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The Murrieta Rod Run is one of the most beloved car shows in Southern California and was held last weekend in Riverside County. The show commandeered a quaint little stretch of an old school main street that has long been eclipsed by massive development and sprawl but miraculously, has survived intact.
The Rod Run is a mainstay not only for car fans from the sister cities of Murrieta/Temecula but from the surrounding areas as well. With 400 cars, 20,000 spectators, food, and other epicurean goodies, the show was as vibrant and as healthy as ever, even after the nutty COVID winter of 2020.
Murrieta was once a vacation destination and renowned for its “health” resorts and natural hot springs.
The Temecula Valley has sweeping, unbridled beauty. Surrounded by rolling hills and mountains, it has the best weather in the world from November to June, then buckle up as the temps soar through the summer.
Murrieta/Temecula was once a sleepy hamlet with around 20,000 people, but since the 1990s the population exploded and is now roughly a quarter of a million people, most seeking refuge from high home prices, and the urban ills of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Remarkably, the small-town feel and open space remain and are fertile ground for automotive enthusiasts.
Today, Murrieta is a huge sprawl of housing development located 90 minutes south of Los Angeles and 60 minutes north of San Diego.
The 2021 Murrieta Rod Run was last weekend, October 8th and 9th, and was well attended this year. We stopped by on Friday night for the “cruise-in” and then again on Saturday. The weather was fantastic and there were many killer cars in attendance. Here are a few that grabbed our eye, in no particular order.
Tom Basso brought his recently finished 1967 Corvette with an LS swap, Tremec five-speed and modern running gear. Tom added the stinger hood, and used thoughtful brushstrokes overall, as not to diminish the greatness of a mid-year Corvette. Look for a feature on this car soon.
Yeah, yeah, we can hear the moaning from the peanut gallery on this one. Robert Butcher’s 1979 Lincoln Town Coupe was a block long and belt-buckle high. A poster child for malaise-era cars, we don’t care. It was fantastic and well presented. We LOVED it. Enjoy!!
We loved Saul Alvarado’s little blue Beetle. Not only did it look cool with Porsche cookie cutters, but it had every JC Whitney-type accessory you could possibly imagine. Bumper guards, roof rack, raccoon tail, and wicker baskets galore. Impeccable.
Victor Galindo's 1936 taildraggin' Ford roadster was a killer. Most every early Ford custom trick employed here: shaved body, chopped top and a pair of perfect smoothie skirts. This old Ford had a perfect stance too. Low, luscious and a beauty to behold. Whew.
Dig Manuel Gomez's 1927 Ford bucket. Steelies and whitewalls, roller skate stance, three dueces and fresh green accents. The definition of cool right here, folks.
That wraps up another Rod Run on Murrieta folks. Be sure and check back and plan to attend next year’s show. A special thanks to all the sponsors: Paradise Chevrolet, Murrieta BMW, Murrieta VW, Gosch Ford, and a whole bunch more.
