Flashback: Greazefest 2003

First published in the November 2003 issue of Street Machine

If you like your car shows neat, tidy and sensible, you’re probably reading the wrong magazine – and you definitely wouldn’t be too fond of Brisbane’s annual Greazefest Kustom Rockabilly Weekend. Heck, Greazefest is as much about music and lifestyle as it is about cars anyway.

“We started in 2000 as a party weekend for greasers and while it has always been focused on live music, the car thing has exploded,” says Lori Lee Cash, the gal who makes the weekend happen. “We get plenty of people along to see the bands but 10 times as many people on Greazy Sunday to see the Rat-A-Rama car show.”

Rat-a-Rama is open for rods, rats, lowriders, customs, sleds, cycles and anything else that is just plain cool or has a bunch of attitude. The vibe is low key and fun, as personified by the Asphalt Demons, who cruised to the show down the Brisbane River in a vintage speedboat!

MORE GreazeFest 2002

Trophies in the form of pinstriped hubcaps are handed out to the winners of each of five categories – King Rat, King Kustom, King Rod, King Cycle and King Kroozer. Judging is performed by a team consisting of Lori, a representative from the local hot rod scene and where possible one of the overseas guest artists.

Gongs are awarded to the cars that “best represent Greazefest and that freewheeling kind of lifestyle”, according to Lori, who drives a ’67 Dodge Phoenix.

“The cars and bikes that scored trophies were selected as a fitting representation of the Greazefest,” she says. “There were cars on display that were technically ahead of the pack, but the Rat-a-Rama isn’t about rules and competition, it’s about spirit and good times.” 

Besides the cars, Greazefest features a host of hot rockabilly, hillbilly and rhythm & blues bands from all over Australia and overseas, plus a way-cool Low Brow Art Show for pin striping, tattooing, airbrushing and other forms of expression.

This year’s Greazefest moved from its traditional home in Redcliffe to new digs at Souths Leagues Club in the inner city suburb of West End. “The Fishbowl at Redcliffe is a great venue, but it was just too far from Brisbane and didn’t have enough room for the cars,” says Lori. “This way if people come to see the bands on Friday and Saturday night and get under the weather, then home is just a short taxi ride away for most people.“

CUSTOM CLASS

Looking at the pics, you could be excused for thinking that Rob Cleave’s 1957 Chrysler Royal is factory fresh but it just ain’t so.

“The car was originally a four-door sedan but because I live on the Gold Coast, I wanted a convertible with fins that I could cruise around in,” he says. Rob hooked in, removing the roof and lengthening the doors to make it look like a factory effort. Underneath things are pretty trick as well, with four-wheel discs and an all-Ford driveline of 351 Cleveland, C4 tranny and Borg Warner LSD.

“The idea was to have everything on the outside and interior looking original, but to have everything underneath late model. That way I know she will be reliable and that parts will be easy to get.”

Rob is now customising a ’47 Buick, Ben Gatt style.

ITS NOT UNUSUAL

You could just about land a chopper on the bootlid of Wally Baldwin’s 1963 Mercury Monteray Coupe.

“The car was advertised for sale in Adelaide and I thought it was ugly at first, but it intrigued me,” he confesses. These babies are rare in the States and this is probably the only example currently on Aussie roads, so when Wally made the trip to South Oz and saw the car in the flesh, he was hooked.

Besides the crazy roofline styling, what makes the Monteray unique is its ‘breezeway’ rear screen, which rolls down at an angle behind the rear seat.

“I call it the gunner’s window,” says Wally. “It’s just an awesome car.” The Merc packs a 390 matched to a MercaMatic dual-stage auto with two overdrive gears.

THE CHIEF

Dean was lucky enough to buy his 1957 Pontiac Superchief from a local rodder in this already cool guise.

“The main colour is apparently a combination of five or six different paints, a red pearl with silver mink and a flattening base put through it into a straight purple tinter,” says Dean.

The scallops are done in black with silver pinstripes and they work beautifully with the curvy factory bodywork and chrome. Debadging and a set of ’59 Caddy taillights complete the custom side of things, and underneath is a well-upgraded driveline with a 350 Chev mill, powerglide slusher and Jag front end.

“It’s just a good, fun custom, nice and low that gets driven every day – and you don’t have to polish it!” he laughs.

FAB THUNDERBIRD

Darryl Heiner is a panel beater by trade and has even worked in the US with legendary go-fast man Gene Winfield. Darryl acquired his ’62 Thunderbird back in 1991 and has turned it into a very cool mild custom.

“I pulled it off the road in 2001 and stripped it down to bare metal and resprayed with a Passion Red three-layer pearl paint job,” he says. Custom touches include bonnet flames, ’59 Caddy taillights, whitewalls, shaved locks and badges and deleted front overriders. The interior is way cool with a chain tiller and custom leopard skin trim.

Motivation is the factory 390 big-block and Darryl tells us that the ride height is stock too. “They were as low as even back then!” Darryl now wants to add more flames to the front guards and doors. Sweet!