More Magnificient Monmouth Machines

 

The Annual Rides On Monmouth show is one of the largest car events in the region. It always brings out hundreds of beautiful vehicles. I've already done three posts from this particular show and have planned out 14 more to add so I hope you're enjoying the cars. Today we have a 1959 Rambler Ambassador (compare it to the 1954 Nash version I posted two days ago), a Ford Model T, a Pontiac Firebird, a Volkswagen van, a VW Thing, a Shelby Cobra, and a Chrysler.

 

Gangsters, Guns and Girls

 

The Annual Rides On Monmouth show is not only one of the largest car events in the region, attracting hundreds of automobiles, but it is also held in a city with a lot of interesting history. Following the establishment of prohibition, the city of Newport became breeding ground for vice and corruption all overseen by gangsters and the cops and politicians they had on their payroll. I've written about this in previous posts about these annual events but here's a nice little piece giving you some highlights (Newport Gangsters ). Please note the last photo is a fairly recent shot taken on Monmouth St. The real reason for this blog post is to show off some of the fine cars that were on hand for the Rides On Monmouth event which included a 1959 Edsel Villager station wagon, an original Shelby Cobra, a Chevy Camaro Rally Sport, a 1955 Bel Air, a Camaro Z 28, a Ford Mustang, and a 1966 Ford pick up truck.

The Historic City Of Newpor's Annual Car Show

 Each summer the city of Newport hosts the Rides On Monmouth, a show that brings in hundreds of different, fantastic vehicles. Because of all of the fabulous cars that are put on display this has become one of the region's largest old car events, filling the main street of the city with fabulous examples of rolling art. Among the cars on display at this particular show was a 1954 Nash Ambassador, a newer Chevy Camaro, a Fox bodied Ford Mustang, a Corvette, a Datsun 260 Z, and an early Bel Air.

The Rides On Monmouth

 

The Rides On Monmouth is always one of my favorite shows each season. The city of Newport actually shuts down the heart of their main road, usually for seven or eight blocks, and fill it up with great classic and collector automobiles. Since the show is held in the middle of town, there are lots of great restaurants and shops along the way that you can stop in and check out. But the big draw, obviously, is the collection of cars and trucks that pile in. For example, the cars on display for this show included a 1942 Buick Eight, a C3 Chevy Corvette, a Pontiac GTO, a Dodge Challenger R/T, a pre-War Pontiac sedan, a selection of motorcycles, a Malibu, and a Camaro. 

Just What Is A Resto-Mod?

 

It’s impossible to remember when we didn’t know what we didn’t know. Few people of age can actually remember when they couldn’t read or even walk and talk. They are things we know and use every day, things we are so comfortable using and doing that we don’t bother to even consider not knowing them.

Practically every industry, job or business has its own lexicon, a language that each person in that community understands. In the old car hobby we can all use terms that to outsiders sound like a foreign language but most of us understand them. But sometimes word or term or phrase will come along that even some in the hobby don’t fully understand. Occasionally I’ll use the term resto-mod when talking about a car or truck. Recently I have had a couple of people email me asking what I mean by that term.

So, what exactly is a resto-mod? Different people surely have different definitions but they all relate to the restoration of a vehicle. On the one end of things a pure full restoration that will bring a vehicle back as close to the condition in which it was when it rolled off the assembly line. The other end of the spectrum is when a car or truck is used as the mere baseline of a full customization. This generally includes modifications in all aspects of the vehicle.

 In between somewhere is a resto-mod. When a restorer wants to keep the visual appeal of an original so that when people will look at it and think it is been restored to original and yet desires a few more modern creature comforts, then a resto-mod is born.

Our feature car is a perfect example of a resto-mod. Seymour McWhorter owns what looks like an original 1941 Buick Eight. That is if you are looking at it from a distance. The Inferno Red classic has the beautiful soft shape and small step running boards that give it a distinctly classic look.

But on closer inspection you can see that this remarkable vehicle has been chopped and put together with a more practical and luxury ride in mind. He bought the unrestored car back in 2005 and did an almost total restoration on it, including fabricating some of the metal work.

 

“I bought it from a guy in Dayton who had it for 17 years,” Seymour said, when he was looking for a new project to take on.

 “I’ve fooled with street rods my whole life,” he said. “I can do anything to a car myself,” he added but pointed out that on this car he did everything but the interior and the chrome work.

 

Starting with the ’41 Buick, Seymour dropped a 454 Chevy V-8 into it and added a Chevy automatic transmission. To that he modified a 1978 Firebird suspension. “I had to cut the frame and weld it in,” he said with a grin of satisfaction. He also fitted Cadillac rocker arms.

In addition to putting in power steering and power brakes, Seymour added air conditioning, a CD system and fitted Caddy seats for comfort.

 And, according to Seymour, the comfort is there. “I drive it a lot, even on big trips,” he said. “It rides extremely well and it drives extremely well.”

 

 Seymour pays a great deal of attention to the safety of his car, taking it through the rigorous National Street Rod Association safety inspection each year. “They won’t pass you if you aren’t completely safe,” he said.

 So looking at this 1941 Buick Eight from a distance you can see the Inferno Red exterior that was chosen by Seymour’s wife. But get up close, or glance as it blows by you, and you’ll see that there is a lot more than meets the eye with this exceptional car.

 

Wrapping Up the Bethel Murdoch Car Show and Ice Cream Social

The Bethel Murdoch Car Show and Ice Cream Social was a pleasant surprise and has since become a show I've attended every year. And why not, it features some great cars as well as ice cream. Some of the cars that were on display included this chopped Ford convertible, a Plymouth sedan, a Ford pick up, a Chevy Camaro SS, a Pontiac GTO, a 1953 Chevy Bel Air, and a '55 Bel Air.

A High School Connection To the Bethel Murdoch Car Show

 Since the Annual Bethel Murdoch Car Show and Ice Cream Social is quite close to where I went to high school, it's little wonder that I actually have a connection to the event. I was chatting with a high school class mate who knew of my passion for all things old car and she told me her father was going to be showing one of his vehicles at the show. That was enough to push me to show up. Her father had a collection of early Fords including his grandfather's Model T. The one he showed was a Model TT pick up truck. Also on display was a 1947 Ford pick up, a 1969 Dodge Super Bee, a custom Ford 8 convertible, and a street rod 1955 Chevy Bel Air.