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Best Of Show

When Hot Import Nights strolls into Seattle, typically two cars end up battling it out for Best of Show honors. Earlier in the year, Kelly Williams, one of the two competitors, took home the Best of Show honors when HIN first rolled into town. His Civic has been cleaning house for several years up in the Northwest and there hasn’t been a Honda to touch what he has built. Until Dara Sordano showed up and surprised them all— including Williams.

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HOW WE BUILT A SHOW-STOPPER
(and Why We Built it the Way We Did)

THE QUESTION THAT we always seem to get asked at shows, at work and even when we are at a restaurant or just chilling at a bookstore is this: Everyone wants to know why Neil and Mei Tjin spend big money on their cars.
If you must know, it’s the love of the game and wanting to have the best of the best. Everyone always talks about JDM-this and JDM-that. Well, how about just getting the best parts from anywhere— Japan, Australia, America, wherever—and putting them on the car?

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Necessity Breeds Inspiration

The ididit steering column in the 38 Chevy presented a conundrum for the SRRC crew. Its intended path straight through the engine compartment was blocked by the mighty LS1 lurking beneath. Instead of compromising on engine placement or aesthetics, the team got crafty. Inspired by modern car designs, they opted to dramatically shorten the column and snake it around the engine, hugging the underside of the custom aluminum dash. This not only cleared the heads but also resulted in a sleek and streamlined look that complemented the truck’s overall transformation. This excerpt highlights the resourcefulness and ingenuity involved in custom car builds, showcasing how unconventional solutions can lead to stunning results.

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Nostalgia Rod

Old-style rods, nostalgia rods and rat rods are increasing in popularity across America, and we are beginning to see a growing number of them at car shows outside California, where the movement seems to have set strong roots. These styles are generally seen in large numbers at shows such as NHRA’s Hot Rod Reunion (in Bakersfield), the West Coast Kustoms Show (in Paso Robles) and even the L.A. Roadster show (in Pomona). For the last two years there has been a special room for such cars at the Detroit Autorama (held at Cobo Hall), and this year was the biggest display yet. 

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LED BRAKE LIGHTS

Regular maintenance is rarely stressed enough, and trailer safety is often a direct result of a good preventative-maintenance schedule. Just like changing the oil in your tow rig, it’s easy to suffer from the “out of sight, out of mind” syndrome.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Get Unleashed Acceleration with Soler Performance’s DLX Bluetooth® Throttle Controller

Here’s the deal: if you’re driving a performance car, the last thing you want is factory lag holding you back. You bought it for the thrill, the punch, that raw acceleration that gives you instant gratification. But if you’re tired of stock throttle response getting in the way, The Auto Builder has the answer. We recommend Soler Performance’s DLX Bluetooth Throttle Controller. Your first drive will be mind blowing — it transforms your car into a responsive rocket.

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DAILY DRIVER DO’S AND DON’TS

So, you’ve contemplated and weighed the pros and cons of driving an older pickup or decided that one would make a great addition to the newer pickup you already own, then you are ready to make the leap of faith and turn that older pickup into a vehicle that could be used as a daily driver.

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PEEL ‘N STICK

When dismantling your project car, you probably ran across the crumbling remnants of the original insulation. Old cars are notoriously “leaky” when it comes to heat and sound barriers, making them louder and hotter than the typical daily driver. Sometimes a loud exhaust system overrides the road noise, but you’ll always notice when your air conditioning system never seems to keep the cabin cool. If you’re in the midst of an interior refresh, or a full restoration, it’s a great time to consider new insulation.

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Super-High Super Duty

Tall lift kits used to mean a rough ride. Times have changed—the suspension aftermarket has figured out how to accommodate huge meats without inflicting permanent kidney damage on the driver and passengers. Computer-modeling and other engineering advancements prioritize ride quality into the suspension design. Spring packs with more, thinner leafs is an example of how tall-truck suspension philosophy has evolved.

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BURIED TREASURE

Suddenly it was 2007! That may not be a big deal to a lot of people, but there were a lot of folks who were very excited that it was 2007. In fact, most of the population in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was openly excited that 50 years had passed since June 15, 1957.

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Firewall Mayhem

Crankshaft trigger mechanisms have been used in racing applications for a considerable length of time. In truth, they’ve actually been in service for decades. It’s a simple known fact that one of the best ways to improve engine performance is to ensure that the ignition timing is stable. That’s the whole purpose behind such a system, and that’s why racers regularly use them.

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TURNED-ON, TUNED-IN ECONOLINE

In an unmarked garage in north central Oklahoma (parked next to an original ’70 Boss 429) sat the Econoline. After moving the dead varmint skeletons and wiping off many years of dust, Kirk’s rolling time capsule was ready to see daylight again. Since the 406 Ford FE big block was no longer “politically correct,” a modern powerplant was decided upon.

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