SoCal’s Hot Rods N’ Heroes Delivered a Full Spectrum of Classic Performance Trucks, Each With its Own Story and Stance.
By Johnny Hunkins – Images by the Author
Huntington Beach has hosted its share of automotive gatherings, but Hot Rods N’ Heroes brought a different kind of charge to the shoreline. The 42 Foundation and QruisinPCH didn’t just assemble a show—they created a meeting ground where the region’s truck community and the people who protect Southern California stood shoulder to shoulder. Marines from Camp Pendleton rolled in early with heavy transport rigs and a pair of howitzers that framed the entrance like a ceremonial archway. Past that, the morning filled with the familiar soundtrack of throttle blips, turbo chirps, and the low rumble of warmed‑up V‑8s as builders, families, and first responders drifted through the aisles. Trucks that once shaped American industry and agriculture now carried decades of personal history, each one reflecting the owner’s vision of what a street truck, shop truck, or weekend bruiser should be.
Once the lot filled, the brand mix told its own story. Bowties ruled the blacktop, and the variety was impossible to ignore. Danielle Quenuel’s chopped‑and‑blocked ’67 C10—5.3 LS underhood, six‑speed rowing duties—set the tone early, and her “Qool Whip” ’59 Apache at the Aldan American booth kept the conversations going. The white ’67 “C/28” at MagnaFlow, wearing Foose wheels and a stripped‑down, all‑business attitude, had people circling back for another look. Stacy Udria’s twin‑turbo LS ’64-66 C10, equipped with adaptive hand‑control driving equipment for drivers with mobility impairments, stopped people mid‑stride, the craftsmanship and the purpose behind it hitting with equal force. Even Studebaker got in on the action—Brian Bateman’s Mist Green 1950 2R5 quarter‑ton, five‑speed overdrive and all, quietly out‑flexed the Mopar crowd. And speaking of Mopar, the Dodge camp was light this year, which tracks when only about 1 out of every 13 quarter‑ton trucks built between 1950 and 1975 wore a Pentastar.
Ford fans had to hunt a little harder, but the Blue Oval faithful still had their moments. Pat Kelly’s 1955 F‑100—fresh off its Classic Truck Performance Jan. ’26 cover—stood tall as the Ford flagship, its Coyote powerplant and crisp execution drawing steady attention. Prewar Fords added a dose of nostalgia, while the big‑iron contingent, including F‑700s and even a Canadian‑market Mercury M‑350, reminded everyone that the truck world has always stretched far beyond the 1/2‑ton sweet spot. Together, the builds captured what makes Hot Rods N’ Heroes more than a show: a place where craftsmanship meets community, where the Pacific Coast Highway becomes a backdrop for gratitude, and where the trucks that shaped American work and culture gather to honor the people who keep that culture safe. For Classic Truck Performance, it was a chance to see the scene at its most genuine—owners swapping stories, families connecting with first responders, and a coastline full of machines that carry as much heart as horsepower.
