Pasadena Roadster Club

Apr 28

Reliability Run ’26

May 2026 • By Tony Thacker •  Presented by FirstUpApparel.com & MicksPaint.com

Located just 10 miles from Downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena has a long hot rod history. In 1927, Pasadena resident Earl Mansell hosted the first organized lakes meet, the Southern California Championship Sweepstakes, at Muroc. The city, known for its annual Rose Parade, was also home to early speed shops owned by Reg Schlemmer, Jack Eisen, Al Hawkins and Don Blair. In fact, Blair’s, now owned by Phil Lukens, is the world’s oldest continuously open speed shop that opened in 1945 and is still open.

Pasadena was also home to some of the earliest hot rod clubs including the Night Flyers and the Velociteers. The Night Flyers were involved with dry lakes racing before the formation of the SCTA in 1937. In October 1945, the Flyers and the Velociteers joined forces to form the Pasadena Roadster Club (PRC) and worked hard to counter the bad rap that hot rodders got and one of their main activities was their annual Reliability Run (RR) that started in 1947.

Reinvigorated in 2002 as a club for early-style hot rods, primarily roadsters, PRC held their first RR in 2004 and followed the original 1947 route. This year saw the 14th running of the event with more than 60 hot rods covering the two hour, 100-mile route through the fire-torn town of Altadena and up into the San Gabriel Mountains before returning to the Elks Lodge in Pasadena.

No doubt the biggest buzz of this year’s run was the participation of Stanley Chavik in his blown Ardun-powerd Roadster that was an entry in the 2026 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster competition at the Grand National Roadster Show where he won the Outstanding Engineering Award. Just before the run, Stanley blew out his 5-speed and spent the night before the run swapping in a Muncie ‘rock crusher’. He finished the swap at 6 am, jumped in the car and drove the 50 miles to the start before completing the 100-mile route and the 50 mile ride home. There are not many AMBR contenders doing that. In fact, none. Way to go Stanley—our hero.

On the run—100 miles into the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Thanks to all the members and supporters of the Pasadena Roadster Club for all their hard work putting on the event especially the Reliability Run committee: Scott Miller, Bob Kenz, David Steele, JD Massey, and Steve Gattoni who made the exquisite trophies. A huge thanks also to Thorsen Buick GMC of Pasadena for the loan of a GMC Sierra 1500 truck as the sweeper—much appreciated.