Pinstriping Everything at 2014 Grand National Roadster Show     The Grand National Roadster Show brings in the best of everything in the hot rod world... and dead smack in the middle of hot rod culture is art. In this case, it's pinstriping!     If you wandered down to the far end of the Main Hall at the Pomona Fairplex, you might have seen these "artists" at work. Artists? I'd say yes.  Big hearted, generous and talented should also be thrown out! The pinstripers are here for a charity auction to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Great deals are had on one of a kind pinstriping pieces, or if you're not that committed, come get your phone, sunglasses, camera - whatever!! Pinstriped for a donation.   Pictures here are a few of my favorites. I love metal flake paint, as you can see, so I'm a sucker for the combo of flake and pinstriping. Plus... the pinstripers can be "colorful" with their language and sometimes their subjects!   Reminds me of my dad! I once complained my automatic equipped car wasn't shifting from first to second... he said,...

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 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,...

Hot Rods and Custom Cars at 2013 GNRS in Pomona, CA If you're looking for the "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" Pictures Click here. Welcome to 2013! If you're reading this before January 28th, 2013, you still have time to make the show! The Grand National Roadster show is worth seeing every year, but certainly at least once!! Just in case, MyRideisMe.com has you covered with pictures of every great car. (Almost... ok, not even close, but we try) With the Pomona Fairplex convention halls packed with hot rods, custom cars, lowriders, muscle cars, and look below... lots of surprises... it's no wonder we don't shoot everything. Leave us a comment for what you like so we'll know what to shoot more of next time. And don't forget to click any picture to see it full size on your screen. D'Agostino's "Sophie 1940 Cadillac Custom It's so good you need another look! George Poteet's Rad Rides Built Talladega Chyrsler 300 Custom Rock and Roll Hot Rod 1932 Hot Rod 3 Window Coupe 2.3L Pinto Powered 1929 Ford Roadster Pickup Just NASTY Blown 1933 Ford Coupe The Throttle Kings Representing in...

Hot Rod Pinstriping from Pomona (click to see these pictures full size) Like most shows with a hot rod and custom car theme, the pinstriping and custom lettering is everywhere. Telling a story of bygone racing years or thin, symmetric lines setting off a deck lid, we dig it all! So here at the 2012 LA Roadster Show, pinstriping found my lens often... Here's a few of my favorites and the complete gallery below. Keeping the lettering theme going, dig this! The gold leaf pinstriping is sexy and get the Cali vibe from the palm trees visible in the reflection. This is the cowl of Throttle King Car Club provisional member Chris. His Model A Hot Rod carried un-fakable patina and some great new-but-looked-worn pinstriping. One of my favorite shots from the show so far! More from Chris's hot rod. You tell me... If you're an artist, get in touch! I'll feature your pinstriping in your own gallery: admin@myrideisme.com If you can't get enough pinstriping, there's more here: pinstriping pictures. Here's the pinstriping pictures from last year:  2011 LA Roadster Show pinstriping [nggallery...

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...

PDX Car Culture Alive at Portland Car Show Rain Didn't Spoil This Parade! - Story and photos by Nick K. This time of the year Portland,Or has it’s Rose City festival. Which includes a number of festivities such as the Starlight Parade, Fleet Week, Rose Cup Races, a number of firework shows and now, the Rose City Round Up car show. Which is becoming a Kustom Kulture staple in a rich history of Portland’s Rose City Festivals. Portland's best hot rod and kustom kulture show geared up for it's 4th Rose City Round Up. The Rose City Round-up is an annual event hosted by the Driven Dead Car Club (CC) to celebrate the hot rod lifestyle of the Pacific Northwest. This being my 1st run at the Round Up, I was quite revved up for this event. It's no secret that I have a fondness for the Great Northwest not to mention a love for the culture. I had plenty of time to think about it as we drove 10hrs up Interstate 5 to get to Portland, Or. I have to admit it's quite a drive when you have...

2011 Viva Las Vegas Car Show Pinstriping Designs If you've never been to Viva Las Vegas Car Show, you're missing out on some of the best pinstriping designs. The suede paint of the custom cars and the vintage hot rod style both fit perfectly with a few carefully placed pinstriping lines. To give you some ideas for your ride, here's a collection of pinstriping from the car show. [nggallery id=50] See all of the MyRideisMe.com coverage of Viva Las Vegas here:  Viva Las Vegas Car Show or you can go straight to more pinstriping here: Pinstriping Features and...

Pinstriping for Charity at 2011 Grand National Roadster Show Not only does the Grand National Roadster Show bring out the best in hot rods and custom cars, it's also home to one of the best pinstriping jams anywhere in the United States. Fellow pinstriper Von Hot Rod organizes this gang of line-laying artists to raise money for charities every year, and this year was one of the best. I talked to Von Hot Rod and got this info: We raised $12,375 for charity from the hard work from almost 40 pinstripers that were invited.  Eggie won the Von Hot Rod's "Brush-off" (pinstriping races) so he's now ''The fasted Pinstriper in the West". Butch Tucker and Ron Myers were this years inductees into VHR's Pinstriping Hall of Fame, and Harry Malicoat won the VHR Pinstriping Award in the art of pinstriping. As for next year that's always a surprise!! That's what keeps people coming back... The crazy manikin and skateboards are from Hot Dog Kustoms' Pete "Hot Dog" Finlan. Dig it!! This custom pinstriping is from Diablo's House of Style in Bakersfield, CA. One of these days, I'll have a...

1923 Hot Rod T At the best hot rod and custom car shows like the Grand National Roadster Show there's always car instantly identify with and of course, cars that totally miss. For example, car-covering murals of dragons done in florescent green on a black base ain't my thing. Lucky for me, it didn't take long to find my car. (Click any picture for full size) On the first day of the show, right through the side doors of the main hall where I set out for my first look at the 12 America's Most Beautiful Roadster contenders... there sat Russ Freund's "Takeout T". At first I was shocked. Is that purple? Can it be? Yes. Knowing the 12 AMBR cars are the best of the best roadsters at Grand National, I knew I'd found this year's "America's Most Bitch'n Roadster". When's the last time you heard someone say a light purple car is Bitch'n? Is there another AMBR award? No, not officially! I made it up for the sick-of-sick roadster called, "Double Trouble" back in 2009. Here's the blown, Ardun head 32 Roadster built by Hot Rod Garage....

1933 Ford Street Rod Featured Ride I first shared a quick photo of Jim Baugh's light blue 1933 Ford Sedan Street Rod in the Salt Flats Speed Shop Open House story. When Jim pulled up to the shop, I immediately started taking pictures.  Let's have a closer look... First of all, this '33 was built with a mix of two styles, Street Rod and Traditional Hot Rod.  When Jim was telling all about his '33, he sounded almost disappointed that it was a Street Rod.  I think he's been bit by the Traditional hot rod style bug that is so prevalent at the Bonneville Salt Flats. The Street Rod comes from the  big 'n' little tires, a reliable 350 small block Chevy and TH350 auto trans and front disc brakes.  The Traditional Hot Rod style's evident from several features: the chopped top, fenderless hot rod rake, authentic Ed Roth laid pinstriping, heavily louvered decklid and solid front axle. So which is it? Who cares! Jim nailed the complete execution and made a long-haul driver at the same time. Jim drove his '33 from Washington state to Alabama (or was it Arkansas?) for a family...

7 Hot Rod Artist Pinstriping for Charity (part 2) Bid to win this helmet on Ebay now: Custom Pinstriping on Welding Helmet Next up is pinstriper Mitch Maciel. In case you missed it, this is the custom, brand new Lincoln Electric Viking Welding Helmets we'll auction on Ebay with the benefits going to our friends from Progeria Research. Want to see pics of the finished helmet? Right here: Finished pinstriping pictures Mitch pinstripes out of Los Angeles, CA and showed us a distinct scroll style of pinstriping. Looking for something in this style for your hot rod? Catch up with Mitch by email. And for a lady's touch, meet pinstriper Jenn Hallett The first thing you'll probably notice about Jenn is she's cute as a button! If you're smart enough to talk to her, you'll quickly learn her looks aren't her only great quality! Jenn's just cool and a talented artist. I asked about her brush prep technique... look at her fingers. Some pinstripers use glossy paper, like from a magazine, to prep their brushes for fine lines, but others use their fingertips like Jenn and Dave Whittle coming...