Graffiti summer 2016 is in full gear in the area with a variety of events from car shows to cruising, good eats, and live music celebrating the iconic American Graffiti culture that Modesto native George Lucas created many years ago.

Kicking off all things classic cars and hot rods was the 11th Annual Graffiti Classic Car Show, presented by the Modesto Area Street Rod Association at the McHenry Village Shopping Center on June 5.

Riverbank resident Doug Winfrey registered his 1940 Dodge truck that was built in Pahrump, Nevada by Joe Hastings known as the “Old Coot.”

“He (Hastings) has been in the car scene for about 60 years and is a former drag racer that once lived in the Modesto area,” said Winfrey. “At nearly 80 years old his love and passion for hot rods goes above and beyond. While building the car he suffered a stroke and heart issues but kept on going to finish the truck.”

According to Winfrey, the truck has a 350 Chevy motor and the body was chopped, the bed channeled and the hood handmade. The grill is from a ‘40s era international semi that was cut down and has a famous flying pig hood ornament leading the way.

Winfrey participates in several car shows throughout the year like the chocolate festival in Oakdale, the Memorial Day show in Manteca, and the show in Modesto where he has received awards for the “Old Coot.”

The Modesto Area Street Rod Association (MASRA) began in 1975 and has several members that are passionate about street rod vehicles that prospective club members would have to own that were pre 1949.

“As the car hobby evolved, we decided in 2012 to amend our bylaws to accept vehicles from 1972 and older (pre 1973),” added Ray Lee President MASRA. “Currently we have approximately 30 family members and have club meetings twice a month.”

The Association has hosted the kickoff car show for the Graffiti summer celebration in Modesto for the past 11 years, always on the first Sunday of June each year at the McHenry Village Shopping Center.

“We had approximately 500 classic cars on display from up and down the valley,” said Lee. “The cars varied from street rods, muscle cars, rat rods, original classics, sports cars (foreign and domestic). It was a spectacular show and a true taste of the Modesto area car culture.”

The Hot Rods Band entertained the crowd playing old rock and roll hits.

Continuing the Graffiti spirit was the Mid-Valley Chevy Club that hosted a car show in the parking lot of Cool Hand Luke’s in Riverbank where several cars were on display this past Thursday evening, June 9.

The spectators and participants were mingling around the cars, both enjoying the chance to share information about the paint jobs and other details about the classics.