Thread: Car Show in Pearl, MS

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Took in another car show last weekend in Pearl, Mississippi. This show was put on by the Mississippi Street Rod Association and we have been attending it for many years. It used to be pre-49 only, but has been opened up to everything now. There were about 300 cars there and just about all of them were first class rides. This show usually brings in more, but weather was threatening and a lot of folks stayed home. I did rain pretty hard for about 10 minutes around dinner time on Friday, but didn’t much more than sprinkle occasionally the rest of the time.

Visited with a bunch of car show buddies from 3 states and even located some parts for my next project (always have to have a project don’t ya’ know). Plan on going back in my truck for the parts next weekend.

Here are a few pictures.

A ’41 Willis gasser. I remember when the owner started displaying this old car. It was a rusted out old hulk. And I do mean hulk. Over several years, he turned into a real gasser that runs regularly on the strip. His son drives it now and isn’t afraid to go “wheels up” down the track. Yeah, it has patina, but that just adds to the package. Sorry for the terrible picture.



This Mustang had a 514 CI Boss engine, based, I’m guessing, on a 429. Sharp car and most likely a handful to drive.





An ice cream vendor with a churn powered by a John Deere hit and miss engine. I’ve seen these before at various shows. I wish I had one of these old engines just so I could fire it up occasionally and listen to it run. Unfortunately, they have become pretty expensive.



How about a ’34 (might be a ’33) Dodge with a 392 Hemi. Very nice car. This one has been around for awhile in my area.





A few more pictures.















The Healey won 2 plaques (most shows I go to don’t give traditional trophies). One was a sponsor award chosen by one of the companies that donated money or swag for the show. It was from Batteries Plus. The store manager liked the Healey and said he just kept coming back to it, so figured that was the car to give it to.

The other was a Top 30. I was more than pleased with that. There were some pretty awesome cars there to go up against.

One other thing and I have never had anything like this happen to me before. On the first day, they were letting people drive their regular cars and trucks in to set up stuff. A fellow and his wife pull up in a new Jaguar and come over to look at my car. We spend a few minutes chatting and then out of the blue he says” How much to buy it?”. I told him politely that it wasn’t for sale as I hadn’t had time to enjoy the car at all. He got insistent and kept saying that he had cash and that I must have a price. Nope, sorry. Then he says “If you won’t sell this one, then find another and build me one just like it. Don’t change anything.” Sorry, guy, I worked for 7 years on this one and I have other projects to do. AND, I ain’t getting’ any younger for sure. He came back 4 times before leaving me his business card.

Some folks probably think turning him down was crazy and maybe it was, but I’m having too much fun with it right now. If it was something like a Cobra that was easily replaced, then maybe, but there is not another car like this in the country. Similar, maybe, but not the same. My health could fail me any time and I might never see another one on the road. No doubt, the money would be nice, but I have reached a point to where that’s just not as important to me as it used to be. That might change, but for now, the car means more to me.

Thanks for posting the pictures Mike sounds like you had a GREAT time. Looks and sounds like there were some really nice rides there (including yours). It had to be great to have someone appreciate the Healey enough to make an offer like that.

Now, just a word of advice……

“……..An ice cream vendor with a churn powered by a John Deere hit and miss engine. I’ve seen these before at various shows. I wish I had one of these old engines just so I could fire it up occasionally and listen to it run……….”


DON'T DO IT Sure you think you can just have it sitting there and listen to it run once in a while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_jRnoPg6Hk

But then you realize one day it should actually be doing something. Next thing you know you’re hanging a line shaft in the shop and hunting antique tools for the engine to drive, hell maybe even building a can crusher just to have an excuse to run it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6JxFYy7-0A&t=1s

It’s a disease as bad as old cars I tell you. and I should know.


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Mike, cool video. You're probably right about me and the engine. Shoot, someone gave me a 14 or 16 horse single Kohler and I have been trying to think of something to do with it. I just can't stand to see it sit in the corner.

Maybe a man sized mini-bike with a home made springer front end and Harley tanks?

"........ Shoot, someone gave me a 14 or 16 horse single Kohler and I have been trying to think of something to do with it. I just can't stand to see it sit in the corner.

Maybe a man sized mini-bike with a home made springer front end and Harley tanks?......"

Well, you could always turn it into something that you could actually use.


JD Mower by M Patterson, on Flickr




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That is pretty cool. I like it!

I've got plenty of projects to do, but it might be time to do something just for pure silly fun. Gotta think about this.

Mike, congrats on the awards and good for you on not selling it to the man with the money. I've had people do the exact same to me and a few times I've sold the stuff. Each time I told myself I'll build another. Too bad there were always other projects in the way and I never have gotten back to building them. The first I sold and I highly regret was a 70 suburban I cut in half and made a 3 door pick up cab. I even had the roof lowered so it wasn't an ugly eye soar. Yeah, that was supposed to be for my orange truck. I still haven't built another and that was in 09 when I sold it. I have collected pieces to build another. The next still eats at me. I gathered pieces to build a 27 T roadster. I built the frame from 2x3x1/4, put a 6.9 IDI diesel with a C6, and my machinist friend helped me adapt a 671 on top of it. It had zoomies, spindle mount ensen wheels up front, and old magnesium wheels in the rear. This stuff I had hoarded from swap meets and I didn't even know their value. I had it on a trailer to take to Texas to a show which I believe turned into the Iron invasion in Dallas. I stopped for fuel in Oklahoma and sold the car at a gas station parking lot. I didn't even go to the show. I went home thinking what was going to replace it. I still haven't done that.

It's awesome to see the willys was built, finished, and used especially if it was basically junk most others would over look. Most of my projects start as a shell with nothing. That's usually the price range I can afford to buy them so it is what it is. But I enjoy the build part so much so it doesn't bother me. Thanks for sharing these! Are you coming to Good guys in Des Moines by chance?

A few years back at the "Back to the 50's" show in Minneapolis, Mn. there was a club from around Duluth, Mn. that had a hit and miss John Deere powering a 5 gallon capacity blender! Man, they made some wicked daiquiri combinations with it! Talked to one of the guys and it was a club project that all the members donated time, parts, and $$$ to put together! Saturday afternoon was very hot that year and they made some kind of crushed ice things (non alcohol) and gave them out to everyone who asked!

Thanks Ryan. Des Moines is a very long stretch of the legs for me, but I do hope get to that area of the country one day. When I do, I'll be sure to look you up.

I love it let your Healey is taken home some trophies.

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

Thanks Ryan. Des Moines is a very long stretch of the legs for me, but I do hope get to that area of the country one day. When I do, I'll be sure to look you up.

I'm trying to work out details to go to the 40 Ford Day show in Springfield in September. I'm not sure yet as we are supposed to take family vacation around the same time in NW Iowa.