Brandon Putzier is not alone in having a project that traveled the slippery slope from “nice driver” to show-stopping standout that doesn’t belong in shopping center parking lots. He started his 1968 C10 pickup in one direction and happily ended up at a different destination. “I
Some people come into hot rodding through a family member or friends. Others, like Ricky Rosas, the owner and builder of this slick 1958 GMC, just seem to be born with the aptitude to tinker, rebuild, and modify nearly anything mechanical. After high school, Ricky pursued
Sam Medina always considered himself a Chevy kind of guy until he happened upon a forlorn 1969 Mustang Mach I in the garage of a house for sale. The car was buried in garage debris, garbage, and abandoned rodent nests, but it was quite solid
Two months ago, we featured the late Andy Brizio’s wild T-Bucket that won America’s Most Beautiful Roadster in 1970. The article also mentioned two other notable T-buckets, those crafted by actor/racer Tommy Ivo and hot rodding’s premier funny man, Norm Grabowski. At the same time, wild
When Chris Chandler bought this ’71 Chevy C10 pickup 10 years ago at the Goodguys Autumn Get-Together, it was a driver at the lower end of the scale. After a few years of mechanical and interior upgrades and plenty of highway miles, Chris developed a
There’s something almost timeless about the look of a well-designed, well-crafted mild custom, and Clifford Frye’s tasty avocado-hued '49 Ford Coupe is a wonderful example. It’s not overdone or unnecessarily flashy, but instead wears thoughtful modifications in just the right places that result in a
In 1985, Todd Wallace’s Great Grandmother made him a deal he couldn’t refuse. She would sell him her bone stock, low-mile ’63 Nova for $50 if he promised not to modify or sell the little sedan. He still has the car and has kept his promise
By the time Dennis Patterson was 16 years old he was already cruising around in a ’57 Chevy, but one day he passed an auto parts store and spied a 1965 Chevy C10 pickup parked outside. This simple drive-by sighting fueled his desire to own
Almost everyone owned a car once that they’d like to have back. For some, it was a hand-me-down beater from a family member. For others it was a special muscle car that got away. For Gary McKay, it was a 1965 Pontiac GTO hardtop, red with
There are many stories of hot rods and customs from the 1950s and ’60s that endured years of neglect before being rediscovered and restored. John Foxley’s 1952 Chevy custom has a similar tale, though its journey of inattention and resurrection happens on a shorter timeline.
