BULLETPROOF
April 25, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Remembering When
When Ricardo Lopez began building this 1955 Chevy he had some help, as well as a plan. In the beginning, this little Chevy pickup was to provide an excellent chance for Ricardo to spend some time with his son, Ricky, and to be able to show the boy some of the tricks that he had learned over the many years he had worked as a customizer, bodyman and painter. As owner of Paint By Lopez in Compton, California, Ricardo had hopes of his boy taking over for him in the years to come, maybe even calling the shop Paint By Lopez & Son. Unfortunately, Ricky was taken from Ricardo and his wife, Monica, in a freak accident. At first Ricardo was going to sell the truck, as the sight of it was almost too much to bear. But upon reflection he changed his mind. Ricardo thought that finishing the project was not only a perfect way to work through his grief, but it would also give him a chance to feel connected to the son he had lost. When the Chevy was completed, it would be a way to honor Ricky’s memory.
MAKING GAS
Alternative-fuel sources and hybrid cars are all the rage today. Everyone from major automakers to backyard inventors is pursuing alternative fuels and energy sources. While the ultimate goal is generally to eliminate dependence on foreign oil, for hot rodders there is also the desire to invent and create a better-performing engine.
628HP LS7X BUILD
Some of the greatest feelings in life come with a rise in rpm, a dropped clutch and tests of traction stretching the boundaries of our physiology. These are the emotions many of us cherish, and while many factors can evoke such emotions, the single most influential force behind these kinetic kicks is torque (which is then equated into horsepower).
Spotlighter
GOODGUYS COLUMBUS 2008
Exploring the Biggest Event of Its Kind and Loving It!
We are continually challenged by what has previously been accomplished within a hobby that has captured the hearts of enthusiastic Americans; and just when it seems automotive imagination has reached its pinnacle, we are once again reminded of an endless flow of accomplishment and creativity that stretches the limits of the cars we build.
Author
Stephen K. Anderson
Photography by Josh Mishler
11th Goodguys PPG Nationals: A Celebration of Street Machines and Rods
Nowhere was this more evident than at the 11th Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. A familiar facility to rodders for decades, and certainly one of the premier events that draws an impressive mix of cars, this is where top honors for two key car categories are decided—street machines and street rods.
Top Honors in Street Machines and Street Rods
As expected, there was an incredibly strong showing on both fronts, and while the carefully chosen Street Rod of the Year finalists were a big part of the buzz, it’s the Street Machine of the Year category we’re centering on here.
A Show for Every Car Enthusiast
Whatever your preference, and no matter the vintage, style or level of detail of the cars you most enjoy, spectators came away from the Goodguys PPG Nationals filled with new ideas, great memories and anticipation for all that’s to come as our hobby continues to evolve.
2008 STREET MACHINE OF THE YEAR
The year’s Street Machine of the Year awards went to the Chevys, as two ’69 Camaro coupes, a ’68 and a ’69 convertible and a ’70 Nova made it to the finals. And while visual appeal still accounts for most of the points, the autocross certainly weighed in on the results.
The Ring Brothers did it again, enabling Erv Woller to take home the Street Machine of the Year award with his amazing ’69 Camaro.
