Network
The Fiesta Party Weekend Classic Car & Bike Show greeted the new 2013 car event season with open arms. The event which was held at the Tropicana Express in Laughlin, Nevada January 4-5, was close enough to the New Year celebration that it’s quite possible there were some revelers that never stopped to take a breath.Â
As the name implies, Fiesta Party Weekend has some Latino flair and flavor to include the style of the customs and classics on hand. The people were friendly, the music was upbeat and everyone was welcome no matter what car you drove or what style you liked the best – come one, come all!
As you might expect, there was no shortage of fabulous low riders in attendance at the Fiesta Party Weekend. There were also lots of hot rods, cruisers, trucks and bikes to enjoy as well!
If you envisioned row upon row of just lowriders than you may need to get out more! Lots of great rods, customs, musclecars, trucks, motorcycles and late-model entries were on display for everyone to enjoy. So rather than being an event that centers on a certain culture or automotive genre, the Fiesta Party Weekend was an event that had universal appeal.
Automotive eye candy could be found everywhere and the people that attended were eating it up like children at Christmas.
For example, Bob and Linda Shurley brought out some true treasures to share. First and foremost was their gasser-style 1957 Chevrolet. The iconic ‘57 oozes the old school vibe with its chrome tube axle front suspension, white VHT painted fender-well exit headers, Hugger Orange paint color and Cragar S/S mags with spinners all the way around. To make sure that the go-power potential matches the look, a stout 427 rat motor resides beneath the tilt front end. Â
Bob and Linda Shurley are fans of mid-century muscle but that does not mean the four-wheeled variety exclusively. Their BSA and Triumph motorcycles were also hot rides during that time. 
But the Shurley’s appreciate more than just the straightline thunder of their ’57. They also brought two-wheeled nostalgia with them in the form of a 1970 Triumph Bonneville, a 1965 Triumph Bonneville and a 1956 BSA. These motorcycles were some of the most highly sought after bikes in their time and continue to be great examples of British motorcycle history.
In true point of fact, lots of motorcycles were on hand to join the celebration of lowdown locomotion. The Ruff Ryders made the scene with a colorful contingent of late-model Japanese two-wheeled muscle which was parked next to some beautiful Harley Davidson cruisers. However as they usually do, a stretched chopper seemed to attract most of the attention from passersby.
The 2009 Custom Softail chopper is owned by Michael Robison of Arizona Performance Cycle. Being a true hot rod, the chopper is powered by a big S&S V-twin that is decked out with all the shiny billet accessories and custom diamond cut engine cooling fins that add not only an artistic look but also allows this monster to produce more power with less heat. These two-wheeled hot rods fit right in with the rest of the different genres represented at this year’s event.
The 1953 Ford Sunliner Crestline convertible owned by Robert Collier looks like it could’ve been used in a 1950s hot rod movie. It’s fire-engine red paint, vintage pinstriping, wide whitewall tires and chrome wheels combined with its unaltered stock Ford body and interior makes this car as authentic as it gets. Although, the fact that a Chevy V-8 and trans makes this flawless Ford go down the highway will probably drive some Blue Oval fans nuts.
Purists will notice when they learn that under the hood of this amazing vintage Ford lurks a fuel injected late-model Chevrolet V-8 and automatic transmission. While the powertrain choice may be puzzling, we prefer to enjoy the presentation as it is rather than curse its lack of blue oval purity.
Although there was a great assortment of wonderful cars and trucks to see and appreciate, we cannot minimize the beautiful display of lowriders present. Even if this isn’t quite your style or taste, you have to admire the amount of work and detail that goes into some of the unique builds. Reuben Arriguin’s 1959 El Camino dubbed “El Diablo” made an impression on all who passed by. The attention to detail on every surface is astounding and reflects a passion for the automobile that is rare even for hardcore enthusiasts.Â
Mauricio Martinez' show stopping 1955 Chevy Pick-up is a painter's masterpiece. There's little wonder that the truck picks up trophies everywhere it is shown.
Take a few minutes and browse through the gallery for lots more photos of what you might have missed. If you were there, take a look and relive some of the fun. If you want to be part of the next Happy Times Events car show, mark your calendar for May 2-3, 2013. Their Cinco de Mayo Weekend Car & Bike Show will again be at the Tropicana in Laughlin. Check out their Facebook page for more details, and if history is any indicator of what to expect, this event should be bigger and better than ever – we’ll see you there!
Check out the GALLERY below:
