Considered a “gentleman’s muscle car,” the upscale Plymouth GTX two-door hardtop was restyled in 1970, offering cleaner side body panels along with revised front and rear fascias. The grille had a unique telephone-receiver look to it, the taillight treatment was changed, and the car was no longer available as a convertible.
As in other levels of Motorsports, drag racing has provided us with a rich and interesting history filled with incredible accomplishments by both man and machine. Many of these achievements are the result of tenacity and perseverance. One such story centers around a man known by competitors and fans as the first “Mr. Chevrolet.”
When you attend a Mustang & Shelby event, especially one the magnitude of the Rocky Mountain Mustang Roundup in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, it can become kind of a mind-boggling process to pick a “favorite” Mustang among the more than 750 entries. Nonetheless, it’s an assignment we relish. And at the 2006 RMMR, there were plenty of outstanding Mustangs and Shelbys to choose from.
If you lived during the muscle car era or have any experience with the E-body Mopars—’Cudas and Challengers—then you understand that these were factory rocket ships that were pure excitement to drive. Perhaps you recall those Plum Crazy 340 six-pack ’Cudas and 440 six-pack Challengers—they were hot back then, and they’re even hotter to own now.
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.
The Triple Crown of Rodding isn’t just an event—it’s a battleground where the world’s finest muscle cars and custom rods come to claim their place among legends. In 2024, this showcase of horsepower and craftsmanship cemented itself as a must-hit for anyone who eats, sleeps, and breathes the rumble of a V8. If you’re obsessed with torque and tire smoke, this was the event of the year.
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.
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.
