I was going through some of my old pictures tonight and I ran across these. It's the West Coast Kustoms at Lake Naciemento. Rich & Penny with the guests of honor, Bailon and Winfield. A few of our cars at the Paso Robles A&W afterward. Was anybody else there? RodP
Man, what year was that, 1981? Dig those nice white short shorts. That first photo is really, really nice.
Is that Gene in the short shorts? Sad that the A&W is no longer - drove past the former site in August - now dirt and a chainlink fence - sad to see history so mindlessly destroyed in the name of "progress".
Yes that's the Lopez Merc. That is Joe Bailon, Rich Pichette, Gene Winfield & Penny Pichette Some of the cars parked in the A&W are My 53 Buick, Keith Bell's 51 Merc (used to be mine), my daughter Robin's chopped 60 Falcon Ranchero is second from the end.
that little gathering reminds me of the old james dean run. my ad took us to back in 93 or 94 i can't remember. the show was small and that was the first time we talked to PEEP Jackson, he had the CALIFORNIAN car there. we were gonna head back home cause the show was week. Peep told don't worry go into town get a room and go the A&W tonight. man now that was my first experience to a blast from the past nothing but kustoms. i met paul Bragg there he brought one of his mercs, the two tone green one. thanks for bringing back those memory's!!
That's Eric Rickman with the Camera around his neck in the second picture . The flamed black Chev Pickup at the A&W was Rich & Penny's.
Very Kool post!! If my memory is correct, the gathering was in some magazine. I think they were taking at a different angle. It is kool to see the Merc in some kolor. Hopefully somebody will add some more pics. Happy Trails, Mick
in the first pic, four cars from right,the flamed merc. was EVIL ED ROLETTE, a good friend of mine from the valley.i wasnt there but i went with him the third yr. and havent missed a yr. to west coast customs since. those were cool times when only kustoms were there,it was a kustom event.
wow thats really cool! Ahh the A&W gonna miss that old girl... I still can't belive they tore it down.
Those are some cool pictures. I'm wondering if my dad was there he's been going to West Coast Kustoms shows since they were in Los Banos. He's got a bunch of pictures from the shows back then. I'll try to get them and post them up one of these days.
I missed Paso 1 & 2 but I was there in '83. Became a member in '83 (#139) and attened every Paso, both Memorial Day and the Sept. runs. I have tons of early pictures that I'll have to dig out and scan them to post. I also have a few videos both my own and ones Larry Watson filmed. I have a magazine with the first Paso run, I'll see if I can find it too.
Make a trip to see my '49 Cadillac Seadnette in the paint shop today up in Paso Robles. What a great day clean air and sunny without a care to drag one down. Went to the down town park with my lunch and set looking across the park and it all came back in a flash. All I could see in my eyes were Kustoms and Hot Rods all over the glass like a sea of wild flowers. I know Paso car show is long gone, it just brought back great memories of friends and cool cars and all the great times in Paso. Woke up and took a walk around the town still a pretty place, goodbye once again Paso. CRUISER <!-- / message --><!-- attachments -->
If you can get your hands on the 1983 issue (Volume 1 Number 5) of Hot Rod magazine's "Custom Cars" there is an article on the show at Lake Nacimiento near Paso Robles, Ca. Some great shots of the old A&W Drive-In also! Here is what the cover looks like.
I just happen to have that issue of Custom Cars. I bought it off the newsstand myself back when I was in high school. I bought 3 different issues back then. Does anybody know how many different issues they put out? Anyway, I love topics like this, so I thought since I have this issue I would scan the article and post it for everyone to enjoy. Sorry if the pictures aren't the best--I'm still trying to figure out my scanner. E
Holy cow, I've got that somewhere....... I like pics like that, it's before all the authentic "just like back in the day, yo" greasers surfaced. Hahaha
I too only have 3 different issues and I think that is all they did. I've got tons of old rags I'll have to check thru them to see if there is any other articles on the first Paso.
The Jalopy Journal
