1984 Car Craft Street Machine Nats West pix
 

My buddy Bruce (Xplantdad) got me fired up over his old CC Nats photos from 25 years ago. Here's some of mine that I took at the 1984 CC Nats West held at Sacramento's Cal Expo (California). The previous October I got my first camera, a Nikon 35mm, for my 21st birthday and I was bitten by the camera bug. Many of the photos are taken from up close to the cars, cropping the front and rear of the cars, because it was difficult to keep dudes from walking through my pictures. I'd have to stop, set up the shot, wait for a small gap, and quickly shoot the photo.

First photo is of a Pro Street Chevette that took my breath away as it came toward me. It had an injected Rat and just looked and sounded so right. I just froze and shot the photo, then stood there in awe as it rumbled past. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif

Re: 1984 Car Craft Street Machine Nats West pix
 

Chevette's motor. I desperately wanted one of those cool red "CC Nats" decals for my windshield but my car just wasn't show caliber.

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Nice Pro Street '70 Chevelle. This was basically state-of-the-art in those days.

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Another, less radical '70 SS 454 (note plate). The frame says "American Speed" and the shop's location "Santa Rosa." Ahh yes, back when local speed shops sold their own frames. Man, the 'narrow Centerlines up front with 10-inchers in back' look was all the rage then. Still looks good.

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This '68 Camaro blew me away. I thought that he nailed the wheel/tire and stance combination. I just stared at this car. It said "327" on the fenders but it had a nice Rat underhood. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif

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Another Camaro, this one with the "canyon runner" setup.

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Second shot of the canyon Camaro. Yeah man, "flower mags."

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"Post" '55s like this just knock me out. Americans, Rat, 4-speed, no bumper, fast as hell. I want one just like this. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif

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https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif Velle!
I remember attending these type of shows back then,and seeing ONE Factory Stock left alone survivor 70 SS Chevy,get its Hat handed to it by the crowd.
The theme of the day was low & Modified,with Candy paint jobs..
Back before a Flock of Seagulls,was just that,and not some Group & it's haircut! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

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Some guys tried the Pro Street thing and got it all wrong. Not this guy. Can't remember the motor but this '65 Plymouth was another jaw-dropper. Those drilled Weld Wheels were my favorite Pro Street wheel at that moment.

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Pro Street 427 XL Fairlane. Yep, it sounded VERY good.

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"RUMPA-RUMPA-RUMPA-RUMPA" with a faint blower whine and an occasional rap-out throttle stab: "WHOOOM!...RUMPA-RUMPA-RUMPA..." https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif X 100

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You know how you come upon a car and your first reaction is to laugh out-loud at how COOl it is? Here's one. Ford Courier with blown small-block Ford. Primer? SO WHAT!

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Speaking of blowers...

Oh, and check out the dudes with tube socks!

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This stereo setup was state-of-the-art in 1984. The guy's name was Mark Fujita, from the east bay, and he was a stereo guru. Everybody wanted tunes like this back then. Now when some kid thumps through my neighborhood at midnight I wish this kind of thing had never been invented.

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Yep, another Camaro, this one's a '68 SS 396. This is the kind of car I wanted in those days.

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Here's a nice '65 Chevelle. Note the Chevy emblem painted into the grille. Might have been a magazine car.

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Nice 390 GTA Fairlane.

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Blown GTA Fairlane.

Remeber Vuarnet sunglasses? Check out the dude walking behind the car. This proves the photo was taken in 1984...

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Another Mopar Pro Street car done oh-so-right. '70 Bee. Note the Bee sticker on the scoop. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif

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Impressive Rat. Can't remember what it was in.

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Clean '66 Chevelle SS 396.

Cal Expo had a monorail that ran around the site. That's its elevated track in the background.

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'Glass Vega. Is it a "funny car" or a whatever? Stopped the crowd in its tracks.

More Vuarnet sunglasses!

"Cause I'm a dirty white boy (dirty white boy!), dirty white boy (dirty white boy!), dirrrrty white boy!" Ahh, Foreigner.

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Yeah, yeah, another Camaro. Doesn't everyone love Camaros? No, don't answer that.

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How about a '74-'75 (ish) Firebird. Don't see these much anymore.

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Another (yawn) Camaro, this one with blue headlights. Hey, I was a Camaro guy then and I still am!

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Hey! A second-gen Camaro. Drop-dead cool with that lowered stance and wide Rallys. Another car I'd have killed to have.

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Remember way back when kit Cobras would draw a crowd?

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That's all for now, I gotta' whip up some lunch.

Cause I'm a dirty white boy (dirty white boy!), dirty white boy (dirty white boy!), DIRRRRRTY WHITE BOY!!!!

I think I'll put that on the stereo while I eat lunch. Oh, and dig out some old Car Crafts to read while I eat. Yeah, that's the ticket!

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Great pics. Tube socks scare me though! And the shorts the "dudes" were wearing are pretty scary too! After seeing those, I won't complain about people wearing the baggy long shorts today.

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https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif I agree Jeff..... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif

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Another thing you will notice is how skinny/average weight people where back then. Today the car shows look like a weight watchers convention

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[ QUOTE ]
Today the car shows look like a weight watchers convention

[/ QUOTE ]

HEY, I resemble that remark!!!!!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/ooo.gif
James

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Bill,
Great Pictures!
What did I start? Don't make me pull out my 10 other photo albums full of racing at Pomona and OCIR, and many years worth of Super Chevy!

Incidentally...
The injected Chevette was based out of Orange county...specifically Garden Grove, and more specifically the J.C. Penney's auto/tire store at the "City" shopping center.

The owner of the car was a Mr. Peterson, who worked at the Penneys auto store while finishing his engineering degree. I was lucky enough to see that car from the day he bought it (Stock)to the way it was in the photo. If you look closely at the first photo, you can barely make out "Peterson Engineering" on the rear side window glass. It ended up on the cover of Super Chevy eventually.

It was a injected 427, with 14x32 goodyears inside the fender wells. It also had one of the first Currie Ent. narrowed rear ends.

I raced him twice with my Nova on Wednesday Grudge Nights at OCIR, and whipped his butt both times! His car looked like a funny car going down the track, it couldn't hook up. I think the fastest it ever went was low 14's.

Bruce

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Bill thanks for the pics.

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

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Also note that in any given pic there a ton of shirtless pukes all struttin away. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

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Typical spring weather in central California---sunshine and 80 degrees. That's why everyone was in shorts and shirtless. That's also why California's population has steadily increased over the years.

Yes, I too have noticed that people tended to be thinner back in the old days. Someone said it's because of the steady increase in the use of high-fructose corn syrup as a food additive. That, and the huge increase in french fry and fast food consumption.

Oh, and Oswald acted alone and the Apollo moon landing took place on a Hollywood sound stage.

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the Apollo moon landing took place on a Hollywood sound stage.

I agree!! (Just kidding Charley!) https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...arleySucks.gif

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[ QUOTE ]
Typical spring weather in central California---sunshine and 80 degrees. That's why everyone was in shorts and shirtless.

[/ QUOTE ]

They dressed the same here! Attached is a picture of my husband Bill at the '84 Street Machine Nats here in Detroit. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif

Rita https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

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https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif Nice pic wit da bunnies Bill....got any rolling papers ? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif