EARLY-IMPALA LS2 SWAP
July 10, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
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.
THE INTRUDER
From the first time you see this beautiful ’57 Ford Ranch Wagon, you know it’s special, both in its concept and its execution. You might also know this is the latest creation from one of the Midwest’s elite rod builders, Troy Trepanier, a guy who has been doing it his own way since he first started shaping specialized vehicles back in the late 1980s. Since that time, Troy and his crew have been stopping people in their tracks with fresh, leading-edge designs, and their latest innovation certainly carries that tradition into a new era. After taking possession of another Trepanier creation, the ’54 Plymouth known as the Sniper, George Poteet decided he wanted Rad Rides By Troy to rework another car that he had been thinking about for some time. As with all such projects, it began simply enough, but soon a well-worn Ford station wagon was well on its way to an entirely new life.
50-YEAR FAMILY JEWEL
There are lots of cool story threads woven into the history of this ’57 Thunderbird, purchased new 50 years ago by W.T. Romine of Indianapolis. You see, Romine’s young son, Paul, was bitten by the hot-rodding bug and tried to convince his dad to hop up the T-bird. The elder Romine steadfastly rebuffed his son’s attempts to bolt on a McCulloch blower and other aftermarket parts for the respected Y-block Ford.
Spotlighter
AN EVENT TO REMEMBER
Goodguys’ 10th PPG Nationals
Author
Stephen K. Anderson
Words & Photography
A Decade of Excellence at the Goodguys PPG Nationals
It’s been said before, and judging from what we saw this year, we agree that the 10th Goodguys PPG Nationals “was one of the finest automotive events ever!”
A Spectacular Showcase of Automotive Artistry
As the years go by, and as the quality of cars continues to exceed expectations, it isn’t surprising that the venues attracting the top cars get more spectacular over time. This year, record crowds in Columbus, Ohio, came out in droves to witness an amazing chrome carnival. Cars of every description, many of which were completed weeks, days, and in some cases only hours before the event, were debuted there, which made for an amazing array of automotive artistry. And if you think you’ve heard this before, know that even the most ardent car nuts were wide-eyed and standing motionless with mouths gaping as they tried to make sense of all the hardware in attendance.
An Impressive Range of Rides
The variety of cars at this year’s show covered the gamut of time and taste, from vintage classics to the latest street rods, leading-edge muscle cars and vehicles that defied description. While some centered on the visual senses and others focused on performance, all were captivating in one way or another, and many provided onlookers with concepts that will undoubtedly find their way into future creations.
More Than Just a Car Show
As always, Goodguys events offer up so many other areas of interest, so it’s easy to get lost in the indoor and outdoor exhibitor aisles, looking at all the components available through the aftermarket today. There were also special seminars held to inform and educate enthusiasts. Add in a swap meet, the car corral, DJ Dave’s continuous tunes, Friday night drags just up the road and lots of great food, and there was no shortage of things to do, people to meet, and cars to ogle over. With the Street Rod and Street Machine of the Year competition, it couldn’t get any better.
See It for Yourself
But rather than trying to tell you about an event that is altogether visual, check out this fantastic array of machinery with your own eyes. It’s nothing short of awe-inspiring and definitely memorable.
One of the more radical muscle cars at the event was Kevin Triplett’s ’69 Camaro with a 632ci engine wedged in front, ahead of a TKO five-speed and an extensively modified interior that is sure to start something.
One of the most exceptional ’56 F-100s to come along was Steve and Becki Haessly’s brilliant red example featuring a neat molded interior and a clear bed floor, exposing all of the beauty that rolls beneath this pickup.
