I went to at least one Paso in that park, maybe 2. the good old days, before there was a "scene" filled with people playing dress up.
Wow...what a pic! Nice kustoms, too! Top row: Rod Powell, Joe Bailon, Dick Dean, Ed Roth?, Gene Winfield...bottom: Frank DeRosa, Cushenberry?, last two I'm not sure...Penny will know hahaha
Here's a tidbit of interesting Paso history: The first Cruisin' Nationals was held on Sept. 18-19, 1982, at Lake Nacimiento, just outside Paso Robles. A total of 82 cars showed up for the initial gathering, including just one hot rod. . .
I like that you started with the first photo is of Paul Braggs chopped Merc -love that custom.----Bill--(TwoChops)
Ok I probably missed the hit and repainted thing or forgot it. I've got a stash of photos of it from Ogden somewhere if I can ever find the box those albums are in.
The park is called Paso Robles City Park. When they moved the event to Santa Maria, its never really been the same. Way better at Paso. Also, love the first photo of Paul Braggs' car. My body shop was by his for decades. Time's gone by, and Paul's got old, but his name will live on with the custom work he's done.
The show moved from Sherwood park to Paso Robles City Park in 1992. Paul Bragg has built some awesome cars and is still at the show most years.
I heard Evil Ed was at all the early ones with a Merc, any pics of that car? Way before my first Paso, which I think was '88 or '89...
An excerpt from an article posted by Stoner on Autoculture.org May 28th, 2010: . There was a magic to “Paso” that couldn’t be touched by any other car show stateside. Maybe because it was half-way between So-Cal and Nor-Cal. Maybe because it was spread out over the idyllic town square of a charming little town near the coast. Maybe because there were a ton of little no-tell motels and a decrepit Army base and a campground that could accommodate a whole lot of weekenders. Maybe it was the A&W drive-in and cruise on Fridays and the bowling alley on Saturdays. Maybe because it was the greatest group of people and cars to get together in one place at one time in all of hot rod-dom. Whatever. We miss Paso. . .
Amen! It was all of that. Not to mention the fact I could at that time ride my bike to anywhere in town, after the cruise started I could sit on my Front Porch on Spring St and watch it all. When the Upper Class Whinos came into town it just ruined the whole Vibe. Paso used to be a Ranch town with great people who had class, taste, solid values and no look at me mindset. Wine was for after working the cattle as you fried the oysters and BS'd around the fire. As change happened they lost what and who they were, there's still a bunch of good folks there but their voices weren't heard. Too bad Paso walked away from a very profitable weekend because they didn't think the Hot Rod crowd was classy enough. Yes I am a little Jaded as I hated to see my Hometown turn into a place I no longer felt part of after losing something I and a bazillion others loved. It'll come back and there's already rumblings of such things. I don't think they should Cancel Santa Maria though as that town figured it out and opened their doors to one of the greatest happenings on the planet! Tim
Don't you guys know that there's a new 3 day Paso show during Labor Day weekend? I went last year and again this year.
YEP that's the one I am talking about. No unpainted cars, no rat rod, even if they're nice. Most of the local guys don't go, and the show has become smaller and smaller every year. I live here, so I'm going to say it like it is. It's not the old Paso.The Labor Day Show is not like it used to be.
TERPU, Great words. My first Paso was in 1985. Loved the town and the whole experience. It was definitely about the cars back then and getting together to enjoy the like-minded company. My last Paso was in 2004, and haven't made it to SM yet. I'll look and see if I can find some of those early pics. Great thread, Ron!
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