Builds
Upon approach, it stirs the heart much like the sight of an old friend, with the flowing contours that recall memories of great times and fast, simple cars—before we knew much about automotive computers, CDs or the true meaning of lateral acceleration and G-force. Like a favorite teddy bear from childhood, this welcomed image warms our hearts, yet beneath that familiar façade is a grizzly bear of sorts. One that will grab you by the throat, slam you against the seat back and rip heart-pounding sensations throughout your body. This is no ordinary ’70 Plymouth Barracuda—this is a rush!
Over the years, Jon Moss has been one of the few staunch supporters of the Chevy Bow Tie image, even when there wasn’t much to get excited about. Here’s a guy who took it upon himself to argue the fact that a company such as Chevrolet, which built its considerable reputation on performance and racing, continues its domination within this high-profile segment.
Ronnie Staples has been enjoying custom cars for more than five decades, which not only dates him but also makes him somewhat of a well-versed enthusiast who knows what he wants in a modern super rod.
When firefighter Joe Chavez of Irving, Texas, was a senior in high school, he grew up in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, and drove a ’66 Chevrolet Nova. “I had a lot of fun with that car. I called it the “Alien,” and everybody in town knew whose car it was,” Chavez says. Unfortunately, when Chavez relocated to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in 1985, he couldn’t afford to take his prized Nova along with him. As the years went by, he found himself regretting the decision more and more.
Most car guys know all about rare cars, and this certainly is one of the rarest Ford Mustangs on the road. In what some may consider an odd collaboration, Carroll Shelby International Inc. and celebrity customizer West Coast Customs (WCC) have teamed up to produce a line of limited-edition high-end 2006 Ford Mustangs. Starting with only 25 stock 2006 Ford Mustang GTs, the Shelby/West Coast Customs team has a solid foundation on which to build, and build it did.
There are a lot of reasons why people choose to build and drive the cars they do. Most of the time, it is because a particular car was one that they wanted or liked when they were young, and such is the case with Allen Bernd and this ’62 Chevy Impala SS.
On Friday, May 9, the streets of downtown Dayton filled with the rumble of engines, the shine of polished chrome, and the unmistakable buzz of community. As part of the 78th Annual Tennessee Strawberry Festival, the Cruise-In Car Show once again proved to be more than a car show — it was a meeting place for car lovers, families, and locals who know small towns shine brightest when they come together.
A look back at the 2006 Strawberry Festival in Dayton, Tennessee, where The Auto Builder hosted the first Rods on the River car show, drawing crowds, classic cars, and community spirit.
When we look back over the past decades and all the cars that have benefited from the creative mastery of super rodding, we should consider ourselves lucky. After all, just about every car we’ve ever dreamed about has found new life through the vision of today’s enthusiastic owners and builders. It’s like being a kid in a candy store and having a pocketful of money—it’s all within reach and we just can’t get enough. Still, there are a few favorites that are often overlooked, which has many of us asking—why?
Gary Moore is no stranger to hot rods; he has owned literally dozens of them over the years. Past rods include no fewer than seven Deuces, a couple of altered drag roadsters, three ’40 coupes, three woodies…well, you get the idea. Like many hot rodders, Moore has an eye for the unique, and while his current stable holds a Deuce highboy roadster, a ’27 roadster pickup and a ’51 Ford woody, a couple of years ago he contracted “straight-axle fever.”
