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Although I post images on my website of all the car shows we go to, sometimes I send extended coverage to HOT ROD HOT LINE. To visit their website, click on their logo above or to go directly to our images, go to hotrodhotline.com/leal-brothers.

I miss covering car shows; especially the two yearly Goodguys events held up at the Texas Motor Speedway which were both canceled in 2020 due to the Pandemic. You never know what's going to show up like this two modified trucks; the Ford Bronco (above) and a highly modified early '50s Chevy (below). Images were taken in 2012 and 2013.

Taken closer to home (Houston), these two again highly modified classics were taken at area car shows back in 2013.

As many car shows I go to, I always like it when I see something "different". At first glance the vehicle above doesn't look it, but its different; especially down, way down, here in Houston. Take a Chevelle that's manufactured by General Motors, assemble it in Canada and you have the above, a BEAUMONT. The car even had Alberta plates on it!  The car was built in Canada from 1966-1969 (1967 pictured) and I spotted it at a Niftee 50ees Classic Cruise In back in 2015.  

I've mentioned before that we covered the Detroit Autorama ten years straight in the late '90s and early 2000s. Here are a couple of qualifiers ("Great 8") for the prestigious RIDLER AWARD   for   2006  (early 

'50s Chevy) and 2007 (Pro Street Ford Ranger). The early '50s custom wound up down here in the Houston area. A local car enthusiast bought the car and put it in  his personal car museum in Kemah.  

Big news; really big news concerning Texas comes from the GOODGUYS ROD AND CUSTOM ASSOCIATION. Back on line for 2021 is their 11th Spring Lone Star Nationals (LMC Truck) on their regular date of March 12-14 and their 28th Lone Star Nationals (Summit Racing) on September 24-26, both being held at the Texas Motor Speedway up in Fort Worth. New for 2021 is their First Annual All Star Get Together also here in Texas on June 4-6, and again at the Texas Motor Speedway. The event will be sponsored by Meguiar's and is open to all years and models. If memory serves me correctly, Goodguys events limit entries to pre-1978.

Pushed back a week, the CAR CULTURE HOUSTON gathering at the Sugar Land Town Center is this coming weekend (March 6). Above is the original event poster (left, w/original date) and the confirmed "featured vehicles"...an Indy Pro Race Car, the Alfa Romeo GT Electric and a Veilside Fortune RX-7.  

Before working for the city transit company for forty years, I spent a few years at USPS as a mail clerk. I always loved the Jeeps they used for service (left). Most were right hand drive but there were a few left hand models. Every so often, they would put them up for bid and I always dreamed of buying one, putting some wheels on it and my website's logo on the rear side windows. Every weekend I could throw my camera equipment in the rear with a cooler full of drinks and head on out. With sliding doors, I could get in and out in tight spots. On the right is someone who's dream came true. Not sure if a USPS vehicle is what he started with but I know he has fun with it. Saw it at the Hot Rod Power Tour up in Iowa in 2018.    

Every Saturday afternoon, we would make the ride from Pearland south of Houston to Spring north of Houston to cover the weekly Niftee 50ees Classic Cruise In. Our trip up took us right by the airport and sometimes we would leave a little early just to swing by and get images of the aircraft coming in. 

I mentioned further above that we covered the Detroit Autorama for a few years and since the show was always in late February or early March, snow was a high percentage. Check out my images above from 2008. Yes normal for many but not for a native Texan (Houston).  

I'm always posting vehicles "For Sale" that I see on a Facebook Gasser Group Page. To check the Group Page out, search for "GASSERS and DRAG RACING CARS and PARTS FOR SALE" on Facebook. I post the images that are posted on Facebook but more images are usually available by contacting the seller. 

Here's a 1965 Chevelle Street Machine out of South Carolina that's for sale on the Gasser Group Page for $38,000. Its super reliable, just coming off the Hot Rod Power Tour. The 355ci engine is  loaded  with  all  the  good  stuff...four bolt mains, steel crank, forged pistons, roller cam, 6-71 

blower, twin Holley 650s, MSD ignition. A Turbo 400 w/manual valve body, Ford 9" rear w/Detroit Locker and four wheel discs complete the ready to drive package.    

Here's a trio of Facebook postings. The "General Lee" (left) someone took at a car show. I've seen several "General Lee" replicas before but this one's modified engine is "just right". The next two were again posted on the Gasser Group Page. The patriotic 1956 Chevy Gasser is someone's current ride (nice job!) but the tool box is up for sale. As you can see, it's a Matco Rat Fink tool box and its being offered for $5,000. They posted quite a few images, inside and out, and its looks brand new. Its currently housed in West Virginia.   

Here's a Facebook post I never expected, or seen for that matter. Someone posted an image of the "LIL' BEAR" Nova Gasser in front of the Battleship Texas (left). The picture I've never seen, the Nova I've seen quite a few times (above). Above, left is the Nova at Houston International Speedway (Little Red Wagon and Fugitive transporters in the background). In the center at the Houston Autorama. On the right, the trailered Nova is parked in front of my late parent's house in the Historic Houston Heights. He had come by to pick up some pictures I had for him. That's my cousin's kid posing with the car. I believe she's 49 now so do the math! 

In my younger days, I probably would have bought this SPRINT CAR 3D LED LAMP. I used to frequent the sprint cars here in Houston at BIG H RACEWAY and up at DEVIL'S BOWL in Mesquite. The price is $29.99 and your choice of 7 colors, no controller or 7 colors with controller. Above are several of the colors and on the left are it's dimensions. Total height is just under 10".  

MY SON

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COLLECTIBLE COMMEMORATIVE MAGAZINE COVER

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2004 GOODGUYS LONE STAR NATIONALS

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TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Ever since my son was a toddler, I tried to get him interested in motorsports but to no avail. To him, the sound of a healthy engine was "making racket". Whenever he did show a little interest, and at that time it was NASCAR, I would buy him a diecast car that corresponded to his "interest". He had his own "names" for the cars though; KODAK was "take a picture", VALVOLINE and HAVOLINE were "motor oil", TIDE was "washing clothes" and Jeff Gordon's BABY RUTH was of course a no brainer. Now 25 years have passed and I'm wondering if I should give it another shot. If I decide to, I have two paint schemes that just might work (above). What do you think?  

RONNIE SOX

1938 - 2006

If my admission ticket to the IHRA Cajun Nationals at State Capitol Dragway in Baton Rouge, LA (left) cost me $22.00 back in 1991 (30 years ago), what year did I purchase the $3.00 ticket at Houston International Speedway? My guess would be the late '60s. 

* DON'T LET AGE CHANGE YOU; CHANGE THE WAY YOU AGE. *