Galpin Speed Shop Retro Rewind

It’s time to the way back machine to the wavy gravy wild and wacky 60’s, when Southern Cali was the hottest spot for Hot Rodding and these outrageous, audacious Rods were all the rage. These rides reflected the lighter side of Hot Rodding and thanks to the eclectic tastes of the mavericks at Galpin Speed Shop these remarkable rods are back in all of their brazen flamboyant glory. They made for a stunning display at the 2020 Grand National Roadster Show.

The first wacky ride is “The Bathtub”. Built by Rob Reisner in 1968  “The Bathtub” was strictly a California Show Car. FYI, California Show Car supplied a steady stream of mechanical eye candy to car show promoters in the late 60’s and early 70’s.  And why wouldn’t you build a hot rod with a dual-bathtub cockpit and a commode for a driver’s seat? A twin blown Chrysler power plant and an abundance of perfect plumbing accents completed the build. All together, “The Bathtub” is one of the most zany rides rolling, it was the 60’s after all.

A huge hit on the touring circuit, “The Bathtub” soon faded into oblivion. Fast forward to 2018 and enter devotees of the bizarre, Galpin Speed Shop’s Dave Shuten and Beau Boeckmann. Willing to take on the restoration, they proudly displayed the original “Tub” in all of its psychedelically worn glory at the 2019 Grand National Roadster Show. Working at warp speed, the Galpin crew had “The Bathtub” ready for the December 2019 Mooneyes Show in Yokohama, Japan. It was then on to Pomona in 2020 where it nearly stole the show. Love it or hate it you just have to look.

This Tribute truck gives a tip of the helmet to the Golden Days of Drag Racing. The Backup Pickup (BUPU) was one of the wildest exhibition wheelstander trucks ever. Built in the vein of the Little Red Wagon, the mad scientist/drag racer George Tuers, wanted in on the exhibition wheelie craze of the late 60’s but with a ride that would be even more memorable. Tuers engineered a 1965 Ford Econoline to entertain crowds with backward antics and was an instant success. The BUPB toured mostly western US dragstrips for years in the 1960s and 1970s. Regrettably it was stripped and scrapped when it went out of style.

The revival of the BUPU Tribute was courtesy of  Galpin Ford and the Galpin Speed Shop. Galpin Ford originally sponsored the BUPU and they decided it would be fitting to do an accurate recreation. The Tribute BackUp PickUp was executed under the expert eye of Dave Shuten. He and his team did a flawless reproduction, even getting George Tuers to stop in for some pointers. Bill Carter who painted the original BUPU, was even able to recreate what he first painted in the 1960s to complete this perfect reproduction. A lasting tribute to a bygone era.

The far out truck now known as the “Li’l Redd Wrecker” started out as the “Turnpike Hauler”. Built by Dick Dean in 1970 it was part of the California Show Cars stable. In 1974 it fell into the hands of George Barris and he then put his stamp on the truck.  It was renamed the “Li’l Redd Wrecker” as a promotional tie-in for Redd Foxx, the star of the TV show Sanford & Son. The “Wrecker” sports among other things; a tilt cab, a super charged 392 Chrysler, a center steering wheel and dual Moon gas tanks. Mr. Barris applied 30 coats of Kandy Redd, added pinstriping and the Redd Foxx customization. Yet again, it was the Galpin Speed Shop to the rescue. The team meticulously brought the “Li’l Redd Wrecker” back to its former glory although this truck is just too darn pretty to get dirty.

Check out the work this shop turns out. They’ve got some of the most amazing rides going. It is worth your time to check them out.

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Till the next time – Keep on Kruzin!