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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 31, 2016)
18 | SEPTEMBER 2016 CHINOOKOBSERVER.COM RESTORING CLASSIC CARS: P A Rod Run entrant from Maple Valley worked hard to get his truck bright at a recent Rod Run. ENINSULA — Hundreds of cars are expected at this year’s annual Rod Run to the End of the World, attracting auto enthusiasts from all corners of the state and far beyond. Showcasing foreign and domes- tic vehicles made in 1986 and prior, the Beach Barons’ widely anticipated event will have classic car owners — from the all original and patiently re- stored to hot rods and rusty rat rods — vying for trophies and spectators’ adoration. But aside from an impressive col- lection of former chart-topping hits, an affinity for revving engines and re- markable bumper buffing skills, what does it take to transform an outdated set of wheels into a sought-after an- tique worthy of Rod Run status? Reflecting on their passion for great cars, long-time Beach Baron members Ross Glasson and Gary Silva said a few years back that it’s a combination of patience, skill, prob- lem-solving and a passion for the art. Loving a 1948 Chevy Glasson’s 1948 Chevy Fleetline Arrow Sedan Fastback is a prime illustration of custom automotive craftsmanship. He bought the car for $2,800 in the late 1990s from a friend in Spokane. “It wasn’t running [at the time], but I didn’t care,” he remembers. “I stored it for a year or two, then took all the fenders off, the hood, the trunk. Threw away all the glass because I wanted tinted glass. Tore out all the wiring and started modifying it. I got a Mustang front-end and a Lincoln Versailles rear-end. Frenched anten- na and Frenched headlights. I took it to Jeff Nesbitt’s shop in Ilwaco for paint. It’s Brilliant Red Poly, a mid- ‘90s Corvette color.” And the work doesn’t stop there. Glasson customized much of the wir- ing and hoses, installed an air condi- tioning unit and added cruise control capabilities. He also added power windows, installed an electric trunk re- lease, re-chromed many of the pieces. In 2000, the car was finally ready for the road. Since then, Glasson has entered the car and has received tro- phies at numerous car shows — some as far as Spokane, Phoenix and Scott- sdale, Ariz., and Las Vegas and Reno, Nev. He also owns a black 1955 Chevy all stock original. Though his cars only require mi- nor maintenance projects at this point, Glasson’s near professional-grade shop doesn’t gather much dust. Glasson performs motor swaps and custom jobs, installs V8 engines and served as a mentor for high school students who use their senior project as an opportunity to hone their auto- motive skills. “It’s just enjoyable to do some- thing where you find problems and overcome them,” said Glasson, who built wood and steel boats after high school and then worked as a mechanic for the PUD for 30 years. “There’s a lot of pride in doing it yourself. There are times where you’ll lay awake at night trying to think of solutions for ASTOR STREET OPRY CO. E n j oy th e R od R un ! 2016 S CHEDULE Ticke ts o n s a le 1 h b e fore a our ll s R e s e rva t how s ! re com m ion s ended! •32 n d s ea s o n o f S HAN GHAIED IN AS T ORIA HEARING AID CENTER Walk-ins Always Welcome... Our Hearing Evaluations Are Always Free! 1715 Bay Ave #2, Ocean Park, WA 98640 360-665-5881 www.hearing-aidctr.com Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Never any Sales Tax Serving the Peninsula Since 1989 T hu rs d a y-S a tu rd a y, 7p m S u n d a y M a tin ee: S ep tem b er 4th, 2p m Ju ly 7th -S ep tem b er 10th •AS OC Fa ll S ho w BAREFOOT IN T HE PARK by N F rid a ys a n d S a tu rd a y, 7p m S u n d a y M a tin ee: Octo b er 16th, 2p m Octo b er 7th-8th, 14th-16th & 21s t-22n d •3 rd An n u a l “ Be An AS OC An gel” Fu n d ra is er No vem b er 9th, 6PM •10th An n u a l S C ROOGED IN AS T ORIA F rid a ys a n d S a tu d a y, 7p m S u n d a y M a tin ees : Decem b er 11th & 18th, 2p m Decem b er 2n d -3rd , 9th-11th a n d 16th-18th 129 W. BOND ST (UNIONTOWN) ASTORIA (Behind the Chamber of Commerce) FOR MORE INFO OR TO PURCHASE TICKETS: 503-325-6104 FIND US ONLINE AT: www.AstorStreetOpryCompany.com eil S im o n
