ColoRODans
Harold Aldridge
Wife: Linda
Reason for Joining ColoRODans: To have fun with cars and share that fun with fellow car buffs!
1956 Pontiac Star Chief
1946 Chevrolet Pickup
I purchased the 1956 Pontia Sky Chief in August 2002 from the second owner who bought it from his neighbor. The original owner purchased it at Metropolitan Auto Sales in Denver. The car was put into storage for two years until I retired and had the time to do a full resto-mod on it.
It has had a full frame-off restoration including upgrades to Fatman front suspension with disc brakes, sits on Ride Tech air bags, Pontiac 400 engine, 700R4 transmission, GM ten-bolt with posi-trac, shaved door handles and hood and trunk emblems, and Coy C-5 wheels. Vintage Air does the cooling. The paint is DuPont two-stage red oxide with copper pearl and cashmere gold.
The interior was redone using the original stainless steel trim with updated fabrics. AC controls and outlets were added under the dash. All the original instrumentation was retained. Installed an I Did It tilt column using the original restored steering wheel. The radio is a Custom Auto Sound unit.
All the stainless steel trim was polished and buffed, leading to a flare-up of the owner's carpal tunnel.
Since completion in February of 2010, it has won over 20 awards including 4 Best of Show. I'm thankful that everyone appreciates all the hard work love that has gone into this special car. It's a joy to drive.
Now for the bad news. On January 22, 2012, we were hit in the front end by a person making illegal left turn - causing extensive damage. The most damage happened to the driver's side and the firewall. The car will require a complete repaint. Finding all the body parts has been a challenge, but the car will be back on the road this summer. We may not make as many car shows as we'd like, but it will be back!!
January 2013, the car is back on the road looking as good as it always did!
I purchased the 1946 Chevrolet pick-up truck in November, 1995, from a man in Aurora who had bought it from a farmer in Greeley. I had to winch it onto the trailer to haul it home and then it wouldn’t roll off the trailer because the brake cylinders leaked and seized the drums. I had to winch it off the trailer. I did all of the work except for: upholstery was stitched by Dave Schilling of Upholstery Plus and installed by me, Flowmaster exhaust system was installed by Ken’s Classic Muffler, Pin stripes by Mart Ford. Truck was first shown at the ColoRODans’ Twin Peak Mall car show in 2001. Color: Dark Emerald Green, 1996 GMC base coat/clear coat. Engine: 1976 Corvette 350.
The truck has a full-boxed frame, Mustang II front with power steering, 10-bolt posi with parallel leaf springs, 700R4 trans, 4-wheel power disk brakes, A/C, tilt, cruise, AM/FM/CD, security system, steering column is out of a Trans Am, hidden trailer hitch behind the roll pan, Bumpers have been moved 4″ closer to the body, gas tank moved from inside cab to under the floor of the bed, new oak floor with stainless strips, bucket seats from a ’89 Daytona, engine has shorty headers, Edelbrock intake and carb. The truck had been problem free until May of ’07. We went to Grand Junction with the club and participated in the Gateway Canyons Car Show. What a great place to go!! On the way home on Sunday, the old Chevy truck decided to get rid of its Ford parts. We lost the right front wheel bearing on Vail Pass. Of course when you lose a wheel you lose your brakes. It’s a good thing we were going uphill and the emergency brake worked, stopping the truck 18″ from the concrete barrier. Thanks to all the fellow Rodders who stopped to help. We managed to have enough tools to chisel the old bearing off the spindle. Fellow club member Joe Lopez stopped in Frisco at the local NAPA store and bought bearings and seals and brought them back up to me on Vail Pass. Thanks Joe. We installed the new parts and drove on home without further incident. Oh yes – it rained on Vail Pass and we got wet. Comments from fellow club members about my location for a break down were – way too far from a drinking establishment.
Please Support These Sponsors Of Our
53rd Annual Rod Festival
We had a great outing at the Colorado National Speedway on the 13th of August, 2022. Here is the video of our group doing some parade laps.
"We Need Your Help"
You are a part of the Collector Car hobby, and we need your help. The Collector Car Council of Colorado (CCCC) wishes to increase its effectiveness and influence at the Colorado Legislature. One
of the best ways to do this is to make campaign contributions to candidates supporting the important issues to car hobbyists.
The CCCC created a Political Action Commitee (PAC) that will collect money from Clubs, Suppliers, Collectors, and Individuals like yourself who wish to increase the visibility and clout of the car
hobby at the State Capitol. This commitee is nonpartisan, and contributions will only be made to candidates that are favorable to our hobby. This is a way you can do your part to protect the car
hobby in our State.
The ColoRODans is a fun, family oriented car club that has called Longmont home since March, 1968. Since the beginning we have been a non-profit corporation dedicated to FUN WITH CARS!
The Club participates in several family-friendly events each year — including
many that also give back to various organizations within our community, state and some that extend beyond Colorado's borders. Once a year, the ColoRODans host a special annual event, The ColoRODan’s
RodFest. 2020 will be our 50th Annual Rod Fest!
ColoRODans
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ColoRODans of Longmont!
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