







Tucked away in rural Northern New Jersey is a collection of some insanely cool hot rods and I know the
Tucked away in rural Northern New Jersey is a collection of some insanely cool hot rods and I know the mildly insane guy that built ‘em. I’m proud to say I knew Lance Sorchik even before “Jersey Suede”
Now in its fourth year, the Triple Crown of Rodding had given builders and enthusiasts plenty of reasons
Now in its fourth year, the Triple Crown of Rodding had given builders and enthusiasts plenty of reasons to circle the calendar. The 2026 edition added another impressive lineup to that reputation, bringing
There’s always something new to discover at the Triple Crown of Rodding, and the fourth annual gathering
There’s always something new to discover at the Triple Crown of Rodding, and the fourth annual gathering was no exception. Held September 11–12, 2026, at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee,
The 2026 Triple Crown of Rodding delivered a winner’s circle loaded with horsepower, imagination, and
The 2026 Triple Crown of Rodding delivered a winner’s circle loaded with horsepower, imagination, and extraordinary craftsmanship. From a sparkling ’32 Ford roadster to a towering Squarebody Chevrolet,
Big horsepower gets expensive fast. Between the rotating assembly, cylinder heads, valvetrain and power
Big horsepower gets expensive fast. Between the rotating assembly, cylinder heads, valvetrain and power adder, an LS build can burn through a budget before the first bolt gets tightened. Your engine needs
For three wild days in August, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, didn’t just welcome the Jeep community—it was
For three wild days in August, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, didn’t just welcome the Jeep community—it was completely overrun by it. The 2026 Smoky Mountain Invasion stormed into the LeConte Center August 20–22,
It was summer of 1981 when the phone rang. On the other end was Bob Juliano, calling to tell me about
It was summer of 1981 when the phone rang. On the other end was Bob Juliano, calling to tell me about a car we might be interested in for Rodder’s Digest Magazine. The car was none other than the 1963
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Time For Recess
When building a custom street rod or classic, it’s the little things that count. Choosing the proper taillights for your project can sometimes be tricky. The shape of the cab, fenders, roll pan and style of the vehicle all play an important part in selecting the proper taillights for your car or truck.

Back In Black
Jerry McMullan is a long-time Chevy fan, and when he wanted to find a cool daily driver, he knew two things. The first was that the vehicle would be a Chevy, and the second was that he knew it had to be black. Having been the proud owner of a couple of previous ’67-’72 Chevys (a ’70 Chevelle SS and a ’70 El Camino SS), he knew that that the style suited him, so he thought that a pickup from those years would be just right for what he had in mind. After a little searching, he came across this ’71 Chevy Cheyenne. McMullan says that the truck was in fair condition when he purchased it (for the now-reasonable, though still hard to believe, price of $11,000), and thus began his three-year odyssey of building his perfect pickup.

THE THIRD TIME’S A CHARM
“I shouldn’t have sold that car.” How many times have you heard an enthusiast make that statement? It seems that a great many of us regret selling our favorite rides over the years, whatever the reasons.

THE YORK BEFORE YORK
Central Pennsylvania has long been a hot bed for traditional hot rods. When the N.S.R.A. moved the Nats East from Timonium, Maryland to the York County Fairgrounds in 1975, the town of York, and the associated York County Fairgrounds became synonymous with the NSRA Nats East. But wait, there

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Stainless Headers MFG’s Ceramic Coating Service Has You Covered
There are plenty of jobs you can tackle in your own garage. Professionally ceramic coating a set of headers probably shouldn’t be one of them. Sure, you can buy products that promise a ceramic-like finish at home, but getting the kind of results you’d expect on a professionally built car

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Dynamat Xtreme Mega Pak
You can spend serious money on the engine, paint, upholstery and audio system—but if the finished vehicle still rattles, buzzes and sounds like an empty drum, it isn’t really finished. The Dynamat Xtreme Mega Pak is the company’s largest pack of Dynamat Xtreme, the industry-leading sound-deadening material it introduced in

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: SHOW YOUR COLORS WITH PROFORM
You can spend a small fortune making an engine compartment look right, but one parts-store alternator can kill the whole vibe. That plain aluminum lump might get the job done, but it certainly isn’t winning any points when the hood goes up.

Product Showcase: Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion 2026
The 2026 Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion didn’t simply roll into Pigeon Forge, Tennessee—it took the place over. For three days, the LeConte Center and surrounding streets were packed with lifted Wranglers, built Gladiators and enough off-road hardware to empty a Jeep owner’s wallet before lunchtime.

Stuban’s Statement
If you think you’re particular about your street rod—the quality of the build, the effectiveness of the drivetrain and chassis, and the aesthetics of the entire effort—consider what it must be like for someone who has specialized in high-level manufacturing for most of his life.

GOODGUYS COLUMBUS 2026
The 28th Summit Racing Nationals presented by Grundy Insurance took over the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio, July 10–12, 2026. As the biggest event on the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association calendar, Columbus brought together thousands of hot rods, customs, classic trucks, muscle cars, and street machines for three

VALUABLE LESSONS
Building an engine at home is exactly what you make of it—your first experience could be a good one if you choose to do it the right way, or it could be a bad one if you take short cuts along the way. As cheesy as it may sound, with

MYSTERY MUSCLE
It’s a beautiful spring morning in Florida. As we round the corner to the next fairway, we assess the hole. Looks like a real beauty, long with deep green grass and a turn to the right. A large pond lies at the end of the fairway. It was the kind

A VISIT WITH THE LOBECKS
You’ve heard the saying, “They went to different schools together.” Well, Ginny and Barry Lobeck did just that. In the 1970s, street rodding was well into its “rebirth,” and mail-order business was just a fledgling industry. In southern Ohio, a young Barry Lobeck was busy finishing a ’65 Riviera. Slammed









