Builds

Modern/Future Tech June 11, 2026

The Cars That Defined HPX 2026

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.

Builds June 2, 2026

Goodguys Launches Inaugural BASF Legends of Hot Rodding

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.

Builds May 21, 2026

HPX and Street Car Takeover Are Turning Charlotte Into Horsepower Central

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.

Builds May 18, 2026

Poole-Adams Racing Doubles Down at HPX 2026

Daren Poole-Adams doesn’t chase trends—he builds what makes sense, then lets the results speak. That philosophy was on full display at last year’s HPX, where his reengineered Gen 5 Toyota Supra debuted as a ground-up NHRA Stock Eliminator concept. Built from a bare shell and developed in collaboration with NHRA, the project quickly became one of the most talked-about builds on the show floor.

Street Trucks April 28, 2026

POWER PICKUP!

To say Tom Long has an interest in cars is to say the Pope has an interest in religion. Long has always been a “car guy,” just like the rest of us. Having owned several specialty vehicles over the years, he still has a ’32 Ford sedan street rod that has seen many miles from coast to coast. But Long had a real urge to own something with the extra shot of adrenaline that comes from potent power under the hood. As his son Matt’s interest in cars grew, Long decided a project that involved both father and son would be just the ticket.

Builds April 27, 2026

TIME MACHINE

Big billet wheels, custom suspensions and modern power plants—that’s what we’ve come to expect from a first generation Camaro. And while these items are great if that’s what you prefer, we just can’t help but love a car that stands out in a crowd, like this 1968 Camaro vintage street machine. Period perfect down to the slightest details, the black Camaro would have been the ultimate classic Camaro street machine in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with its big-‘n’-little Cragars, Lakewood traction bars and nose-down stance. Claude Minor is the proud owner of this retro Chevy, but it certainly didn’t start out in this configuration.

Builds April 23, 2026

BACK IN BLACK: Jamie Musselman’s ’33 Ford Roadster

Forty-four years have passed since Musselman teamed with Boyd Coddington in creating one of the most amazing rods of its day, an excetpional car that took its place in history as the Oakland Roadster Show’s “America’s Most Beautiful Roadster” in 1982. This was also due, in part, to the efforts of many top fabricators including Lil’ John Buttera, Dan Fink, Steve Davis, Thom Taylor who designed the car.

Builds April 23, 2026

MERC-O-MATIC MAKEOVER

Gil Losi, the owner of this super-slick ’54 Mercury Monterey—which was a year in the making—has quite a liking for the ’54 Mercury body style. He’s owned several of the stylish Monterey hardtops, but this one tops them all with its slammed stance, laser-straight paint and bodywork and 32-valve DOHC engine. One of the many great aspects of this particular Mercury Monterey is that Steve Cook’s team started with a good body. It was solid and already featured a low-down stance, but the crew reworked every part of the car into what you see here.

Builds April 23, 2026

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Dynamat ProX^TM Sound Deadening Mat

Let’s be honest—most sound-deadening upgrades feel like a small step forward. ProX™ isn’t that. This is Dynamat taking everything they already did right with Xtreme and pushing it way harder.
Same proven butyl formula? Yep. But now it’s twice as heavy, backed by a thicker 5 mil aluminum skin, and built to flat-out dominate noise and vibration instead of just managing it.

Builds April 16, 2026

STAR CARS: A Family and Its Speedstar

Dale was working on a unique rod project when his father went to a Goodguys event and saw Bobby Alloway Speedstar’s new Rat’s Glass Speedstar body and Alloway frame package. Joe knew it was the look Dale was trying to accomplish, so he purchased the makings of a Alloway Speedstar street rod and traded it to Dale for his unfinished car. Joe and Dale then went to the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, and saw a beautiful orange Speedstar that Alan Johnson had just finished. They were impressed with the roadster’s craftsmanship and attention to detail, so Dale decided to take his custom Speedstar build to Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop in Gadsden, Alabama, to help him finish it. Dale’s intention was to build the roadster for outdoor car events, because the last rod he built was never driven, it was strictly an indoor show car. This time he wanted a rod that was exceptional, and a driver.

Builds

The Cars That Defined HPX 2026

Goodguys Launches Inaugural BASF Legends of Hot Rodding

HPX and Street Car Takeover Are Turning Charlotte Into Horsepower Central

Poole-Adams Racing Doubles Down at HPX 2026

POWER PICKUP!

TIME MACHINE

BACK IN BLACK: Jamie Musselman’s ’33 Ford Roadster

MERC-O-MATIC MAKEOVER

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Dynamat ProX^TM Sound Deadening Mat

STAR CARS: A Family and Its Speedstar

Spotlight

POPULAR READS

Product Spotlight: Bill Mitchell Products Aluminum LS Engine Block

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: 60-66 Chevy C10 Fresh Air Vent Block Off Plate

Product Spotlight: Pyramid Optimized Design Sequential Aurora Taillight for 1964½–1966 Mustang

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Cam Covers for GEN/3 Coyote from Pyramid Optimized Design

Women’s Em[POWER]ment Summit Builds Momentum in Its Second Year at HPX 2026

The Cars That Defined HPX 2026

The Hottest New Products from HPX 2026

GET MORE WITH AUTOBUILDER+

Builds

Builds

Spotlight

POPULAR READS

Featured

GET MORE WITH AUTOBUILDER+

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!