Hot Rod & Custom Car Photography Photos & Text by: Mark Stacks of Tin Woody Photo - Click on any image to see it full size Like the last two galleries we've put up lately, the California Hot Rod Reunion and the LOWTECH Hot Rods, Mark's got a style all his own. He was kind enough to share some of his favorites with us as part of the "Best of" series I'm doing on folks like me who want to improve their photography overall, and have a passion for hot rods! Custom street rod at the October 2011 Golden Super Cruise In Mark's words: I'm a hobbyist photographer that really loves cars and their culture.  My goal in taking photos of car is to tell a little a bit of a story of the car, show some of its character, and maybe include a little mood or emotion. It may be a pipe dream, but if could have a viewer thinking they smell the gasoline or the rust...well, that would awesome! I go everywhere looking for cars to photograph, shows, rural farms, industrial areas, back alleys, if there is...

Custom 1960 Cadillac 1960 Cadillac Shot at the 2011 Goodguys in Scottsdale, AZ (Click on any pic to see full size) What's eight and a half Coors Light cans tall and a mile long? This 1960 Custom Cadillac built by Scott's Insane Chops in Lake Havasu City, AZ for owner David Hoekstra. It's got to be obvious by now, right? I shoot and publish stories about cars I like. You've probably seen I have an, arguably un-natural, hankerin' for wagons, but I also like what's more mainstream too... if you call 225 inches of laid out Caddy mainstream!   Need more evidence Sic Chops knows custom Caddillacs? Check out his latest, a chopped 1959 Cadillac Convertible. With 'bout 2300 cars packed into West World for the 2011 November Goodguys show, it takes a special bling to stop you in your tracks. This 60 Caddy did it so well the 'guys moved this car to front and center for all to see. Makes for great visibility and crappy photos with heads poking out all over the place. Still, the graceful elegance of the now 44 inch tall bad-to-the-bone Caddy woulda...

Traditional Hot Rod & Custom Car Photography Casny Coupe The entirely home-built model A coupe of Chris Casny on the way to the HAMB BBQ. Photos by Marc Woeltinger - LOWTECH Garage Photography Recently I've had a few people ask me, where do you get the stories and photos for MyRideisMe.com? The answer really is, all over the place! That's been most true lately as fantastic photos pour in from new friends on the web. I missed the Hot Rod Reunion Drags at Famoso Raceway, but thanks to Tim Scott's photography, we all get to see it. Same goes for these shots by Marc Woeltinger. From Switzerland with an eye for vintage steel, Marc's been holding a camera since he was 10 years old, but says he, "started getting really into it in 2008. Winfield Mercury This old leadsled is sitting in the Mojave desert in Gene Winfield’s back yard. Now working in the advertising industry, his knowledge of color and style is paying off. In his words: American car culture is my passion. I love to shoot traditional hot rods and customs and try to capture the stories...

Hot Rods & Nostalgia Drags at 20th Annual California Hot Rod Reunion Shooting with a vintage 1953 Zeiss Ikoflex twin lens reflex camera, Tim Scott captures the beauty of the hot rods and nostalgia diggers at one of the coolest drag races on the planet! Dig the warmth of these photos as Tim takes photographic demons of the past out for little ride... (Click on any picture to see it full size) Photos & Story By Tim Scott - Scott Photo Co. - www.scottphoto.co This was my second year attending the Hot Rod Reunion at Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, CA. October 20-23 were the dates of this amazing event for 2011, and this year certainly didn't disappoint. See, I'm not much of a car show guy. I love vintage cars, motorcycles and speed, but I really don't care for the attitudes that often come with car or motorcycle cliques. I don't care if you're a Harley Davidson or an import bike rider. I don't care if you're a "rat-rod" fan or a custom fan. If you work on and ride/drive your toys – respect. Just leave the attitude at...

Wes Coleman's '49 Ford Shoebox America's fascination with aviation during World War II would bring about a paradigm shift in automotive styling that would produce some of the most iconic designs in history. Bold styling cues inspired by fighter planes such as the P51 Mustang and P40 Warhawk quickly found their way onto design boards and eventually onto the assembly lines of Detroit. No where were these brazen new styling cues more evident than on the redesigned 1949 Ford. Known throughout the kustom kulture as the "shoebox" Ford, the 49 - 51's were an instant favorite with early customizers and have remained arguably the most popular kustom since. The popularity of the shoebox Ford would eventually reach Wes Coleman of Arlington, TX in 2003. Always a fan of classics and custom cars, a meeting with his now good friend and fellow Lucky 13 car club member, John Bumpus ("Bump" to his friends), would solidify Wes's next project - a custom '49 Ford.  Soon after, Wes located an original owner '49 Ford Tudor Sedan with minimal rust that would serve as a canvas for the project. Bump introduced Wes to renowned customizer and member of the legendary Beatniks Car...

Best of Custom Cars SEMA 2011 1969 AMC AMX - Project AMXess - OWNER - Jimi Day - Grafton, WI - BUILDER - D&Z Customs - Kewaskum, WI SEMA always brings in the best. From the smallest, trick little nut or bolt you didn't even know you needed to these, full-tilt, no expense spared custom hot rods and pro-touring rockets... SEMA's the place to be for anything automotive. Chances are, if you're reading MyRideisMe.com, you already know that, but this is the 2011 SEMA kickoff to show you just one taste of what will be there and let you know we'll have lots more! For your SEMA-tease, here's AMXess. Our buddies over at Centerforce Clutch leaked this picture and info. You know we're AMC fans since we ran this 1974 AMC Hornet concept drawing. "AMXess" as it's called, is a full on pro-touring AMX designed for the street and the track.  We've meshed the best of both performance and design by maintaining the iconic AMC heritage lines while updating the entire drive train and suspension package with todays state-of-the-art components. AMXess runs parts from Centerforce Clutch, of course, but...

Fall Fiasco: The Best Small Car Show of the Year This time every year the Swanx car club holds their Fall Fiasco car show. It signifies another successful Northern California car show season is nearing the end. Usually you would think it would be a big shindig with all the trimmings. Maybe a show so loaded with clubs that it would be SRO. Perhaps a plethora of vendors flooding the parking lots or even a band list that would resemble a 1978 Day on the Green. Not so... Rather than going out in bright lights and flash. Like every year, the Swanx Fall Fiasco, number 12 of it's long reign. went out in comforting style. Held at Allen-Simmons in Cordelia, CA, a quaint little area tucked back in the city's southwest side right next to Interstate 80's big billboards and other freeway propaganda perfect for pictures. I wanted to get to the show early this morning and drop off MyRideisMe.com swag and some cool pics I had matted for the raffle. Upon arrival I met up with Swanx car club guru Gunar Hansken to drop off the raffle goodies....

1960 Ford Falcon Project I recently pulled my Ford Falcon into the garage with plans of figuring out what’s going on with it. This weekend I dug in and really enjoyed myself! For years, most wrenching days have had a deadline. When Studie was my only car I had to get things fixed right away, which meant some stressful times in the garage. This weekend’s job was nice and relaxing (albeit dirty!) Here’s what I did… I began with a good solid de-greasing of the engine. Boy was this a messy job! Every inch of the engine and oil pan was covered in oil and grime. One can of engine gunk, one can of brake clean, a good amount of Purple Power, some wire brushes, a scraper, and a roll of shop towels later… The engine was clean but boy was I greasy! Once the engine was clean, I figured a good place to start was the plugs. Not knowing the history of this engine, I have no idea what’s been done to it! As I pulled the plugs things didn’t look too bad until I got to spark...

Custom Car Gathering at Winfield Watson Car Show 2011 In the world of Customs, Gene Winfield is a legend. So what better place to have a custom car show then at his place? Gene's shop is located outside of Mojave, about 2 hours from Los Angeles. Originally Gene Winfield and Larry Watson started this car show and now Gene carries it on - assisted by the Rod Tossers Car Club. It isn't a huge car show in terms of numbers, but people from all over the world come into town just to make this show! Me and my fellow Gasoline Girl, Lori made the trek out to the show together. Sometimes its nice to get out of the congested LA freeways and onto the open road! Upon arrival, there were all sorts of cool customs - Not to mention all of Gene's projects. Inside one bay, was this very cool rebuild of a custom van. This van looks more cartoon than real - I love the mouth-like offset grill. Walking around outside was like being in a candy store - Bright colors and an array of custom details everywhere...

Facts You Need Choosing Classic Car Insurance There's no doubt, if you own a classic car - your baby that's been in your family's garage for your whole life... Or, you own a stable of classics: hot rods, muscle cars and few exotics mixed in for fun. You need to insure those cars, and classic car insurance is the way to go. To figure out what you need to start, or what you might want to think about when switching, here's a few helpful articles to steer you along the way. 5 Things to Know about Classic Car Insurance Why change insurance? Here's two reasons: Better coverage for less money! (and that's with the same deductible)It's easy to pay your premium every year without ever asking, is this the best I can get? Check it out this year and let these Tips for Classic Car Insurance get you started. . Agreed Value Insurance Explained This is what you're looking for, so find out what it is, how it's established and how MyRideisMe.com can make it easier. Some of the simple answers might surprise you. Also, does your classic car...

18,000 Mile 1955 Chevy Bel Air Classic To say Chevy's relaunch of the Bel Air in 1955 kick started an automotive revolution would be a understatement. As the first entry into what would become known throughout the world as the "shoebox Chevy", the 55 Bel Air became one of the most iconic Chevrolets in history, right up there with the Corvette and the Camaro. Highlights for the model year include the first year for a 12V electrical system and the timeless "eyebrows" over the front headlights. Designers extended the front fenders just over the headlights giving the remodeled Bel Airs what appears to be a raised eyebrow when viewed from the front. Features in films such as "Two-Lane Blacktop" and "American Graffiti" increased the mystique surrounding the 55 Bel Air ten-fold. And when Harrison Ford's character Bob Falfa staged his 55 Chevy against "The fastest  thing in the valley", Milner's coupe, you could easily argue the car helped launch his career. The 55 Bel Air's popularity stretches across the gamut of auto enthusiasts. Its sleek accents and generous use of chrome captured the attention of customizers just as the lightweight and easy acceptance of...

Classic Car Insurance -Agreeing on the Right Value As classic car enthusiasts, we're always working on our cars. In the process, we may add significant value. Are you reviewing your classic car insurance policy to keep up with your changes? Condon Skelly is the official insurance company for MyRideisMe.com, so I asked them for some detail information on “agreed value" insurance. With what I learned, you should be careful to keep your agreed value policy up to date. Read on... One of the benefits of Condon Skelly’s Collector Vehicle policy is the agreed value feature. Agreed value can be established from an appraisal or through photos and discussions with Condon Skelly's car-guy staff... Either way, it's a must to insure your collector car at a value that protects your investment. Don't make the mistake underinsuring in hopes of saving a few dollars on the policy... that can have terrible consequences! Consider the following before you “Agree” to the wrong value: Don't Underinsure Your Classic Car It can be tempting to insure your collector car for less than it’s worth – after all, a smaller agreed value means a smaller...