Written by Len Stupski I moved to the Bay area in 1996 and attended the 1997 & 1998 Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS). As good as they were, nothing prepared me for the 50th Anniversary show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco that next year in 1999. As I set my eyes upon the main floor my jaw dropped down to my shoulders. Just about every previous America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) winner right there in one spot. Awesome!!. Then, scattered throughout the rest of the building were more and more dynamite cars, built by guys like Bill Reasoner, Gene Winfield, Dave Crook, Marcos Garcia and many other great craftsmen. Saying hello to Big Daddy Roth was a great highlight of the event. After taking in all the colors, the chrome and history I vowed to be at the 60th show, God willing. Fast forward ten years and I'm living in Gilbert, AZ, and the show is being held much closer now in Pomona, CA. Pure chance? I don't think so.... perhaps God shares my love of cars. Early Saturday morning I pile into Pikesan's car with my...

I expect a hot rod driver or builder to know who Boyd Coddington was. Like him or not, there's no denying his influence on style and the budget of custom cars, especially the one-off rides built for his TV show, "American Hot Rod". His death almost 1 year ago shocked the custom car world. It looked like there were alot more hot rods and cars that I'll call "regular" at the 2009 Barrett Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona this year. What the heck is regular? Well, I just mean they're somewhat obtainable by more then just wealthy collectors out there. I guy with a dream who's been saving for a while might have a shot. With the "dreamers" and the collectors all gathered at Barrett Jackson, how many knew who Boyd Coddington? Quite a few! Case in point are 2 hot rods sold on Saturday at Barret Jackson. The first is this neo-classic styled: chopped, red and flamed but with billet (of course Boyd's) wheels, 1932 Ford 3 window coupe. A great looking, no-expense-spared car, no doubt, but was it worth the $200k it sold for? (without commissions) Who...

…has sadly passed on today at the age of 63.Suffice to say, he was a true giant in the industry, and the first builder to truly inspire me to throw my hat in the ring, and do what I love. His approach and design sense changed forever the direction of the modern street rod and custom car, and will be viewed forever as the benchmark of his era. Cars like CadZZilla are world-famous, and his face was easily one of the most recognizable in the industry. (CadZZilla and the Hirohata Merc at the Oakland Museum of California… sorry for cruddy pic.) (…and speaking of CadZZilla, how ’bout a cool peek at a gathering of great talent during what just may have been the birth of that car? Can you name these guys? –that is a young Larry Erickson on the right… only hint I’ll give) Thanks to a guy who, no matter how hectic his schedule, took time to spend a few moments with me at a show, and review what I was working on at the time. Sadly, as large a page in hot rodding history as he...