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...

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...

Hot Rods, Custom Cars, Land Speed Racers and Classics 2014 GNRS in Pomona, CA If you're looking for the "2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster" contender pictures, click here For more Hot Rod and Custom Car Pictures from GNRS, click here   Welcome to 2014!   The 2014 Grand National Roadster Show should be designated the 8th wonder of the world or at least placed up there well in line with the Super Bowl or what's it called? Oh yeah, the World Series! For addicted car people, this grand daddy of car shows puts virtually every kind of vehicle right in front of you...most within touching distance AND you get to see the contenders for the prestigious "American's Most Beautiful Roadster"! Really now...can anything be better?   There's still time to enjoy the festivities as the show runs through Saturday and Sunday, January 26 and 27.   It's tough to roll out favorites because there's just so much to choose from but here's just a few from the hundreds that are awaiting the crowds expected to finish out this wild car weekend in the Pomona Fairplex. We've spent one very...

2013 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals- Sleeper 1965 L-79 Chevelle     Gordon Rohde looked over his plain-jane 1965 Chevelle 300 like a proud papa and said “losing just 17 points in judging sure isn’t too bad.” Particularly when you find out this car has a racing history which many times can complicate a restoration. “I left some of the parts on the car from when I originally raced it,” said Gordon. “Just couldn’t see taking them off for a few extra judging points.”   On display at last month’s 2013 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, the 38,000 mile L-79 equipped two-door sedan looked almost out of place among the surrounding muscle cars and Corvettes. Plain Jane and super subtle, you bet! Gordon brought it to the Rosemont Convention Center to see how he had done in bringing the little street terror back to life. “Lost some points for some incorrect bolts on the flywheel cover and the homemade driveshaft loop plus I still have the mounting pads welded up front for the tow bar.” He just didn’t have the heart to pull them off.   Gordon knows this...

1987 GMC Jimmy "Square Peg" at 2013 SEMA Show   This is the 7th installment of Best of SEMA Show 2013... One more custom truck that might be the cleanest Jimmy you've ever seen!     Laid out in the Painless Performance booth, feast your eyes on Mike and Sarah Losh's "Square Peg" Jimmy. To really appreciate this truck, look back on where it came from. How about starting with a 1987 GMC JIMMY 4x4, then with tons of patience and help from a few SEMA sponsors converting that into a 2WD, frame laying out on the ground LS powered custom hauler!   Here's the before pictures:     A solid old truck to start with, but the transformation is IMPRESSIVE!!   As beautiful as this truck is from the outside, the inside was a plush work of art... nothing less for Mike's beautiful bride, right? I especially like how the plaid interior fabric's a throwback to the original interior found in the 4x4. Those kinds of subtle-cool touches set this truck apart. That's a Painless Performance compact fuse panel hiding in the glove box.     Square Peg. Yes, in...

1954 COE with 450HP Cummins at 2013 SEMA Show   This is the 6th installment of Best of SEMA Show 2013... Why not something totally unexpected?     First of all, what the heck is this? Well, if you're not familiar with Welderup, then this custom 1954 GMC COE (stands for cab over engine) might come as a bit of a shock. Then again, if this is shocking to you... you probably haven't ever been to SEMA!   Trucks like this... Yes TRUCKS... hammered on the ground rocking engines with grunt-enough to to rip your neighbor's Dodge a brand-new-one... That's really what SEMA showcases most! Filthy as the VIP salon of "Glitter's" in Las Vegas, over-the-top power and excess. Yep. WE LOVE THAT!     Plus, COE's are just cool. My buddy Rob built a long bed COE shown here in a keyless ignition how-to. I rode in Rob's COE. It cruises low and comfortable on air, A/C on, with plenty of power from a gutsy small block Chevy. Rob's COE turns heads like this one does, even without the bright green Cummins diesel out back!     Here it is... a...

Custom Chevy Corvair Even Ralph would Love at 2013 SEMA Show   This is the 5th installment of Best of SEMA Show 2013... Carrie Strange's Corvair, eh FRONT engine Corvair!!     In the early 1990's, "Dare to be Different" was the battle cry of the street machine crowd, and many alternative body styles were sought out and made into some bad-ass rides. From radical little Nash-bodied pro-streeters to slammed Studebakers and odd-year Buicks, it all became fair game.   Tim Strange has built his share of different cars over the years, even a wild, Hemi-powered 1951 DeSoto, so it should come as no surprise that when his wife Carrie wanted a Periwinkle-hued, no make that orchid hued, front engine Corvair that he'd be all over it.   And all over it in record time!   Tim and Carrie built this stunning Corvair in three and-a-half months (between another SEMA build and customer cars, no less!) in their Nashville-based shop, Strange Motion Rod and Custom Construction.     Starting with a Fat Man front stub, Tim built a custom 2x4-inch tube chassis, mounting the side draft-carbed 4.3L V-6 and TH-2004R...

1923 Track T Hot Rod Roadster at 2013 SEMA Show   This is the 4th installment of Hot Rods at SEMA Show 2013. This ones so cool, I had to show it!     In case you didn't know, I have a 1927 Ford Roadster. It's built in the style of a "modified" roadster. In my wildest dreams, my hot rod roadster would look this great! I guess besides being old Ford Roadsters, they're not much alike...   Unlike the 4-banger in my roadster, this one's running a Chevrolet IMSA Spec LS3. What does that mean besides, "TONS of go in a small, lightweight car". According to the show card, this is 1 of 2 prototypes built using a monocoque frame. Careful design including a handmade steel body with an aluminum track nose and hood results in a featherweight 1600 lbs dry.   Look at that silhouette!   The builder is listed as Track Master Products. I looked and didn't find a website, but these guys killed it. I want to fold up my legs, forget ever having a full size man as a passenger and go for a long, but high...

Custom and Deadly 1940 Ford Truck at 2013 SEMA Show   Another SEMA 2013 Hot Rod and this one's KOSMIC!   Looks like I'm on a 1940 Ford Hot Rod kick for SEMA Show 2013. Picking some of my favorite hot rods, it just so happens that one's the 1940 Ford from Chaotic Customs (and #2 in my best of) and the other's the "Kosmic Outcast" 1940 Ford Pickup, aka: "Intergalactic Weapon of Destruction!"  (at least that's what the show card said!!)     I didn't get a chance to talk with the owners or builders on this terrific custom hot rod, but I had to post pictures... if you can stand out in the shadow of the HUGE Ford display, then you've really stepped up, don't you think? Hats off to the builders at Hot Rod Chassis and Cycle!     Luckily, the show card tells part of the story... Besides proclaiming this the Intergalactic Weapon of Destruction, we learned the blown beast up front is a 1959 Oldsmobile 371 Rocket. And no, it's not hooked to an old lady's automatic... it's hooked to a 5 speed TKO600! I totally dig...

Streched and Custom 1940 Ford Truck at 2013 SEMA Show   Once again, is SEMA known for Hot Rods? Ahhh... maybe it's time we changed our minds! I've got a couple more hot rods from SEMA Show 2013 to share with you! This one's from our friends at Chaotic Customs in Kansas. Owners Chris and Karma Carlson hooked up with NAPA Auto Parts and Martin Senour Paints to have the freshly done hot rod pickup in their SEMA booth. A wise choice!     We ran through the details on how truck owner Mike Young had his eye on 1949-1951 Chevy Fleetlines but Chris knew of a fairly clean 1940 Ford pickup. When Mike saw the 1940 Ford, Mike said confidently, "You can't drink it pretty!" (turns out that wasn't quite true...)   The story's your typical "barn find" truck out of Mulvane, Kansas that was... was going to be a nice driver. "It got out of hand..."     When you review all the build pictures, you'll start to see all the customizing work done by Chris totaling 200 body mods. After trying some body work myself, I'm most impressed on how...

Injected Ford SOHC 1932 Ford Roadster at 2013 SEMA Show   Is SEMA known for Hot Rods? I have to say late model cars (unfortunately) dominate at the SEMA Show. There are times when I felt like I was tripping over the new Camaro, Mustang and of course, the Scion FR-S.  Those are the "modern day hot rods" I guess, so it could be worse.   But could it be any better than this?     I think not!   The beast you're staring at is an original, "Sock" motor. If you heard that and said, "WHAT??" Then let me clue you in. Sock refers to SOHC or single over head cam. You'll also hear it called a "Cammer" motor refering again to the overhead cam design. Ford, in the glory days of racing, back in 1964, set forth on the world one of it's most glorious creations. Why? (besides why not!) They were merely trying to compete with the Chrysler 426 HEMI at the track. What's the harm in that?     The Ford Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) 427 engine left the drawing board based on the hipo 427...

More Custom Vans at 2013 SEMA Show   I already mentioned the "Chrome Gypsy" custom For Econoline van, now it's time for a Dodge and Chevy custom van.   Has the SEMA Show changed their criteria? Are they letting just about anything in the show now? Or... are these some RAD, well done vans that make a clear statement: Custom Vans are back!     First up, a van named, "Van del Oro" and we'd have to agree... Van of GOLD! In the morning sun (unfortunately parked in the shadow of a huge column) this van was glowing. A quick peak inside said the beauty was more than skin deep.     With more gold, and I think a little more metal flake on the interior highlighted by a Mooneyes steering wheel, chrome dash and Moon pedal, there's a clear attention to detail. Upholstery was by Howdy Ledbetter Upholstery and looked clean, custom and comfortable.   Under the engine cover? How about a 380 HP 360 Dodge. Toy's by Tommy and owner ??? (help here) are keeping it in the Dodge family. Thank you for not dropping in a...