Front Street packed with cars for Cottonwood car show

More than 200 classic show cars and motorcycles glittered under the sun on Front Street in Cottonwood Saturday, Sept. 11. The 8th annual Hot Rods and Hogs show drew several hundred people to the historic downtown area, with breakfast and lunch served in the Cottonwood Fire Protection District fire station.

"It's a good car show. I love it," said Cottonwood resident Susan Quiroz, who attended the show for the first time.

Even so, she knew which car was her favorite.

"The candy colored (coupe) ... I don't remember what (make) it was," she added.

Her husband, Ray Quiroz was partial to a black, 1956 Chevy.

The show drew people from across the state and throughout the county despite a competing festival event in Redding and the Honey Bee Festival in Palo Cedro. The weekend also sported the Stillwater pow wow and the 14th Annual Independence Day and Family Fair, both in Anderson.

"There was a black Chevelle Super Sport that was super clean. It was so pristine," said Kathy Fox of Weaverville.

Fox said she also liked some of the cars on show that weren't so sharp.

"The rat rods are something, too. They're rusty and everything, but they run," she said.

One Cottonwood resident, Ed Rodriguez, 69, brought two cars to show, both Model A Fords. He first acquired the 1928 sports coupe three years ago and boasted winning first prize at nine of ten car shows.

Both his cars are considered stock, but Rodriguez is on a mission.

"I'm bringing them back to completely stock," he said, explaining that he replaced the Phillips head screws, which didn't exist in 1928, with flat head screws.

"That's called nitpicking, but that's the way it is," he added.

Rodriguez, a Red Bluff native, pointed out the chrome, hood ornament on the sports coupe -- a quail. Henry Ford wanted the quail on the car because they are fast starters, and so was the Model A, Rodriguez said.

"All the gangsters had Model As," he said, including John Dillinger in that count.