RodFather Tour Stops at Billet Specialties

Chances are that driving cool cars is what lead you into the world of rods and customs to begin with. The freedom of getting behind the wheel and heading out in your custom ride to a new destination, seeing some place new for the first time, or just visiting an old familiar favorite spot. Unfortunately for some, the rodding scene became one full of trailer queens and cars with a reputation for spending more time in parking lots than on the open road.

However, in recent years cross-country tours such as the Goodguys RodFather tour have become increasingly popular. Giving enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy the cars they built the way they were meant to be enjoyed. At the same time these tours often stop at industry hot spots and points of interest along the way. They’re also a great way to meet others in the hobby as well as enjoy some great scenery from behind the wheel of your favorite car. 

Day six of the RodFather tour saw a stop at Billet Specialties in LaGrange, IL. After several hours on the road participants had the chance to take an inside look at the Billet Specialties facility. The local police cleared streets and directed traffic to assure everyone made it in a timely manner. This stop included a tour of the Billet Specialties facility, goody bags courtesy of Preferred Push Carts and of course ice cream.

We’ve covered the RodFather tourin the past, but in case you didn’t read or see the other stops this stop was also a special one. This long trek of one hundred hot rods began on the Bonneville Salt Flats and ended at the GoodGuy WIX Filters Speedway Nationals in Indianapolis, IN. Along the way the tour stopped daily at multiple attractions, shops and manufacturers involved in the hobby. 

A send off for rodder Andy Brizio, the RodFather tour is said to be his last cross-country rodding trek. At the ripe young age of 80 Brizio has been making cross-country trek’s in his rods for over forty years. He set out to prove that show winning rods can and should be driven to car shows, which is what the RodFather tour is all about. GoodGuys founder and chairman Gary Meadors also made the trek, leading the pack along with Brizio. 

We’ve managed to include a small handful of photos of some of the cool rides at the Billet Specialties stop but more photos can be found on the Billet Specialties FaceBook page as well as the Flickr gallery they set up from this event.