Past America's Most Beautiful Roadster Winners AMBR Award Judging Explained - Click here 2012 America's Most Beautiful Roadster I picked it! I was pulling for Bill Lindig's "Indy Speedster" and was lucky enough to get an interview and pictures before the crowds started pouring into the Fairplex on Friday of the 2012 Grand National Roadster Show.  I started the interview by saying I think the “Indy Speedster” is this year’s AMBR winner. Bill humbly replied, “If the other nine cars don’t win, we will.” Guess what Bill, you did it! Read about the 2012 AMBR Winner here. 2011 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Built in my home town, Chandler, AZ, by Doug Jerger and the gang at Squeeg's Kustoms, this 1934 Ford Roadster stole the show with the new judging rules for the AMBR. Displayed for most of the show with the hood, doors and trunk closed, some claimed the details of the build were hidden... or did that show the true "beauty" of the car. You decide... 2010 America's Most Beautiful Roadster 2010 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Winner - Some controversy followed this winning roadster. Read about it and...

2011 Grand National Roadster Show From Rodshows.com the hosts of the 2011 Grand National Roadster Show, here's some info about a very special hall at the 62nd Grand National Roadster Show or you might have heard of the "GNRS" and the home of the "AMBR Award" or "America's Most Beautiful Roadster".  This is the show and it's not one you want to miss! 62nd Annual Kragen O’Reilly Grand National Roadster Show Customs: Then and Now Featured at this year’s Grand National Roadster Show will be a classic collection of the most notable and historic custom cars. Building 9 at the Fairplex in Pomona will be filled with over 75 different members of custom car royalty. It promises to be a room full of chopped up beauties, dripping with impeccable colors and intricate paint. Aesthetic detail and flowing body lines will please the eye as you stroll through the exhibit and feel the history of the cruisin’ custom days. This exhibit is sure to represent this car class with pride and will, without a doubt, bring you back to the days when the era began. Though it won’t take place...

Hot Rod Art It started as an email to MyRideisMe.com to see if I would grant permission for an artist to use a photo he found. Thanks to artists Paul And Kimberly Buford for doing the right thing! Turns out, it wasn't my photo, it was taken at Viva Las Vegas by Paul "Swanee" Swanson. Turns out, this is a popular photo: Cars like this Chevy fit right in at Viva and original "Patina" has never been more popular. So I asked Paul some questions about his artwork. Keep in mind, about all I know about artwork and painting is what I like... Why watercolors? - I've worked in several different media, and always come back to watercolors. The idea that you are staining the paper is what I love, and the way the colors mix together either in the palette or on the paper. Why this image (and others similar)? - I have always been drawn to decayed or decaying items (whether it be old buildings, collapsed barns, or abandoned/aged cars). The more I studied them and thought about what it was I got from them the more...

Restomod Corvette "58REDUX" Story by Dave Semel Restomod, protouring, modified,” whatever the terminology used, I say it's the best of both worlds! There’s nothing like the lines of a classic muscle car. They have the ability to turn heads of young and old alike. Many classic cars catch the attention of the young generation that weren’t even alive when 409 Impalas and Boss 429 Mustangs tore up the street as new cars. In others, they spark something that takes them back to a different, often better time. However, those with experience driving classic muscle cars know they’re great in a straight line, but if you need to turn or stop watch out! So what do custom car guys do? How about a Restomod? Restomod Definition: Classic American cars that have been restored using modern components to enhance their performance, safety, comfort and beauty. In short: restored old bodies modified using new technology: "restomod". (Here's an example of a 1959 Cadillac Restomod I called a "Custom Restoration") The possibilities are endless. Imagination, technology and of course a fair amount of money can produce one of these beauties. The great thing...

Truth about Batteries: 8 Myths Revealed! Setting your battery on concrete will ruin it. An AGM battery is a "gel" battery. If a battery is dead, all it needs is a jump. Starting your vehicle up periodically while in storage is good for the battery. An OPTIMA is ruined if it is deeply-discharged. Only off-road guys care about vibration-resistance in a battery. A longer warranty is always better. Dropping a battery will help break up sulfation and restore performance. Do you agree? These are all FALSE! Start story: 1. Setting your battery on concrete will ruin it. FALSE! Back in the olden days, batteries had wooden cases, which could expand if they came in contact with moisture, possibly causing damage to those batteries. Wooden cases were then replaced with hard rubber cases. Electrical current could be conducted through those cases, if moisture on the floor allowed the current to find an electrical ground. Modern batteries of today are constructed with polypropylene cases, which is far more insulated than the hard rubber cases of years past. That means not only can you set a new battery on a concrete floor,...

HOT ROD Magazine: All the Covers Ever find yourself searching through a stack of old Hot Rod magazines at a swap meet? When ever I do, I'm pretty amazed at how you're able to tell the era of the magazine simply by the cover. Usually as I flip through them I catch myself thinking "late 70's, mid 80's, ahh here's an early 60's"... all from the information presented to me on the cover. Getting your vehicle featured on the cover of Hot Rod magazine has to be the ultimate reward for a builder.  It's one thing to be lucky enough to receive a feature in the most influential automotive magazine of all time, but making the cover is simply iconic as you are now locked forever into the history of hot rodding. Imagine if you could some how capture all those amazing covers in one place, all 60+ years worth? Well your lucky day is here with the newly released book: HOT ROD Magazine: All the Covers by Drew Hardin along with the editors of HOT ROD. I simply love this book and I have shared it with several...

Roundup of Best Engines of the 2010 SEMA Car Show in Las Vegas: SEMA Engine: Twin Turbo Viper: The most outrageous racing Viper in the K&N booth at SEMA 2010 SEMA Engine: Fuel Injected LS Chevelle: Unique Stand-up Hilborn Injection on an LS Motor at SEMA 2010 SEMA Engine: Ford DOHC 4.6L in a beautiful custom Fastback Mustang: Every Detail NAILED Perfectly on this Mustang at SEMA 2010 SEMA Engine:  SEMAPure Vision built Boss 502 Fastback Mustang: The cleanest execution of a Boss Mustang Fastback ever at SEMA 2010 SEMA Engine: Blown and Fuel Injected Front Engine Dragster: Time for some nostaglia drag racing at SEMA 2010 Not a SEMA Engine, but hot enough to show off in this roundup: Best Hot Rod engines at the LA Roadster Show: Hot Rod Roadsters all polished up: Here's the...

Shelby Cobra DragonSnake, CSX2093 All photos used with permission from Mecum Auctions Out of six pictures in this story, it was tough to pick one to lead with. In the end, I chose this one to feature one of the baddest drag race cars ever, the Shelby Cobra DragonSnake. Note the knockoff slicks in the back, the slight nose-in-the-air stance and finally that open header pipe looking right into my soul. I need to hear this serpent run! This photo was a close second! DESCRIPTION provided by Mecum Auctions CSX 2093 was the 93rd Cobra built and is one of only eight cars modified with the Shelby-developed Dragonsnake package designed to maximize drag racing performance. Depending on options, the package could swell the bottom line to a whopping $8,990, a huge sum in 1960s-era dollars. Owned by Jim Costilow and piloted by drag racer Bruce Larson, later of USA-1 Funny Car fame, the Dragonsnake dominated the NHRA’s A/SP, AA/SP, B/SP and C/SP classes in 1964. It set all new records in the 1965 season and won the NHRA Springnationals, Winternationals and U.S. Indy Nationals that year. The Cobra was...

Agreed Value Car Insurance - Do it Right No matter what kind of ride drives your passion, a hot rod, classic car or collector car... or those antique cars that spend most of the time in the garage, we all need a special kind of insurance.  That awful day when you need to actually use your classic car insurance, you better be ready! I'll try to help here by answering: What is Agreed Value Car Insurance? How is Agreed Value Established? How does MyRideisMe.com make Agreed Value easy?! What is Agreed Value Car Insurance? It's the leading type of classic car insurance so we should know exactly what it is, right?  I got a little confused when my pops was shopping for insurance for his '64 Ford Fairlane and '23 Ford T-Bucket. Another insurance company said, "Just watch out... some insurance companies only say that's the agreed value..." Is there something tricky going on if the worst happened and my cherished ride gets totaled? To get the real answer, I went to MyRideisMe.com sponsor and my insurance company, Condon Skelly. Condon Skelly said: "Our policies are 'Agreed Value' meaning whatever...

Vintage AC Parts from SEMA 2010 Growing up in California, the custom cars I knew didn't have air conditioning.  Pop's cars were always fast... that was the focus and it felt good trying to hold my head straight as the G-forces threw my head back as he rowed through the gears. Good times.  Plus, let's face it, California doesn't need air conditioning all the time... Now I live in Arizona. It's a totally different story! You name the ride here in Arizona, hot rods, muscle cars, most vintage cars are running air conditioning. Mid summer, the temps can hit 120+ (over 45C for everyone outside the USA) so AC keep us from melting! Like the Mustang, GTO, 55-56 Chevy and Covette air conditioning we're featuring here, my Ford Falcon Wagon will have some strong, COLD AC! That's where Vintage Air comes in. Cruising SEMA 2010, I wanted to find AC parts that would be easy to install, last forever and come with great support. The guys from Vintage Air fit the bill.  The first thing I asked is: How will I control the AC? My Falcon didn't have AC...

Sata Spray Guns -Best Product Display at SEMA 2010 How funny is that dude in the reflection?! At some point walking SEMA, just before your legs give out and you hear a very nearby bar calling your name, there's always one more thing to draw you back in.  Often that's a booth babe or some amazing custom car, but sometimes it's something so creative you owe that vendor a much closer look! Check this short video from SATA Paint Guns display at SEMA 2010: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoI7pAFw-Ro[/youtube] See what's happening there?  The SATA guys put together a fantastic display that included this table of SATA auto guns all following people as they walked by.  A  discretely mounted camera nearby made it all happen... that and some pretty trick controls! How cool is that?! I think most people, like me, didn't even know they were being followed, but once they saw it agreed. Very cool! Couple the freaky paint guns with the tried and true hot rods and customs in your booth and you see why SATA had one of the best at SEMA 2010.  The Chip Foose influenced 2010 Camaro SS you might recognize, but have you seen...

Odd Custom Van Story and pictures by Mr. Freeze: Rob Zollar I swiped this little jewel from the big bad Ebay monster. A local guy had it up for sale and I talked him into selling it to me directly, (sorry if the guy in NY reads this) . For those who know my taste in vehicles this recent acquisition should come as no surprise , it's ugly, weird , strange , unique and you don't have one! It's right up my alley! Funny thing is, I was searching for a 1963 Chevy truck and on Ebay I typed 1963 and selected distance nearest and this thing came up! Info and old photo from Offroaders.com: These were produced for the federal government as postal vans from 1961 to 1965. At a mere 81” wheelbase 135” overall length and 64.7” width, they were a snap to maneuver in tight streets. In 1969 a mistake was made and a mere 100 still in inventory were auctioned off before Willys reminded the US government they were supposed to be returned not sold... a few others escaped but the rest were eventually scrapped....