THE CHIEF OF NEW JERSEY
November 1, 2024
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BLACKBIRD
We all have our own passions and preferences in whatever we do: food, music, dress, sports and cars. And passions can run high, particularly with cars. For some it may be Fords, for others Mopars, and there’s the whole broad spectrum of General Motors products—Cadillacs, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs and Chevys, which, of course, have always enjoyed the largest enthusiast following. Yet today more than ever, people looking to separate themselves from the masses are reaching beyond convention to the less-favored among enthusiast cars, but no less admired
nameplates, to satisfy their car needs.
SUM OF THE PARTS
Jason Whitfield never intended to hot rod a station wagon. It just sort of happened. You see, he had this Mitsubishi Diamante wagon that Rage Performance and NuFormz used as a parts-getter. After a few runs, the guys decided that the car needed some better tunes. As the parts pickup runs got longer, they decided to add TVs. When a few extra parts were lying around—like a Turbonetics T04/T03 turbo and an intercooler—they just sort of made their way onto the car. The parts were already paid for, so why not use them?
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Flaming River’s Microsteer Tilt Column for 1967-68 Camaro
Imagine yourself behind the wheel of your vintage Camaro, cruising the streets with the perfect blend of classic aesthetics and modern performance. That dream becomes a reality with the Microsteer Tilt Column. But what sets this beauty apart? Let’s talk about the Microsteer Power Assist feature, a game-changer that takes your driving to new heights.
Pyramid Optimized Design: The Builder’s Secret Weapon
When a build needs to go from “cool idea” to “everyone’s talking about this,” the pros call Pyramid Optimized Design. They’re the team behind some of the most talked-about show cars on the planet — using custom automotive design services to transform raw ideas into fully engineered, show-winning, road-ready components.
Our SEMA 2025 Hot List
SEMA always delivers sensory overload — the unveilings, the crowds, the horsepower echoing off every hall. But this year, the real thrill came from the unexpected. Tucked between the headline builds and mega displays were the parts that made us slow down, lean in, and say, “Okay… now that’s something
Metal, Muscle & Mastery: Inside SEMA’s Battle of the Builders 2025
Every November, the SEMA Show turns Las Vegas into the beating heart of the custom car world—but one showdown always steals the spotlight: the Battle of the Builders 2025. It’s the aftermarket industry’s ultimate test of skill, creativity, and innovation—where the best in the business fight for glory and the
Rad Win by Rad Rides
We knew this one was special the moment we first spotted it at the 2024 Grand National Roadster Show. Now it’s official—the 2025 SEMA Battle of the Builders Presented by Mothers Polish has crowned Troy Trepanier of Rad Rides by Troy as the best overall builder of the year with
Coast to Coast Cool
Part of the rarity of this car comes in the fact that this is one of the first 12 original Coast to Coast ’39 Ford Convertible bodies to be built. Since that time, a second-generation body has been developed, and while some changes have been made, the overall look is
CLARITY OF THOUGHT
You can’t blame Dean Sears for feeling a little confused about his love for cars. You see, he’s spent the past nine years as the head of Sport Trucks by Dean in Moorpark, California. His first car, in fact, was a truck. Well, sort of a truck. It was a
AMERICAN BEAUTY
From a distance, this roadster appears to be from another place, far from American shores, as much as from another era. On closer approach, the Borrani wire wheels conjure thoughts of European heritage, although the shape borrows as much from past Indy roadsters and Sprinters as it does from the
ALL FOR FUN
George Poteet is not the kind of guy who does things halfway. He likes to jump into a project with both feet and with his eyes wide open. Such has been the case over the many years he has been building street rods and customs. His street rods have been
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Cam Covers for GEN/3 Coyote from Pyramid Optimized Design
You can bolt all the horsepower in the world under your hood, but if that engine bay looks like a tangle of plastic and wires, it’s still missing something. That’s where the new GEN/3 Coyote Cam Covers come in — from the same team at Pyramid Optimized Design that scored
TAKE A WALK ON THE MILD SIDE
For many hot rodders, the word “custom” conjures up images of chopped, channeled, molded and frenched cars with wild metalflake paint jobs. Such radical customs no doubt helped define the custom movement of the 1950s, along with such phrases as “if it don’t go, chrome it,” but in virtually every
