2014 Detroit Hot Rods - Pikesan's Picks for Best of Show - In the Basement Detroit Autorama packs Cobo Hall upstairs and down as well. For some people, the basement, downstairs as part of the, "Detroit Autorama Extreme" is the only way to go. I find plenty to like in both, so I shared the best of upstairs Detroit Autorama here. And for the best of the best, check out the 2014 Ridler Award "Great 8" Contenders.   Why not take a look and you be the judge... course, my style doesn't change much.   Here's a few of my downstairs favorites then... find everything else here: 88  pictures from the basement.   Ford in a Ford Coupe 1930 Ford Model A Hot Rod Coupe     Dave DeBaar's hot rod model A coupe is as sweet as it gets. Dave told me this coupe was built in a 3 car garage and didn't leave for anything until it was done. Dave and his dad did the paint and built the stout looking 289 small block Ford too. Dave even made the adapters for the 4 Holley 94's onto the Offenhauser...

2014 Detroit Hot Rods - Pikesan's Picks for Best of Show - Upstairs Detroit Autorama's a GREAT show!   Why else would I leave sunny and 80 degrees Arizona for freezing Michigan? The hot rods of course! We've already covered the 2014 Ridler Award "Great 8" Contenders so now it's time for my favorites from the rest of the show. These are the hot rods and some Motown muscle that caught my eye. This year, I'll separate updstairs from downstairs, but I think you'll see my style doesn't waiver much just from taking the stairs...   So here's a few of my favorites, then the rest will be in the MyRideisMe picture gallery. There's over 200 events covered since 2007, so lots to see in addition to the 2014 Detroit Autorama Coverage!   115 of the BEST pictures from Upstairs at Detroit Autorama here.   CraftyB 1932 Ford Roadster "Ridled" with details! 1932 Ford Roadster     For 2013, I did a story about "Shoulda-been Great 8" cars. Well, this isn't a Ridler car, but DAMN! It's way cool! I met Crafty-B and got to chat just a bit about this car. It...

2014 Detroit Autorama - Ridler Award Contenders Great 8!! In case this is your first visit to MyRideisMe.com, welcome to what I hope you'll find is the best photos and info about easily one of the best indoor shows in the USA, and probably the world. This is Detroit Autorama, and the BIG award handed out each year is the Ridler Award. For this three day show, the first step in choosing a Ridler Winner is to pick the "Great 8". These are the cars, "in the running" for the Ridler.   Looking for the 2014 Ridler Award Winner? Click here.   Picking the Great 8, then judging what's selected... I wouldn't want that job! There are always a few cars where you just can't figure out why they weren't selected. It's a tough competition, one that's been going on since the 1960s. MyRideisMe.com usually does a "Not Great 8?" story for the ones that weren't selected.   If you'd like to know more about the Ridler Award and the rules, click here   Favorite Detail: Just like for 2013 Ridler Pictures, I asked each builder one question. This...

Bad Blown Chevy Nova rips up Wild Horse Pass Quarter Mile     Glen Bolz, a buddy from near me in Arizona hooks us up with timely info about how his purpose drag race built 1966 Chevy Nova is doing at the track. He's doing well!!   The car's great enough to win at a car show and now does low 7's at almost 200 mph now that Glen's able to step on it some. It's even nice enough to grace the August cover of Chevy High Performance magazine. Glen's best pass is shown below. The 3 camera compilation is right on!   [youtube]http://youtu.be/Z7rvquTtxAI[/youtube]     There you have it! 7.25@193 mph - the fastest this car has ever run! She's a bit out of place as the only non-stickered car running in Top Sportman (non of that throttle-stop nonsense!) at the Division 7 race at Wild Horse Pass. Glad the rain let up long enough! If there's an update from the race, I'll post it.   Thanks again...

Amazing Metal Flake Paint   Would you say 10 miles of masking tape??   By now, you've probably seen that the Grand National Roadster Show is one of the best. I used some pretty stupid criteria to say that: 1) Diversity of cars 2) Show at a ridiculously high caliber.   There aren't many shows with Hot Rods, the "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" contenders, then motorcyles and really, the most radically detailed and perfected rides of the event: Lowriders. Combine that fact (discuss/object if you like) with my amazement or maybe sheer disbelief in how metal flake paint like this is done and you've got some cool pics!     Taking a walk down Lifestyle Blvd (the car club that dominates GNRS lowrider hall every year) there's eye candy everywhere. The loweriders don't just wear candy-flaked-striped custom paint. That's only the start! On the highest-end lowrider, every single part of the car is customized.... either painted, chromed, etched... sometimes a combination of all. Then the interiors are perfect, the stereos rock and of course, they're laid out on hydraulics. There's not one ride half-stepping.   And my favorite of...

Pinstriping Everything at 2014 Grand National Roadster Show     The Grand National Roadster Show brings in the best of everything in the hot rod world... and dead smack in the middle of hot rod culture is art. In this case, it's pinstriping!     If you wandered down to the far end of the Main Hall at the Pomona Fairplex, you might have seen these "artists" at work. Artists? I'd say yes.  Big hearted, generous and talented should also be thrown out! The pinstripers are here for a charity auction to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Great deals are had on one of a kind pinstriping pieces, or if you're not that committed, come get your phone, sunglasses, camera - whatever!! Pinstriped for a donation.   Pictures here are a few of my favorites. I love metal flake paint, as you can see, so I'm a sucker for the combo of flake and pinstriping. Plus... the pinstripers can be "colorful" with their language and sometimes their subjects!   Reminds me of my dad! I once complained my automatic equipped car wasn't shifting from first to second... he said,...

Dino's Chevy Truck Show to be bigger than Goodguys?   How many "Pre-shows" or warm-ups get their own show poster? And one done by ProblemChildKustoms.com no doubt? How should I know?!   I do know that Dino Battilana and his Chevy truck buddies, including new friends from http://67-72chevytrucks.com put on a show before Goodguys that brings in some great looking trucks and cars too. I even sneak my Ford powered roadster in there sometimes to hang with the "Chevy Only" crowd. To see what makes Dino tick... dig his Dropped Custom Chevy C10 Dually. So just a few pictures to share... This is Dino's latest finished build... As I said about Dino's last Dually (he sold it already)... He's got a knack for building trucks just enough to make them unique and highly desireable. Why steel wheels and caps? Minimal chrome? Simple, but ultra clean small block Chevy under the hood? Maybe because you've never seen a truck like that laying frame? Or ever? Dino's the master custom Chevy C10 builder! (more pics of this truck down below!)   Here's what's up next!   Another 60's C10... another dually and to stay...

2014 Grand National Roadster Show - Kermit Green El Camino   When I saw this super clean El Camino, I had to shoot it. For one reason, I knew a bunch of people would miss it. Did you?       ALlan Clark of Red Top, CA parked this show stopping custom in the farthest corner of the Main Hall down by the pinstripers jam. If you went to the pinstriping auction or to see the pinstripers in action, you couldn't have missed it glowing in the corner.     Taking info from the show card (Allan, feel free to help me fill in the details...) the top was chopped 3 inches, then an Impala bedcover and back end were used. Headlights and tail lights were frenched in then the custom wheel vents, side exhaust exit and hood scoop were custom made. It says hard-top doors were used as well. All these custom features and the amazing custom paint were handled by Ray Ramirez of Dos Palos, CA.       Clearly the interior was just as custom as the exterior. Upholstery duties were handled by Castillo Upholstery of...

Corky Coker's Barn Find Restored to Gold     If you've ever needed a set of white wall tires, or that strange set of 19 inch bias plys for your concours European Sports Car, then chances are you've met Corky Coker. You might have also been passed by him running the "Great Race" in an antique, but still rocking hot rod? Or if you're lucky, like me, you've bumped into him all over the hot rod world and scored a Tennessee traditional Moonpie as a snack! Even with out the chocolate and marshmellow goodness, Corky's a real car dude and highly qualified to host this show. I'm tuning in and you should too. Here's a quick preview: [youtube]http://youtu.be/tNG3vsIw40g[/youtube]   Here's a little more info about the show from Coker:   From Coker Tire:   “BACKROAD GOLD” DEBUTS FEBRUARY 5th AT 9:30PM ON THE TRAVEL CHANNEL Corky Coker Turns Barn Finds Into Gold on His New TV Show "Backroad Gold" follows antique car expert Corky Coker as he scours the highways, back roads and small towns of America, wheeling and dealing for hidden riches such as antique cars, motorcycles, trucks, gas...

2014 Grand National Roadster Show - Suede Palace Custom   The Grand National Roadster Show, now in its 65th year, has a different meaning to different people.   You've got the America's Most Beautiful Roadster fans who can't wait to see what the biggest imaginations, and yes, the biggest pocketbooks can build... but there are some who care more about YOU, the builder, what you and your pals have done to your own car , and when they'll see you burning up the streets with it! That's the key to success in the Suede Palace.   Fresno's Robert Collins is no stranger to building street worthy art. That's really the best description for the steeds he has put on the road in his lifetime including this ultra gorgeous '35 Dodge DU Coupe which languished in the back of the former owner's shop until Robert showed one day and took pity on the massive metal.     "I'd been watching for a real tail-dragger," he explained, "and this one fit the bill perfectly. I just loved the lines and decided this was going to be just what I needed." Robert...

2014 Grand National Roadster Show AMBR Winner The First Chevy to win? YES! See the complete list here: Grand National Roadster Show AMBR Winners 2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Winner: 1935 Chevrolet Phaeton owned by Wes Rydell After we started talking about Wes Rydell's 2014 rare Chevy, Mike Lynch got in touch and shared this info with us... From Mike: Most of the media coverage on early Chevrolets in the 1933—1935 era is on the coupes. Few people actually know much about them other than 1934-1935 standard series coupes that were made in glass and quite popular.   I have had my 35 standard series 3 window coupe since 1970.   The 1933 chevrolet line up involves the 107’ wheelbase STANDARD SERIES CC, of which only the 3 window coupe and a 2 door sedan were made and very little of these were sold. The other 1933 Chevrolet made was the MASTER SERIES CA 112” WHEELBASE. A lot of body styles were made… roadster , touring, cabriolet, 3 window coupes, 5 window coupes , 2 door sedans, 4 door sedans, sedan delivery. These outsold the standard series 10-1.   The...

Choosing "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" for 2014 Another year at the "Grand-daddy of all hot rod shows, the Grand National Roadster Show. MyRideisMe.com is proud to be here for our seventh year of coverage online. In case you've been sleeping these last 7 years, Grand National Roadster Show, sometimes referred to GNRS, is the best of the west, maybe in the USA (you can decide here) hot rod and custom car show. Every year, the "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" contenders assemble for 1000's of Southern California hot rod enthusiasts to enjoy, bench race and judge. Before most people make it to the show, MyRideisMe likes to give a little preview of who might win the "AMBR" (pronounced "amber") Award and show a few pictures so you can decide.   There are a total of 11 roadsters contending. There were 12, but a very unfortunate accident happened during setup and one car was lost. We were shocked to hear AMBR judge and all around nice guy Vic Cunnyngham was injured as well. BUT! Vic's on the mend already and show promoter John Buck announced he'll be back at the show on...