What’s it like to drive a RIDICULOUS JAPANESE BUILT HOT ROD?

What’s it like to drive a RIDICULOUS JAPANESE BUILT HOT ROD?

Over the last decade, I’ve had the pleasure of calling Chuck Schauwecker a friend. A man dedicated to putting smiles on the faces of thousands through his love for cars. 

Or maybe, his love for just one specifically: “RODriguez.”

The year was 2005 when Chuck bought this stunning 1930 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan Kustom directly from Builder Junichi Shimodaira in Nagoya, Japan – phenomenal Japanese builder with a truly unique vision for design and fabrication.

Yes, Japan. 

Retired from a McDonald Douglas Aircraft stint since January of 1995 – the day he turned 55 and after 32 years of service – Chuck celebrated by snagging this one-of-a-kind Hot Rod with a 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 303 Motor. 

It was around 2007 when I met Chuck and we formed an alliance for the love of this car. Over the next decade, his baby won just about every show across the Western Seaboard. First Place, Best of Show, from corner Car Shows to Concours Hoyty Toyty’s. There just was no one out there that could beat him. So much so that he had to set aside a room in his house for all the trophies.

 “She’s a true work of art,” Chuck said. “The only one like it in the entire world.” 

And although Chuck uses it for Car Shows and Charity events solely, I’ve had the pleasure of having it at several Major Auto Shows and personally seen the faces of those that get the smile disease.

 “When I bring her to an event,” he said, “and watch all the different people look a her for the first time and see them smile. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small child or an elderly person, it just seems to make them happy and they come up to me, shake my hand and thank me for bringing her to the show.” 

Awesome. The entire point of having a cool car, wrapped up in one single run-on sentence.

RODriguez is simply the coolest built Hot Rod on the planet, and now it’s emblazoned in the Malibu Surfside News for all of you to enjoy. Or, just Google it and you’ll see that Chuck’s got himself a shiney-goldenbrass masterpiece. And as you look at the photos, you’ll see the smile millionaires all around it.

Recently, I had Chuck visit us at our Wheels and Waves Show at Gladstones and although there were many truly outstanding cars, RODriguez’s own attractive powers kicked in right off the bat. If Hot Rods ever reach a million bucks, this one will be the first.

And what does Chuck love about driving in Malibu? The ocean and beautiful homes, or course. Don’t we all? But for car people like he, I… and you… the tryptic to that statement is a cool car in the garage. 

Hot Rod, Muscle Car, Exotic, Rat Rod, Tuner or whatever. It completes me.