2023 Tehachapi TNAZ Cruizin Car Show

We had a fantastic turn out for the 2023 TNAZ Cruizin car show at the Church of the Nazarene on Saturday, June 17. The event packed in 81 hot rods, custom cars, one of a kind build cars and many classic cars. There really was something for everyone. There was even a bounce house, zip line, gaga ball and a variety of food. Music as well by the Dave's Not Here band.

It's always fun to talk with car people at shows and the track. I got to talk my friends Hans and Rachel Kahl who are big time car collectors. They are great people and I don't know anyone else who owns more than 70 collector cars. Hans and Rachel had their Mopar Superbird and a classic Oldsmobile on display. Hans and Rachel are also involved with The Thunder on the Mountain Car Show. That show will be held Sunday, Aug. 20, during Mountain Festival. It's fantastic again to have real car people planning both of these car shows in the Tehachapi area.

Kern County is a mecca for car collecting, building hot rods and racing hot rods at all of our great race tracks. For me, it was one of the reasons I moved here over 40 years ago.

Some highlights from the TNAZ Cruizin Car Show included the one-of-kind build cars, like a cross between a Rat Rod and a Corvette by Steve Gale from Lake Isabella. This rat rod is a 1931 Dodge body with Corvette running gear and a Vet Motor under the hood. Steve said he gets great gas mileage with this Rat Rod, which includes a special overdrive transmission to get the RPMs very low at cruising freeway speeds, right around 1300 RPMs.

Steve also told me he has a total investment of $10,000 in his Rat Rod with many hours of labor to bring these two cars together. Steve is an innovator and the car has been highly modified to make his own creation. I liken him to the famous car builder and musician Jeff Beck, who has done work like this with his creative welding.

Another highlight was Charles from Bakersfield who drove his 1981, 29,000-mile DeLorean up the hill to Tehachapi. This DeLorean had a red paint job which is unusual because they come from the factory bare metal with clear paint to protect the metal.

TNAZ Cruizin is always marked on my calendar. The show gets bigger and better each year. If you missed it this year, they are already planning next year's event, so mark your calendars!