By Rob Fortier – Images by Eric Geisert & Rob Fortier
Way back in 1999, I was given my first opportunity to fly from Los Angeles to Tokyo, Japan, to attend the Mooneyes Hot Rod Custom Show (HRCS) in the neighboring city of Yokohama. Since then, I’ve had the honor of watching the show grow enormously. There have been a few years, however, that I’ve been unable to make the 12-hour trip, and this past December was one of them. Fortunately, my ex-Street Rodder coworker, Eric Geisert, has kept a pretty regular U.S.-Japan-U.S. itinerary and was gracious enough to provide images from the 33rd Annual HRCS, which is traditionally held the first Sunday of December (often falling on Thanksgiving weekend).
This year’s special “import” guest at the 33rd Yokohama HRCS just happened to be my friend Dave Shuten and his Hemi-powered Deuce roadster, along with a handful of two-wheeled offerings from California’s Born Free Motorcycle Show, including co-founder Mike Davis’ ’50 Triumph. For our intents and purposes, of course, Geisert focused on the import pickup trucks, among which you’ll notice one of the show’s standouts, a heavily customized “domestic” Datsun—rear-engine powered by an air-cooled VW!
Immediately following the Yokohama show, back here in the States on Saturday, December 20, Mooneyes tested the new waters for their Annual Christmas Party—once an Irwindale Speedway tradition—and the In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip. Well, it couldn’t have worked out better! Great spot for a car show in the shadows of the legendary Pomona quarter-mile (I know, it’s 1,000-foot now!) bleachers, not to mention NHRA Safety Safari-sanctioned racing. What started out many moons ago (no pun intended!) as the Rat Fink Reunion at a little sign shop in Fullerton, California, has blossomed into one of SoCal’s annual holiday traditions, and thanks to its new—and hopefully permanent—location, hot rodders, racers, and kustom kulture aficionados from far and wide will continue to enjoy the gathering of like-minded folks!
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
