Custom rod secures a plum spot | Wairarapa Cars | 4WD, Green Cars and Motorcycling in Wairarapa

Renowned Tauranga hot rod builder John Reid spent the last week of January flat out preparing for the opening of the annual Grand National Roadster Show in Los Angeles, reunited with the car that wowed the US hot rodding scene last year.

"Speed 33" - the '33 Ford Cabriolet built at the Rods by Reid shop in Te Puna, near Tauranga, for Manila-based Kiwi Steve Payne - received a special invitation to show in the main hall of the at the Pomona Fairplex in California.

Rods by Reid sheet metal fabricator Nakija Klaus - who drew the original concept sketches of the car - also went to California to help prepare for the January 27-29 show, one of the most prestigious hot rod shows in the US that is billed as the world's longest-running indoor car show.

"It's really the granddaddy of hot rod shows. It's in its 63rd year and dates back to the original Oakland Roadster Show before it moved to Pomona a few years back," says Reid.

Putting a Kiwi-built car in the show came about when the Rods by Reid Cabriolet was judged among the top five cars at the big Good Guys West Coast Nationals at Pleasanton, California last August. As a result of that success the car received an invitation from Grand National Roadster Show promoter John Buck.

"Lots of people want to enter the roadster show but each year John issues a small number of personal invitations and I believe we were one of four this year," says Reid.

About 500 cars were on display over the three-day event.

"Pleasanton [the Good Guys West Coast Nationals] is a drive-in hot rod show with about 3500 cars," says Reid.

"This is a full-blown hot rod show and it's another level again. The cars are above mirrors and every detail can be seen by the judges and the public.

"We were in the main hall with the contenders in the America's Most Beautiful Roadster award."

However the Kiwi car wasn't a contender in that category because it has side windows and opening doors - classifying it as a cabriolet rather than as roadster in the purest sense (without side glass and with welded doors).

Reid says the success at Pleasanton took some time to fully appreciate.

"It took a while after we got home and got our feet back on the ground before it really sunk in" he says.

"Now to be invited to the Grand National Roadster Show is the big time. Anything the car picks up from here is just a bonus because to be invited into the main hall is really special."

Reid and Klaus spent nearly a week of meticulous preparation work at the legendary SoCal Speedshop at Pomona where Reid was invited to use the facilities.

"It takes a few big days to prep the car," says Reid.

"It goes up in the air with the wheels off and will be completely re-buffed and re-polished. We go over the car meticulously to remove every speck of dust."

"Speed 33" was built in Tauranga in every respect apart from its upholstery, which is the work of an Auckland firm.

It has a specially styled full steel body on a Rods by Reid chassis and independent suspension. The Black Plum paintwork is by High Impact Auto Painters in Tauranga. An 8.6-litre all-alloy Keith Black Hemi engine provides the power.