Traditional to Wild Custom Paint at SEMA 2012 (Click to see any picture full size) Click for everything @ 2012 SEMA Show from MyRideisMe The SEMA Show's all about custom. One thing there's never a shortage of is custom paint. Pictured about is my buddy Keith Charvonia's 1951 Kaiser. I already posted about it here, The New Sick: 1951 Kaiser Kustom and Speedhunters.com took some pretty amazing pictures here: Drag'n Kaiser. In case you didn't read either of those, this "fade" paint job was applied by customizing legend Gene Winfield. The lights of SEMA, outlined by the casino-like red carpet set off the paint, but to really love it, you have to see it in the sun! Stepping up or maybe to the side... with some custom airbrush work: Wow! Everyone's seen skulls painted on just about everything, but here's a new take! In view here is the Terminator skull, a Japanese devil call "Oni", the gas mask dude, barely visible, the viking skull, bird skull and Friday the 13th skull! It's all laid out on a pale blue flame-like background. The other side's just as impressive. Here on the...

1968 Cadillac Coupe de Ville at SEMA 2012 (Click to see any picture full size) Click for everything @ 2012 SEMA Show from MyRideisMe Ever heard the saying, "A postman doesn't go for a walk on his day off"? Well, the owner of this 1968 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, Tim Johnson, is a painter by trade.  Tim's Caddy is a three year build. The long road to SEMA started in early 2010 when his soon-to-be wife Jacquelyn (he wisely married her 2 year ago) picked it up for him as a gift. He's been driving it for the last couple years, dodging (unsuccessfully) rain, puddles, sprinklers and every other kind of moisture due to the bare metal finish. With so many thumbs up for the swirly finish, and cause the Caddy was in such good shape to start with... Finally, just two weeks before SEMA, Tim decided to clean it up one last time to leave it metal with clear. I'm glad he did. Don't mistake this for any "Rat Rod"... The interior's finished and tight, stitched up by his buddy Eric Hunsaker over at Advanced Mobile Electronics in Las...

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,...

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...

Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures from Skoty Chops Custom Showcase 2012 Words & pictures by Nick Koljian - CLICK to zoom Alameda, CA has a little old place called the Forbidden Island. It's a well known tiki lounge right in the heart of the historical Bay Station shopping district. It’s quite the retro oasis and has been a staple in Alameda since April of 2006. Many compare the dreamy decor to the Enchanted Tiki Room in Disneyland from the glowing puffer fish to the tiki statues and Tahitian velvet paintings. The Forbidden Island also is well known for serving up award winning, world famous and classic exotic cocktails and for the past 5 years serving up a little diddy known as The Tiki Car Hop. So let the gang from MyRideisMe.com take you on a little Polynesian treat where tiki island tradition meets mainland hot rod culture. Grab yourself a scorpion bowl, relax and enjoy East Bay Sinners CC Tiki Car Hop @ The Forbidden Island in Alameda, CA. This being my first trip to the car hop, I didn't know what to expect. Outside the Forbidden Island vintage rides...

Cadillac's Top Model - Eldorado Biarritz When I saw this sexy Cadillac for sale at Auctions America Auburn Fall Auction - sorry, we missed it, it was Labor Day weekend... I immediately thought of a couple other Custom Cadillac Biarritz stories I did. Before we get to that, what's up with this award winning "Champagne Iridescent" Caddy? The experts predict the sale price at $80-100k. Here's what that gets you: By the 1960s’ Cadillac had claimed its supremacy as the flagship line for General Motors and bested the rest of its competition in the luxury car segment. Although the Eldorado line was heavily equipped with many luxuries that were standard on most models, it is worth mentioning the accessories that complete this outstandingly restored Biarritz. This particular car includes all power steering, brakes, windows, seats, top, antenna, plus Cadillac Air Suspension, cruise control, air-conditioning and much more. It is finished in Champagne Iridescent with complementing gold leather interior and black vinyl top. It is powered by a 390-cid V-8 with a Hydra-Matic Drive transmission. Most importantly, this example benefits from a no-expense spared restoration and is the recipient of an...

Hot Rods and Custom Car Show Pictures from Skoty Chops Custom Showcase 2012 Words & pictures by: Have you ever heard the old phrase "You have to see it to believe it." Well that old phrase stands true to a local car show that has been going on for the past 4 years in Redwood City, CA. That show is Skoty Chops Shootout custom car show. Along with the show, Mr. Wim puts on his Brush Stroke for the past 3 years. So with that type of 1-2 punch you can't go wrong! Skoty Chops is one of most well known fabricators in Northern California and pinstriper Jaime "Wim" Trevino is one of the steadiest hands this side of Los Angeles. You combine the two and you get a pretty impressive showing of custom cars and pinstripers. Seeing is believing, that's why MyRideisMe.com show hounds, the Lens Junkies Nick Koljian and John Lemoine were on the spot bringing you Skoty Chops Shootout and Brush Stroke #4. Time in and time out, a Skoty Chops show will bring in some of the south bay's best customs, bombs, classics and hot rods...

Custom Cars with Custom Paint - Favorite Flake Roof Photography (Click on any photo to see it full size) I've been meaning to write a post on custom paint and especially the amazing custom paint you'll find on lowriders and customs, especially in NorCal. With the great customs piling in at the NorCal Knockout, I finally got the shots I wanted. Lend a hand! If you know these cars, and more importantly, who the painter is... please leave a comment (you don't have to register or anything) and I'll add the info to this story. There's nothing I'd like to do more than give credit to these painters. Fantastic work! This is the roof of the 1959 Lincoln (pretty sure on the year) shown above. Rainbow flake with lace and darker flake fade. This car was a show stopper and won best of show. I know this was the roof of a 62 or so Ford Thunderbird. You've got it all here! Lace, multi colors of metal flake including rainbow flake and silver metal flake. There's even some flames... I'm running out of ways to say, Unbelievably cool. You'd...

Northern California Car Show - Hot Rods and Custom Cars Story Contributed by MyRideisMe.com member: Nick Koljian "Hellcity316" You ever get an invitation to a party and just get stoked that you are going? You mark it on the calendar and count down the days. "Oh man, 1 more week!" You check your smart phone mid week knowing that it's this Saturday, "Dude, I wonder what's going to be on the BBQ?" Friday rolls around and you're cruising home from work just gassed about tomorrow, " This party is going to rock!" you're so excited that on Saturday morning you're  already up before the alarm goes off. You're on Facebook telling all your friends where to be at. Then, at that very moment you receive text on your phone, you break down to check it and the number's one you don't recognize: 4664. The message reads,"kool-aid will be served...." My alarm goes off and I pop out of bed knowing with a dream like that I must be excited for the show. Today is the Dragoons Car Cult 6th annual Nite Of The Hot Rods @ The Riverview Lodge in downtown Antioch,...

Customs, Hot Rods and Drag Racing in Kansas Story and Photos by: Mark Stacks, Tin Woody Photo This pretty in purple sled doesn't miss a trick. The 32nd annual KKOA Lead Sled Spectacular in Salina, Kansas was hot... figuratively and literally! With temperatures topping out at a very humid 105 degrees, participants earned their dues at this show. Despite the heat the turnout was huge with lead sleds galore. Also, in attendance were hot rods, gassers, rat rods and few other random rides rounding out the diversity. Hot flames on flat black paint were an eye-grabber on this pick-up. Oakdale Park was a wonderful location for the show, with plenty of space all those awesome custom cars. In addition, it offered beautiful mature trees offering up some wonderful shade to escape the heat. Events were not limited to the park, with a parade, cruising, drag racing and after-parties. Good times and fond memories were found by all at this great event. Check out the rest of the photos supplied by Mark Stacks: An early arrival Chevrolet and Ford that couldn't wait to get the party started. A dropped and...

Northern California Car Show - Hot Rods and Custom Cars Story Contributed by MyRideisMe.com member: Nick Koljian "Hellcity316" It's that time of the year again and like a little kid on Christmas eve I'm all giddy with hot rod excitement. The night of July 6th I was very restless. Shuffling around all my camera gear, making sure all my batteries where good and charged and cleaning my lenses... I put a little stack of necessities right by the front door for the morning so I would not forget them. Phone, media pass, gum, MyRideisMe.com stickers and other little survival tidbits that I might need for the next day festivities. You know when you get that feeling that you are forgetting something and you can't put your finger on it? Well, that was the feeling I was having. I looked around at everything and went through my list 4 times over. I made all my calls, got all my gear, the ride is fueled up, went to the bank for some juice. What am I forgetting? Then it dawned on me. I took a look at the clock in my...

Fine and Finished Hot Rod Roadsters Segregation Works Segregation. It's a word with a perfectly bad score for connotation. I'm hear to give it a boost and say... It works at the LA Roadster Show. Over here, a fantastic swap meet when you're looking for that obscure 50s original part for your Caddy... Over there, a car show fit for everyone. Trucks, traditional hot rods, nose up street gassers and even a laid out Econoline van. Then, there's the "real" show... Over yonder... Separated by a walk that your dog would turn down, but featuring a conditioned air main hall filled with go-fast goodies and hot rod art... and of course, the shiny, finished roadster that are, the LA Roadster Show. To get in, you need a finished, glossy painted car and no fixed windows. True roadster and no rats. Thank you, moving along... Skip all this, I just want to see more pictures: 2012 LA Roadster Show photo gallery The AZ Hot Rod Connection (Click to see full size) Making the trip out from Arizona, my home state in case you didn't know... where two fine, real deal hot...