SO CLOSE!
January 16, 2023
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Featured
ARTISTIC EXPRESSION
Boyd’s Automotive Illustrator Todd Emmons is a talented guy. After all, as an automotive illustrator he makes his living transforming Boyd Coddington’s ideas into two-dimensional splendor, and when he wears his graphic artist hat, he designs the ads and catalogs for Coddington’s operation as well. So it should come as no surprise that Emmons would display a definite flair when it came to building a ride of his own. The only surprise is that he decided to channel that talent into building a pickup truck. Not that we’re complaining, mind you. As truck enthusiasts, we love the idea that high-end talents are turning their eyes toward pickups. In the case of Emmons, his muse is this outstanding ’74 Chevy C10.
Chasing Perfection: The Showdown for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster 2025
The 75th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Grand National Roadster Show, presented by Meguiar’s, once again proved why it’s the crown jewel of indoor car shows. From January 31 to February 2, the Pomona Fairplex was loaded with the meanest, cleanest roadsters in the country, all gunning for the top prize: the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) Award. This wasn’t just some polished-up car show—this was a throwdown of craftsmanship, power, and pure hot rod passion.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: BTR’s 4130 Chromoly Steel Pushrods
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t always get the glory it deserves but is crucial for any high-performance build—pushrods. And who better to get the job done right than Brian Tooley Racing (BTR)? These guys know their stuff, and their pushrods are proof.
YORK ‘93
What began as a Mini-Nats in Rockville, Maryland in 1973, quickly blossomed into a full-fledged National Street Rod Association Regional Event. If you were an East Coast street rodder, the first weekend in June every year was (and still is), NSRA York, simply a must-attend event.
HIDING NOT FAR FROM HOME
Back in the days of hand-writing letters and lickin’ stamps, opening the mail at RODDER’S DIGEST was always interesting. In December of 1998 we received this letter and three photos of one very cool ’38 Ford Standard Coupe. While it is a great hot rod, the history of this coupe
Product Spotlight: Posies SuperSlide Springs
Let’s face it—old leaf springs don’t always deliver the smoothest ride. Between years of wear and the natural friction created as steel leaves slide against one another, it’s no surprise that many traditional hot rods and classic trucks can feel a little rough around the edges. That’s exactly the problem
Rearview Mirror
While AutoBuilder will supply you with all the latest and greatest happenings in the hot rod world, we felt looking back at how we got here would be fun and equally as important. The changes over the past sixty-plus years have been impressive.
The Ultimate Street Machine Showdown: Goodguys Crowns the 2026 Street Machine of the Year
The Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, has long been the proving ground for some of the finest builds in the country. Each year, the event brings together the builders, designers, and enthusiasts who continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible with classic American performance.
The Ultimate Street Rod Showdown: Goodguys Crowns the 2026 Street Rod of the Year
There’s no shortage of incredible hot rods rolling through the gates at the Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. With more than 6,000 of the country’s finest 1999-and-older hot rods, customs, trucks, classics, and muscle cars filling the Ohio Expo Center, the weekend once again delivered a showcase of
JOHNSON & JOHNSON ’CUDA
Say what you will, but function is back! We find more high-profile cars built to be driven, and driven hard. Everywhere you look, car owners and builders are searching out new ways to put the fun back into driving the wheels off the rides they build, and they’re looking to
Great News for Builders: EPA Recognizes SEMA Certified-Emissions
The agency has officially recognized SEMA Certified-Emissions as a legitimate way for manufacturers to demonstrate compliance with federal emissions standards. Translation? Companies now have another legal path to sell emissions-compliant performance parts in 49 states.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Dynamat Xtreme – The Upgrade You’ll Appreciate Every Time You Drive
For more than 35 years, Dynamat has been the #1 name in automotive sound deadening, helping enthusiasts build quieter, cooler, and better-sounding vehicles. Whether you’re restoring a classic, building a Pro Touring machine, finishing a street truck, or simply improving your daily driver, Dynamat Xtreme delivers a noticeable difference the
Secondhand Rose
The coupe was a seedy, lumpy refugee from the Southern California dry lakes and dusty old dragstrips. It had an ancient Cadillac engine and Plexiglas windows, the frame was butchered, the rollcage was a joke and the floorboards were gone—but he just had to have it. It took a lot
