Classic American – September 2019

EVENT

REPORT

DAMN YANKEES

SUMMERSLAM

North Weald,Essex

July 21

T

heDamnYankees show is one of those

events that betrays its hot rod/custom roots

as it kicks off so early,with cars streaming

in from 8.30am, even as traders are setting up

and lazy journalists are arriving to cover the

event. This year’sevent was blessed with warm,

occasionally sunny weather and that meant an

exceptional turn-out of vehicles.

Busy polishing his fresh-out-of-the-paint-shop

was sprayer Jim Read, who’d done an absolutely

exceptional paint job on his ’73 Dodge Dart

Swinger.“I’vedone this for myself, ifIadded

up the hours on it, it wouldn’tmakefinancial

sense...” he explained. And that’sthebeauty of

beingasprayer with the ability to do your own

paint jobs! Jim explained that now Chargers,

Challengers and Barracudas were becoming all

but out of reach for ordinaryfolk, he’d always

hadasoft spot for Mother Mopar’ssexy little

compact A-bodies, such as his Dart. It wasn’tjust

the paint that impressed either,inthe engine

ba satChrsler’sbullet- roofsu ercleanslant-

Wo

rdsandphotography:

BenKlemenzson

.

’58Buick in the arena.

1966 Olds 442 W30. Stunning ’67 Buick Skylark.

Ass-draggin Cadillac. TomKillee nand ’65 Mustang ragtop.

Low and slow ’60 Impala.

classic-american