Bubbletop Kustom Car - Radical Custom Creation! (Click to see full size) Back at the 2012 LA Roadster Show, I'm doing my best to take my favorite pictures and show them to you, just in case you're outta state, country, or worse... you were one of the vendors I talked to that never get to leave your booth! What you see here is a 1955 Ford. Yep. That's what it started as, but according to Gary "Chopit" Fioto, all that's left is the decklid and hood. Gary, and his sons Nick and Fabian of Chopit Kustom in Stanton, CA built this truly radical creation, completely out of steel In a 3 year build, Beatnik made it's debut at the 2005 Fresno Autorama. So, this car's been on the road for a long time! Gary drove the car in as well complimenting the air conditioning that keep him from suffocating underneath that huge bubbletop. Every other detail of this car's been covered. One of the best places to learn the history of the car and Chopit Kustom is by reading the RM Auction page where it sold for $396,000 back in 2006.  RM's...

Custom Cars and Hot Rods in Sacramento Story Contributed by MyRideisMe.com member: Nick Koljian "Hellcity316" Oh it's that time of the year again.. The Sacramento Autorama kicks off the beginning of another soon to be amazing car show year here in Northern California. The Sacramento Autorama is now in its 62nd year with Sacramento known as “The Kustom Capital of the World” and boasts being home to one of longest running indoor car shows in the world. The Autorama is recognized as the premiere custom car show on the West Coast featuring over 450 of the finest custom cars, hot rods, classics, motorcycles, and specialty vehicles from around the county. As always,Autorama weekend is held at Cal Expo and take up the entire Expo Center. Let me give a little tid-bit of show facts for this years show. The 2012 show theme is Futuristic. Cars and Vendors are encouraged to decorate with this theme. Cool. Over 500 show vehicles will compete for awards inside all of the Cal Expo buildings. The Clubhouse will be in The Pavilion and up to another 500 vehicles will join the event Saturday and...

26 Year Old Robbie Azevedo from Pacific Coast Customs Pacific Coast Customs built 1948 Chevy Panel truck (or at least it was) called "Impression" MyRideisMe.com picked up this press release from the kind folks at RodShows.com: The 61st Annual Kragen O’Reilly Sacramento Autorama, happening February 11-13, 2011, is proud to announce “young gun,” Robbie Azevedo of Pacific Coast Customs, as the 2011 Builder of the year. The event will feature Azevedo’s great work in Building C at Cal Expo in Sacramento. Already a decorated and deserving builder, at the Sacramento Autorama Azevedo has won awards such as the Sam Barris Memorial Award (2006), the Manuel Arteche Memorial Award (2006) and Best Paint in WMBC Class (2006). Others include Goodguys Early Truck of the Year Finalist (2006), MOTHERS SEMA Excellence Choice Award (2006) and, at the Grand National Roadster Show, Best Engine in the, AMBR Class (2008). Robbie has had 3 invitations to Blackie's Fresno Autorama and won numerous Best of Show Awards. Pacific Coast Customs projects have been lucky to land on 3 covers of national publications and have been featured in over 10 national magazines. The hard working...

Custom Cars and Hot Rods in Sacramento Story Contributed by MyRideisMe.com member: Nick Koljian "Hellcity316" The Sacramento Autorama is “The Kustom Capital of the World”. Believe it. After 61 years the Sacramento Autorama is one of the longest running indoor shows and with 450 custom cars, hot rods and specialty rides of all kinds covering Cal Expo's buildings and fairgrounds. The Sacramento Autorama started back in 1950,  when Sacramento businessman Harold "Baggy" Bagdasarian and his car club, the Capitol City Auto Club Thunderbolts, Baggy convinced club members to, "Settle friendly arguments over the outstanding merits of their personal customized cars." This according to the show's current host, Rodshows.com, the same folks who bring you the Grand National Roadster Show. The original show attracted 22 entries and 500 spectators with the first "Best Custom Car" trophy going to Leroy Semas for his 1937 Chevrolet coupe. (photo courtesy of Kustomrama.com) Once again, the 2011 NorCal car show season is under way! Kicking off the car show season is the 2011 Sacramento Autorama. Bay Area car clubs and car clubs from far and wide come to open the car show season at...

Traditional Hot Rod and Custom Car History If you've never heard of the "Hirohata Merc" it's about time you did. The car started as a low-mileage 1951 Mercury Club coupe owned by Bob Hirohata. In 1952, Bob caught a glimpse of the chop Sam Barris put on his Mercury and that's all it took for Bob to drive the Mercury to Barris Kustoms for a full custom treatment. In the end, Sam Barris, brother George Barris and Frank Sonzogni transformed the Hirohata Merc into a Kustom Legend. Read all about it at Kustomrama.com. Link to the full story: Bob Hirohata's 1951 Mercury Kustomrama is a Wikipedia dedicated to traditional hot rods and kustom cars. It is an online encyclopedia covering all aspects of our kulture. Everyone is welcome to contribute and start new and interesting topics on the Kustomrama Wikipedia. Check it...

Words and Pics by Nick Koljian On Friday, June 18th, this was posted on the Facebook page of Road Zombie Johnny Koonce: "Went and bought 430 Hamburger patties and buns, 250 Hotdogs and buns and a shit load of other stuff for tomorrow! You guys better show up, or we're gonna have to eat it all our selves!!!!!!" Well Johnny, as they say, "Be careful for what you wish for!" 15th Annual Road Zombies CC BBQ and Car Show Saturday, June 19th at Santa Clara's Elk Lodge was the 15th Annual Road Zombies CC BBQ and Car Show. Let's just say there was no shortage of rod junkies. I showed up right at 12:00 so I could get in and get some shots off before the crowd got too heavy. As I made my way in, cars were still pulling in to jockey for position on the lawn. It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood and a perfect day for a BBQ and car show. Not only were there grub and wheels, but the Road Zombies also supplied the day with some groovin tunes by booking Fresno's own...

Thanks to member NumbNutz (top 10 member names for sure!) who took photos from a show I've always wanted to attend. Formally the known as the Paso show in Paso Robles, but always the West Coast Kustoms Cruisin Nationals run by Rich Pichette since 1982. Now about 60 miles south of Paso, the West Coast Kustoms Crusin Nationals brings a worldwide audience for the rides and great California weather.  For more info about next year's show, make sure to check out the West Coast Kustoms home page. I hope to see you there! See the rest of the pictures in our Car Show Picture Gallery. Want to share some of your car show pictures? Please get in touch. You're already loading them to flickr, might as well help us out too! email...

It's been too long since I rambled on about Hot Rods and Customs, I mean Kustoms.  My crazy car brain has gone down the path of  "Mild Customs".  I'll say it right now, the car that really got me started digging Customs was Nick Hoesing's ex-Ford Galaxie I scoped at Bonneville last year.   Peep it below... Then I picked up a Rodders Journal that featured Kirk Jones' 1960 Ford Starliner.  Kirk's a member at MyRideisMe.com, see his Garage Here for more pics.  Our camera man Swanee grabbed this first pic at last years Grand National Roadster Show.  This 'Liner blew me away!!!  I pulled that TRJ #45 out again last night to re-read the story and stare at the rad photography.  Man, this kustom is mad rad!  Ok, so it may be categorized as a Mild Custom, but this thing is Wild!  That paint (better pics in the Rodders Journal, you're just gonna have to go buy a copy) is nutty!  The interior is grade A.  This Ford oozes style and stance.  Can you imagine the hours spent building this car.  I bought this magazine when we were staying in the hospital for the...