Rad Win by Rad Rides
November 7, 2025
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Axle Conversion: One Less Nut
When updating an early truck to five-lug disc brakes up front, the six-lug rear bolt pattern should be changed to match, as this directly affects the wheel selection and fitment for the truck.
Bright Idea
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.
MORE THAN A CAMEO
Gil Palmer just loves cars, trucks, and motorcycles. He’s owned more than 100 miscellaneous cars, ranging from ’40 Fords to ’55 Chevys to a ’70 Monte Carlo. He’s owned a few pickups, too, and this one originally came to him as the bonus gift, so to speak, in a trade of his ’32 Ford Cobo Hall winner for a motorcycle at the Detroit Autorama. The ’57 Cameo that he received in the trade had an entire ’55 front end on it, and because of that, everyone thinks it’s a ’55. But this truck was in pretty sad shape when it arrived at Palmer’s Southern California home. Just picture this one item in your mind for a minute, and you’ll get the gist of the kind of shape the truck was in: There was a hand-painted (we’re talking 4-inch-wide brush, here) Chevy Bow Tie on the tailgate. The 10:1 compression supercharged engine would overheat in a matter of a few blocks.
Spotlighter
Curves, Chrome, and Legacy: Fat Attack 2026
A Showcase of Fat-Fender Cars and Trucks, Featuring Pete & Jake’s Influence and Industry Legends
The Fat Attack exhibit at GNRS 2026 rolled in with curves, chrome, and attitude, and at the heart of it all was the undeniable legacy of Pete & Jake’s Hot Rod Parts. Pete Chapouris and Jim Jacobs didn’t just make parts — they made a movement, showing the world that 1935–1948 fat-fender cars could be bold, street-ready, and built to impress. With Fat Jack Robinson riding shotgun in the history books, these curvy machines were a mix of drivable street heroes and jaw-dropping showpieces, proving there’s room for both in the fat-fender world.
Author
Jamie Dent
Photography by Scott Killeen
What Is a Fat-Fender Car?
A fat-fender car is classic American design at its most dramatic: swollen fenders, curvy bodies, and presence for days. Unlike stripped-down hot rods that ditched weight for speed, fat-fender rides embraced their bulk, giving builders room for horsepower, suspension upgrades, and real streetable comfort. From coupes and sedans to convertibles, wagons, and trucks, makers like Ford, Chevy, Plymouth, and Hudson delivered the raw material for iconic builds. Whether a roaring gasser, a smooth cruiser, or a jaw-dropping showpiece, fat-fender cars combine performance, style, and attitude in one irresistible package.
The movement was already gaining serious steam in the early ’80s, driven by innovators like Ken “Posie” Fenical of Posies Rod & Customs, alongside builders such as Pete Chapouris and Jake Jacobs of Pete & Jake’s Hot Rod Parts. Fenical’s refined ’36 Ford and chopped ’37 Ford convertibles—both featured in Hot Rod Magazine in 1983—helped elevate the fat-fender Ford from simple hot rod to fully realized custom. By the time the Fat Attack feature landed in mid-’85, the fat-fender phenomenon had officially come to a roaring boil.
The Ultimate Fat-Fender Showcase
The Feature Building brought together the largest collection of 1935–1948 fat-fender cars and trucks ever seen under one roof. Highlights popped off the floor: the “Project 40” 1940 Ford Sedan, “Big John” Mazmanian’s 1940 Willys Gasser, John D’Agostino’s 1940 Merc Kustom “Stardust,” and jaw-dropping builds from legends like Chip Foose, Boyd Coddington, and Gene Winfield. Some were street-ready beasts primed to roar, while others were immaculate showpieces meant to stun. Every car carried the fat-fendered DNA — precision, craftsmanship, and the kind of hot rod swagger you can’t fake.
Pete & Jake’s Legacy in Action
Pete & Jake’s own builds, including the ’39 Ford convertible that graced the cover of Hot Rod Magazine in 1985, reminded everyone why fat-fender hot rods still matter. From pro-street sedans to gassers and trucks, the exhibit proved these curvaceous machines could perform hard while looking flawless on the floor. Every chassis, every suspension, every detail carried the legacy of two guys who never compromised on quality, attitude, or style.
Honoring Fat-Fender Innovation
The Fat Attack at GNRS 2026 wasn’t just a display — it was a celebration of creativity, performance, and hot rod heritage. Fat-fender builds proved they could be versatile, whether tearing up the street or dazzling crowds as polished showpieces. The exhibit honored the builders, the legends, and the unapologetic spirit of Pete & Jake’s, keeping the fat-fender flame alive for a new generation of rodders hungry for curves, chrome, and horsepower.
Pete & Jake’s ’39 Ford Convertible
Pete & Jake’s ’39 Ford convertible is a flagship fat-fender build that exemplifies the company’s craftsmanship and design philosophy. It features a well-engineered chassis, upgraded suspension, and a powerful street-ready engine, all while retaining the car’s original 1939 body lines and iconic curves. The convertible serves as a working example of how fat-fender cars can be both streetable and show-ready, reflecting Pete & Jake’s commitment to quality and performance.
Pete & Jake's Hot Rod Parts
The premiere hot rod parts manufacturer of complete chassis, suspension, and chassis parts. From start to finish all parts are quality checked and held to high specification standards.
The Fat Pack: GNRS 2026 Fat-Fender Gallery
