to the Georgia Street Rod Association, to help their efforts down at the state capital on our behalf.
The show has grown every year, and we’re expecting this year’s to be the best yet! Tell your friends, and make plans to be there!
Pedal To The Metal Was a Big Success!
No surprise—last month’s Pedal To The Metal spring feature at the swap meet continues to be popular. What is a surprise is how far some vendors travel to be here! We had guys from Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and the Carolinas. The momentum for these shows is starting to build, and we’re already expecting a good turn-out for the October installment. Mark your calendars.
Foreign Affairs at NuTech
This month has a couple big deals at NuTech, figuratively and literally;
The guys will be stripping a ‘50s Rolls Royce down to its bare essentials, which is a project a Rolls owner isn’t going to just trust to anybody.
After the Rolls rolls on, the guys will be rolling in a 40-foot RV with under-frame storage boxes that are rusted from it’s former life in Yankee Land. They’ll be blasting some of the frame, too.
With the Atlantic crossed, and Yankee Land represented, the Pacific logged in with several sets of motorcycle wheels being blasted in preparation for powder coating.
A ‘50s John Deer tractor is fresh off the farm, while one of its country neighbors shipped up a ’57 Chevy that must have been sitting in a barn forever because Lanny said it’s one of the most rust-free ‘57s he’s seen.
They also stripped several layers of paint off a big block aluminum intake, aluminum heads and 572 valve covers…
Sometimes we want to go to NuTech just to see the cool nekkid stuff they’ve got laying around!
I’m also happy to report that after getting several of his systems flushed and his motor overhauled this winter, Lanny is feeling much better, and will be at the swap meet this Saturday, so bring anything you need blasted and drop it off… or just swing by his table and say “Hi.”
NuTech Soda Blasting is in Jefferson, Georgia; (706) 367-8107, or check out their website at www.nutechsodablasting.com
Still seeing enthusiast vehicles in the parking lot!
If you drive an enthusiast vehicle to the swap meet, DON’T PARK IT OUTSIDE THE FENCE!!! There’s no additional charge to bring it in and park it in the Cruise-in area.
And speaking of The Cruise In area… it seems to have gotten kinda raggitty, with people parking on the wrong side of the snack shack. I’d take it kindly if you could make an effort to park everything cool along the grand stands—it makes that part of the event look bigger, and is actually a draw in itself for the summer: people call me every month and ask about the Cruise-in, and they actually DO come just to see the hot rods, so we need them parked all together.
JP’s Muscle Cars and Hot Rod Emporium
Springtime is in full swing at JP’s!
They’re putting the finishing touches on a ’68 RS Camaro convertible, powered by a 383 with FITech Fuel Injection backed by a 7004R; AC, power windows and top, 4-wheel disc brakes and more upgrades.
They decided to do a frame-off on the ’71 Blazer: Chassis is built with disc brakes at all four corners, new Eaton Detroit springs, stainless lines and a Tanks Inc. fuel tank and system, Hydraboost power brake system… As they get further into it, upgrades will include a Retro Sound radio, Classis Auto Air, Dakota Digital with Cruise Control, Newport wipers, Concept One kit front runner kit for the engine, LED lighting and more.
They calendar for the hot rod shop is filling quick-like for the summer, and they can fit in smaller jobs if you’ve got something that absolutely needs to be done to make a show.
They’re also still selling parts, and if you need anything, swing by the trailer and talk to Johnny about placing an order and picking it up at the next show—they’re delivering several big items this Saturday, saving their customers a bundle in shipping.
JP’s Muscle Cars is at 113 Hammond Drive in Monroe, GA: Call (770) 207-9570 or visit their website at www.jpmusclecars.com.
The Fastest Shop In Town—Lamar Walden Automotive
What are you working on this month, Rob?
“Race car!” Rob is thrashing on the recreation of his dad’s ’33 Willys gasser (of course it’s powered by a 409!) getting it ready for the first race of the season and then displaying it down at Summit’s Atlanta Autorama next to my nostalgia Altered that I’m also thrashing on to get it ready for the show.
This month they also finished some high-end restoration work on a 1-owner ‘62 Corvette—correct engine build, suspension, brakes, and transmission.
Engine builds that went together were a 383 Chevy, all-aluminum 477 big block for a gasser, and a whole bunch of machine work on blocks and heads prepping for other builds.
In between all of that they restored a ’69 Firebird aluminum intake, and uncoated then repaired an SLP Tuned Port replacement intake.
If you’ve got aluminum pieces that need to be restored, concours Chevy restoration work, or an engine build from stock to off-shore racing boats and everything in between, take it to Lamar Walden Automotive.
It’s 50th year in business, Lamar Walden Automotive is in Doraville, Georgia;
(770) 449-0315, lwarob@gmail.com, lamarwaldenautomotive.com
Bud’s Garage—The Best Radio On The Radio
The Fastest Car-Guy Talk on the Radio! Saturdays, noon-1pm, AM 550/FM 102.9
Lots of great discussion on the radio this month with Bud’s Garage!
The SK Battery Plant in Commerce is probably one of the biggest Automotive-related things to hit the state of Geandorgia in a decade.
They’ve got tons of Mopar news to report, and will be discussing New Car Conveniences (the good, the bad and the downright mean… which has us completely intrigued!), and will be talking with the new head of Lanier Tech’s Motorsports program.
Apparently pro driver Randy Probst fell victim to electronic controls while track testing, and we’ll get the details.
New Stuff Topics will include the Atlanta Auto Show Review, the new Bronco, and the new Blazer… which seems to underwhelm Bud, judging by his included comments: “Whoopee.” “We’re almost beyond caring,” and “Someone services a good whooping for calling it a Blazer!” Apparently the Colorado ZR2 Bison has some redeeming qualities because Bud followed it with “Maybe we can forgive Chevrolet for the Blazer after driving this monster!”
Finally, they’ll be giving tips on driving your street car on a race track, talking about the swap meet, the Gear Jam, and the YearOne Podcasts.
Automotive Buffoonery every Saturday, presented by The Slack Auto Parts Company!
Georgia Hot Rods Closing Shop Auction Saturday April 13
My friend Chuck Keene has closed his Georgia Hot Rods shop, and will be having an auction Saturday, April 13 at the shop, and everything goes! He’s got a ton of parts (including Superformance Cobra parts), tools, shop equipment (including a 4-foot sheer, welders, air compressors, etc. etc.), signs, books and literature, an LS-powered ’32 roadster, and more. There’s a whole bunch of cool stuff there I don’t need, but will probably find its way into my shop nonetheless.
The auction starts at 10am, and is located in Jefferson, GA.
For more information, contact Blake Haley Auctions, (706) 658-7755, blakehaleyauctions@gmail.com
Truck Feature, August.
I’m putting the word out now that August is going to feature Trucks at the NE GA Swap Meet. I’ve contacted a couple FaceBook truck groups and extended an invitation to them, and will be contacting more, plus other clubs—all makes.
Clubs will get in free as vendors and spectators (contact me for details), and will each get a $10 Eckler’s gift certificate.
If you’ve got truck parts, make a point of being there in August!
If you’re a member of a club—Trucks or any other car club—and would like to use the NE GA Swap Meet as a club event, call me and we’ll schedule a month for you to let your club in free as vendors and spectators, and will hook you all up with an Eckler’s gift certificate.
2019 Dates
MARCH 30 (This is the April show): All Trucks get a gift certificate
May 11-12 Gear Jam Vintage Drags: All cars registered in the car show get a $10 Gift Certificate
June 1: All Chevys get a gift certificate
July 8: All Fords get a gift certificate
August 3: Trucks and Truck Club Day
August 31-Sept. 1 Gear Jam Vintage Drags: All cars registered in the car show get a $10 Gift Certificate
October 12: Chevy
November 2: Ford
December 7: Truck
