Is Ronnie and Deb Goodwin’s ’32 Roadster the “perfect hot rod”?   Traditional hot rods hold an aura all their own, influenced by the very earliest rodders who not only wanted to instill some of their own personality in their vehicles, but create true works of art. Ronnie Goodwin understands this influence and after studying hot rodding history, he knew what he had to do.     While Ronnie could understand his buddies loving Tri-five Chevrolets, Corvettes and Mustangs, he was smitten by the all time classic hot rod, the 1932 Ford roadster, a one-off classic that became the darling of hot rodders almost from its introduction. When Henry Ford relented and allowed his Model A to have some needed refinement, the future was set and hot rodding as we know it began in earnest. The Deuce was born.     Ronnie wanted to create the quintessential hot rod, the ’32 roadster that if you woke up in 1957 and looked out the window, this is the car you would see. He was particularly swayed by the likes of Ray Brown and Walker Morrison, early hot rodders whose cars...

Corky Coker's Barn Find Restored to Gold     If you've ever needed a set of white wall tires, or that strange set of 19 inch bias plys for your concours European Sports Car, then chances are you've met Corky Coker. You might have also been passed by him running the "Great Race" in an antique, but still rocking hot rod? Or if you're lucky, like me, you've bumped into him all over the hot rod world and scored a Tennessee traditional Moonpie as a snack! Even with out the chocolate and marshmellow goodness, Corky's a real car dude and highly qualified to host this show. I'm tuning in and you should too. Here's a quick preview: [youtube]http://youtu.be/tNG3vsIw40g[/youtube]   Here's a little more info about the show from Coker:   From Coker Tire:   “BACKROAD GOLD” DEBUTS FEBRUARY 5th AT 9:30PM ON THE TRAVEL CHANNEL Corky Coker Turns Barn Finds Into Gold on His New TV Show "Backroad Gold" follows antique car expert Corky Coker as he scours the highways, back roads and small towns of America, wheeling and dealing for hidden riches such as antique cars, motorcycles, trucks, gas...

2014 Grand National Roadster Show AMBR Winner Results are in!   2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Winner: 1935 Chevrolet Phaeton owned by Wes Rydell   As always, for any picture: Click to see the full-size image. 2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster In MyRideisMe.com's 7th year at the Grand National Roadster Show, we successfully picked the winner again. (To see the other 2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contenders click here) There's no doubt all 11 hot rods were great builds by passionate owners, but when looking for true beauty in a roadster, this 1935 Chevy Phaeton is another masterpiece!   It took about 30 years for Wes Rydell to finally put together his 1935 Chevy Standard Phaeton, a rare 4-door that has been around his Rydell Toy Shop in Grand Forks, North Dakota just waiting for the right touch. The 2014 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster got that touch not only from designer Chip Foose, but Rydell enlisted builder Troy Trepanier to complete the understated “driver” as he described the AMBR winner during last weekend’s 65th Annual Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California.       To see all Grand National...

Choosing "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" for 2014 Another year at the "Grand-daddy of all hot rod shows, the Grand National Roadster Show. MyRideisMe.com is proud to be here for our seventh year of coverage online. In case you've been sleeping these last 7 years, Grand National Roadster Show, sometimes referred to GNRS, is the best of the west, maybe in the USA (you can decide here) hot rod and custom car show. Every year, the "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" contenders assemble for 1000's of Southern California hot rod enthusiasts to enjoy, bench race and judge. Before most people make it to the show, MyRideisMe likes to give a little preview of who might win the "AMBR" (pronounced "amber") Award and show a few pictures so you can decide.   There are a total of 11 roadsters contending. There were 12, but a very unfortunate accident happened during setup and one car was lost. We were shocked to hear AMBR judge and all around nice guy Vic Cunnyngham was injured as well. BUT! Vic's on the mend already and show promoter John Buck announced he'll be back at the show on...

Hot Rods, Custom Cars, Land Speed Racers and Classics 2014 GNRS in Pomona, CA If you're looking for the "2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster" contender pictures, click here For more Hot Rod and Custom Car Pictures from GNRS, click here   Welcome to 2014!   The 2014 Grand National Roadster Show should be designated the 8th wonder of the world or at least placed up there well in line with the Super Bowl or what's it called? Oh yeah, the World Series! For addicted car people, this grand daddy of car shows puts virtually every kind of vehicle right in front of you...most within touching distance AND you get to see the contenders for the prestigious "American's Most Beautiful Roadster"! Really now...can anything be better?   There's still time to enjoy the festivities as the show runs through Saturday and Sunday, January 26 and 27.   It's tough to roll out favorites because there's just so much to choose from but here's just a few from the hundreds that are awaiting the crowds expected to finish out this wild car weekend in the Pomona Fairplex. We've spent one very...

 Hot Rods, Cold Weather... Now We're Talkin'!   John Wells definitely lives a life of danger. Putting together a first-time indoor hot rod show in the midst of a Midwest winter is bordering on madness, but watching Wells work, you know there's just a bit of madness lurking in that fast moving director of organized mayhem.   Retro Rewind 2014 is now in the history books, an event only Wells could conceive, plan and implement as a sibling event to his already successful TorqueFest and Iron Invasion gatherings. Retro Rewind brought together an amazing collection of traditional hot rods, custom cars, vintage bikes and go karts, classic guitars, pinstripers, pinups, hot rod films, high jammin' rock and roll, food, art... hey, you could even get yourself a super cool haircut by a real barber! Wells thought of everything and the packed event center in Dubuque, Iowa was diggin' it.     Of course it was the cars that headlined the event and there was enough diversity that anyone with a pulse of any kind could appreciate the mix of good old school, flat out cool hot rods and custom...

Hot Rod and Custom Car Show from John Wells   Midwest hot rodders are a very special breed. We hide out all winter long, suffering through extreme cold and mounds of white stuff that seems to clog virtually every nook and cranny of our otherwise pretty cool lives. (I know, I know… east coasters seem to have the same issues, but we’re talkin' the center of the country!)   John Wells has become the pied piper of us Midwest rodders. He says “come with me” and we follow. It’s just that simple and Wells’ newest event promises to be every bit as creative, exciting and traditional as his past projects where he has been able to make hard core hot rodders one very happy bunch of people!   Retro Rewind is Wells’ newest creation, happening January 11 and 12 at the Five Flags Arena and Theater in Dubuque, Iowa. Even Voodoo Larry thinks it’s going to be cool enough to show up and Wells is determined to make this bigger and better than anything he’s pulled together.   Wells is creator and chief honcho of the successful TorqueFest events,...

1923 Track T Hot Rod Roadster at 2013 SEMA Show   This is the 4th installment of Hot Rods at SEMA Show 2013. This ones so cool, I had to show it!     In case you didn't know, I have a 1927 Ford Roadster. It's built in the style of a "modified" roadster. In my wildest dreams, my hot rod roadster would look this great! I guess besides being old Ford Roadsters, they're not much alike...   Unlike the 4-banger in my roadster, this one's running a Chevrolet IMSA Spec LS3. What does that mean besides, "TONS of go in a small, lightweight car". According to the show card, this is 1 of 2 prototypes built using a monocoque frame. Careful design including a handmade steel body with an aluminum track nose and hood results in a featherweight 1600 lbs dry.   Look at that silhouette!   The builder is listed as Track Master Products. I looked and didn't find a website, but these guys killed it. I want to fold up my legs, forget ever having a full size man as a passenger and go for a long, but high...

Custom and Deadly 1940 Ford Truck at 2013 SEMA Show   Another SEMA 2013 Hot Rod and this one's KOSMIC!   Looks like I'm on a 1940 Ford Hot Rod kick for SEMA Show 2013. Picking some of my favorite hot rods, it just so happens that one's the 1940 Ford from Chaotic Customs (and #2 in my best of) and the other's the "Kosmic Outcast" 1940 Ford Pickup, aka: "Intergalactic Weapon of Destruction!"  (at least that's what the show card said!!)     I didn't get a chance to talk with the owners or builders on this terrific custom hot rod, but I had to post pictures... if you can stand out in the shadow of the HUGE Ford display, then you've really stepped up, don't you think? Hats off to the builders at Hot Rod Chassis and Cycle!     Luckily, the show card tells part of the story... Besides proclaiming this the Intergalactic Weapon of Destruction, we learned the blown beast up front is a 1959 Oldsmobile 371 Rocket. And no, it's not hooked to an old lady's automatic... it's hooked to a 5 speed TKO600! I totally dig...

Streched and Custom 1940 Ford Truck at 2013 SEMA Show   Once again, is SEMA known for Hot Rods? Ahhh... maybe it's time we changed our minds! I've got a couple more hot rods from SEMA Show 2013 to share with you! This one's from our friends at Chaotic Customs in Kansas. Owners Chris and Karma Carlson hooked up with NAPA Auto Parts and Martin Senour Paints to have the freshly done hot rod pickup in their SEMA booth. A wise choice!     We ran through the details on how truck owner Mike Young had his eye on 1949-1951 Chevy Fleetlines but Chris knew of a fairly clean 1940 Ford pickup. When Mike saw the 1940 Ford, Mike said confidently, "You can't drink it pretty!" (turns out that wasn't quite true...)   The story's your typical "barn find" truck out of Mulvane, Kansas that was... was going to be a nice driver. "It got out of hand..."     When you review all the build pictures, you'll start to see all the customizing work done by Chris totaling 200 body mods. After trying some body work myself, I'm most impressed on how...

Injected Ford SOHC 1932 Ford Roadster at 2013 SEMA Show   Is SEMA known for Hot Rods? I have to say late model cars (unfortunately) dominate at the SEMA Show. There are times when I felt like I was tripping over the new Camaro, Mustang and of course, the Scion FR-S.  Those are the "modern day hot rods" I guess, so it could be worse.   But could it be any better than this?     I think not!   The beast you're staring at is an original, "Sock" motor. If you heard that and said, "WHAT??" Then let me clue you in. Sock refers to SOHC or single over head cam. You'll also hear it called a "Cammer" motor refering again to the overhead cam design. Ford, in the glory days of racing, back in 1964, set forth on the world one of it's most glorious creations. Why? (besides why not!) They were merely trying to compete with the Chrysler 426 HEMI at the track. What's the harm in that?     The Ford Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) 427 engine left the drawing board based on the hipo 427...

Hot Rods & Race Car Photography from the Bonneville Salt Flats     Don't know about other amateur photographers, but I've learned tons from studying other photographer's work.   I learned from my friend Chuck Vranas' hot rod photography and shared some of his work from years of shooting for magazines like Street Rodder. He's also become a good friend.   Ever heard of Peter Vincent? Vincent is also a well known automotive photographer, and we're in luck! He loves Bonneville Salt Flats, just like we do! I carefully sort through Vincent's work too... I don't want to copy what he does, but observe the style and composition of the photo. I politely ask myself... "What makes this guy famous!?" and know that it's something he's doing better than I am.   It's great to be able to find some many pictures in one place to quickly learn from one of the best! To help announce his new book, I asked Peter Vincent for his thoughts about why he made this book. Here's what he had to say:   "This book was important to me for so many reasons....