Builders
Cabriolets have become popular over the past few years, and the ’37 is an enthusiast favorite. They have become so popular that numerous reproductions have been made. Because of the original’s low production figures—only 10,184 were built—most, but not all, of the ’37 cabriolets attending rod events are fiberglass. The problem with the originals is that for years they were only marginally desirable and many were junked. The ones that weren’t were parked outside where the weather had taken its toll. When the tops rotted, the cabriolets would begin to rust from the inside out. That means that finding a nice, solid, rust-free cabriolet can be difficult.
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We always find it amusing when a bench racing session turns to building street rods. It seems there is a huge contingency of rodders and observers of street rodding who believe that every car in the fairgrounds area was built by a professional shop. We’re not about to argue the point that a lot of people now pay to have work done on their cars, whether it’s chassis work, bodywork or upholstery. However, there is still a large group of people who spend evenings and weekends out in the garage forming brackets, repairing rust, blocking panels and wiring hot rods. In short, they are building cars the old-fashioned way—at home with the help of a few friends.
Jack Fuller has been at this hot rod game for a long time, and while he builds hot rods for a living, make no mistake—this is a man who loves his work. As a matter of fact, the mantra of the garage is, “When the fun stops, the doors close for good.” It’s pretty simple stuff, and oddly enough, that seems to be the specialty of the house—basic hot rods that look cool and work well. Jump in a Jack Fuller hot rod, and you’ll know it was designed to be driven. Jack’s own ’32 cabriolet has seen untold miles over the years, as have most of the other hot rods he has built.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show engulfs Fabulous Las Vegas annually. It brings together the biggest names in the automotive world to show off the latest and greatest, whether it’s new products, amazing custom builds, or the newest trends. TheAutoBuilder is excited to be in the thick of it all.
When it comes to indoor car shows, the Grand National Roadster Show is, and always has been, one of the finest in the country. This show originated in the Bay Area, and for years it became known as the Oakland Roadster Show.
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.
Over the last several years, the Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, has established itself as one of the nation’s premier hot rodding events. This event, along with the Detroit Autorama and a few others, has proven to be one of the main events at which builders choose to debut new cars, and trophies are as hotly contested here as at any show in the country. But Columbus is about more than just trophies—it’s about bringing your own car, no matter what kind of shape it’s in, to hang out with the owners of the other 6,000 vehicles that will be there, and to have fun at Goodguys’ premier event.
Colorful street rods and street machines filled the huge Columbus Fairgrounds, with an estimated 8,000 cars in attendance. This panorama shows just a small section of the event, and the building in the background is where the swap meet was held.
While there’s numerous automotive events spread across the nation that center on specific kinds of automotive interests, be they classic cars, street rods, muscle cars or super rods, there’s one that welcomes them all. It’s a place where friends gather and new friendships start. The Goodguys 8th Columbus Nationals is an event for all reasons, drawing cars from across the Midwest, along the Eastern seaboard and from as far away as California, Oregon and Arizona. The event is held at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, and with everyone in attendance and all of the cars parked side by side, with a sea of semis supporting all the exhibitors, there was little space left.
At home at a concours event, George Lange’s ’68 Camaro begs for closer inspection, as it is much more than it seems. Capable beyond most people’s wildest imagination, its laser-smooth lines are complemented beneath the flawless luster of DuPont’s Ash Gold Metallic paint. Call it “Alloway style.”
