2021 Colorado Nationals Builders Choice Top 10 by Pinkee’s Rod Shop
Eric Peratt has stuffed a lot of history into his 25-plus-year span of building custom vehicles professionally at Pinkee’s Rod Shop. He captured the coveted Ridler Award at the Detroit Autorama in 1998 with one of his first builds, and has gone on to win the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award, Goodguys Trendsetter honor, and multiple Goodguys Top 12 awards with the shop’s ground-breaking builds.
Peratt’s scope extends beyond cars, too, as evidenced by the Mash Lab microbrewery he opened a few years ago adjacent to the Pinkee’s shop. You could say that Peratt seeks to find balance and good taste in all he pursues, and that extends to his Builder’s Choice Top 10 selections, which all exhibited those qualities.
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- Dale Deburger’s ultra-low ’30 Model A sedan combines traditional flavor with modern detail and execution. The chopped and heavily channeled body and six-carb 401c.i. Buick Nailhead engine recall rodding’s early days, while the 18- and 20-inch billet Wheelsmith wheels and House of Kolor tri-coat Hot Pepper Red paint add some contemporary flair. Moss green leather upholstery finished off the cabin in style, while a healthy amount of chrome and polish helps this wild rod shine in the sun.
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- Fred Bishop’s fiery F100 was just weeks away from winning the LMC Truck of the Year Late honor when it showed up in Loveland. Built by Colorado’s WW Speed & Custom, the red-hot custom sports RideTech air springs on a Heidts IFS and custom four-link rear to tuck the 22- and 24-inch Intro wheels. Plenty of smoothing and tricks were done to the body before the PPG Diablo Red paint was applied, while a 5.0-liter Coyote engine found its way under the hood.
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- We’ve been fans of Mike Swanson’s custom ’61 Chevy Impala for the past several seasons, and Eric Peratt really liked it, too. built by Hot Rods & Custom Stuff, the cool convertible rides on an Art Morrison chassis with LS3 power turning Schott 18- and 20-inch wheels. Beautiful House of Kolor Trojan Brandywine paint shows off the tastefully and subtly modified body, while tasty butterscotch leather upholstery by Mark Lopez adorns the cabin.
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- Ken and Lisa Stek became familiar with Builder’s Choice awards in 2021, picking one up at nearly every event they attended in their clean and cool ’57 Ford Ranch Wagon. Ken engineered the updated suspension himself and swapped in a fuel-injected 4.6-liter V8 and 5R55 overdrive transmission from a 2008 Mustang GT. The subtly massaged body wears PPG Garrett Green and white paint, while interior highlights include a ’64 Galaxie dash, custom console, and matching green-and-white upholstery.
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- Joe Weber’s Twilight Blue ’63 Corvette captured a Griot’s Garage Muscle Machine of the Year finalist spot earlier in 2021 in Raleigh and proved to be too nice for Eric Peratt to ignore. Built by Eddie’s Rod & Custom in Iowa, the ’Vette is modified with Detroit Speed suspension upgrades, Billet Specialties wheels, LT4 power, and custom upholstery by Gabe’s. The car has been in Joe’s family for 50 years and has finally received the custom treatment it has long deserved.
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- We first saw Jeff and Luanne Andrews’ ’86 Chevy C10 in Des Moines last summer, where it became an LMC Truck of the Year Late finalist. The owner-built beauty gets down using Porterbuilt suspensions with air springs to tuck those 22-inch Schott wheels. Traditional small-block V8 power gets it moving, while the green Axalta paint (a ’68 C10 color) grabs your attention. We especially like the ’55 Chevy cloth used in conjunction with tan leather on the custom interior.
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- Joe Nichols’ killer custom ’61 Impala was stolen and thankfully recovered earlier in the summer. Built by Joe with help from fabricator Bob Thrash, it rides low over custom Mike Curtis wheels courtesy of an Art Morrison chassis, with a belly pan smoothing off the underside. Power comes from a 427c.i. LS7 engine, while the body wears subtle metal mods, PPG Cyber Gray paint, and custom-whittled aluminum trim. The inside is equally cool and custom, with leather upholstery by Avant Garde over bucket front seats and a custom rear.
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- Rod and Suzette Bryant’s custom ’50 Ford F1 was built just down the road at Ron Jones Garage and went on to capture the Scotts Hotrods Truck of the Year Early title in October. Starting with a custom chassis rolling on Curtis Speed wheels with a 5.0-liter Coyote engine, the truck features an extensive list of body mods, from the narrowed ’56 F100 grille to the one-off aluminum running boards and rolled rear pan. The beautiful custom-mixed Spies-Hecker paint is complemented by custom caramel-colored leather upholstery inside.
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- Eric Peratt digs traditional hot rods, so it was hard for him to ignore John Hornbrook’s fantastic Deuce three-window coupe, which earned the 2021 Tanks, Inc. Hot Rod of the Year title. Built by Murray Kustom Rods, the chopped coupe rides on a modified Pete & Jake’s chassis, has an old-school tri-carb small-block Chevy for power, and is finished in classic Washington Blue paint sprayed by A&R Restorations. Dig out your September 2021 Gazette for a full feature.
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- Bryan Thompson’s bitchin’ black ’34 Ford pickup showed up at nearly all of our western events in 2021, and hauled home hardware each time. Channeled over a heavily modified frame, the chopped and stretched truck has a sinister look with deep black BASF paint, while the well-dressed H&H-built Flathead breathes in through triple carbs and out via custom stainless headers. With great-looking diamond-stitched leather upholstery lining the cabin, this truck covers all the bases in classic hot rod style.
