Torq Talks Tony Thacker recently wrote a piece for Hot Rod Magazine about a ’34 coupe being built at Troy Ladd’s Hollywood Hot Rods in Burbank, California. The tin was being hammered by Marcio Luz who moved to the US from Curetiva, the hot rod capitol of Brazil. Who knew Brazil even had a hot rod capitol and who knew there was even a Brazilian Kustom Kulture beyond the ‘house of wax.’ There is, it’s rockin’ and we went to check it out.
Thanks to Marcio’s hook up, Troy Ladd, pinstriper Mike Mazooma and Tony Thacker were invited down to Brazil for the Santa Catarina Custom Show (SCCS)—the biggest on the Brazilian calendar. Launched in 2011 by husband and wife Mirella and Rodrigo Huelsemann and their friend Sonia Pimental, SCCS celebrated its 11th edition in the new Convention Center in the beach resort town of Balneário Camboriú known as BC.
Located 380 miles south of São Paulo, BC has a motorsports history reaching back to some Daytona-style beach racing in the thirties. Of course, Brazil has a long motorsports history and has produced 32 F1 drivers including World Champions Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna—both three-time Champions.
Brazil’s automotive history actually dates back to the beginning of the 20th Century.

Read more about our trip at www.torqtalk.com