Online Hot Rod Magazine and Custom Car Pics

1963 Ford Galaxie at SEMA 2012 (Click to see any picture full size) Click for everything @ 2012 SEMA Show from MyRideisMe Outside near Ford's drifting exhibition sat this purple-ish beast of a 1963 Ford Galaxie. If you're a Ford fan, when you see, "Holman Moody" your curiosity peaks (or it probably should). Here's a quick summary of the Holman Moody evolution... John Holman moved from the sun of Cali to North Carolina to run Ford's NASCAR team in 1956 and teamed up with Ralph Moody. Soon after, Ford begins to dominate NASCAR amid rumors of cheating. By 1957, still winning, Ford and other OEM's pulled out of racing after the AMA (Automobile Manufacturers Association  banned auto companies from using race wins in their advertising. Seeing an opportunity, John and Ralph formed the "Holman Moody" partnership in 1957, then Moody, with refinance money from his airplane, spent $12,000 to buy up Ford's surplus racing gear. $12k!! Assembling the, eh... leftovers, Holman Moody Fords won their first two races in 1957. From there, with a shop on the Charlotte Douglas Airport they started making all parts needed for race cars, later selling those parts to other racers. Eventually, they...

1932 Hot Rod Ford Roadster at SEMA 2012 (Click to see any picture full size) Click for everything @ 2012 SEMA Show from MyRideisMe   What better way to kick off the cool rides at the SEMA Show than with a classic hot rod from Pomona's SO-CAL Speed Shop?   This classic hot rod, staged front-and-left-center in Ford's massive balcony display, runs one of Ford Racing's wicked "Coyote" engines. Blown and fuel injected the nasty little 5-liter pumps out 625 HP through a 6 speed. The 1932 Ford Roadster blends iconic hot rod with technology.   The knockoff Halibrands riding on a SO-CAL "New Traditionalist" chassis lends that, "don't mess" attitude backed up by the "one giant scallop" salt flat inspired paint job. Alternative Automotive Technologies in Troy, MI handled the paint and final assembly with build partners, Detroit Street Rods looking on. Champions Moto, a custom motorcycle company and fashion label also from Socal, rounded out the team.   The technology comes from, of course that nasty Coyote under the hood, but also air conditioning for the hot and heated seats for when it's not.   The combination was good enough...

Best and Worst of SEMA 2012 In many ways, the picture above symbolically tells the SEMA show story... Especially the last day. I shot this Ford Mustang giving one lucky passenger the ride of their lives! Maybe, like the passenger, there was a little bit of, "Damn! I'm glad it's over!" I've spun around, everywhere, my head's a smoky haze of friends, new and old connections and feet-tires worn out to the belts! Yet I know... like every year... come next November, I'll be ready to do it again! It's SEMA! What is the SEMA Show? If you're reading this blog, you probably already know... but for those of you stumbling onto this page from a Google image search, let me explain: SEMA's nearly everyone and everything automotive on the planet jammed wall to wall, believe it or not, into the 3.2 million square feet of the Las Vegas convention center. It's massive! All mixed together, you've got nearly every car and truck represented. You'll find OEM's like Ford and Chevy with their custom creations and new models mixed in with the best custom car builders like Chip Foose,...

The Very Last Buick Grand National Built   The actual last Buick Grand National signaled the end of GM G-Body (Cutlass, Regal, Monte Carlo) production and has a starring role in BLACK AIR, The Buick Grand National Documentary.   Story info and photos provided by: Martyn L. Schorr Owned by Buick-Chevrolet-GMC Truck dealer Bob Colvin in Springhill, LA, the last production Regal Grand National (Vin #...465288) was built on December 11,1987, a few months into Buick’s 1988 model year. When Buick announced the special ultra-high-performance Grand National GNX, they also let the word out that the 245-horsepower ‘87 Grand National, known for its blistering performance and, like Ford’s Model T, available ”in any color, as long as it’s black,” would be the last of the line. The menacing monochromatic turbocharged & intercooled Grand National had run its course and rear-wheel-drive was about to become an endangered species!   Interest in the Grand National soared and Buick responded with a commitment not to limit production and build as many Grand Nationals as they could. Whereas Grand National production in 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1986 averaged approximately 2,500 units per year,...

Porsche, BMW, Mercedes and Audi on the Grass Pictures and words by Gary Lieber Being a Car Guy, August is always my favorite time to be in the San Francisco Bay area. The Monterey Peninsula is just an hour away, and for the 3rd week in August Monterey becomes the center of the car universe. Every day that week there is something going on, from the Pebble Beach Concours Run-up, to the Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca Raceway, to the many Concours and cars shows that are going on. This year I decided to attend one of the newer Concours, “The Legends of the Autobahn”. This Concours style car show is only 4 years old, but still has a local, intimate flavor to it. The Concours is held in Carmel Valley at the Rancho Canada Golf Course. The venue is just a few miles from the beautiful Pacific coastline and Pebble Beach, which provides a breathtaking background to view the cars. The Concours started out as a BMW club event, and over the years has grown to include the local Porsche, Mercedes, and Audi clubs, too. This year...

Super Clean 1960 Falcon Ranchero   Did you see the race car version of this car? When I saw this Ford Falcon Ranchero Race Car at Bonneville, owner Alan Moss said he's got another Ranchero, and it's for sale! Check it out:   1960 Ford Falcon Ranchero: Completely sandblasted inside and out, patch paneled (welded) running a 302 small block Ford with flat top pistons, a mild cam, balanced, a 500 cfm AFB. In total, there are 12,000 miles on engine and trans. It's got an AOD 4 speed auto with A+ od servo, .6:1 OD, shift kit, with updated clutch packs. It will hold any gear.   Out back, there's an 8" Ford rear with five lug Ford pattern, 3.50 ratio, open. With the 3.50 gears it is very lively in traffic but with the .6 od fourth gear it goes down the highway nicely.Up front features a Mustang II front end, disc brakes on five lug Ford Mustang II rotors, manual rack and pinion steering, 205/60x15 tires on 6x15" steel wheels.     Inside, there's a tilt column from a Cherokee, 60x40 seats from a Ranger pickup.  ...

280Z powered Falcon Ranchero Race Results   Remember this car? Just looking at it's low, built-for-racing stance, it was easily one of my favorites from Bonneville - and that's before I saw under the hood. With a Nissan 280Z inline six suppying the power, I had to ask the owner to keep me posted on his first year racing results from 2012 Bonneville Speed Week. If you need to see so more pictures, check out this 1960 Falcon Ranchero here.   Here's what Alan Morris out of Montrose, CO had to say about the first time out with his Ranchero:   "I apologize for not replying sooner. I've been busy cleaning the car, removing the engine and assessing the engine damage. Plus I needed a rest. I have thrown most of my energy at the car for about two and a half years. At 70 years old I don't seem to have that much energy anyway.   The first run (the maiden one for the car and me as well) they only want you to run to the two mile mark and pull the parachute. They don't want you to...

NHRA Pro Mods at Speed in Pictures I've always liked Pro Mod racing. Who wouldn't? I haven't posted on MyRideisMe.com about these blown and bad, funky-stretched and sleek bodied racers because, well, I ain't had a chance to FEEL them ripping by at an NHRA event. That's where my buddy Jim stepped up to help me out. Jim shoots for Optima Batteries, especially for the Optima Top Fueler driven by Dave Grubnic. When Jim asked if I wanted pictures from the St. Louis race, I said OH YEA! Before checking out these at-speed pictures, enjoy a couple fun facts about Pro Mod engines: Supercharger power adder Limited to 526 cubic inches Minimum weight 2,650 with driver Run on methanol Turbo power adder Limited to 540 cubic inches Max size of 88 mm each Minimum weight 2,650 with driver (same as for Supercharger) Runs on high octane racing gasoline Nitrous Oxide power adder No max displacement! (gulp) Minimum weight 2,425 with driver Runs on high octane racing gasoline These engines make 2500 to 4000 horsepower propelling the cars in the five second 1/4 mile realm. It wasn't long ago that...

NorCal Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures Words by N/Koljian with photos by N/Koljian, John Lemoine & Alan G It starts out in Ocala, FL in March and moves its way across the map hitting cities like Michigan and Washington ‘til it arrives in Antioch, CA for the grand finale. This year’s Billetproof kept up to past standards by being the blowout show to end a great Northern California car season. Being that it’s the last big show of the year, Alan Galbraith and the boys from the Dragoons Car Cult set out to make this a show to remember. With a car count of 850 plus and a spectator total exceeding 3000, well, you do the math. We showed up early, and I mean early, to catch the roll in. The sun was just peaking over the hills of Antioch and there was already a stable of rods 2 to 3 city blocks deep and MyRideisMe.com captured all that went down at the 16th Billetproof in 2012. (Skipping the story? See all of the photos from 2012 Billetproof right here: MyRideisMe.com's 2012 Billetproof Antioch Pictures - Or...

Photos by the great Peter Vincent Amazing Bonneville Salt Flats Streamliner Set to Run 550 mph   Five-hundred-fifty miles per hour. Yes, you read that right! This air-slippin' hot rod's set to demolish the "fastest wheel driven, piston powered" car record by 100 mph.   Here's a few details to wet the appetite: Does it look long? It should. It's 43 feet long. (13.1m) and only 3 feet high (0.91m) Frontal area is an anemic 8.61 square feet (0.8 square meters) with an included angle of 1.5 degrees Power comes from two Dodge V8 Hemi's boosted by Whipple Superchargers Fueled by alcohol, there's 2500 horsepower on tap... EACH. Power is applied by two B & J 4-speed transmissions - shifted simultaneously- by steering wheel controls   This is the Marlo Treit and Les Davenport "Target 550" streamliner. A Few of the Crew   Marlo Triet the project coordinator and from what I can see, the "ring master". On the salt at Bonneville Speed Week 2012, Marlo was tough to corner as he answered questions from curious racers, spectators and media. As I took pictures, Marlo was being filmed. From the "Crew"...

Bonneville Racers and Hot Rods on the Salt Have I said it enough times that people found on the Bonneville salt are just cool? Each year I come away from Speed Week with a few more friends. That's sort of amazing since I run around like a wild man shooting pics and trying to get feature stories... but I try, every once and a while, to kick back, have a beer and try to enjoy it all.   This year, I got to know Holly Martin, mostly through her photography. I like to study the angles, the light and the subjects of other photographers to learn from them and hopefully add something new to my own shots. I'm dig'n Holly's work!   Click here for all of MyRideisMe.com's Bonneville Salt Flat coverage.   So I asked Holly to share some photos and she generously did.  I then asked her to write about her Bonneville experience... She was shy about sharing it, but I think it came out more like poetry than a bio. Get to know Holly a little here: (and let her know what you think of her shots!)  ...

Custom Mini Bike Show in Phoenix, AZ Story and Photos by Rob Zoller A brisk 90 degree day in the Phoenix Valley pulled the hibernating zealots from their AC’d lairs to attend the event of the year. We rolled in and were pleasantly surprised to see the event already up and rolling. There was a “Mini” swap meet which drew our immediate attention and after a few great scores we turned our gaze onto the plethora of “customcool” mini bikes. There was everything from the mild to wild with Ron’s yellow racer taking top honors for speed demon, there were choppers and bobbers, stocks and mods, all were welcome. Of course we eventually wandered over to the park just across the street for some spontaneous drag racing and exhibitions of speed which drew the inevitable attention of the Phoenix PD… Everyone scattered except for the sacrificial lamb, I won’t divulge his name (Chip). We were pleasantly surprised to find that we were welcome to peruse the parking lot as long as we didn’t touch the grass… GAME ON! There will be a follow up show and drag race in...