Old School Hot Rods Featured at Gilmore Car Museum

On Sunday, September 27, 2009 the Gilmore Car Museum will hold the “Relix Riot” Traditional Hot Rod and Motorcycle Show. This all-new event will feature only 1964 and earlier hot rods, customs and motorcycles built in a “traditional” style of the ‘40s, ‘50s and early ‘60s.

You may have heard of Street Rods, Hot Rods or even Rat Rods, but what exactly is a Traditional Hot Rod? Just think ‘old school’. In this case its pre-1965 cars and bikes that have been customized with nothing newer than 1964 parts.

The Traditional Hot Rod is a faithful representation of the hot rod cars built during the post WWII period through the mid-1960s. Historical accuracy and detail is everything. The Traditional Hot Rod, whether a 50-year-old barn find or a new creation, won’t have electronic fuel injection, neon lights, Billet wheels or a modern megawatt stereo installed. (Much of the same way you wouldn’t expect to see a Civil War re-enactor carrying an Ipod or cell phone!)

The show and swap meet, sponsored by the Relix Car and Motor Cycle Club, is open to the public on Sunday the 27th from 9am – 6pm and is sure to draw “old school” Hot Rods from throughout the Midwest. The one-day event includes afternoon performances by the renowned rockabilly band The Wild Woodies, a touch of bluegrass music with Brother Bill and surf-rock with Los Cobras. There will even be a vintage Bettie Page style Pin-up Girl contest.

With the Gilmore Car Museum’s 1930 Shell station, its authentic 1941 diner and historic buildings guests on this particular Sunday may feel as though they’ve just stepped out of a scene from the movie American Graffiti.

Special discounted spectator admission is $8.00 for the day, with those under 11 admitted free. Guests will be able to tour the world-class Gilmore Car Museum collection of nearly 200 extraordinary vehicles at no extra charge. Through the remainder of the 2009 season, which ends on October 31, the Museum is also featuring the all-new exhibit, "History - 1/4 Mile at a Time," featuring vehicles from some of the most iconic names in drag racing history – “Big Daddy” Don Garltis, Arnie “The Farmer” Beswick, Kalamazoo’s Jerry Arnold, and E. J. Potter – aka “The Michigan Madman,” just to name a few.

The Gilmore Car Museum is located just 20 minutes northeast of Kalamazoo on M-43 and Hickory Road.