Outside The Box: by Bill Howell VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2

I am just back from Columbus Goodguys, one of the biggest car shows of the season. I’m here to report that our sport is alive and well. Columbus has become a must attend date on the circuit for several reasons. One is the shear number of cars that show up every July. Another is that the Street Machine of the Year is chosen at this event. Nonetheless, this year's pool seemed to be down a bit, but for good reason. Bob Johnson’s ‘Cuda was in the running and I think many stayed home because everyone knew it would be tough to beat Bob, Alan, and crew this year.
The ‘Cuda is old news to most of us here, but is truly a work of car art. It has the latest in innovations, is just a pleasure to look at, and unlike the other finalists this year, the ‘Cuda actually gets track and road time. Bob drove it on Power Tour this year and made several runs at the Nashville Goodguys autocross a couple weeks ago.
The fact that the Cuda won and the selection of cars in general reminded me of something. I am not sure I can come up with a Top 10 list here, but there are several reasons that the last car I built and the one I am working on is not the stereotypical 1st Gen Camaro. While I love them, they seem to be overrepresented in the hobby now and the sad thing is that you’ll walk by the majority of them because they are just another Camaro.
It pleases me to see other models taking the spotlight for a change. My GTO has gotten a lot of press this year; not because it is over the top, but because it gives the photographer a viable alternative to the Camaro. I was overwhelmed to find out that this fall the official Grand Rod Run T-shirt will have my Goat on it. It just goes to show that thinking outside the box is good.
I do a lot of thinking there, wondering what will be the next big thing. I am not just talking about cars; take this site for example. I think that Steve and I are certainly working out side the box here. Just because everyone else is not doing it right now, doesn’t mean diddly. The movers and shakers of the world are always trying new things and hopefully we are on the right track here.
And there’s always hardware. What cars aren’t hot right now but are going to be real soon? I am convinced that the ‘78-‘87 G-bodies are the next cars to make a splash. Those that already have these cars know what I am talking about. Of course, the grunt perspective was always dim, but that’s easy enough to change. And we’ll show you how in the coming months doing articles on modifications to my ‘80 Malibu. I found the car on eBay for $3,000 flew to St. Louis, and drove it home that day. There are millions of them and they can be had for a song. There’s plenty of support from the aftermarket, too. As always, I am sure I am upside down in my car as far as money spent versus current market value, but who cares, I don't plan on selling it anyway. Hopefully, the Bu will be ready in time for our September event and will turn some heads.
Our hobby is alive and well and you don't have to be a bizillionaire to participate. If ‘Cudas and Camaros are a bit out of your budget, look for the alternatives. You don’t have to break the family budget to have a car you can be proud of and enjoy. So get out of the box, do your homework, then come back and tell us your ideas.
Bill

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