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does it take to transform an outdated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
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E n j oy th e
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