Route 66 Rendezvous
Written by Keith Fudge

Before interstate travel, Route 66 was America 's “ Main Street ” stretching across the country from Chicago to Los Angeles . The country's love affair with this highway and its historic significance can now be found on the third weekend each September at the Route 66 Rendezvous in San Bernardino , California . The Route 66 Rendezvous is becoming one of the country's most popular and fastest growing automotive events. Last September was the fourteenth anniversary of the festival and My Classic Car was fortunate enough to be on hand! Dennis Gage and the crew rolled into beautiful San Bernardino , California , with approximately 500,000 other fans that came to celebrate the history and significance of this great part of Americana .

While he was there, Dennis ran into Shelly McNaul, Event Coordinator for the show. Shelly told Dennis that 3,000 cars were registered for the event this year! She also noted that 35 blocks of downtown San Bernardino were blocked off and that the area was literally alive with excitement! Shelly mentioned that there were plenty of activities for the four-day, three-night event such as a show-n-shine, a poker run, and an open header burnout contest that really got everyone's attention! There were also plenty of vendors, fine food, and some great entertainment in the area! This year's celebration also included four new inductees to the Cruisin' Hall of Fame: Parnelli Jones, Bridgestone/Firestone, Route 66 Magazine , and SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association). There was also a celebrity cruise in which our own Dennis Gage was honored! After talking to Shelly, Dennis decided to do a bit of cruising of his own and see some of the fine cars that were on display.

First, Dennis met with David Nehem and they took a look at David's fine 1969 Camaro! This custom painted rad rod was truly a beast of the street (or the strip for that matter)! It had a full race setup including a Jeffco tranny and two nitrous bottles! Powered by a Chevy roller big-block, David said the car makes approximately 1,100 horsepower! Equipped with 17 X 33 tires on the rear, and wheelie bars and a drag chute for lighting them up and shutting it down, this custom Camaro was one trick ride! Next, Dennis saw a cool 1969 Mustang Mach 1. Owned by Steve Pimentel, this car was so impressive that it was photographed and made into a model car by the Revell company! Finally, Dennis found Armando Carrillo and his unbelievable truck! Armando told Dennis that this extended 1962 GMC had been specially ordered and that this four-door design was generally only used on vehicles ordered by a railroad company. There were four of these stretch trucks produced, three for the company itself and one for an individual. Armando says that people assume that it is a custom but he assures them that this is “the way it was!” The truck was painted in beige and cream color and featured an eight-foot bed. It also had the old “water buffalo” style air conditioner! Armando, this is quite a truck and I am sure that it turns heads wherever you go!

A great time for all can be had at the Route 66 Rendezvous, so remember when the third week of September is approaching, then head out to “get your kicks on Route 66!” If you would like more information on last year's show, or if you would like to see what is on tap for this year, contact the San Bernardino Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-867-8366, or you can find them on the web at www.route-66.org .

So, until our next road trip, remember, “Honor the timeless classics. Happy Motoring!”