In our decade-long exploration of hot rod legends, a few pioneers have slipped through our ink-stained fingers. One such innovator was Frank Currie, a So-Cal legend of early drag and salt venues and later founder of Currie Enterprises, a company that tuned up more rearends
The '49 - '51 Mercury coupe is to custom cars what the ’32 Ford highboy is to hot rods – the matchless standard-bearer of its discipline. We’ve showcased many a ’32 in this column, but the Mercury custom has been a bit neglected. To make amends,
Since this column is dedicated to exploring the roots of hot rodding, one name continually pops up – the late Alex Xydias. We all know him as the founder of So-Cal Speed Shop in 1946, one of hot rodding’s first-ever dedicated retail performance centers. Xydias
Pete Eastwood has played a key role in the construction of some of the most famous hot rods to ever turn a wheel. It’s why he’s a Goodguys Legend of Hot Rodding. Affectionately known as P-Wood, his all-star lineup of celebrated hot rods includes Tom Prufer
Mike “Blackie” Gejeian lived a life worthy of several people. He experienced the Great Depression, survived WWII, and became a ground-breaking hot rod builder, dry lakes standout, show promoter, NASCAR driver, and yes, even a farmer. Gejeian hailed from just outside Fresno in central California’s San
Writing about legends of hot rodding comes with a definite demographic risk. And lately it seems many of our legends are crossing the finish line, moving onto the great car show and drag strip in the sky. The latest, Ed Pink, arguably the most successful
In our modern era of hot rodding, the late George Poteet commissioned some of the most influential customs, race cars, and street rods of all time. He was a visionary, a trendsetter, and a hard-nosed racer all at the same time. In his comprehensive retrospective on
As Goodguys prepares to take over the Texas Motor Speedway this April 25 and 26 for the 15th LMC Truck Spring Lone Star Nationals presented by Old Air Products, we thought it would be a kick to look back to the first Texas Goodguys event
This is a special, if sad, Legends of Hot Rodding column, as Gene Winfield, whose customs and film creations dazzled literally hundreds of millions of people over seven decades, passed away on March 4, 2025 at age 97. Known to manyu as “Windy,” Winfield built not
Editors Note: Interview conducted and story originally published in February 2019 In Southern California, rods and customs enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the film industry. Movie directors are drawn to automobiles as cinematic and graphic devices. At the same time, a host of SoCal customizers have
