Compelling hot rods tend to be built around a theme. Sometimes it’s an era. Sometimes it’s a central design element. And in the case of Dennis Kilpatrick’s 1929 Ford Model A coupe, it’s a person – the legendary Zora Arkus-Duntov. Duntov, of course, is the
There comes a point in most men’s lives when they set aside the fun and reckless cars of youth and buy a sensible, practical vehicle. For most of us, that might mean a roomy SUV or, gasp, maybe even a minivan! But when you’re the
If you drive with your peripheral vision in extra-wide mode, always searching a car or truck that might be your next project, you can identify with Stan Stafford of Argyle, Texas. He and his wife were running errands one Saturday years ago when she saw
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Grand National Roadster Show, presented by Meguiar’s, recognized the country’s top roadsters, hot rods and custom vehicles during its awards ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 4, at the Fairplex in Pomona, Calif. The ceremony marked the culmination of the 74th annual show
When it comes to custom cars, beauty is often in the eye of the builder. By definition, customs tend to be very personal projects, modified and restyled to reflect the tastes and design senses of their builders and owners. Those changes are not guaranteed to
Every car guy knows, or should know, Car Guy Rule Number One: Don’t buy your wife or girlfriend an old car and call it her birthday present. Ninety-nine percent of the time, that’s a losing proposition. Harmon Anderson of Johnstown, Colorado, is the poster guy for
With the help of his father and the family’s ’58 Chevy pickup, Junior Mass towed his first project car, a ’32 Ford three-window coupe, home to their farm in Malvern, Iowa. He found the car listed in the classifieds of the Omaha World Herald newspaper.
Two decades ago, Ken Henderson was shopping for a first-generation Camaro that he and his 16-year-old son could transform into the teen’s daily driver. The 1968 Camaro they found turned out to be a highly optioned car, so plans changed. It was too nice to
Dare to be different, they say; it’ll be fun, they say. We’re not sure exactly who “they” are, but any hot rodder knows that building something different often requires a lot of extra work. In the case of Steve Leach’s uncommon 1938 Dodge RD10 pickup,
The bond between a car builder and his customer can be strong, especially when it’s a repeat customer. Most builds are multi-year projects, so you develop a relationship and learn a lot about the other person’s tastes. Ultimately, the builder is helping the customer realize
