Photography by John Drummond & The Greg Sharp Collection
t’s magazine deadline time, so we only have time for this quickie Parting Shot, but the 73rd O’Reilly Sacramento Autorama has just wrapped up and here is a look at several of the big winners. We will have the “full” show coverage in next month’s issue by cub reporter John Drummond with his great photos and that of Carl Bredl. In the meantime, here are some vintage show photos to accompany and remind you of this show’s great history.
In my world, when it comes time to find old-timey photos and, more importantly, info on the people and the cars, there is only one person I go to: Greg Sharp. He has often been called an “encyclopedia of all things hot rods.” All of us around the offices are inclined to agree with that statement.
It was 1950, and Harold “Baggy” Bagdasarian and the Thunderbolts Car Club got together (initially in a car dealership lot) and created what would become the Sacramento Autorama. Since then, there have been 73 shows, one less than the Granddaddy of all, the Grand National Roadster Show.
Many believe the heyday of the custom car and indoor car show was the late ’50s era. It may have been, but here’s hoping that the amazing cars built today will stand the test of time and that rodders will remember them for decades.