This year’s Australia Day celebrations were made more memorable for Australia’s hot rodding community with the celebration of the Royal Exhibition Building’s longest running exhibit, the Victorian Hot Rod Associations’ hot rod show. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the Victorian Hot Rod show and was celebrated by many of Australia’s motoring enthusiasts by attending the four day event.
Once again the historic and picturesque Royal Exhibition Building located next to the leafy Carlton gardens played host to some of Australia’s top rods and rides displayed in all their glory, pristine and polished and surrounded by decorative displays and lighting. Thousands of doting fans of this popular vocation took the opportunity to spend part of their Australia Day long weekend at the show and take in the visually stimulating sights and sounds of our favourite hobby.
There were some incredible rides on show including two rods that had been beautifully preserved from the original 1975 Victorian hot rod show and had remained untouched bar a few extra kays on the clock. Other notable rides were Richard Dabbs period correct Tudor titled Brown Sugar, Graeme and Roslyn Martin’s 1949 customized Ford convertible, Ian Gibson’s “IKROOZ” 34 Tudor and Sandra Coughlan’s 34 Chevy pickup just to name a few.
This year also marked the start of a new era for the show with the inclusion of another popular automotive biased past time and growing revival of the rockabilly and custom car scene. Rob and Lam from Kingpin Kuztums Clothing Inc. were invited by the VHRA to host a rockabilly party in the style they have become renowned for on the Saturday. Anyone familiar with Kingpin Kuztum’s work will know that Rob and his hard working team don’t do things by halves and once again they didn’t disappoint! Having been nominated one of the outside areas, Rob brought in a cool selection of custom cars and bikes along with a flat top trailer on the back of one of TCB’s custom Kenworths solely for the various bands to belt out their rockabilly classics. The bands, Rosie & The Mighty Kings, The Detonators, Tijuana Surf, Atomic Hi-Tones, Itchy Fingers Australia, Cherry Divine feat Helen Bailey and Rumblin’ Wolf rocked on under the heat of the afternoon sun as hot rod enthusiasts were able to take in another angle of our customising scene in the form of low riders, led sleds and ratrods. Late afternoon saw the bands move upstairs and continue to entertain the attending public as well as fans of the rockabilly scene who were also treated to a demonstration of rockabilly dancing. Attendees could also immerse themselves into 
the rockabilly scene with a new do by the Northern Barber shop and Devon Barber Shop or a classic makeover by Bang Bang Ladies Hair & Beauty and threads supplied by Kingpin Kuztums clothing company themselves! The VHRA must have been impressed as Rob has informed me that they have been invited back to do it all again next year!
With the growing popularity of both these scenes and the continued support of the many sponsors involved, it looks as though the Vic hot rod show is here to stay and continue on well after we have taken that rockabilly hotrod ride into the abyss as we leave a legacy for our children and their children’s children.
Looking forward to seeing what this well-oiled team come up with next year but if you can’t wait that long, check out what’s coming up in our automotive scene via the internet or Caprice Photography Automotive Art’s email list and stay in touch via the various sites.
Keep on cruisin,
Cheers,
Greg
Caprice Photography Automotive Art 
Comments