Reflecting on a '39 Chevy

Kathy and I attended the 2025 Chino Corn Feed car show in Chino, California, in late April. We arrived around 6:15 AM and parked my car under stormy skies that appeared highly threatening. I estimate that there were already approximately 100 or more show cars parked on the main street, which is a significant number considering the imminent threat of rain. Show car owners typically invest considerable time in preparing their vehicles for display at a show, and experiencing rain would be undesirable. We commenced photographing the cars and proceeded down the main street. We were compelled to seek shelter on several occasions due to the intermittent rain. Our cameras and lenses are of high value and not waterproof, so it would not be prudent to damage our equipment. Therefore, when rain began, we placed them in our camera bags and sought shelter. Later in the day, we decided to have lunch at a nearby restaurant. The restaurant was approximately four blocks away, and as we were walking, rain began to fall again. By the time we arrived, the rain was coming down heavily. We attempted to eat slowly to wait out a change in the weather, but soon, there were other customers waiting to be seated. Consequently, we decided to depart. We donned our jackets and resumed our walk back to the show site.

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We first saw this 1939 Chevy in a local business’s parking lot. The recent heavy downpour had left big puddles on the ground near this car. Kathy and I both had the same idea. Let’s shoot some photos of the car from a low angle to capture not just the car but the reflection of the car in the water. We met the owner who had been following Kathy on social media. I asked if he would be willing to reposition the car and turn on his headlights and fog lights to better show up in the reflection. He readily agreed. We took quite a few photos. Kathy kept her camera mounted on her tripod and I took several shots by holding my camera about 1 inch above the water.

Out for Delivery

Last week, Kathy and I embarked on a trip to San Diego to attend the annual car show held in Barrio Logan’s Chicano Park. The car show was to take place on Saturday, we were in town from Friday to Sunday. During our previous attendance, we arrived at the park around 6:00 AM, which proved to be an a little too late, as we encountered difficulties in securing parking. To avoid a similar experience, I informed Kathy that we would depart from our hotel at 4:30 AM, which we diligently adhered to.

To ensure my car’s timely retrieval, I utilized the QR code we were given to request the car be retrieved for pickup, but unfortunately, our request was not responded to.

Undeterred, we proceeded to the hotel lobby and walked outside to the parking valet kiosk. The parking attendant was nowhere to be found. Given the early hour, we had not anticipated any significant delays.

We returned to the lobby where we observed the parking attendant engaged in animated conversation with a young lady behind the guest registration desk. We interrupted their conversation and requested that the parking attendant retrieve my car. This he promptly did and we loaded our camera bags in the car and departed.

By 4:45 AM, we had successfully arrived in the Barrio Logan neighborhood. However, due to Kathy’s apprehension that our car would be towed if we parked immediately adjacent to the park, we opted to park a few blocks away. The walk to the park was somewhat sketchy but ultimately uneventful, and we arrived without incident.

Upon our arrival at the park there were already a considerable number of cars present. Without wasting any time, Kathy and I unpacked our cameras and tripods and commenced shooting.

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One of the initial vehicles I captured was a stunning 1939 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery. It was slammed and exhibited an exceptionally flawless paint job. I came to a complete halt when I noticed it. While Kathy favors the 1948 Chevrolet Fleetline (which I also admire), this particular vehicle is essentially my dream car. Unlike later in the day, there were relatively few individuals present as I approached and set up my camera. A gentleman did approach and informed me that the delivery version of this car is quite rare in contemporary times. I informed him that I had never encountered one before and proceeded to take several sets of photographs from various perspectives. This was merely one of several hundred cars I captured at the park that day. This car show, which typically sells out almost immediately, appeared to have ample space for additional vehicles by the time we departed. We learned from third-hand sources that a new car show steering committee had made the decision to hold the car show on Easter weekend. This alone may have deterred some individuals from attending. I am uncertain whether this was accurate, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Kathy was also having a pleasant time until her well-worn tripod, which she had been using since 2018, broke. She spent some time attempting to reattach the leg segment that had detached. I inquired about the situation and offered a few suggestions, all of which were promptly rejected. She appeared agitated and somewhat irritated. I decided to keep quiet for the time being. Ultimately, she was unsuccessful and the tripod would not rise again “Lazarus come forth!”. I offered to lend her my tripod and ball head, fully anticipating that she would decline the offer given her current state of mind, but she remained silent. Long experience told me that this silence could indicate contemplation or acceptance. I took a chance and removed the L-bracket from my camera and attached it to hers. She simply observed without uttering a word. I mounted her camera on my tripod and she tentatively adjusted the controls. After a few moments of loosening the drag adjustment dial which was inexplicably jammed, she was back in operation. She decided to photograph a few Chevy bombs that had just arrived and I proceeded on my own in search of breakfast. All in all a great and fun day.

Red Pinstriped '39 Master Deluxe

Kathy and I decided to go to the Viejitos Halloween car show in Fullerton. We got there a little early in the day. It's pretty rare to find a great looking car at a show without another couple of cars parked closely on either side, which kind of divides the viewer's attention and clutters up the picture. Do I wish those chairs on the right were out of the picture? Sure I do but not enough to spend the time it would take to convincingly clone them out in Photoshop. This 1939 Chevy Master Deluxe was pretty clean. The paint was great and I liked the subtle use of pin-striping. I took a bunch of HDR sequences of it from several viewpoints.

Rule Breaker

They say that rules are meant to be broken and I guess my rule that I never take photos of cars with their hoods up is actually more of a guideline. This beautiful 1939 Chevy Master Deluxe was way too cool to pass up without taking a photo, hood up or not. But there's actually more to the story. When I saw how interesting it looked with the hood up I was actually compelled to shoot it this way. That didn't stop me from asking the owners son to check if his dad would lower it for me (which he did) but while the hood was up, I shot a few HDR sequences. The car looked immaculate to me but the owner told me it was about to go in for a special wax job that was quite expensive. This was in preparation for a big low rider show held in Los Angeles.

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

This photo is from a fundraiser car show held last September at Mayfield High School in Bellflower, California. I seem to remember the temperature being around 100 degrees. This was the first car I shot that day. I think I only shot a couple more before the heat drove me to seek some shade. When I found some I also found my wife sitting on a shady curb packing up her cameras and asking if I was ready to go to the next car show.

Big Woody

Big Woody, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

In September of 2011, my co-worker Michelle told me there was going to be a car show in South Pasadena. Kathy and I drove over and found it was a really big car show. I made a lot of images that day but this is the first one I have processed. I was taken with this 1939 Ford Deluxe Woody as soon as I saw it. It had killer wood work, completely restored. All that was missing was a surfboard sticking out the back.

So beautiful, you won't believe it's still a low priced car!

So beautiful, you won't believe it's still a low priced car!, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

With new handy control gear shifting, new saftety signal speedometer, high torque engine, auto-mesh transmission, new steel Amola coil springs and longer wheelbase. Now on display at new lower delivered prices. Original price in 1939: $849.00

1939 Chevy Coupe

1939 Chevy Coupe, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

Low as you can get

Just a little higher

Just a little higher, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

1939 Chevy - At the top of the low down scene.

Cool from any angle

Cool from any angle, originally uploaded by big_pixel_pusher.

This car was so amazing I took several shots of it from different angles. I think cars from this era are true works of art. We are fortunate to be able to see them.