Hot Rod Pinup Monica Renee Monica Renee is a sexy SoCal pinup with a nice paint job of her own. With a pin up girl tattooed on her arm, she is among the most sought out, inked up pinup models in the scene.  Monica's beauty has graced the pages and covers of many Tattoo and Custom car and bike magazines, and now MyRideisMe.com,  in this interview featuring photos by the lovely Mitzi Valenzuela of mitziandco.com.  Read all about Monica  in her exclusive MyRideisMe interview below, where she tells us what it is about a custom car that gets her engine purring. The custom featured in these photos is VooDoo Larry's 46 Ford. Also, make sure to catch Monica as Ms. January in Mitzi's 2011 Pinup Calendar. What a way to start the year! What is it about a custom ride that gets your engine purring? Would you consider it an an aphrodisiac? I love how each custom ride reflects a little something about its owner. Each car is done up to the owners specifications, exactly how THEY want it done. I feel that it makes a bold statement of individuality... and THAT is...

Custom Car Photography - HDR Special Ed's 1956 Buick Special shot at the Mesa Cruise - 10/24/2010 (click on shot to zoom!) What's HDR? In case you forgot, my friend Alan wrote a great story about "High Dynamic Range" or HDR. What it is, how he does it and a few resulting shots.  Alan's Car Photography HDR. Since Alan introduced me to HDR, I've always wanted to try it. I have a Nikon D90 that makes bracketing photographs easy so it was finally time to try it. How'd I do? For me, HDR either makes a WOW effect where I can't imagine seeing something so beautiful, (just so you know, I have a soft-spot for sunsets) or the photo looks too digital, faked and generally induce a three-quarter verp.  There's certain amount of funky-artsy-cool in the shot in both cases, but obviously, I'm shooting for the WOW.  Right now, I think I'm still over digitized, pretty noisy (in film it was "grainy") and showing I've never done this before.  Gonna work on it... In my defense, I used the first free HDR software set I could find. It's called...

Hot Rod Pinup Model Maybelle Lee Straight from Mizi and Co's Hot Rod Pinup Calendar, introducing Ms. Maybelle Lee shown here as Ms. November. Let's get to know her a little and see a few more shots from the calendar shoot: Who is Maybelle Lee? "She's a classy, sexy, hot rod pinup! I live off the beaten path a bit, but I like it that way. After spending so much time in the big cities modeling, attending events, and going to car shows, it is truly a breath of fresh air to come home! I'm a neat freak, but rarely on time with a great sense of humor and I LOVE to laugh at a good joke, but am SO bad at telling them! I live for getting all dolled up and stepping in front of the camera, but I also look forward to the days when I can lounge around, get dirty working on my 58 ford, play some football, go snowboarding or mess with my two American Bulldogs." Where'd you get the name Maybelle Lee? "Those who are close to me call me Lee, and I spent almost my entire...

Hot Rod Pinup Erica Vaughn Straight from sunny Socal and from the lens of pinup photographer Mitzi, welcome Erica Vaughn our October Pinup of the month. Erica's revealing a little of what she likes in an interview along with her sweet smile and devilishly red hair! The classic styled 1923 T-bucket is owned by James Dean. How did you get into pinup Modeling? I was watching alot of Charlie Chaplin silent films. I am a huge fan of Charlie Chaplin! He's directed alot of amazing actresses like Lillian Gish, Clara Bow, and many more.  By watching those wonderful women I just fell in love with the 1930's and 1940s... I've looked up to many of these inspiring women throughout there career; They're very funny, energetic, and outrageously beautiful in all their pictures. After being a fan for many years I wanted to pursue pinup/retro/fetish modeling... so I did... and I LOVE IT!!! What is your favorite car show to attend and why? My favorite car show of coarse is the Viva Las Vegas Weekender! I love this car show because there are so many events happening all the time: ...

Hot Rod Pin-up Calendar Looking for 2012's calendar? Hot Rod Pinup Calendar for 2012 from Mitzi Sometimes there's just no words! Who cares what day it is when you have the lovely Monica Renee greeting you every day of January in the brand new, 2011 Pin-up Model calendar from Mitzi and Co. Not only is Mitzi buddies with just about everyone at the shows, she's also been a great friend to MyRideisMe.com supplying several pinup model features and Pinup of the Month shots. We love Mitzi, but we love her girls better! See More of Monica Renee as Pinup of the Month here. Heating up your June, this is Emily Marilyn . Make sure to grab yourself a calendar. They're a super high quality, 11x17 portrait style, wirebound calendar for only $25. International orders are $30.  If you're not clicking Mitzi' "Buy Now" page, you might want to check your pulse! Last but not least, another friend of MyRideisMe.com, pinup Notorious Ang. As an undisputed babe and self proclaimed computer nerd, she's also a radio personality! She graced Viva Las Vegas where we grabbed these pinup of the month...

Car Show Invaded By The Gasoline Girls It was labor day weekend, and you know what that means... leaving LA for the 100 mile drive to Ventura for the weekend. Although the show's been going on for 8 years now, this year its name changed from "Primer Nationals" to "Ventura Nationals"... so don't get confused! Other then being filled with great cars, good music, a pinup contest... it was extra special because it also marked the first official show that me and my girl's car club attended together! I've been meaning to introduce ya'll to them, so no time is better then the present - say hello to the Gasoline Girls! We've been meeting up and getting together to wrench on one another's cars for a few months now  - and having a darn good time at it! Waking up early to get our old cars parked at the show is difficult (especially when there's so many after-hours activities going on!) But its a little easier when there's a pretty Studebaker waiting for you! The show was at capacity this year, with sweet customs like this one from Cole Foster....

7 Hot Rod Artist Pinstriping for Charity (part 2) Bid to win this helmet on Ebay now: Custom Pinstriping on Welding Helmet Next up is pinstriper Mitch Maciel. In case you missed it, this is the custom, brand new Lincoln Electric Viking Welding Helmets we'll auction on Ebay with the benefits going to our friends from Progeria Research. Want to see pics of the finished helmet? Right here: Finished pinstriping pictures Mitch pinstripes out of Los Angeles, CA and showed us a distinct scroll style of pinstriping. Looking for something in this style for your hot rod? Catch up with Mitch by email. And for a lady's touch, meet pinstriper Jenn Hallett The first thing you'll probably notice about Jenn is she's cute as a button! If you're smart enough to talk to her, you'll quickly learn her looks aren't her only great quality! Jenn's just cool and a talented artist. I asked about her brush prep technique... look at her fingers. Some pinstripers use glossy paper, like from a magazine, to prep their brushes for fine lines, but others use their fingertips like Jenn and Dave Whittle coming...

7 Hot Rod Artist Pinstriping for Charity Bid to win this helmet on Ebay now: Pinstriped Lincoln Electric Welding Helmet I already showed you this brand new Lincoln Electric Viking Welding Helmets we'll auction on Ebay with the benefits going to our friends from Progeria Research. More about all that, and finished pinstriping pictures here. So who did the pinstriping? Enter Von Hot Rod's Pinstriping Circus.  Pictured above, Von Hot Rod is a man of many talents. His pinstriping work is a style of it's own developed from years of striping at just about every car show including those outside this continent! Von's also been known to host the Sunday service at event's he attends. Von Hot Rod is also the man behind the Pinstriping Reunion held at the Grand National Roadster Show every year. In 2009, they raise a cool $14 g's for charity. So when I asked Von and his Pinstriping Circus for help, I knew he'd do it. The picture above shows Von pinstriping on the welding helmet. Having these photos showing where the helmet came from has got to add to it's collectible provenance, right?...

Pinstriping for Charity Bid to win this helmet on Ebay now: Custom Pinstriped Welding Helmet The good people at Lincoln Electric gave MyRideisMe.com some of their new Viking Welding Helmets to use as give-aways. (that's my full disclosure!)  As much as I wanted this simple gloss black helmet (#2815-1) for myself (plus the pinstriping from buddy) I decided to auction it for charity with the help of Von Hot Rod's Pinstriping Circus. What charity? With so many great ones out there, I don't want to choose, so I'm sticking with our friends from Progeria Research. They're nearing a cure that could save these kids and I want to be a part of it. I also think the world of the Foose Family for what they've been through and what they continue to do for Progeria.  Take 5 minutes to read this story of courage: Amy Foose. You'll be glad you did. So here's the helmet! I'll auction this helmet on Ebay with 100% of the proceeds going to Progeria... It's listed Right Now! The story is live in Lincoln Electric's iWeld Newsletter. (September 2010) I've created the Ebay listing...

The Hot Rod Industry BMX Challenge (HRIC) is just a few weeks away! Tim and Carrie Strange from  Strange Motion Rod & Custom sent over this info about the 2nd Annual BMX Challenge held at the massive Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, KY, August 5-8th. (More info about the Street Rod Nationals) Here's the BMX Challenge Info: We are really excited about the BMX Challenge this year - we have changed the rules just a little - for the HRIC you must be a participant or vendor at the Street Rod Nationals - the BMX race is once again FREE of charge for you to participate in BUT to mix it up a little and to help give you guys and the spectators a better show we challenge you to "get sponsored". We will be running a Pro/Am mixed in with the Hot Rod Challenge and in order to bring in the "big guns" we have to show them the money! So we challenge you to get a sponsor for your race.  Along with your name being announced during the race your sponsor will get some plugs as well! ...

When we hit a show, especially one with hot rods EVERYWHERE like the LA Roadster Show, we always try to grab some pinstriping pictures.  Take these pictures and use them for inspiration for work on your own car, or if you're just starting out, use the various styles as a reference. This is one of my favorite shots. Is this striping really old or just made to look that way? If we shot some of your work, let us know! Leave a comment below... Make sure to see the entire pinstriping gallery here: Pinstriping pictures from the LA Roadster...

Pin-ups and Hot Rods, What Could be Better? Pictures and words by Tim Hunter It’s hard to say Kristabelle without smiling and it’s even more challenging to see Kristabelle without smiling. Her warmth and presence brightens a room and even an entire car show – as we found out at the Shifter’s Car Show - Viva Las Vegas #13. The story of how Kristabelle and I started shooting together begins in 2008 at an event called Artease 2 at the Lightspeed Gallery in Costa Mesa. Kristabelle and I had written back and forth on Myspace and I’d told her she was “The Brightest Smile on Myspace” because in all of her photos, she absolutely beamed happiness with that signature smile of hers. Out of the blue in October of 2008, Kristabelle texts me she’s going to a pin-up contest at an event called Rumble in Ramona, did I want to come along? I told her I’d meet her there and we’d do some pictures. On the way, I text her, “Let’s go win a pin-up contest today.” And she won!! Also that same day, she did her first shoot...