Originally published in the November 2000 issue of Street Rod Builder, this candid conversation with legendary hot rod builder Barry Lobeck captures the humor, honesty and unmistakable personality behind some of the industry’s most influential creations. More than 25 years later, Lobeck’s thoughts on traditional styling, proper stance and the future of hot rodding remain every bit as relevant—and entertaining—as they were when Gerry Burger first sat down with him over dinner.
There are car shows, and then there’s the Nats. If you’ve been there, you know exactly what we mean. For four days, the Kentucky Exposition Center becomes its own hot rod city—more than 10,000 street rods, customs, classics, muscle cars, and trucks filling seemingly every available piece of pavement, with cars cruising the grounds and something new catching your eye everywhere you turn.
The Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, has long been a gathering place for some of the finest hot rods, muscle cars, and customs in the country. While the event may not be dedicated specifically to trucks, the pickup presence continues to grow, and the 2026 show proved that trucks are no longer just the workhorses of the automotive world—they’re some of the most creative and meticulously crafted builds on the property.
Let’s face it—old leaf springs don’t always deliver the smoothest ride. Between years of wear and the natural friction created as steel leaves slide against one another, it’s no surprise that many traditional hot rods and classic trucks can feel a little rough around the edges. That’s exactly the problem Posies SuperSlide Springs were designed to solve. Instead of simply building another replacement leaf spring, Posies re-engineered the traditional multi-leaf design to provide a smoother ride, better handling, and improved suspension response—all while keeping the vintage appearance that belongs under a classic hot rod or truck.
Say what you will, but function is back! We find more high-profile cars built to be driven, and driven hard. Everywhere you look, car owners and builders are searching out new ways to put the fun back into driving the wheels off the rides they build, and they’re looking to the past for their inspiration as they recreate older brands to kick the snot out of new, overpriced super cars. It’s an old technique, as aged as the hobby itself.
Think you have to attend a giant national event to see world-class builds? Think again. The Erwin Marine Sales Car Show was proof that some of the baddest rides around show up at the smallest gatherings. Tucked along Chattanooga’s scenic waterfront, this laid-back event delivered far more than anyone would expect from a Saturday morning cruise-in.
It used to be that people took their old stuff to junkyards and swap meets when they didn’t want it anymore. And resourceful bargain hunters would pick through the goods in search of that diamond in the rough—turning over busted fenders, inspecting used fuel tanks—all in the hopes of finding the item that’s actually worth something. Nowadays, in the era of eBay, the search for value is conducted with a keyboard and high-speed connection; kicking the tires happens by way of written descriptions, digital images and email communications. Of course, the opportunistic at heart relish eBay as the best thing since sliced bread, a massive database of the world’s old stuff, neatly organized and categorized. For everyone else, eBay is the Internet’s junkyard, with shady merchants hiding around every corner.
HPX 2026 in Charlotte established its identity on the show floor rather than through announcements or spectacle. At the center of that approach was the inaugural HPX Shop Car Challenge, presented by Killer Performance, which brought together five curated shop builds representing some of the most current and capable work in the performance aftermarket. Positioned as a focused, invite-only feature within the High Performance Expo, the display highlighted craftsmanship, execution, and shop identity through the cars themselves rather than presentation alone.
The first-ever Goodguys BASF Legends of Hot Rodding event brought the heart and soul of traditional hot rodding straight to downtown Nashville, Tennessee, delivering a premium weekend packed with world-class hot rods, customs, live music, and the unmistakable energy of America’s golden automotive era. Held May 15–16 at the newly renovated Fairgrounds Nashville, the all-new event delivered a fresh experience for hardcore enthusiasts while celebrating the roots of the hobby that built hot rodding culture.
Charlotte becomes the epicenter of the aftermarket world as HPX and Street Car Takeover merge business, racing, and car culture into one nonstop performance week built on horsepower, innovation, and pure chaos.
