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Back in 1997 the editor of Custom Car magazine, Tim Baggaley, had an idea. He'd just brought the Street Eliminator race series into this world and thought he could organise something similar, but a little more grass-roots, for some of his mates in their traditional hot rods. It was intended to be a bit of a laugh, and to run for just one or two events. More than a decade later, the Meltdown continues to attract new racers, both young and old; male and female; quiffed and bald to every event, and shows no sign of going away. On the contrary, more and more people are discovering for themselves the fascination with depression-era speed technology. The first Meltdown, won by Danny Townsend, also featured Dave Wilcox, Billy 'the fish' Roe, Chris Rawlins and future CC editor, Kev Elliott. Kev went on to organise the Meltdown for several years before upping sticks to the US for a job with Rod and Custom. The clipboard was then passed to fellow Executioner Ian Whittaker, before finally landing at my feet. In 2006, the Meltdown spawned it's own illegitimate son, 'The Four-Banger Meltdown'. As the name suggests, this is specifically for four-cylinder flathead engines whether they are in a Model A, 100E, Pop or whatever. They don't even need to be Ford. Some of these fours are regularly beating V8's and are true to the ethos of the earliest pioneers of hot rodding. The Flathead Meltdown....thrashing the knackers off jalopies since 1997.
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History