CAL ROD’S CAR CLUB SAN GABRIEL VALLEY visits the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show.

Members in the Early Years

At the January 15th Pomona Swap Meet, we will be welcoming the Cal-Rods Car Club San Gabriel Valley as our Featured Car Club.  The club was established in 1954 by Don Scurti and some students at Baldwin Park High School with the goal of learning how to work on their cars and figure out what makes them run.  The club flourished for about 10 years, hanging out at the clubhouse that they had built, holding an annual picnic and supporting local charities, before it faded. The club, however, lived on in the hearts and dreams of the schoolmates every time they saw a hot rod or old car from their now fading youth.

In 1998, Cal-Rods Car Club was rejuvenated by some of the original members who had never lost their passion for hot rods or spending time with friends and family. They successfully organized a picnic and car show, which was held at San Dimas Park. In 1999, the re-formed club began meeting at Shakey’s Pizza for a weekly cruise and held the 2nd Annual B.P.H.S. Reunion Picnic and Cal-Rods Car Show, which attracted 450 people and 50 cars.  The picnic has been held on the first Sunday of May ever since, with attendance of approximately 800 people and 125+ street rods annually.

Cal-Rod members following their passion

Cal-Rods of the San Gabriel Valley, now with over 500 members, organize many events during the year with the purpose of having a good time while raising money for various local charities.  These include events for both the guys and the ladies.  They enjoy picnics, cruises, poker runs, a car show charity benefit, Christmas toy drives, several 1 to 3 day fun runs and a Christmas dinner dance.  The club is lucky enough to hold it’s meeting on the first Tuesday of each month at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum in Pomona, CA and usually feature a guest speaker from the racing community who share their history and interest with the club.  Not a bad venue for a car club to call “their clubhouse”.  The Cal-Rods also supply the work force for the Twilight Cruise held the first Wednesday of the month (April – December) at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum.  It is the largest weekday cruise in the country having an average of 400 cars and a huge 50/50 and raffle.   Their 6th Annual Car Show “Run with a Winner” will be held on March 25, 2012 at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, CA where people will enjoy a car show, a day watching Thoroughbred racing and family fun.  For a show flyer: FLYER.

Ron & Tamara Merry's 1934 Ford

The Cal-Rods and Cal-Rodettes, as many of the ladies are known, own a great assortment of nice cars ranging from stock restorations, traditional street rods, pro-street and full on race cars.  The club’s focus is still on nice people enjoying the other club members with their cars being the common bond.  Come out to the Pomona Swap Meet on January 15th, 2012 to meet them, see their vehicles and share in their passion for cars and family fun. They will be gathered in the Vintage Vehicle show/sale area off the Main Aisle.

For club and membership info visit: www.calrods.com.

Happy Roddin’
– Matt Zarzana