From an old Ford Model A to Malaise Era pickups, the Hot August Nights Foundations’ Youth Automotive Challenge features classic projects getting love from young people.
The competition is open to anyone under 24, with teams of up to four people. Any automotive-related project is eligible, so long as the final assembly is done onsite.
Even if they don't look like your typical show cars upon first glance.
"The bodywork isn't what you would expect, like, you know, perfectly clean,” says Cooper Bullock, talking about his truck. “All the other cars here, no paint scratches or anything like that. But like my dad was saying, it's structurally sound."
Bullock's truck, a 1975 Dodge Ramcharger, started off as a key piece of his grandfather's race team, then became his grandmother's daily driver before collecting dust in the backyard. Now, it's the beneficiary of his hard work.
“My grandpa bought it brand new from reno dodge in 1975. And it turned into a pre runner for his old race truck in the 80s,” Bullock says.
Cooper’s truck won Best of Show at last year’s Youth Automotive Challenge.
This truck would help Bullock’s grandpa get a feel for the track prior to race day. Bullock installed a GPS and keeps a notebook nearby, so now the truck is back to its former glory.
“I write down, course markers, hazards on the road,” Bullock says. “If there's a big dip on the right or we're running across a pipeline on the left side of the road, I'll put on the notes to stay to the right, you know, in the race truck, and then we'll map it out in the GPS.”
After $30,000 of investments, the truck’s got not only the GPS, but also a sound system, and a fiberglass hood and front fenders.
But the crown jewel of it all? The 5.7-liter hemi V* that Cooper and his dad took from a 2015 Ram 1500.
“We kind of blended the old technology with new technologies. So that that was one of the coolest things,” Cooper’s father Zane Bullock says. “That was my favorite part."
Cooper, who turns 18 in October, says his favorite part is spending time with his parents to get it done, and they couldn't be prouder.
“I don't think there's much other things in this world that I enjoy more than being in the garage with my dad at 2:00 in the morning, when he's got to be to work the next day, and I'm totally out of it. I'm super tired, hand him the wrong tool, you know,” Cooper Bullock says.
Cooper’s mother Laina Bullock says, “he is very much a perfectionist and so it's neat to see him determined to make it right."
“It was really neat to see him not be in his bedroom watching tv or on his phone,” Zane Bullock says. “He was out there even getting me up in the morning sometimes like, hey, let's go out and work in the garage."
Hot August Nights wraps up on Sunday, August 9, with awards presentation and the finale parade.
From an old Model-A to Malaise era pickups, the Youth Auto Challenge features classic projects getting love from young people.
