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...

Hot Rod Pinup Ms. Doris Mayday Doris Mayday, a name well known in the Pinup Up community, has been considered a modern day Marilyn Monroe. Platinum blonde hair, ruby red lips, curves that kill, are just a few traits of this blonde bombshell hailing from Sin City itself, Las Vegas. With a resume longer than some pin ups will ever have, Doris is super accomplished at the age of just 21, and it's no wonder why... one look at her and you'll know why she is at the top of every one's favorite pin up list. Doris is a beauty and has the brains to back up those gorgeous looks. Not just a model, Doris loves to style her own shoots from floor to ceiling and spends a lot of her time scouring antique shops for priceless memorabilia of days gone by to use in her shoots. Doris is one of a kind, in a world full of Brunette Bettie's, this blonde siren stands out. Check her out in Mitzi&Co's 2011 Pin Up Calendar. Pick yours up on Mitzi&Co's site before they are all gone. I could ramble on all day...

Old Cars Take On New Life In The Winter Snow Snow, cold, and winter weather lock up many a classic car in the safety of a garage. Here in So Cal, we're lucky that our old cars get to hit the roads 365 days a year! During a recent trip up to Montana - since there were no old cars on the road - I grabbed my camera and went wondering to find some old beasts out in the snow. Although my inner "mom" wanted to tow these all to safety and restoration - I think the setting made for some cool pictures. So if you live in a snowy area - enjoy these and stand by until warmer weather. But if you live in a place like lovely Southern California - count your blessings and take your car for a cruise! May this New Year find you all in good and joyful adventures! Happy Trails, Grease Girl All that poor rust, but this 1953 Chevy's hood ornament is still in good shape! John Deere standing proud with tin can covering the exhaust and all. An old Ford logo...

Gymkhana Racing in California Invitational only! This means that only professional race car drivers of various disciplines were invited for a no holds barred gymkhana match at Mr. Block's home field, Toyota Speedway in Irwindale CA. The tire smoke has finally settled after the first ever competition style Gymkhana Grid event on December 4th 2010. The word around the digital informational highway is that the internationally hyped up event had definitely lived up to its expectations and best of all, it looks as though everyone, especially the drivers had waaay too much fun out there! Professional driver, Xgames champion, Top Gear USA host and renaissance man Tanner Foust was killing it out there with his Rockstar Energy Ford Fiesta. Congratulations to Foust, as he managed to score 1st place podium in the AWD class, above Ken Block at his own event! The final battle was a heated one... it was a test of pure skill and gracefulness to pilot their race cars around the track without any mistakes. The drifters seemed to rule the event, as Daijiro Yoshihara in the Discount Tire Nissan 240SX grabbed the RWD 1st place...

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...

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...

Gymkhana Racing - The Next Big Thing? Gymkhana may sound like a name of some small third world country, but its actually a type of auto racing that's beginning to take solid shape in the United States. With the popularity and influence gained from Autocross, Drifting, and Rally racing, Gymkhana's attempting to be the next big motorsport trend for the coming years. Currently, there is one man in the United States that holds the key to the sport's popularity votes, and it seems as though he's on the right track. Ever heard of the Rally driver Ken Block? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC6eHZ1qeys[/youtube] Ken Block has all the tools he needs to make Gymkhana a success and perhaps even re-write the entire definition of the sport.  So far, with huge corporate backing from DC Shoes/Monster/Ford, Ken Block's Gymkhana videos have made the list as some of the most viewed, viral video in the entire world simply because car stunts are awesome to watch. The automobile acrobatics, cinematography, creative editing, the sounds, all in HD goodness!! I suggest going to Full screen mode, crank up the sound, and enjoy the intensity of what a...

Best Pictures from 2010 Goodguys Southwest Nationals My new desktop picture! As I get older, the list of reasons for getting up EARLY in the morning oddly keeps getting longer... it used to be simply fishing. Next as Pops started to take me racing, I added, "going to a drag race" and then as I got more interested in cars, I added, "going to a swap meet." Now I've added, "taking pictures with morning sunshine." See the dude laying on the ground for this shot? That's me! I see alot of people cruising car shows taking pictures... some with gear much nicer than me, and quite a few using their cell phones. What are you doing with those pics? I wanted to cover cool shows like Goodguys Scottsdale with the best pictures I could, so I started watching guys like Paul "Swanee" Swanson take pics and trying to shoot like him.  (here's a few of Swanee's 2010 Goodguys Pictures from this year) Then, I sought out some other pros and got some tips on Shooting Good Car Pictures. I'm learning! Or maybe it's just the morning sky!  Who cares!!...

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...

Best Product Display at SEMA 2010 How many different ways can you show a car battery? At some point, are there new ways to show anything?  I could recommend a SEMA babe or a radical custom car in your booth... or of course both!  Optima chose a different path with their "Wall of Power" display and I dig it. It's a "Best Product Display of SEMA 2010". Assembled inside the glass "Power" display were several red top, yellow top and blue top batteries that were all bought back from users and all tested to be in proper working condition. No small feat given the extreme duty these batteries endured! Shown here is a blue top battery taken straight from the land speed racing effort of the North American Eagle. The North American Eagle is your every day 43,000 horsepower, F104 Jet Chassis and J-79 jet engined rocket ship! The controls, data acquisition and something you might agree is important, the parachutes, are all controlled by a series of deep cell batteries like these blue top Optimas. After the chutes failed at 300mph plus due to the extreme temperatures and...

Time Attack Racing Wrap-up November 14th 2010- Another intense Redline Time Attack season comes to an end at the Autoclub Speedway in Fontana California.  The NASCAR Sprint Cup course has a killer top speed oval bank exit at 160mph and beyond, followed by high speed apex, chicane, and treacherous maneuvers. This season, numerous records have been broken as well as the dreams of podium finishes for many of the teams that were competing. With many of the modern Japanese imports such as R35 GTR, Mitsubishi Evo X, and even Hyundai Genesis competing in this series, every year is a step up in terms of excitement and technological advancements in the automobile tuning world. Hats off to driver Jeff Westphal of GST Motorsports piloting the Impreza for the new track record of 1:35.548 and placing 1st in the Super Modified AWD class. There were only a handful of Super Modified AWD vehicles left standing in the finals, nevertheless, the COBB Tuning R35 GTR driven by Brian Lock (1:37.548) has placed second and made an astounding presence in the US time attack industry today. Third place for this class was Trent...