29 below
By Louie Mayall
W hen I found out StreetScene was again featuring a three-month blowout of 29 Below participants, I knew I needed some kind of theme for the third and final 2025 installment. That theme became apparent as I started going through my materials and writing the other articles—all the young ladies who have been part of the program since the beginning. I had meant this issue to include both McKenzie Murphy’s beautiful (and granddaughter approved) ’32
Ford roadster and Riveting Rides’ amazing ’59 Chevy Impala, but we ended up slipping Riveting’s stunning ’59 in the February issue. Riveting Rides Hot Rods out of Milan, Tennessee, is owned by the young Madison Alexander who is obviously a long-time rodder and is only 30 years old now. Madison went to Lincoln Tech’s Autobody Collision program, had a SEMA build with Bogi’s Garage out of Phoenix, and opened her own shop in 2018 where she has put together and painted some of the finest rods in
CIARA SAINT ARMOUR I couldn’t ask for a better ambassador for 29 Below than Ciara St. Armour out of Colchester, Vermont, and her ’54 Ford F100. Ciara saw the truck advertised on Craigslist and couldn’t get her parents to come with her to look at it. Fifteen-year-old Ciara was frustrated right until the moment mom and dad gifted her the ’54 as a father/daughter project. The duo slipped in a built Ford 351 Cleveland, a C4 tranny, slammed the stock suspension and slipped on chrome steelies wearing BFG rubber. The interior was outfitted with a GM tilt column wearing a Trans Am steering wheel and a line-lock for taking off uphill (lol). Everything in the interior was covered in purple and gray velour, and Ciara keeps it running right with help from dad (Steve St. Armour). Ciara ultimately named her ’54 “Gertrude” and the duo has graduated high school, gone to college, started a career, and have been coming to 29 Below for a decade influenced by a childhood spent rodding with family. Ciara’s story could be the story of many young ladies I have met over the years (like the Hawkes sisters who still come to Bakersfield with their ever-growing families every year after 15 years in 29 Below). Ciara isn’t going to ever sell her F100 and that’s just the way we like it. Like all our 29 Below participants Ciara has grown up, lost her girlish charm, and became a productive member of society with a bad ass hot rod. I encourage all boys and girls of the world to take up rodding, it’s way more satisfying than “My Insta Face Space” or whatever else is going on in your phone!
Young Vermonter Ciara St. Armour first showed up in 2015 with her ’54 Ford F100 with Ford Cleveland power, tons of enthusiasm, a great first rod, and plans to never sell “Gertrude” which she has held onto for almost 15 years now.
Like all our 29 Below participants Ciara has grown up, lost her girlish charm, and became a productive member of society with a bad ass hot rod. I encourage all boys and girls of the world to take up rodding, it’s way more satisfying than “My Insta Face Space” or whatever else is going on in your phone!
This is my favorite picture of Ciara and her truck because of the groovy matching interior, and she is wearing one of my favorite late ‘70s styles (black/white halfsies pants) with a cowboy hat. The bench seat interior is done in velour fabric, has the tunes mounted in a roof mounted center console and black carpeting.
70 MARCH 2025
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