Rod Authority is blessed to be centered around a locale rich in hot rods and kustom kulture. To the north, south, east, and west car clubs, custom shops, apparel brands, and some of the slickest barbers dot the region. Without sounding boastful it is an honor to be immersed around like-minded enthusiasts who not only inspire us to do what we do on an every day basis but who also help give our publication purpose.

Just recently our neighboring town, the quaint but ever-growing city of Temecula, California threw its annual Rod Run. A two day affair full of food, music, and all forms of classic rides the Temecula Rod Run is everything you’d expect out of an event evolving since the 90s. Add to that the event setting which possesses charm from a time that extends even farther back than the golden age of motorized vehicles and you’ve got yourself one heck of a time warp.

A Bit Of History On This Town Nestled In The Foggy Hills Of The South

“Since its early beginning, the Temecula Valley has always been a place where the combination of mild climate and beautiful rolling hills have attracted human settlement,” says cityoftemecula.org.

“The name Temecula comes from the Luiseño Indian word “Temecunga” – “temet” meaning “sun” and “-ngna” which means “place of”. The Spanish interpreted and spelled the word as “Temecula”. Over the years, the meaning of “Temecula” has been translated into several different versions of this interpretation, including the most popular, which is “Where the sun breaks through the mist.”

The site continues, “The hillsides were the home of the Temecula Indians, the first residents of the area. Ancestors of the Temecula Indians were in this area as early as 900 A.D. The native people from here to the coast who shared the same language and culture became commonly known as the Luiseños, because many of their villages were once under the influence of Mission San Luis Rey.”

With a rich history spanning back to the westward expansion the town possesses every bit of American romanticism that is aggrandized by the Spaghetti Western and the gold rush era.

Though Rod Authority’s team has walked Old Town’s front street during countless weekends checking out nicknacks, tucked away specialty stores, and the bustling bar scene–the annual Rod Run transforms Old Town into a total classic Americana experience.

The event ran for two days-Friday, March 7th and Saturday, March 8th. The first day of the Rod Run was the nighttime cruise-in. Residents and out of town car owners cruised in, parked, and flooded the town’s restaurants and pubs. Live music blared, old school sirens announced the arrival of decked out bombs, and open headers greeted the octane loving ears of the cities locale.

A couple of Old Town’s more seasoned food and drink establishments have come to understand the influx of visitors that flood Front Street during the Rod Run and make it a priority to accommodate the extra business. A week before the event, we stopped by a local pub and though the establishment had just opened this year they were well aware of the festivities that would ensue throughout Rod Run weekend. One security guard told us, “we’ve booked bands for the daytime portion of Saturday’s show and shine and will be having DJs for the after party at night.” It’s great to see that a small and quiet town, often regarded for its conservatism makes it a priority to let loose for something that we have such a deep enthusiasm towards.

Rod Authority’s Eye-Catching Three

The climate of Temecula’s Rod Run consisted of traditional hot rods, mild restorations, a few bombs, and a few rare 60s styled kustoms. In general, you could say that this show draws a lot of the owners and builders with tamer and purist tastes. One of the things we love about attending shows is seeing the sort of styles that are drawn to a city’s event. Often times it can indicate the trends, aesthetic interests, and build themes that are associated with a region–call us automotive sociologists.

Stu & Donna Shandle’s 1956 Chevy Bel Air 2-Door Hardtop

Right when Rod Authority stepped foot on Front Street one of the first cars that immediately caught our eyes was this ’56 Tri-Five with it’s stunning two-tone Dupont Teal paint job. It glistened in the hot sun like an oasis mirage. As we walked closer the color shifted like water and we thought, “O yeah…that’s slick.”

Under the hood of this shade shifting restoration is a tried and true 350 with a 270 Comp Cam. Mated to that is a 700R4 transmission. Brandon Gorbulev of Overdriven Performance and Transmission handled the build and installation of the powertrain.

A front disc and rear drum brake setup provide roadworthy stopping power, an Ididit steering column directs this beautiful Bel Air, and a 2 1/2-inch exhaust system give it some chest-up tone to be proud of.

The upholstery is both subtle and clean. Nothing too over the top but all the class you’d expect out of a 50s car. This was performed by Armando of Armando Upholstery out of Santee, California.

SoCal Classic–Ford Country Squire

Unfortunately, upon review of our show coverage we realized that a shot of the owner’s show plaque had not been taken. Rookie mistake on our part, but on the bright side we did catch a few shots of this beautiful woody outfitted with surfboard and seagull.

Without beating a dead horse about Woodys being synonymous with Southern California–it was the beautiful earth tone and rich wood panels that caught our eyes. Add to that, a Country Squire is not something we run into commonly at local shows–the normal fare consisting of Nomads. It was refreshing to see a Ford woody wagon with prominent whitewalls and a bold paint job.

Brent Rothweiler’s 1954 Kustom Buick

In the kustoms department, Brent’s ’54 powered by a 350 was definitely one of the highlights of this year’s Rod Run. Rod Authority actually caught site of the Sled King member’s ride at last year’s Bo Huff Rockabilly Extravaganza where it won the Bo Huff Pick which is one of that event’s top honors.

Oz Welch out of Northern California was responsible for the build. This stunning Buick has been chopped and bagged to give it that road prowess that us Southern Californians have a soft spot for. One of the most prominent features and according to Bo Huff, the reason Brent’s ’54 was his pick, are the ’55 Lincoln taillights fitted beautifully into the rear of the ’54.

House of Kolor Burnt Orange contrasted by white tuck and roll seating makes this ride look like it was built by Summer itself. Stay tuned as we have plans to do a full up close feature of Brent’s Buick in the future.

About The Temecula Rod Run

One of the event’s biggest updates came last year immediately following the 2013 Rod Run. The event planners that were responsible for organizing the Rod Run were relocating which left the future of this two decade old event up in the air. We were actually surprised to hear that the Rod Run was happening this year. Following our coverage of the event we got in contact with a city council member to learn more about the event and its outlook for the future.

Ronda Henne and Darrel Farnbach of the Drifters Car Club have been a part of the event committee for years. When it was announced last year that the the long time organizer P&R foundation would no longer “be able to plan or implement the event” the Temecula city council held a vote that would “grant oversight of the Spring 2014 Temecula Rod Run to a committee comprised of city event staff and a select few stakeholders.”

The 4-0 vote to preserve the tradition of the Rod Run shows the sentiments of the Council as viewing the Rod Run both healthy for local economy and its vital role in fortifying the city’s cultural identity.

There was a point in time where the event “at one point in its 25-year history was held biannually–in the spring and in the fall.” Although this is the first time that the Rod Run has become a city organized event, the individuals that we spoke to expressed that they foresee the Rod Run continuing for years to come.

According to Darrel he stated that the 2014 Rod Run had even seen some growth despite the big transition that had transpired just a year before, “this year the event had the most registered cars to date. The last high was 750 cars, this year we had 788.”

The Temecula Rod Run started out as a loose local gathering of businesses catering to the OC charter of Over The Hill Gang. The car club would make regular cruises from Orange County to Temecula and this garnered the attention of local merchants. Eventually the casual outings spurred an annual event that, since then, has been drawing classic car enthusiasts from around the region for more than two decades.

Be sure to check out Rod Authority’s gallery of the 2014 Temecula Rod Run below!