Travel Back in Time with Totally Tubular ‘Radwood 2’

Awesome ’80s & ’90s-themed car show takes place Dec. 2 in SoCal, where countless classics, including Chevys, will be proudly displayed.

Cars and pickup trucks from the ‘80s and ‘90s remain some of the most memorable designs in auto history. And fortunately, in addition to us here at Chevrolet Forum, there are enough diehard fanatics out there that love vehicles from the era that an entire community of enthusiasts continues to grow in online forums and at cars and coffee events across the country. And for those individuals comes another edition of one of the best themed car shows in the country: Radwood.

“Radwood 2” will take place on Dec. 2 in Anaheim, California, and attendees are encouraged to dress in ’80s/’90s-era attire and show off their awesome rides from the period. Sounds totally awesome, right? For Chevy fans looking to check out pickups from the ‘80s and 90’s, this is shaping up to be a must-visit event.

Our brother site Rennlist got to sit down with Bradley Brownell, who’s the co-creator of Radwood and a popular automotive journalist (including for the best Chevy enthusiast site around), to get some inside information on the event and how it came to fruition. When asked what inspired him to create an ‘80s and ‘90s-themed auto extravaganza, Brownell said it was because nothing’s more American.

“Last year during Monterey Car Week, I was hanging out with a few of the guys from the Driving While Awesome! podcast, and a few of the guys from the Clutchkick Podcast, and we collectively discussed how there was no car show dedicated to the kinds of cars we like,” said Brownell. “For example, a Porsche 944 is technically welcome at a PCA car show, but they’ll sort of be pushed over into the corner. We all grew up idolizing cars from the ’80s and ’90s, so we came up with Radwood to give owners of cars from our favored era a place to be the center of attention. The idea was partially inspired by Goodwood, hence the name. The U.K. has a stranglehold on the ’60s and ’70s, but what’s more purely American than ostentatious 1980s and 1990s bright colors and boxy car designs?”

‘[Goodwood] has a stranglehold on the ’60s and ’70s, but what’s more purely American than ostentatious 1980s and 1990s bright colors and boxy car designs?’

While some consider the ‘80s and 90’s to be an era when automakers were at their worst, Brownell believes that claiming cars were at their worst during that period is an unfair generalization.

“Some of the best cars I’ve ever driven have been from the ’80s,” added Brownell. “Certainly, there are some truly awful cars from the era, but that’s true of any era. This was an era of experimentation and technological advancement, and some companies were better at it than others. Perhaps there is a reason most of the cars attending the first Radwood were either German or Japanese?”

Classic cars in general are becoming more and more popular as enthusiasts look for vehicles that provide a pure driving experience and a minimal amount of technology. Brownell believes that cars from the ‘80s and ‘90s are becoming popular again for a few reasons and can point to a few reasons as to why that’s happening.

“There are a bunch of complicated reasons why people are enthusiastic about the Radwood era of cars,” said Brownell. “For the most part, we grew up looking at cars like these in automotive magazines. Some of us are mechanically inclined to do our own maintenance, and certainly, these cars are much less complicated to work on than cars built in the 2000s. Mostly, we just want to drive something a little different, something unique.”

Men with(out) Hats: Bradley Brownell is set to party like it’s 1999 on Dec. 2.

Last year’s event was an exciting one that saw a lot of enthusiasts attend, which begs the question of what’s in store for attendees this year.

“For the most part, Radwood 2 will be more of the same awesome stuff you saw at the first Radwood,” promised Brownell. “And being that this one is in Southern California, don’t be surprised if you see a few movie cars on display. Plus, we’re expecting a lot more cars in general this time. Just trust that it’ll be truly rad.”

While enthusiasts of all ages and individuals that don’t have a cool ‘80s or ‘90s car to showoff can still attend the show, there’s now an incentive to dress up and ensure that one’s vehicle is in tip-top shape.

“Unlike the first event, we will actually have a few awards to hand out,” said Brownell. “There will be trophies for the best American, Asian, and European cars, as well as awards for best stereo, best wheels, best period-correct accessory, best dressed, and farthest driven. The venue is awesome, and we’re hopeful that it’ll go off without a hitch.”

The chance to win an award, the opportunity to see some rad cars from yesteryear, and the ability to speak with like-minded individuals with the same taste in cars makes this a great event to visit. So what kind of cars are eligible?

“Radwood is open to all cars and motorcycles built between January 1, 1980 and December 31, 1999,” said Brownell. “We are allowing some earlier-built cars with proper period-correct modifications, and some later continuation models, but those will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis. Bring your rad car down to The Phoenix Club in Anaheim on Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and we’ll all have a super-fun time.”

The Deets:

What: Radwood 2

When: December 2, 2017 – 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific)

Where: The Phoenix Club, 1340 S Sanderson Ave., Anaheim, California 92806

What Ride to Bring: 1980 through 1999 cars, trucks, and motorcycles are welcome; some exceptions for earlier models (with a period-correct aesthetic) and later “continuation” models

How Much: $25 for car/truck/bike; $10 general admission, kids 12 and under are free; $10 off for bikes with code RADBIKE; $50 for “Radwood Royalty,” which is subject to approval and will get you showcase parking and a “Radwood Royalty” t-shirt.

Get more details on Radwood 2 here.