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December 13, 2022
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Product Spotlight: Any Level Lift’s Static Lift Series
If you’re looking to give your Ford Super Duty the stance, performance, and capability it deserves, Any Level Lift’s Static Lifts have what you need. For 2017–2023 Ford F-250, F-350, and F-450 models, these lifts aren’t just about height; they’re about commanding presence, improved handling, and off-road readiness. With choices between 4.5″ and 5.5″ lifts, these kits are tailored to make your Ford the king of the road—and trail.
BIG ON STYLE
Although there is no set list or solid criteria we look for when choosing a feature car, we typically know the instant we’ve found one. Sometimes it’s a flawless paint job and subtle body mods that draw us in; other times, it’s a fully built motor loping angrily. Other times, though, we come across a car that is just plain cool—not the fastest, or even highly modified, but the kind of car you just look at and say, “Wow, check out that…” So it was at Goodguys Charlotte this year: sitting proudly in the mist and drizzle was Doug Wayne’s ’66 Galaxie convertible. At Auto Builder, we have a soft spot for large vehicles, and, realistically, Ford is not known for making many great small cars. Even small Fords are big, and if you don’t believe us, stick an early Falcon next to a Scion. But few companies do big as well as Ford, and even from a distance, we knew this Galaxie was as cool as it is long.
Product Spotlight: Bill Mitchell Products Aluminum LS Engine Block
If you’re building an LS engine meant to dominate the strip, carve canyon roads, or simply crush the scales on any dyno, the BMP‑086515 Aluminum LS Engine Block is your ticket. Built from high-strength 357T6 aluminum alloy, it weighs a mere 135 lbs with caps and sleeves, giving you a rock-solid foundation without the ballast of a cast iron block. In short: strength where you need it, weight where you don’t.
Spotlighter
Old-School Cool Lives On at the 2025 GNRS Suede Palace
The Heart of Traditional Hot-Rodding
Author
Jamie Dent
Photography by Scott Killeen
The Suede Palace at the 2025 Grand National Roadster Show was, as always, the ultimate hotspot for anyone who lives and breathes traditional hot-rodding. Tucked into Building 10 of the Pomona Fairplex, this gathering wasn’t about high-dollar billet builds or over-polished show queens—it was a raw, authentic tribute to the early days of hot-rodding, where creativity, attitude, and a little grease under the fingernails mattered more than a six-figure paint job.
A Step Back in Time
Step inside, and you were instantly transported back to a time when young gearheads wrenched on their rides in backyard garages, piecing together speed machines from whatever they could scrounge. The show was packed wall-to-wall with era-perfect customs, from hammered ’32 Fords and channeled Model A coupes to tail-dragging Mercs and stripped-down roadsters, all oozing vintage style. Every car had a story—whether it was a survivor from the ’50s with decades of history in its paint or a fresh build that looked like it rolled straight out of a smoky dry-lakes pit in 1949.
More Than Just the Cars
But it wasn’t just about the cars. The Suede Palace had a vibe all its own—rockabilly tunes playing, vintage-clad showgoers swapping stories, and the unmistakable scent of oil, leather, and just a hint of exhaust in the air. This was more than just an exhibit; it was a full-throttle celebration of the roots of hot-rodding, a place where tradition ruled, and old-school cool was alive and well.
Standout Builds of GNRS 2025
Now, check out this killer selection of builds that made the Suede Palace the standout scene of GNRS 2025.
