As a Viva LasVegas car show virgin, I drove blindly into a sea of horseshit opinions about what the Rockabilly Weekender is... without first hand experience, I checked and heard varying opinions about the show, especially about what I'm most interested in, the strolling pinups... no, scratch that, the hot rods! Just like the saying goes, everyone's got an opinion and I have to say, most of what I heard STANK! Living in Arizona, and only about 5 hours from Las Vegas, I decided to roll up and check for myself. (so here's my opinion... keep the air-freshener handy) First off, what had I heard about the Viva Las Vegas Car Show or "Rockabilly Weekender" as it's called? I heard the quality of cars sucked. NOT true. I heard it wasn't a fun crowd. Also not true. Then, even though I'm not a big rockabilly fan, I did enjoy the music... and I only got to hear what was played outside at the car show. About the rides... The cars I found were almost all right up my alley. Nobody goes to a car show and only finds what...

Traditional Hot Rods, Drag Racers & Muscle Engines Sponsored by Speedway Motors - Build your hot rod engine with Speedway! #1 Start off with a cold Coors? The Atomic Rocket front engine dragster has a supremely detailed, blown & injected Rocket motor for motivation. Just like when I shot the "17 best wheel and tire" story from the 2012 Detroit Autorama, I made my way around the show shooting the best hot rod engines too. just like wheels and tires, and especially in a hot rod (cause you can see it most times) the engine says, "My Ride is Me" and sets the tone for mild or wild, traditional or... more towards the street rod style. Whatever the case, the shine and for an outside show, the rumble let's people know what's on your mind. What are these folks saying?? (Click any image for the full size picture) So here's my favorites... divided into: Drag Racers Muscle Engines (what else ya gonna call them?) Traditional Hot Rods (reserved for the flatheads!) Tell me what's your favorite or if I shot your engine... I'll put your name with the picture....

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...

Get $2500 from Gumout for your Hot Rod Project   Are you working on a hot rod project? Maybe your project is stalled? Is it taking too long (that's me!) or you haven't even started yet? Don't worry! Make it fun, and take advantage of Gumout's offer to help out with $2500!   To inspire or maybe just give ya the friendly kick in the pants you need to get started, I wanted to tell a couple stories about successful hot rod projects and one slick Chevy truck getting dropped and bagged in one day.   First look above... you see Victor, closest to his home built Model A hot rod coupe, standing with Jim and Chris. I know Vic's a hard worker and talented building just about anything he sets out to make for himself or his Throttle Kings Car Club buddies. I met Vic when his hot rod was just getting started:     Vic enjoyed this hot rod coupe as much as anyone could with multiple trips to Viva Las Vegas Car Show and LA Roadster Show visits. Maybe that's the trick to long term project...

Hot Rod Pinstriping from Detroit I've been to many shows in the west... California, especially SoCal has hot rod shows or a cruise-in just about every day of the week and you can count on it on several on the weekends. So it's easier to grab pinstriping shots from the big shows like Grand National Roadster Show or LA Roadster Show or even Viva Las Vegas. So how does the pinstriping out in Detroit stack up to the west? You tell me. (Comment below, you don't have to join anything...) [nggallery id=63] See all of the MyRideisMe.com coverage of Detroit Autorama:  Detroit Autorama Hot Rods and Custom Cars or you can go straight to more pinstriping here: Pinstriping Features and Pictures I'm always looking for good pinstriping pictures. Got any to share? Please get in...

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...

How To Metal Flake Your Car Just because I love grease, doesn't mean that I don't love sparkly things too! Before going to Viva Las Vegas this year, I wanted to add a little bling to my 1955 Studebaker Champion with a metal flake paint job. Studie and I have been through a lot together in the five years I’ve owned and drove her. I’ve become attuned to her original patina’d coral and white paint job. So originally the thought of changing her exterior in any way made me nervous. But the more I thought about adding a subtle sparkle to Studie’s white roof portion, the more I liked the idea. Not knowing the first thing about how to paint, I was lucky to have an expert nearby. Pati Fairchild is the newest member of my car club, the Gasoline Girls. She also happens to be a professional paint and body chick who teaches the subject at El Camino College. After polling friends on Facebook and looking through various paint samples, I paid a visit to Coast Airbrush in Anaheim for my final selection. I went in knowing I wanted...

This might have been the 14th Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender, but it was the momentous 1st VLV car show for the Gasoline Girls Car Club! It seems like Viva has always been an important landmark for me in my car journeys. Its hard to believe that it was just three years ago that my 1955 Studebaker’s engine swap got finished a mere 12 hours before I drove it across the desert alone to attend VLV 2008. The following year, at VLV 2009, was the fateful meeting between Becky Sue and I where an instant friendship was made. Soon after, we began plotting our plans to create a working-on-cars focused all-girls car club. Two years later, the Gasoline Girls are celebrating their first anniversary! So at Viva Las Vegas 2011 the milestones continued as the Gasoline Girls made their longest journey yet as a club – traveling across the Mojave desert to attend the largest rockabilly weekender party and car show ever! Follow along with us and enjoy the ride! We scooted out of So Cal early Thursday morning – beating the traffic and meeting up with the Throttle Kings Car...

Beautiful Pinups in Print If you're an avid reader of our Pin Up girl stories, then you've probably seen my many references to Retro Lovely Magazine. We all love cars, and we all love Pin Ups! MyRideisMe has got you covered in both departments. Pin Up beauties have been gracing the pages of MyRideisMe for quite some time and we're happy to bring them to you along with great pics and interviews... but sometimes, a picture on the web is just not enough. You can't hang your computer on your wall or toolbox!  If you need more Pin Ups in your life, look no further than the pages of Retro Lovely. Retro Lovely is a Pin Up and retro magazine, featuring photos from the industry's top photographers, like our friend Mitzi and Co. So far the cover shots have featured Pin Up mega stars like Masuimi Max, Mosh Modela and Gia Genevieve. Trust me, there's much more great content inside, and many more fantastic issues to come. This is the perfect magazine for Pin Up fans who love top quality Pin Up imagery and style. Mega-gorgeous Pinup Notorious Ang The first time...

Hot Rod Pinup Gia Genevieve This smokin' hot redhead made her way onto the scene in 2009 at VLV 12. She was noticed by a photographer and was put into the running right away to grace the cover of Ol' Skool Rodz magazine where you might remember seeing her. Gia's career has blossomed since then, winning the title of Ink and Iron Queen, and showing us what she does best  on the cover of Retro Lovely Magazine issue 3. I had the pleasure of getting to know Gia a little bit better when I interviewed her last year, and I'm happy to be able to work with her again, and bring her to you here on MyRideisMe. She is a sexy, curvaceous, sultry, red hot girl with hair to match. I look forward to a lot more wonderful photos from Gia, and seeing her around the Pin Up and Hot Rod scene for a while. Shout out to Pin Up photographer Roy Varga for these stunning shots of Gia, and for the great work he does in the pin up and hot rod community. Anyone into the Pin Up lifestyle,...

Hot Rod Art It started as an email to MyRideisMe.com to see if I would grant permission for an artist to use a photo he found. Thanks to artists Paul And Kimberly Buford for doing the right thing! Turns out, it wasn't my photo, it was taken at Viva Las Vegas by Paul "Swanee" Swanson. Turns out, this is a popular photo: Cars like this Chevy fit right in at Viva and original "Patina" has never been more popular. So I asked Paul some questions about his artwork. Keep in mind, about all I know about artwork and painting is what I like... Why watercolors? - I've worked in several different media, and always come back to watercolors. The idea that you are staining the paper is what I love, and the way the colors mix together either in the palette or on the paper. Why this image (and others similar)? - I have always been drawn to decayed or decaying items (whether it be old buildings, collapsed barns, or abandoned/aged cars). The more I studied them and thought about what it was I got from them the more...

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...