Background and Details on the 2012 AMBR Winner How did editors and writers work before Google? I searched for some info on the man who started the 2012 America's Most Beautiful Roadster winning hot rod: Jack Howerton. I found this great video of "Jackie"  from back in the day: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUDD3gph8LM[/youtube] You can really see the expression of Jack's racing past in the AMBR car. Then, I found this great video by Cars.tv from the SoCal shop interviewing Pete Chapouris about the Indy Speedster following the shakedown runs. Needless to say, Pete likes it... [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cmFefotPwg[/youtube] So here it is: America's Most Beautiful Roadster: Bill Lindig's Indy Speedster If you missed them: Past Winners from the Grand National Roadster...

2012 AMBR Winner - The Indy Speedster Enjoy the pictures and for any picture, click on it to see the full-size image. America's Most Beautiful Roadster: Bill Lindig's Indy Speedster I got lucky, or was I good? I managed to find Houston's Bill Lindig while the crowds started pouring into the Fairplex on Friday of the 2012 Grand National Roadster Show. I asked for an interview and the gracious Bill did NOT say, "I'm waiting for Rodder's Journal". 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! The story of the Indy Speedster goes back 16 years. Bill's friend, Jack Howerton, is an Indy Car and sprint car driver - and builder as you can see - that wanted a race car inspired hot rod like the old sprint cars he used to drive. About 12 years ago, Jack had started the chassis, then the build kinda stalled a little, then Steve Moal from Moal Coachbuilders helped the project along, but when Bill saw it...

Ten Hot Rod Roadsters at Grand National Roadster Show 2012 It's time for you to decide... Vote for your favorite below. The Grand National Roadster Show is the best west coast hot rod and custom car show. Anyone want to argue that? Did you come here looking for the winning roadster? Winner! 2012 America's Most Beautiful Roadster - click here Start with 10 of the finest roadsters competing for the America's Most Beautiful Roadster award, then get surrounded by every other kind of hot rod, street rod and custom... But there's more! Lowriders, some sports cars and motorcycles join the show, too. With two cars competing for this year's AMBR from Texas and one down from Idaho and another from Oklahoma, it's safe to say the SoCal and western build crews are bringin out the big guns for a shot at hot rod's biggest trophy. It's gonna be a tough call on which roadster wins... what do you think? Cast your vote, but don't worry, there's never any politics with this award... Enjoy the pictures and for any picture, click on it to see the full-size image. America's Most...

Hot Rods and Custom Cars at 2012 GNRS in Pomona, CA If you're looking for the "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" Pictures Click here. Just in case you can't make it to the Grand National Roadster Show this weekend, MyRideisMe.com is bringing the show to you! Of course, if you're anywhere near Pomona, California we'd suggest you make it out in person. GNRS is running from January 27th-29th at the Pomona Fairplex. Besides showcasing a dozen of the highest-quality show roadsters you've ever seen, competing for the AMBR Award, Grand National's also has many other exhibit halls with some of the best looking customs, classics, lowriders, and more! To start things off, is James Hetfield's 1937 Lincoln Zephyr. If this auburn beauty looks familiar, its because it's the cover feature of the fresh-off-the-press Rod & Custom. With more custom features than we can name, it's conception was at the Grand National Roadster Show - so it's only fitting that it be on display here for you to drool all over. It didn't take us long to get to one of our favorite halls, the Suede Palace where this golden El...

2012 Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, CA Here's a short, top five must-do checklist of things to do when you're at the show: 1) Find it! And know your way around. Access to Gate 9 Parking from I10 traveling West and from I10 traveling East Then, a map of the Pomona Fairplex where the show is: The layout of the show changes every year, somewhat, except for the America's Most Beautiful Roadster contending cars are always in building 4 and the Suede Palace (which is building 10) a good place to stop as you enter the show. For cost info, show hours and the other boring details, go to Rodshows.com info page. 2) See the 12 Contenders for America's Most Beautiful Roadster 2011 America's Most Beautiful Roadster This is the 2011 winning 1934 Roadster owned by Daryl Wolfswinkel and built by Squeeg's Kustoms in Chandler, AZ. Here's the 2008 to 2011 AMBR winners. Can't wait? Here's the 2012 AMBR Winner! The 12 AMBR Contenders are some of the best hot rods you'll ever see... all with no roll-up windows as a true roadster must be. Need to know more...

Each year in December, Mooneyes throws their Xmas Party Show & Drags. Out of all the car shows here in Southern California, this is one of my favorites. Not only does it have plenty of cool cars and a great people - but it's held at Irwindale Speedway and has a "run what ya brung" drag racing event alongside everything else! Often, it happens to be raining during the Mooneyes Xmas Show - but this year was nothing but blue skies and beautiful weather! I loved the exhaust coming off this little pickup. Walking past this bare-metal Volkswagon van/bus made me do a double take! I've never seen anything like it! Not only for the fact that it's a VW and is in bare metal - but because the body style was completely original to me too! With the front having 4-doors and looking like a VW van, but then it's got this delivery-truck bed in back complete with awning above! Come to find out, this thing is called a VW Vanogen. I love seeing new and unique stuff... ...and Mooneyes Xmas Show always brings it on! For example,...

Best of the Best at SEMA 2011 Each year, SEMA brings 1000s to Las Vegas for the most complete aftermarket automotive show on earth. I can give you the numbers, but it's still hard to describe how huge SEMA is. Start by imagining that it fills up all of the 3.2 million square feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center. SEMA 2012 had over 100,000 attendees and 2,000 exhibitors. With this much going on, SEMA is the place to find the newest cool products and cutting edge cars! Since this event isn’t open to public - MyRideisMe was there to get the inside scoop for you! Best New Products With the abundance of companies exhibiting, you can find about anything you’re looking for at SEMA. Since I’m still a novice mechanic – my “best of” reflects things I would be excited to add to my own car. Edelbrock E-Street Fuel Injection System I know EFI systems have been around for awhile to convert your carbureted engine to fuel injection - but not until I saw the newest offering from Edelbrock had I ever considered one for my own car. This E-Street Fuel...

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...

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....

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...

NorCal Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures- N/K The sun was far from coming up when I was standing on the corner of 10th St in Antioch waiting on Villainz car club member Scott Coppack to pick me up. The night before I told Scott I would love to help the guys set up around the House of Style booth which feature phenom pinstripers-slash-painters Kyle Martin and John Christensen. Come to find out Scott had already pulled in to the show and was setting up. If it wasn't for Villainz John Lemoine with his sweet burnt orange 49 and his keen eye for black sticker-mobbed camera cases I probably would have been out in front till they let the public in. Well... probably not, but you get the picture.   (All of Nick's pictures from Billetproof here in the MyRideisMe.com Hot Rods and Customs gallery)     Upon entering the show, we grab our swag bag, pay the reggie fee and head to our designated area, which I might say was quite perfect! Under shade trees, right across from pinstriping mad men Rich Luna and Mr.Wims booth and...