Giving Back….

Posted on January 23, 2017 by don.searls

I mentioned in a Facebook post a couple of weeks ago, that for Stillkruzn, this year was going to be giving back and that I was working on a couple of things and looking forward to announcing these things. Well, I can finally put the word out about what we are doing this year.

The first part of this has to do with Friday Night Kruzn….

I had a meeting on Wednesday with two of the sponsors of Friday Night Kruzn, The Purple Cow and ZAZA. Both of these restaurants are located in Hendrix Village where we host the cruise night. As part of our Giving Back campaign, both restaurants have decided to donate a percentage of the receipts between 5 – 9 pm on each of the 3rd Friday Nights.

As you know the Arkansas Food Bank serves the state by providing food to partner agencies to help the people of Arkansas. For more information about the food bank, visit their website.

We will also be planning a non-perishable food night for participants to bring items to be donated to the food bank. More on this at a later date.

This is just one of the reasons that I am looking forward to Friday Night Kruzn 2017. The 2nd part of Giving Back will be announced as soon as I have worked out all the details. I am just excited about part 2 as I am with this one!

Friday Night Kruzn – May 2016

Posted on May 17, 2016May 17, 2016 by don.searls

Unfortunately we had to hold Friday Night Kruzn a week early in May, but that didn’t keep you from coming out. We ended up with almost 60 cars in the Village. That made for a great night, with some awesome cars, and some great friends.

I just want to say thanks for all those that have supported us this past year at Friday Night Kruzn…

Here are some pictures from May’s Friday Night Kruzn!

StrayKat 500 – Dewey, OK

Posted on May 16, 2016May 16, 2016 by don.searls

It has been 6 years since I have been to the StrayKat 500 and the return trip did not disappoint!

We headed out on Friday morning for the trip over and arrived in Dewey early afternoon to get registered and checked into our hotel. Once that was done, it was about time to head to downtown Dewey for the Kat Feed! This is always a good time to just hang out, get some food, and look at some cool cars. And in my case, get some pinstripes on the car! More on that later.

On Saturday morning it was an early start for some breakfast and back into Dewey. By the time Saturday, ended, they had registered just over 600 cars. Come to find out, this was a record number of cars for the SK500.

Sunday morning, was back into Dewey for the blessing of the cars and then on the road for home. I am so glad I got to go back to the SK500 this year, and I got to take a good friend with me that had never been before and he really enjoyed it too. If you’ve never been to the Stray Kat, you need to start making plans to go… I am working on mine!

Mick and his crew do an awesome job putting on this show! A big thank to them for hosting all of us for the weekend!

Here are a few pictures from the weekend and there are some more here…

NSRA Southwest Nationals – OK City – April 2016

Posted on April 17, 2016April 17, 2016 by don.searls

We got to spend last weekend hanging out in OK City a the Southwest Nationals. This was my first time to attend this event and we had a great time… A little wind blown, but a great time! I love it when I get to hang out with some really great friends at an event like this. There were 1,616 cars registered, cars of all kinds!

Spent a good portion of each day, just walking around looking at the cars and talking to people about their cars. I have to admit, the past few years, I have gotten spoiled going to these larger shows. Don’t get me wrong, I still love going to the local shows, but it is really nice change of pace seeing cars that I’ve never seen before and getting to visit with the friends I have made from others state for a few days.

I would encourage you, if you’ve never been to an NSRA event to at least try it once… at least take a day and walk around looking at the cars…

Click here for a few pics from OK City…

Friday Night Kruzn – 2016

Posted on January 31, 2016February 11, 2017 by don.searls

2016 is here and I hope each of you have a wonderful time through the holidays and was able to spend some quality time with your family and friends. Now it’s time to gear up for the 2016 car show and cruise night season. At StillKruzn, we have already started talking about Friday Night Kruzn and looking forward to kicking it off on March 18, 2016 at the Village at Hendrix. This year, Friday Night Kruzn is being presented by StillKruzn, Pro Auto Collision and Preston Palmer Studios, and sponsored by the Purple Cow – Conway and ZaZa’s.

Just a little history on this little event. It started in October of 2014, I hosted the first event just to test the waters to see if this was even going to fly. It seemed to have a positive response, so in 2015 we started it as a monthly cruise night with sponsorships from Pro Auto Collision and the Purple Cow. Later in the year ZaZa’s and Preston Palmer Studios also came on board. The first night in March of 2015, we have about 20 cars show up. In October 2015, we had almost 80 cars in attendance and many spectators. We are the only cruise night that I know of in Arkansas that has live music.

We try to offer things that make us a unique cruise night to stand apart from the others. The atmosphere of Friday Night Kruzn feels like an old town square, and that is what makes it so cool for me. Just a gathering of friends, a time of fellowship, and that is what it is all about. I keep saying, that it’s not about the awards, or even the cars (although it is about the cars a little bit), it is about the people, the friends you make over time.

That’s about it…. so we are hoping you will come out and join us for Friday Night Kruzn this year. I am not sure how we will top last years events, but we will do everything that can to do it! Hope to see you out there!

To keep track of the Friday Night Kruzn events, go like our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/StillKruzn/

Klassy Kruzers Rod Run – November 6-8, 2015

Posted on November 11, 2015February 11, 2017 by don.searls

I finally had the opportunity to attend this rod run in Crossett, AR hosted by the Klassy Kruzers car club. Despite the weather, it rained most of Friday for the drive down and all day Saturday, we had a great time just hanging out around the hotel visiting with old and new friends.

There is a large paper mill located in Crossett and they donate some of the door prizes for the car show. I have to say, I have never seen people so excited about getting a case of toilet paper, and yes, I won a case myself. They also have many games to keep everyone entertained along with feeding everyone, not once, but twice. You don’t see many rod runs or car shows that treat their participants as well as we were treated this weekend.

I have to say thanks to the whole Klassy Kruzers crew for all they did and I will be back next year!

Click here to take a look at the rest of the pictures from this past weekend.

CC Kruzzers – August 29, 2015

Posted on August 30, 2015 by don.searls

Headed out this morning with a little rain coming down to Morrilton, AR for the CC Kruzzers Fall Car Show. This was the first time out in the hot rod since putting a new windshield in after a rock almost come through on the way home from Louisville a few weeks ago. It was good to be back behind the wheel of the old car.

I have been up to a few of their car shows and I believe that this has been one of the better turnouts for CC Kruzzers, considering the others shows going on in the area. I counted 60+ cars, which these days, is a pretty good turnout.

Always a good time when I get to just go hang out at a car show and visit with the people I have met over the years and look at some cool cars!

Check out the pictures from today, by clicking here!

We went to the Nationals!

Posted on August 18, 2015 by don.searls

On August 6 we rolled out pretty earlier on our way to Louisville, KY for the Street Rod Nationals. This was my first trip to the nationals, and it was a bit overwhelming. How do you look at and take pictures of over 10,000 cars? Two words…. You can’t!

This was a trip to hang out with a some really good friends and some family, and just take some time to look at some cars and buy some parts for a winter project (more on that later this year). My wife made her first trip with me in the hot rod and my parents met us in Louisville to hang out. It was great to hang out with my dad at the car show, hadn’t been able to do that in a long time!

So, after a little over 1200 miles in an 83 year old car, we made it home safely, with the exception of a broken windshield. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat, but maybe not today!

To see some of the pics from this trip, click here.

New Video Blog is Available!

Posted on August 11, 2015January 19, 2017 by don.searls

A few months ago we recorded a new video blog and have finally gotten it ready to be released. This one took a little bit of time in the post processing to get it ready.

We partnered again with Rebel Wire to demonstrate the install of their dash harness. This one also used Josh’s truck again (if you remember our alternator install). I also got to visit in person with the guys at Rebel Wire while in Louisville, KY for the NSRA Nationals. Bob and Jeremy are great guys to work with and know their stuff when it comes to these wiring harnesses. I know that we will be having some more install videos coming in the future, so stay tuned for those!

On This Day – July 22, 1925

Posted on July 22, 2015July 22, 2015 by don.searls

This is going to be a bit of a different post for me. I am going to post some pictures that bring back some good memories for me as I was growing up. They all have to do with my grandpa, the man I was named after. The person I spent a whole lot of time with growing up, including a lot of my summers traveling on the truck that he drove. He would have been 90 years old today and he is missed by his family as much today as he was the day he passed away in 1996.

These are my grandparents... Taken a few days after their wedding — These are my grandparents… Taken a few days after their wedding

This would have been taken in about 1959. How about that '58 Olds in front of the boat. — This would have been taken in about 1959. How about that ’58 Olds in front of the boat.

Not sure when/where this one was taken, but they look like they were having fun, and that car. That would make a cool hot rod!

Here I am with him at about one year old.

And again at about 8 years old. This was my first trip to California with him the truck and we stopped at Old Tuscon, Arizona. — And again at about 8 years old. This was my first trip to California with him on the truck. This picture was taken at Old Tucson, Arizona.

Now, about those trucks. I don’t remember the first couple that he owned, but the last few, I spent a lot of time in, whether it was rolling down the road, or just hanging around the hose. Growing up, my grandparents lived across the street from us and he parked the truck in the field next to our house.

This was the first truck he bought sometime around 1967. A red/white Kenworth Cabover.

The second one was a black/white Kenworth Cabover. This was bought in the early 70s, and check out that load of tractors.

This is the first truck that I remember, and the one that I made my first trip with him to California. A mid-70s Kenworth.

This one is a late 70s Peterbilt Cabover. The best I remember, he didn't keep this hardly a year, because he didn't like cabovers. So, I am not sure why he even bought it. — This one is a late 70s Peterbilt Cabover. The best I remember, he didn’t keep this hardly a year, because he didn’t like cabovers. So, I am not sure why he even bought it.

And, this is the last one that he bought. A 1979 Peterbilt. I made a many a trips on this one. And, no he didn't dress like that when he drove. — And, this is the last one that he bought. A 1979 Peterbilt. I made a many a trips on this one. And, no he didn’t dress like that when he drove.

This may be my favorite truck, mainly cause this was the first big truck that I got to drive. Boy, my mom and grandma were not happy about that. I was only 13 at the time.... — This may be my favorite truck, mainly cause this was the first big truck that I got to drive. Boy, my mom and grandma were not happy about that. I was only 13 at the time….

Even when he was at home, there was work to do in getting ready to leave on the trip.... — Even when he was at home, there was work to do in getting ready to leave on the trip….

One thing that he loved and almost never missed, was Christmas. He loved being home with the family on this holiday, and I don’t think I can remember one that he missed.

Oh, yeah... He liked guns also. — Oh, yeah… He liked guns also.

Another thing that he loved, was his family. I know that he was proud of his kids, grandkids, and this little one. This is the great-granddaughter. She is less than a year old in this picture and is now 21 years old.

Another thing that I know, is that he loved my grandma and she loved him. I was around many times when we would leave for a trip, and she was always there to see him off. She’d fix his thermos of coffee, pack his bag, and just make sure he had everything that he needed for the trip. They were just shy of their 50th wedding anniversary when he passed away.

Also taken in Old Tuscon, AZ — Also taken in Old Tucson, AZ

Taken about a year before they were married

Screen Shot 2015-06-29 at 8.13.13 AM — Taken about a year before they were married

This post has been over a month in the works I got some help from my mom and grandma to gather the pictures for and I hadn’t told them what I was doing with them. So, Thank You, to them for helping me with this. There isn’t anything more important to me than my family, which is the way it should be.

Thanks for bearing with me while I veer away from car shows and such to remember a day that means a lot to me.