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Those of you reading this from fair weather states like California, Texas, Arizona and Florida should consider yourselves fortunate that you don’t have to say goodbye to your cars for up to six months a year.
For the rest of us, sub-zero temperatures, rain, snow, and the vehicle destroying salt that come with the winter months, are an unfortunate, unavoidable reality for nearly half of the year.
Of course, the other six months preceding the dread of winter are worth celebrating and the East London Timing Association (ELTA) does a great job of saying goodbye to summer with the old fashioned celebration of style and horsepower they call the “Fall Mixer.”
The ELTA Fall Mixer says goodbye to summer the way only a hot rod event can, with horsepower and style.
The ELTA, or the “Disciples Of Speed,” are an Ontario, Canada, based drag racing club that dates back to the 1950’s when drag clubs were commonly known as timing associations.
The East London Timing Association dates back to the 1950's and are some of the nicest folks you will ever meet.
Historians and participants in the local hot rod community, as well as some of the nicest guys you will ever meet, the main goal of the ELTA today is to keep hot rodding alive in western Ontario by restoring, building, and preserving cars in addition to hosting events like the Fall Mixer.
About The Mixer
The Fall Mixer is actually the smaller of the two major events the association holds, but it is nothing to scoff at, especially for something that is absolutely free of charge to both participants and spectators.
Moore’s Blacksmith shop, which is an authentic functional shop that dates back to the 1900’s, serves as the venue and sets the right nostalgic tone for a day of looking at hot rods.
Moore's Blacksmith shop has survived since the 1900's filled with artifacts from the past.
The Moore family are more than just gracious hosts with an appropriate venue however. They are also members of the ELTA, with a beautiful Ford belonging to the younger Moore, Russ.
Russ Moore’s Ford can often be found out front of Moore’s Blacksmith shop where the ELTA. fall mixer is held.
The focus of the Fall Mixer is strictly good times and not awards-based, so the event is very loosely run with a generous roll-in time and no real set ending time.
The association welcomes anyone that shows up with a firm hand shake.
People are welcomed with a firm handshake, and invited to stay as long or as little as they wish and chat about days gone by while they are there.
Is there anything better than catching up with friends while surrounded by Hot Rods?
The loose atmosphere, and open lot policy results in a lot of cars coming and with an extremely wide variety of vehicles idling through.
Putting a little bit of individuality into your car, or your display, is what makes Hot Rodding so great.
As connoisseurs of anything Hot Rod we were in our element at the Fall Mixer, taking in as much of the variety as we could.
Variety is everything and there was no shortage at the ELTA Fall Mixer.
At events like these, with an ever changing field of remarkable cars, we always struggle to pick our favorites, so this time instead of arguing among ourselves we kept a close eye on which vehicles spectators couldn’t walk by without taking a second, or even sometimes third or fourth, look.
Our Top Three
The first vehicle we noticed that people simply couldn’t pass without stopping to stare was this low slung Ford T bucket that had a few World War II influenced, tongue in cheek, details throughout.
This low slung T Bucket was a favorite of the show thanks to unique touches like the carb covers with googly-eye filters.
The second car we took a closer look at was a 1958 MGA 1600 Roadster that we actually had to return to a few times in order to catch it without people examining every square inch of the build.
This 1958 MG MGA 1600 Roadster drew quite a crowd of people who were trying to figure out just exactly what it was.
This once humble British sports car belongs to Steve Thomson who did much of the mechanical work to the car himself.
The unpainted, widened fenders and rear quarters of this car are hard to ignore. Strathroy based shop Custom Metal Worx did an exceptional job pumping up the proportions of this car.
Completely transformed from quarter panel to front bumper, the most obvious modifications to this car can be found on the predominately raw metal exterior.
Pete Wilson, of Custom Metal Worx, put hours of work into the metal with a hammer, dolly, and English wheel pumping out the fenders and quarter panels extensively to fit wheels originally meant for a Shelby Cobra.
Under the skin, the front suspension has been upgraded to coil overs all around with a double A-arm configuration out front and a one off four link in the rear.
Power for this unique MGA comes from a Ford 5.0 Motor
Powered by a Ford 5.0 liter motor lifted from a Foxbody Mustang this is now one nimble, quick, and most of all unique MGA.
The final car we’ll be taking a closer look at today, and one that turned heads as soon as it’s supercharger could be heard whining down the road, was an extremely well built 1932 Ford five-window owned by artist and traditional hot rod aficionado Jeff Norwell.
With a vintage Hemi motor topped with a supercharger it was easy to see why Jeff Norwell’s 1932 Ford had everyone drooling.
Jeff’s Ford is inspired by ’60’s era hot rodding when style and performance were both important to building a truly complete hot rod that could hold its own on the boulevard.
More specifically Jeff's 1932 features a 270 cubic inch Red Ram Hemi and GMC 4-71 supercharger.
Coated in an exceptionally well done root beer flake paint job, Jeff’s hot rod shone beautifully in the early fall sun.
The next event hosted by the ELTA takes place in summer 2017 which is, unfortunately, quite a long way off but gives everyone the entire winter to get their newest modifications ready for the next afternoon of hot rod fun. See you there!
