Old-School Cool Lives On at the 2025 GNRS Suede Palace
February 20, 2025
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Golden Anniversary Special
Just about any gearhead would be thrilled by the opportunity to work with legendary automotive collector and all-around funny guy Jay Leno. Dave Killackey, owner of Performance Transmissions in Azusa, California, not only had the opportunity to work on a number of Leno’s projects, but along the way he’s developed a friendship with the late-night TV host. It’s a close enough friendship that Leno teamed with automotive designer Chip Foose and his “Overhaulin’” TV show to completely transform his rusted-out ’56 Chevrolet Nomad. So yes, you did read this correctly; Dave Killackey is indeed one of the luckiest car guys on the planet—he’s friends with Jay Leno, and he owns a ’56 Nomad that has been overhauled by Chip Foose and the rest of his team.
SQUIRT GUN
You have to admit that the thought of injecting water into your engine sounds crazy. We all know that water doesn’t burn and it can’t be compressed. Those unfortunate souls who have tried to do this now have engines that are the equivalent of ship anchors. In this installation, we aren’t going to be injecting huge amounts of water into an engine, but rather a fine mist that’s proportionate to the fuel flow (10 percent to 20 percent), using a high-pressure pump. This will help lower the chances of detonation by reducing the intake charge temperature.
From Vegas with Horsepower
Las Vegas, Nevada, baby! Picture this: the Holley LS Fest West roaring into town like a beast on four wheels, revving up the asphalt at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway from April 26-28, 2024. This shindig ain’t your average car meet; nah, it’s a full-throttle celebration of all things LS engine from GM. You got your gearheads from every corner gathering round, ready to rip it up in Autocross, Drifting, Drag Racing, Off-Road showdowns, and then some. But it’s not just about the racing; it’s about the vibe, man. Folks bonding over their love for LS-powered rides, swapping stories, and soaking in that sweet, sweet automotive culture.
Spotlighter
NATIONAL TREASURES
America Discovers Columbus at the Goodguys Nationals
While there’s numerous automotive events spread across the nation that center on specific kinds of automotive interests, be they classic cars, street rods, muscle cars or super rods, there’s one that welcomes them all. It’s a place where friends gather and new friendships start. The Goodguys 8th Columbus Nationals is an event for all reasons, drawing cars from across the Midwest, along the Eastern seaboard and from as far away as California, Oregon and Arizona. The event is held at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, and with everyone in attendance and all of the cars parked side by side, with a sea of semis supporting all the exhibitors, there was little space left.
Author
Stephen K. Anderson
Photography by Josh Mishler
A Perfect Weekend at the 2005 Goodguys Nationals
The weather made this a memorable event, and with all the special activities throughout the weekend, the time passed quickly. From contemporary G-machinery to new-age rodding efforts, there’s no shortage of good taste and talent, as can be seen in the varied combination of vehicles in attendance. While the Goodguys Nationals has been a great success since it was initiated eight years ago, Columbus has definitely come of age, as this event has exceeded the expectations of most enthusiasts. Record crowds took home memories that won’t soon be forgotten, and most will be coming back next year to make this show just that much better.
1: Jim Lambert’s ’61 Ford hardtop was subtle yet eye-catching, all at the same time. The combination of subtle colors and an eye-catching stance created a very sanitary look, making it one of the coolest ’61s we’ve seen in a long time.
2: They say it takes a real man to modify a rare car, and if that’s the case, then Charlie Smalz is a “real man.” His ultra-rare ’56 Lincoln Continental Mark II rolls on large-diameter billet wheels, sits low, and is powered by the original drivetrain. All this made it one hard cruiser to pass up.
3: The latest ride to roll out of D&D Specialty Car in Van Buren, Arkansas, is this killer red and black ’55 Nomad belonging to Ron and Tom Blanton of Fort Worth, Texas. Numerous elements make this wagon really cool, but our favorite part is the fully dressed 385 powerplant.
4: Talk about dare to be different: How about a slammed ’51 Chrysler Windsor Deluxe convertible? It is not that often you come across a ’51 convertible, and Judy Henson wasn’t afraid to customize it, either. This car had rodders seeing early ’50s Chryslers in an entirely new light.
5: Named the “LoSabre,” this ’59 Buick LeSabre is still as eye-catching as when it was first completed three years ago. A 364 Nailhead makes it pretty easy for Barry Penfound to motor in style wherever he may want to go.
6a: Buick stylists in ’63 were dead-on when they penned the first Riviera. Bob Vondron thought so, too, and was able to accentuate its perfection with a set of 18- and 20-inch Coddington magnetos and a much lower stance. The stylist would be proud.
6b: Buick stylists in ’63 were dead-on when they penned the first Riviera. Bob Vondron thought so, too, and was able to accentuate its perfection with a set of 18- and 20-inch Coddington magnetos and a much lower stance. The stylist would be proud.
7: Steve Cook and his crew were making a statement at Columbus again with this bright yellow, 502-powered ’69 Camaro. Cook built the car for his dad and, with a great level of detail and an aggressive look, it easily found its way into the contention for Street Machine of the Year.
8: It’s pretty hard to walk by a low-slung ’59 Chevy, and this one was no exception to the rule. Under the hood was a nicely dressed W-motor with three deuces and Cal Custom air cleaners. The impressive engine compartment combined with the stunning exterior to create one striking package.
9: Anybody who says you can’t combine a wagon with Pro Street styling to create a cool package hasn’t seen Norman Schmitt’s ’63 Ford Falcon wagon. The power for this flaming Pro Street family hauler comes from a 347 backed by a four-speed tranny. This is the car every suburban family should have in their driveway.
10: Talk about cool! How refreshing is this ’63 Rambler wagon? Nancy Gray owns this pearl green gem that rolls on big billets and gets its ultra-low stance via Air Ride. With a Mustang II front suspension and a 350/350 combo, this wagon looked especially nice and had the appearance of a Hawaiian Island cruiser.
11: Pontiacs from 1960 are hard to come by, and post cars are even harder to find. This untouched original Catalina two-door post is a true find with only 28,000 original miles on the factory 389. The plastic seat covers are still preserving the original interior, which is mint.
12: The Ring Brothers were at it once again with yet another amazing Mustang. This time Mike and Jim worked their magic on this astonishing ’67 fastback, which features a 392 stroker with Momar fuel injection. Look for a full feature on this car in an upcoming issue of “Super Rod.”
13: One of the five finalist for Street Machine of the Year was this bad-to-the-bone ’69 Camaro belonging to Scott Whidby. There’s nothing has quite as captivating as a sleek black exterior with a red interior, and the 19- and 22-inch Intro wheels helped, too.
14: Occasionally you will see a ’61 Buick at a rod run, but you almost never see more than one. Amazingly, this year there were seven ’61 Buicks in attendance at the Goodguys Nats. This fine example belongs to T.R. Stopher of Akron, Ohio.
15: Ford Falcons seem to be getting hotter and hotter by the day, and it is easy to see why when you look at Joey Johnson’s Indiana-based ’61 wagon. The exterior has been updated with big cast Americans and a lowered stance, but under the hood you will find the original 170 six-cylinder backed by a three-speed.
16: Joe Krummel has had his fair share of cool ’50s and ’60s cruisers, a couple of which were even up for Custom Rod of the Year. This ’60 Chevy Bel Air is one of the many cool cruisers that Krummel has worked his magic on.
17a: Wagons are always hot and almost never go out of style. How could they go out of style with fine examples such as Sean and Kristal Janson’s way-cool ’59 Pontiac Catalina Safari wagon?
17b: Wagons are always hot and almost never go out of style. How could they go out of style with fine examples such as Sean and Kristal Janson’s way-cool ’59 Pontiac Catalina Safari wagon?
18: Stepping outside of the box is getting harder and harder to do these days with all the creative ideas that people have. One surefire way is to build a custom that is not of the norm, and a ’62 Mercury is not your normal custom. Tom and Sandra Ulrich own this awesome 4.6-liter, DOHC-powered version.
19: Last year young Derick Samson caught our attention with his ’62 Chevy wagon, and this year he returned with his latest creation. Samson’s newest is this ’62 hardtop turned speedster, which had many neat little details all around. One thing is for sure: This is only the beginning for this young builder.
20: One of the most talked-about cars this year was Ken Nestor’s wild ’70 Dodge Challenger created by Bobby Alloway. Just a few of the features that made this car so great were its aggressive stance, impressive engineering and custom Art Morrison chassis. Oh, did we mention its monster Hemi motor under the hood?
21: One of the big movements taking place this year is the popularity of big ’50s and ’60s Buicks, Olds and Pontiacs. After seeing Keith Stephens’ ’62 Olds Super 88 hardtop, you can understand why they are gaining in popularity.
22: Just as popular as the Camaro this year was the Cuda. Late ’60s and early ’70s Mopars are becoming the street machines of choice for many builders. This fine red ’70 Cuda belongs to Mark King and features a 528ci crate Hemi.
23a: Talk about an extra-nice tri-5: Check out Toney Spencer’s red ’55 two-door post. This car had trick little modifications around every corner and a really nice tan leather interior. The engine bay and ZZ4 motor were beautifully detailed under the hood of this red beauty.
23b: Talk about an extra-nice tri-5: Check out Toney Spencer’s red ’55 two-door post. This car had trick little modifications around every corner and a really nice tan leather interior. The engine bay and ZZ4 motor were beautifully detailed under the hood of this red beauty.
24a: One of the coolest Nova wagons was this red and black ’62 belonging to young Joe Allred. There are so many things that make this wagon way cool, from the slider in the roof to the 4.3-liter six-cylinder. Although it may look like a show car, Allred uses it almost daily.
24b: One of the coolest Nova wagons was this red and black ’62 belonging to young Joe Allred. There are so many things that make this wagon way cool, from the slider in the roof to the 4.3-liter six-cylinder. Although it may look like a show car, Allred uses it almost daily.
25: Drop tops are hard to walk by, and red drop tops are even harder to turn your back on. Large five-spoke wheels, killer low stance and ultra-slick red paint make this ’62 Impala no exception to the rule.
26: Harold Prokop’s red Pro Street ’49 convertible (once a sedan) has to be one of the baddest shoebox Fords around. It motors down the road with a blown, injected 502 Chevy and rides on a custom Springfield Motors tube chassis.
27: This year’s show could have been subtitled “the year of the Camaro,” and with versions such as Roger Jennings’ ’69, they just kept getting better and better. Jennings’ ’69 features a ’59 Chevy dash, suede upholstery and a 6.0-liter backed by a T56.
FROM THE VAULTS…
Here’s BONUS photos that missed publication back in 2005. NOTE the ’63 1/2 R-Code Galaxie that got it’s own feature story (CLICK TO READ)
