Builds
Custom trucks have bulldozed their way into the hot rod world, turning what were once old workhorses from the ’30s through the ’90s into show-stopping, tire-shredding machines. These trucks aren’t just about hauling gear anymore—they’re packing serious muscle under the hood, killer suspension setups, and sleek designs that demand attention at events like the Triple Crown of Rodding.
His name is synonymous with what many believe were the golden days of drag racing. This was a time when factories were devising new engines, and some of the best minds in racing explored new and clever ways of applying these new developments to the dragstrip. The mid-’60s were truly revolutionary times in drag racing, and one of the most feared competitors at the time was “Dyno” Don Nicholson. Always the innovator, Nicholson was all about the details, poring over all aspects of his cars until everything was sorted out.
To the uninitiated, this may look like the General Lee ’69 Charger featured in varying numbers on “The Dukes of Hazzard” television show. A closer review tells of an even greater historical connection. Xtreme Lee is as much a statement of intent as it is the car’s moniker, and when you’re pressed into the seats, there’s little question it lives up to its name.
It’s a scenario we all dream about. We don’t mean dreaming about winning the lottery or dating Eliza Dushku; we mean one that can actually happen, like finding your dream car and being able to take it home.
Keith Bright was driving through tiny Basin, Wyoming (population just over 1,000), when he saw a ’58 Buick station wagon drive by in the opposite direction. “That’s strange,” he remembers thinking to himself. He could remember seeing only two other examples in his entire life. He had to have that car, but there was no time to follow the driver or flag him down. Bright returned to his home in Salina, Kansas, where he heads Bright Built Street Rods & Restoration, and occupied his time working on other people’s super rods. But he couldn’t get that ’58 wagon out of his mind.
This 1994 Chevy ½ Ton isn’t just another slammed truck built to win trophies—it’s got a job to do, and it’s built to do it right. Originally started over a decade ago as a hauler for café racers, this single cab, short bed rig morphed into a legit Pro Touring machine. But here’s the twist: the builder didn’t want anything flashy. This truck’s about subtlety, where the real magic reveals itself the closer you get. Every panel, every mod, it’s all dialed in so nothing steals the show—but together, it’s something you won’t forget.
In the past, we’ve told you numerous stories about obsessed owners who spent years, in some cases decades, chasing down a particular car. Sometimes, people who aren’t quite that devoted still spend a lot of time looking for a particular model, or a car equipped with a certain options package. Other enthusiasts have broader tastes, and one of those enthusiasts is Kurt Klopping of Omaha, Nebraska. When we asked Klopping whether he had specifically been looking for a Camaro like the ’72 that he now owns, he responded, “Nah. If it’s cool, you own it.” Sounds fair enough to us, and to prove his point, Klopping noted that he also owns a ’55 Buick two-door special, a ’65 Dodge Coronet 500 and a ’65 Buick Skylark convertible.
The story of Terry Beaty’s ’50 Ford F-1 is no whopper of a fishing tale—this is the one that did not get away, a pickup that has been in possession of the Beaty family since the truck was nearly new.
Chris German knows his way around a Camaro. He currently owns two—the car you see here and a ’69 Pace Car. He’s owned six more of them in the past, and he’s built 10 of them at American Muscle, his shop in Cleveland, Tennessee. When he came across this car, it was in great shape. It had been the focus of a restoration about 20 years ago, and German says he probably could have started and driven the car with almost no effort at all. But the Camaro wasn’t the way he wanted it. He wasn’t after a restoration or a drag-style car. His Camaro would have to be able to handle the corners well, and he wanted to be able to autocross it at Goodguys shows, and autocross it well.
It’s always an uphill battle when it comes to acquiring, building and maintaining an old car, and no one knows that better than Dale and Dorinda Mahoney. You’re looking at their ’69 Mustang, and if there was ever a car that fought back, this is it. The initial build didn’t give the father-and-son(s) team of Dale, Craig and Shawn Mahoney too much trouble, as most of the build was handled in-house at their shop, Mahoney’s Auto Service in Highland, Indiana. The guys at Mafco Customs, a division of Mahoney’s Auto, also pitched in with custom suspension components, but the Mustang didn’t travel very far during the entire build, as Mafco is also located in Highland. Just as with any other car, there were problems during the restoration process, but everything turned out great, and the Mahoneys started putting miles on their freshly restored Mustang.
