The Wheel Nuts car show at St Rose's

Today was the annual Wheel Nuts car show held in the grounds of St Rose's school where Helena works.  She decided to have a stall selling her cards there today, so I drove her there to set up at 9am. Previously we have just attended after the gates open, so it was interesting to be there while all the cars were arriving.  After dropping Helena I parked the car and rushed about with my camera for about an hour before going home to have some breakfast prior to returning for a good look round.

It was obvious from tour early start that there were more cars than normally attend and I just stood at the edge of the gardens as the various cars were given the directions for their allocated positions.  The sun was shining brightly and the light was really good for photography so I was leased I'd started early. I took lots of pictures then and then even more on my return.  I think I will have to create a Flickr gallery again to show them all, but probably not till later tonight or tomorrow as there is some television to watch and supper to cook.

My choice of blip today is this customised American Willys car, circa 1941, driven by this woman. I did manage to talk to her and her husband and find out more about their love of these cars. They have called this car Prozac because she says that it makes everyone happy when they see it.  I have added a shot of it as an 'Extra photo' so you can decide for yourselves.

Apparently they take Prozac to the Santa Pod drag strip to race against the clock.  If you don't know about drag racing, it is where two vehicles of a similar class are lined up on a quarter mile long track, usually an old airstrip, and when the flag 'drops' or the traffic lights go green, they burn an enormous amount of fuel and tear up the tarmac in a cloud of rubber. Prozac achieves this in about 11.8 seconds!

There were a few other similarly customised old cars with massive engines in what were originally rather sedate looking bodies.  I think Prozac has a 5 litre engine in the boot. I think the rear wheels are at least 23 inches wide! This is not an environmentally friendly event.  I have to admit to having been to these events when I was a teenager in the 1960s and rather enjoyed the outrageousness of the cars, the noise and the people. 

I have now created this Flickr gallery, but those with a sensitive nature may decide to avoid it!