Street Rods
Gary Brigham bought his 1929 Ford roadster pickup several years ago. There was just something about it that he liked. First and foremost, it was a pickup. Even though he was not planning to haul any building materials, he did need the bed room for transporting the pop-up tent that he and wife, Janice, used at the many shows they attended. Second, it was a roadster, and he wanted an open car. The roadster pickup fulfilled both requirements.
We recently had the opportunity to work on a Levi’s Edition AMC Jeep Renegade—a unique piece of off-road history that has undoubtedly seen its fair share of adventures. The exterior still boasts its original paint, complete with bumps, scrapes, and surface rust that showcase the character that comes with many years of use and enjoyment. Rather than opting for a fresh new repaint, our mission was to preserve its tough, battle-worn patina while adding protection and a nice polished matte finish to show it some love. We wanted to enhance its character, highlighting its scars instead of hiding them, and, with the assistance of Sweet Patina’s products, we accomplished this beautifully. This Jeep didn’t spend its life tucked away in a garage; its paint tells a story, with each scratch, chip, and faded patch serving as a badge of honor. We felt that applying a shiny new paint job would be a disservice to this classic Renegade.
For the last ten years or so, SUVs have been the buzz in the world of new cars, soccer Moms, and the general motoring public. As a matter of fact, this trend is so strong that automakers from Kia to Porsche have offered myriad variations on the theme, to the point where most of us can’t even begin to name them all. With names ranging from half of a state name to words that don’t mean much of anything (Dakota, Cayenne, Rainier and on and on) the onslaught of SUVs seems to show no sign of slowing down.
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.
One of the many things The Auto Builder does on a daily basis is keep its eyes peeled for small make-a-difference items, tech and how-tos that might benefit you for both street and/or strip application. Sometimes those elements are major, other times they are far less significant, but nonetheless helpful. We also pay particular attention to things that are of interest, up to and including the reasons why an owner did not win at a car show. There are 55 photos here, each with a bit of info. Many may pay dividends for you sometime in the future, so sit back, learn, laugh and enjoy.
The 2024 Triple Crown of Rodding at Nashville Superspeedway brought the heat, and while the Elite 10 took home the big glory, don’t sleep on the rest of the Top 30 winners. These rides didn’t snag the top spots, but they’re anything but second-rate. This show is a heavyweight showdown, and these builds were ready to rumble.
Taking home a win at the Triple Crown of Rodding? That’s a big deal. This event isn’t your run-of-the-mill car show—it’s where the best of the best go head-to-head, and the judging is no joke. You’ve got to bring something truly exceptional, both in design and craftsmanship, to even get a nod here.
Dave Shuten is a time traveler. Traveling through time is what he likes to do best, but looking at his latest creation we can’t tell if his time travel machine is moving forward or back in time. Here’s the real dilemma: If you’re advancing a trend that ended in the early ’60s, are you traveling forward in time or back? One thing is certain: Dave Shuten loves to visit the golden era of show cars; after all, he’s the guy who did such an awesome job of cloning the Mysterion, an Ed Roth creation that was ultimately parted out and destroyed, only to live again through the efforts of Dave Shuten.
The Blueprint 383 provides the Advanced Design pickup with nearly 400 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque, which is plenty of power for cruising, especially the fair- grounds. During the engine build, Blueprint Engines took the time to photograph the machining process, as the company completely refurbished the Chevy four-bolt main block, machined and assembled it into a brand new horsepower monster.
0Comments
Long before the automotive world was familiar with the name Chip Foose, he had already honed his skills working with his father, custom car builder Sam Foose, at Sam’s Goleta, California, shop since he was a mere seven years old. Armed with this hands-on knowledge of the mechanics of hot rods, Chip enrolled at the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
