Motorsport Direct's Southern California Expo

What better way is there to celebrate die-cast collectable cars than hosting a show for their full-size collectable counterparts?

That's exactly what Motorsport Direct, our favorite source for die-cast, apparel, gifts, and collectibles did from April 24-26. They hosted the Southern California Motorsport Expo a three-day event that culminated in an all-day Saturday hootenanny a few blocks from their Santee, California headquarters. The event attracted hundreds of hot rods, street rods, customs, boats, sandrails, and their respective enthusiasts. "It's a good type of family entertainment," said Classic Movers & Shakers' Geoff Ferber. "It's relatively free, and we've always got something going on for everyone."

The show commenced Thursday, August 24 in Santee, California's Sonrise parking lot. The initial draw: signature sessions with NASCAR Winston Cup champ Tony Stewart. As a matter of fact, MSD offered raffle tickets to win Stewart's rookie car and two-time winner "Elvira." The Dale Earnhardt Legacy hauler museum and show car also held court for the weekend, giving "Intimidator" fans an opportunity to reminisce over one of his racers. By the time we made it to Saturday's show, we caught up with Tom "The Mongoose" McEwan and Chip Foose during their autograph sessions.

Saturday also signaled the Invitational car show--a collection of hand-picked street rods, customs, and street machines that included Ron Whiteside's Foose-built 2003 Don Ridler Memorial Award winner. The EXPO even hosted a VIP car show for participants who made the gig in something less than ordinary. Several dozen rods, customs, muscle cars, and pickups made the scene for a nice, casual show 'n' shine-style event.

Last, but definitely not least, the Southern California Motorsport EXPO sponsored several charities through donations and silent and open-bid auctions throughout all three days. Proceeds from the auctions, including the Saturday afternoon bid-style auction, went to Lions, Tigers & Bears, a new organization created to rescue mistreated or abused wild animals. While Lions, Tigers, and Bears had the forum, the crew educated show-goers about these majestic creatures, including the two tiger cubs that Lions, Tigers, and Bears displayed all 3 EXPO days.

Needless to say, even though we only made the last day, we had a veritable ball. As next year rolls around, keep the Motorsport EXPO in mind. If the inaugural show serves as any indication of what's in store next year, it'll certainly be something to see. SRM

We just couldn't believe Josh Metivier's gumption. Josh, who's a Norm Francis Street Rods fabricator, whipped up this '27 coupe in a jiffy. He's bartered and swapped his way into the T for less money than you've got into your car's crate longblock. Best of all, he's not even 20 years old!	The coupe runs a dropped axle in split wishbones. The spring perches mount through the wishbones (behind the axle) in crush sleeves. Josh fabricated his beater's rails and the rear suspension from scratch. A 265 Chevy against a four-speed trans powers the former racecar. Josh gladly gave us a ride around the block.	In the same vein, Carl Case built something from scratch for his roadster, too: the body. Car started with Brookville Roadster's panels and literally stitched them together himself. The ultra-detailed roadster runs a ZZ4, cast 15-inch torq-thrusts, and rear view mirrors with "Objects in Mirror Will Soon Disappear" laser-engraved in the lenses
He's a detail freak, too; he face-mounted the Stewart Warner Wings-series gauges so only the inner bezel step shows. He welded tabs on the dash's backside for studs. He then fabricated an aluminum girdle to support the gauges from the rear.	David Woods made short order of the for-sale goods. He sang the auctioneer's song all day as pieces, like the bobble heads elsewhere in this story, practically flew off the table for bargain prices. The proceeds went to charities like Lions, Tigers, and Bears--an organization bent on rescuing and caring for wild animals in captivity.	We're sure Lloyd Chrisman's clutch leg would shake at the prospect of a '64 Comet like this. It's got the trappings of a '60s boulevard hustler: redline tires, Radir wheels, '65 Cyclone hood, and uncapped steelies out back.
Anybody crying the blues about not having the dough to build an attention-getting rod needs a few looks at this Model A sedan/pickup. The A's builder, who's just college age, whipped up the body from a bargain-find four-door sedan. He cut the rear doors out, shortened the body by that amount, and filled in the rear wheelwells. He then mounted it on an A chassis and equipped it with a spring-behind-axle frontend. A cut-down pickup bed finishes off the rear. The sedan/pickup runs a combination of rag tires on 16s up front and recapped slicks on 15s out back. A Flathead, backed by a Ford-O-Matic powers the home-brewed rod. Inventive, to say the least! And yes, it really is that low.	The Expo gave enthusiasts a great venue to meet heroes old and new. Designer/builder Chip Foose and drag racer Tom "Mongoose" McEwan wore out their wrists signing autographs for fans.	Rick and Retha Clutter's green '57 Chevy gave the Invitational entries a run for their money. The grasshopper-green hardtop runs Budnik Gassers all the way around and a B&M-blown big-block Chevy between the rails. Local builder Super Rides by Jordan obtained national acclaim with the trick taillight treatment and metal-sculpted interior.
Here's a Deuce roadster with definite shades of Doane Spencer's. It's a simple hot rod with a three-piece hood, 15-inch steelies, and a perfect-for-'32 DuVal-style windscreen. Other period pieces: '41 Ford caps, front hairpins, King Bee-style headlights, and drilled holes everywhere. We'd imagine those radials with the Bilstein shocks make this one fine long-distance driver.	More local talent showed up in the guise of this '40 sedan, Buck Rosson's barn-find Deuce three-window, and Miguel Torres' '16 Model T Center-door. The '40 sets just about perfect on its whitewalls. Rosson's coupe runs a 265 Chevy against a '39 gearbox, unsplit wishbones, Houdaille shocks, and a bona-fide stretched axle. Other early trappings include Deitz headlights, juice brakes, and bona-fide '32 steering. Torres' tall-topped center-door sports yet another 265, but this one wears an Edelbrock X1 manifold.	This very clean first-series Falcon/Ranchero sat at PG Gear's trailer. With the big-inch wheels, mirror-straight red paint, and low profile, one would never guess this little go-getter would still run the six and drums. We think that makes it all the cooler.
Wright On, fired presumably by Cliff Wright, watered eyes all day long with the plumes cackling from its alcohol-fed blown Chevy small-block. Evidently Sherman Gunn built the altered and it ran an early Chrysler Hemi under the Axis Powered moniker.	We'll close with the shot of the car you could win. Tony Stewart's rookie ride, Elvira, is up for grabs for a modest raffle ticket cost. You've still got a chance to get your foot in the door; they announce the winner next year sometime. So get goin'!