INTERNATIONAL MUSCLE
November 25, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
HAWAIIAN SKYLINE
No matter where you live or who you are, if you could get your hands on an authentic Nissan R34 GT-R Skyline, you would. The GT-R Skyline has been called the “Holy Grail” of imports and is the car that all tuners wish they owned. If you are fortunate enough to own one, you are the envy of enthusiasts on the streets and at all of the shows.
THE SNOWBALL EFFECT
The Fox-body Mustang is undoubtedly becoming one of the most popular Fords of all time, and the abundance of aftermarket components is its main attraction. Every aspect of the ’79-’93 Mustang is upgradeable, and whether you want a killer street car or an all-out drag car, the Fox-body Mustang proves to be a great platform for all kinds of performance goals. B.C. Happach of Pekin, Illinois, recognized this great potential and bought a ’91 Mustang hatchback back in March 1996. Small upgrades here and there, including a NitrousWorks plate kit, gave Happach a street-friendly Mustang that consistently ran in the high 12s with the stock suspension.
Full Throttle Glory
Alright, let’s take look back at the Holley LS Fest West 2024 Autocross event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was a wild ride, with LS-powered machines tearing up the asphalt, from vintage muscle to modern speed demons, all vying for glory in a whirlwind of horsepower and adrenaline.
Spotlighter
Standout Builds from the 2026 NSRA Street Rod Nationals Builders’ Showcase
The Builds That Caught Our Attention in Louisville
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
Photos by Scott Killeen
The 57th Annual NSRA Street Rod Nationals rolled into the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, August 6–9, 2026, once again bringing together more than 10,000 street rods, customs, classics, muscle cars, and trucks for four days of horsepower, craftsmanship, and everything that makes this hobby great.
The Best of the Best in Louisville
With that many incredible cars spread across the fairgrounds, picking favorites is nearly impossible. But if there’s one place where you’re guaranteed to find some of the best of the best gathered under one roof, it’s the NSRA Builders’ Showcase.
This year’s Showcase brought together 42 of America’s top builders, each presenting vehicles that demonstrated just how far the art of building a street rod has come. These weren’t simply beautifully finished cars. They represented countless hours of fabrication, engineering, bodywork, paint, machining, and attention to the smallest details—often combining traditional hot rod styling with modern performance and technology.
42 Builders, 42 Different Visions
The variety was just as impressive as the craftsmanship. From traditional rods that looked like they could have rolled straight out of hot rodding’s golden age to contemporary builds packed with one-off components, modern chassis technology, high-horsepower engines, and show-stopping finishes, the Builders’ Showcase offered a little bit of everything.
And while 42 builds filled the Showcase, what follows isn’t intended to be a complete rundown. Consider it a sampling—a closer look at a few of the standout builds that caught our attention in Louisville.
A Few of Our Favorites
Different styles. Different approaches. Different visions of what a hot rod can be.
But every one of them demonstrated exactly why the Builders’ Showcase remains one of the must-see attractions at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals.
Let’s take a closer look at a few of our favorites from the 2026 Builders’ Showcase.
