Truck Takeover at the Triple Crown of Rodding
September 26, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Dare To Be Different
There are a few things you need to know about Sonny Wells. First, Sonny, who is a cabinetmaker in Clearwater, Florida, owns an Elkhart Blue 1967 Corvette with a black stinger hood. Actually, his wife, Jill, lets him share the Corvette with her. Second, Sonny has always had a hankering for an old truck. Third, Jill was tired of sharing the Corvette with Sonny and having to listen to him constantly complain that he wanted an old truck. With that in mind, Sonny began his quest for an old pickup.
ALL THE WAY
Alloway has built a lengthy succession of exciting cars, each with its own style, and all with a level of detailing that is a trademark of Alloway’s creations. This kind of finish work has earned him the coveted Ridler Award, along with every honor and title that one could garner from this hobby.
TEXAS TRANS-AM
Thirty-four-year-old Mustang enthusiast Dave McMillan of Dallas, Texas, may not have been old enough to remember those wild and woolly days of SCCA Trans-Am racing, but that doesn’t mean he can’t relive that glorious era each time he climbs inside his Trans-Am-style ’69 Mustang SportsRoof.
McMillan is what you would call a certifiable Ford nut, having owned quite a few noteworthy high-performance Fords over the years. The mix has included or currently includes the likes of a ’70 Mach 1, a ’93 SVT Mustang Cobra, an ’01 SVT Ford F-150 Lightning and a ’66 Sunbeam Tiger. “All my buddies give me a hard time for being a Ford man,” McMillan says. “I just tell them that anybody can drive a Chevrolet.”
Spotlighter
Broncos Storm Pigeon Forge
The 2025 Great Smoky Mountain Bronco® Stampede
The 3rd Annual Great Smoky Mountain Bronco® Stampede thundered into Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on August 15–16, 2025, and for two days straight the LeConte Center was wall-to-wall Broncos. Old, new, stock, modified, lifted—if it had a Bronco badge, it had a place in the herd.
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
Photography by Scott Killeen
Bronco Nation, United
You could feel it the second you walked through the doors: this wasn’t just a car show, it was a full-blown Bronco family reunion. First-gen survivors with steel wheels and dog-dish caps parked next to shiny new Sasquatch Editions on 37s. There were bone-stock restorations, half-finished projects, and wild customs with more cage than body panels. Every aisle was a reminder of why the Bronco’s legacy runs so deep—and why its comeback has been one of the hottest stories in the off-road world.
More Than Just a Show
What really makes the Stampede different is the mix. Sure, it’s about showing off rigs, but it’s also about swapping stories, finding parts, and learning what works on the trail. The vendor hall was packed, the crowds were buzzing, and more than a few conversations ended with: “See you on the trails.”
The Stampede Keeps Growing
Three years in, the Great Smoky Mountain Bronco® Stampede is already cementing itself as one of the premier Bronco events in the country. This year’s turnout was the biggest yet, and it’s clear the momentum isn’t slowing down. Whether you brought a Bronco, bought parts for your build, or just came to soak in the atmosphere, the Stampede proved why it’s a can’t-miss.
Even More Broncos Inside the Pavilion
If you thought the parking lot was loaded, the pavilion cranked it up a notch. Broncos filled every corner—shiny, muddy, lifted, slammed—like a giant toy box for grown-up gearheads. From uncut first-gens on stock steel wheels to modern rigs with long-travel suspension and oversized tires, it was a rolling catalog of what’s possible with Ford’s iconic off-roader.
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