ELECTRIFIED
December 15, 2022
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
STORM WATCH
It seems as if only yesterday that the 2003 Ridler award was presented at the Detroit Autorama. Each year’s event is progressively a tougher call to make, because the cars continue to get better and better, and more expensive in their construction and detail. Some of the most beautiful vehicles you can imagine were on hand, and we will be bringing you more of those cars in the year to come. Meanwhile, we are still entranced with some of the cars that make the Great Eight grouping.
Short of a Restoration
By name alone, Reflections Restorations attracts enthusiasts whose worlds revolve around period-correct classics, muscle cars and other favorites built in the Motor City over decades past. Then again, not all of the exquisite creations emerging from this Cabot, Arkansas-based creative shop reflect originality, as an equal number of customers these days prefer a more modern approach to the cars they’ve found and have been attracted to for so long.
NOPI Nationals 2025: A Legendary Comeback
After years away, NOPI Motorsports made a triumphant return with the NOPI Nationals 2025, officially the NOPI Nationals Motorsports Supershow. Fans from across the country flocked to the event, experiencing two full days of custom car showcases, high-octane competitions, and festival-style entertainment that reminded everyone why NOPI is a cornerstone of car culture.
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.
