As a regular Classical Drive visitor you'd be excused for thinking I'm prejudiced in favor of "pure" collector cars, especially those with European parentage. Not so. Long before discovering the roadholding charms of Morris Minors and Jaguar XK's, I was attracted to hot rods. As a creative person I liked the way in which individuals could take an old car and turn it into a handsome performer. I once had an opportunity to buy a 35 Olds convertible and entertained fantasies of how it could become a roadster, but lacking both finance and mechanical ability, couldn't follow through. All of which is an excuse to promote the L.A. Roadster exhibition, trade show, and swap meet, June 17-18 at the Los Angeles Fairplex in Pomona, California. According to the Hemmings newsletter "...more than 850 pre-1937 finished (meaning no flat paint) roadsters entered the show in 2005, and other rods of all sorts jam the parking lot," making it the "Largest Roadster Show on Earth." For more info call 805-584-3103 or visit LA Roadsters. Book by Jack Stewart and Dick Wells.