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Project X

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2008-04-25T00:43:54-05:00

since I first noticed it on the pages of Popular Hot Rodding magazine some 35 years ago. It's been around even longer as the magazine's continuously running test bed for the latest in high performance gear. ...Although the photography was challenging what with the car being entombed in the GM Performance parts compound and surrounded many admirers, it still made my heart skip a beat to finally see this legendary 57 on display, resplendent in it's chrome yellow paint. ...Once upon a time it was flogged for ever improving time slips at southern California's Irwindale Raceway after the installation of the latest in speed parts in the Pop Rod editor's driveway.

Bunny Run 08

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2008-04-13T20:14:45-05:00

I had the pleasure of meeting several people from the area who keep this whole automotive hobby interesting, and made quite a few photos of what was on hand.... I'll have to seek this one out in the future, as it is extremely slick in a traditional homebuilt way, and it's not even a Chevy! ...Although just a tad chilly on Saturday and downright cold on Sunday (even though the weather was perfect on Friday) this event makes it clear that the 2008 car show and rod run season is now under way.

Cruise Nation

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2008-04-11T23:48:59-05:00

Always a sure bet for some stunning bow-tie hardware, and some serious drag racing action, it's also a good place to be seen by Super Chevy magazine photographers and editors. Worth noting is that your own MCCC is now hosting a cruise-in at the Stage Center in Bartlett TN on the 4th Thursday of each good weather month on the calendar. We've already snuck one in under the weather radar in March with a respectable turnout, so make sure you stop by and check our the latest cruising spot.

Studies in Styrene

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2008-04-11T01:23:22-05:00

So break out the paint, the glue, and the overdriven imagination and put something together for our membership to enjoy, whether it comes from the hobby store shelves or the self cleaning oven. ...A new build would be good, but you can always dust off an oldie and bring it along to get in on the action. Note the photos in this posting made at 'King Con 07' if you need inspiration as to what a well done model can actually look like.

East End Cruise-Ins

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2008-02-23T00:16:52-06:00

is hosting a schedule of cruise-ins throughout the warm weather months again this year. There is a small fee of $5 to participate, and all the proceeds from the cruise-ins will be donated to St.... Should you acquire a hunger while checking out the rides, there is some tasty roadhouse chow available inside the comfy confines of the grill itself.

Garage Flicks Part Two

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2008-02-20T00:33:22-06:00

visit videodetective.com for more info

... ...

The Blue Devil Cometh

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2008-01-15T01:05:05-06:00

Aside from the nifty see through hood panel, and the numerous carbon fiber dodads, the big noise on this Vette is the upgrade of the already bad news 427 cubic inch 505 horsepower engine in the Z06 (which will remain in production) into a Supercharged, albeit slightly smaller 6.2 liter powerplant. ...If my fairy godmomma were to wave a magic wand, and one of these showed up in the driveway, I'd be very pleased, but I'd still have to be critical of the hideous plastic dish draining rack that is affixed to the miraculously powerful engine. ...I'd also hate to have to pay for a replacement 20" hi-perf tire, but I suppose if you can stand 100 Grand for the privilege, then the expensive rubber doesn't mean too much in the grand scheme of things.

I Put the Tools Up Against $300...

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2008-01-13T03:01:27-06:00

... ...

Forge Muscle Car Show

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-11-03T11:53:43-05:00

I was invited to attend the Forge Muscle Car Show in Sevierville by Larry Reyes as he made an appearance with the recently restored Hawaiian funny car. The show was focused on factory muscle cars of the 60's & 70's and entry was by invitation, so there was lots of top notch hardware on hand that should be of interest to most any gearhead even if you don't have an old funny car in the garage. ...Drivers of the era, such as Larry Reyes, and Dale Pulde were on hand, as was Don Hardy, a noted race car builder of the 60's & 70's. ...There's lots of other things to occupy your time in the area if you grow tired of looking at old muscle cars, so give it some consideration.

Fun Run Done

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-10-30T00:26:29-05:00

The photos have been posted on this site for a while now, but in case you couldn't tell, the 2007 edition of the MCCC Fun Run was a solid success with plenty of good vibes and good eats to go around. The Fun Run is typically a smallish event, but the payback is that we get some quality social time, and some good food with an opportunity for seconds (or even thirds) combined with the knowledge that the event will produce a noticeable donation to the beneficiary of our choice (This year the recipient is St. ...We meet several new friends this year and everyone seemed to be appreciative of the relaxed atmosphere and the opportunity to drive our vehicles on such a fine afternoon.

Double Show Day

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-10-06T01:02:26-05:00

Thankfully, the show organizers have moved the date of this show from the dog days of summer, but it looks like they've managed to pick a popular weekend.... Greg Friend snagged a first place award with his Buick Grand National, and Dave West and Russell Ragland both took second place awards in their respective classes. Anyone who has seen Dave or Russell's cars know that they are close to perfect, so this should give you an idea of how stiff the competition was at this show.

Wally Parks

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-09-30T01:41:07-05:00

This is why I've always felt that however specialized your automotive passions may be, you cannot deny the link to drag racing and hot rodding as the foundation that makes it possible for you to enjoy the experience as you do. ...This was soon after Hill had become the first man to travel a drag strip in less than 5 seconds, and I suspect the focus of the story was on this accomplishment, but I was dumbfounded to see the founder of the NHRA in my hometown, and standing in my line of sight.... As my interest in historical hot rodding has grown over the years, I regret not getting a chance to talk to this man about the start of it all, and the current state of what it's all become.

Delta River Cruisin' VIII

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-09-20T01:25:18-05:00

I guess that makes it questionable to even call this deal a "show", but I think it's great to see this many car people get together with nothing much to do except socialize and check out each others rides before and after visits to the gambling hall. There's some reasonably tasty food at all these casinos, and nightlife entertainment is usually available at the host casino as well as others that are within spitting distance of Sam's Town. ...Might I suggest to whoever makes such decisions, that using more of the perimeter grass for parking, or even using the former Isle of Capri casino lot adjacent to Sam's Town could be useful.

Rags to Riches

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-09-02T10:19:05-05:00

On Saturday, August 18th, Allen McDaniel of the North Mississippi Cruisers and Greg Banks of the American Muscle Car Club lead numerous car enthusiasts on a fabulous cruise from Olive Branch to Tupelo.... Dubbed the "Rags to Riches" tour, it departed Olive Branch at 9:30 AM and traveled down the two lane road that is old Highway 78. The theme is about Elvis' journey from rags to riches, and retraces the route his destitute family took when they moved from Tupelo, to Memphis where his career later took off with a bang.

Blue Light Special

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-08-29T00:58:58-05:00

If you're an MCCC member, feel free to e-mail what you want to sell or barter to our e-mail contact address (it's at the bottom of the page). I'll try to list it within the new 'Buy-Sell-Trade' page on this site ASAP. ...If you're looking to buy something and you think the club membership is a good source for what you're after, then send e-mail and let us know.

Skating Away

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-07-13T22:04:23-05:00

Skateland's glorious sign has been dim for a while now, but you kind of have to figure that the fat lady has sung her last tune when they start pulling up the floor and start offering it for sale. ...Drive-in movies have been on life support for years, (although we still have one functional passion pit in Memphis) and the drive-in restaurant was gone before I ever noticed.... I wasn't alone, and it became apparent that an entire segment of popular American culture was vanishing without a trace, or falling into disrepair.

Triskaidekaphobia?

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-07-13T21:59:10-05:00

It's a new Republic of Palau $1 coin (more humane than a rabbits foot) that carries a yellow Chevrolet Corvette on the face of the GM commemorative coin. ...Don't worry yourself about why it has to cost $20 while on sale even though it's only worth a dollar...... Or you could probably just settle down since Friday the 13th is done now and won't show up again for many months I'm sure.

Independence Day

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-07-04T17:27:48-05:00

You're apt to see most anything in this event from vintage stockers that date back to the dawn of the automobile, to one-off creations that were originally meant to be raced, to somewhat more familiar cars from the 50's & 60's. ...Many choice local cars were available for interested spectators to survey and a few were rarely (or never before) seen vehicles that were just as unforgettable as the cars involved in the cross country journey. ...The weather was a bit dicey during the early part of the evening, with a couple of brief and very wet rain showers, but all was clear by the time the explosives were lit. Among the MCCC members attending the Bartlett tradition were Larry and Michelle Abramson, Danny & Ginger Ford, Gary Gallimore, Mark, Andrea, Nicholas, & Jordan Gallimore, James & Lisa Hicks, Ronny & Teri Hodnett, Jack Mabry, T.

New Small Block

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-06-23T00:50:02-05:00

That is because the bore in each cylinder (0.6 inch, compared with 4 inches in the original) is undersize, a compromise to assure that the cylinders would withstand the heat and compression generated by the eight tiny pistons pumping up and down through their stroke of less than half an inch (compared with 3.25 inches of the real engine). ...Among his accomplishments is a replica of a 426-cubic-inch Chrysler V-8 that looks and sounds ready to bolt into a Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda of the muscle car era — except that it is just a quarter the size of the original and displaces just 6.3 inches. ...All it needs is a 1/3-size driver to slip into the seat, fasten the precisely scaled four-point seat belt, turn the absolutely accurate 1/3-scale key, and the 12-cylinder engine will roar to life with an exhaust tuned to the perfect Ferrari pitch, albeit not as loud.

Award Winners

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-06-19T01:53:55-05:00

June 16th was sunny and hot with temperatures in the low 900 degree range, but it was still a good day for a car show in Bartlett TN. It was time for the annual Veterans Count Car & Bike Show, and many of our own brought home a big chunk of the gold from this Flag Day event. In fact, so many Tri-Five Chevys showed that they were put into classes for each year, as opposed to being lumped together into one class as is the usual practice.

Selmer TN Tragedy

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-06-17T01:56:16-05:00

Matthew Brammer, administrator of AMS Pro Modified Series, which sanctions drag races, said late Saturday that the car involved has been driven by drag racer Troy Critchley, of Wylie, Texas, but he did not know if Critchley was driving when the car struck the crowd. The AMS Pro Modified Series later issued a news release that did not identify the driver, but said he was a veteran of more than 20 years in drag racing and had to be taken to the emergency room. The release said the driver was performing an "exhibition burnout" _ spinning the tires to make them heat up and smoke _ when road conditions caused the car to lose control, striking a utility pole and then veering into the crowd.

Hot Rod Power Tour

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-06-09T06:40:09-05:00

How many were still invloved by the time they hit the bluff city would have to be an educated guess, but I get the idea that at least 2,000 vehicles were in town this week. ...While several MCCC members joined up with the tour in Memphis to drive on to Arkansas, Gerald Raymer deserves some kind of unoffical pat on the back for treking all the way to Cleveland for the start, and sticking with the whole deal until it was done and over with in Little Rock. ...I also snagged real digital photogrphic evidence of Hot Rod Magazine editor-in-chief David Freiburger snagging real digital photographic evidence of the righteous cars on Beale street in the evening hours.

Birthplace

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-06-01T00:00:54-05:00

Although most of us have a passion for Chevys that are considered vintage designs, there's one model in the Chevrolet product line-up that seems to endear most every bow-tie fan regardless of the year of manufacture.... It should be noted that Corvette production occurs in the not too distant city of Bowling Green KY, and that a very unique Chevrolet adventure awaits anyone who embarks upon the day trip from Memphis, TN and our surrounding areas. ...Although a far cry from John Wayne's 1953 Corvette, the current model is still a stunning visual sight and is now a technological tour de force after 55 years of continuous production.

Call For Door Prizes

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-05-31T23:28:46-05:00

It's just four months away and we need to build up our stash of door prizes. We don't want to wait until the last minute to ask for contributions because we will probably not find too many businesses inclined to help out at the last minute. It often takes time for managers to obtain approval to participate in events like our Fun Run.

Veterans Count Car & Bike Show

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-05-20T22:46:21-05:00

James Hicks is one of our of our newest members, and he is one of the principal organizers behind the 5th annual Veterans Count! ...While not an "official" MCCC event, James puts a lot into this show and is now a member of this club, so lets get the rides polished up for a Flag Day presentation! There are classes for virtually everything on wheels, so there should be a place for your car to feel at home.

Time Warp Drag Racing

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-05-20T15:14:12-05:00

If you're the kind of car buff that I am, then you can't ignore the influence that drag racing has had on your appreciation for high performance automobiles. ...If you've been around this stuff for a while, then you can no doubt remember how things used to be, and VIP luxury suites weren't always part of the equation. Not that gowth and change are such a bad thing, but maybe you sometimes wonder if the old ways might have had their own special appeal that is somehow lost among the TV coverage, corporate sponsorships, and the tractor trailer tow rigs.

Cruising Season On Fire!

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-05-18T03:30:11-05:00

I know my fellow club members were on the grounds, but I'm thinking that fewer MCCC members entered the car show part of the event this year than in years past. ...It was in perfect condition, and it finally struck me that this was a mid 70's version of a dealer specialty vehicle known as a "Motion" Corvette from the infamous Baldwin Chevrolet delearship of Long Island New York. ...Unfortunately, prior commitments prevented my lens form visiting other spring kick off events such as the Jackson TN Bunny Run, and the Tupelo MS Blue Suede Cruise, but many other MCCC members made the scene and reported good times in car show land.

Model Behavior

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-05-18T02:10:06-05:00

Considering that many of us had not constructed a scale model since we started shaving, and the time required to do one right is considerable, we did pretty well with participation. ...Among the Chevys, Ron Pardue took home top honors with his reproduction of Hayden Proffit's 1963 409 Impala super stock drag car. Ron exhibted the car in a scratch built dragstrip diorama. ...The competition for "best goodie" was too fierce for the hungry judges to reach a reasonable decision without an unwanted delay in serving the entries to the club, so someone made the sensible decision to declare them all first place winners (with appropriate prizes) and put a fork in it...

Bowled Over

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-04-27T01:29:02-05:00

He arrived with his own personal bowling bag, and unveiled a custom ball, shoes, and wrist guard while most of the rest of us rented shoes and searched for a communal bowling ball.... Keith gently polished his ball with a hand towel and then took on a textbook style stance to deliver the ball to the pins that stood at the business end of the lane. ...MCCC member Larry Abramson & his wife Michelle took a similar approach by arriving with all the proper bowling accessories in place and matching T-shirts to boot.

Get Your Bake On

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-04-21T00:40:49-05:00

In an effort to expand contest participation during our May meeting, we are adding a new do-it-yourself activity to the 2nd annual model car contest. ...We will judge a bake-off for those members that are more comfortable in the kitchen than with a rattle can and a tube of glue.... Even car people who eat, sleep, and breath all things Chevrolet need a treat now and then, and the folks at Coletta's have promised not to toss us out into the parking lot for bringing dessert items in for this special occasion.

New Coming Events Calendar

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-04-07T21:11:57-05:00

We've added a Google based Calendar to the Coming Events page. It displays a lot more events than the last version, and you can set it up to be viewed in a month by month calendar format, or in agenda format. Give any chosen event a "click", and more detailed information (as we know it) will be displayed.

Scale Sensations!

lkkphoto@gmail.com — 2007-04-06T20:33:01-05:00

I feel pretty confident that building models as a younger person had a lot of influence toward making an actual car enthusiast out of me; something that has lasted to this day. ...Break out the paint and glue and imagination and put something together for the May meeting, or dust off an oldie and bring it along to get in on the action. ...Who knows, if we can maintain interest and ramp up the number of entries, then we may have to see what we can do to expand this thing as part of another event.