L.A. ROADSTERS HISTORY
March 20, 2025
FEATURED EVENTS
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
AT ONE WITH THE PAVEMENT
If you’re like many of us, vacillating between the car you’ve always dreamed of owning and what you really can afford, be sure you know what you need before you shell out more money than sense. Check around, ask your friends, read magazines on the subject, surf the Internet, get connected, and you’re likely to find your dream car, even if it is not everything you think it is.
LIGHTEN UP
The new E46 BMW M3 comes equipped with some serious OE HID headlights, but what if you’re still not happy? You want something different; you want to add some spice to your headlight setup. Well, this story is just for you.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: BellaTilt Microsteer Roadster Column by Flaming River
Top-tier quality and a solid three-year warranty set Flaming River apart as the best in the business. Their tilt steering columns come fully equipped with an aluminum dress-up kit, featuring a turn signal arm with a Phillips screw, a tilt lever, a hazard knob with a screw, and a steering wheel hold nut. Additionally, Flaming River offers a comprehensive array of steering column accessories, including steering wheels, custom wheel adapters, floor mounts, and column drops.
Spotlighter
HIDING NOT FAR FROM HOME
July 31, 2026
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Back in the days of hand-writing letters and lickin’ stamps, opening the mail at RODDER’S DIGEST was always interesting. In December of 1998 we received this letter and three photos of one very cool ’38 Ford Standard Coupe. While it
Product Spotlight: Posies SuperSlide Springs
July 30, 2026
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Let’s face it—old leaf springs don’t always deliver the smoothest ride. Between years of wear and the natural friction created as steel leaves slide against one another, it’s no surprise that many traditional hot rods and classic trucks can feel
Rearview Mirror
July 24, 2026
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While AutoBuilder will supply you with all the latest and greatest happenings in the hot rod world, we felt looking back at how we got here would be fun and equally as important. The changes over the past sixty-plus years
The Ultimate Street Machine Showdown: Goodguys Crowns the 2026 Street Machine of the Year
July 23, 2026
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The Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, has long been the proving ground for some of the finest builds in the country. Each year, the event brings together the builders, designers, and enthusiasts who continue to push the boundaries
The Ultimate Street Rod Showdown: Goodguys Crowns the 2026 Street Rod of the Year
July 17, 2026
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There’s no shortage of incredible hot rods rolling through the gates at the Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. With more than 6,000 of the country’s finest 1999-and-older hot rods, customs, trucks, classics, and muscle cars filling the Ohio
JOHNSON & JOHNSON ’CUDA
July 8, 2026
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Say what you will, but function is back! We find more high-profile cars built to be driven, and driven hard. Everywhere you look, car owners and builders are searching out new ways to put the fun back into driving the
Great News for Builders: EPA Recognizes SEMA Certified-Emissions
July 2, 2026
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The agency has officially recognized SEMA Certified-Emissions as a legitimate way for manufacturers to demonstrate compliance with federal emissions standards. Translation? Companies now have another legal path to sell emissions-compliant performance parts in 49 states.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Dynamat Xtreme – The Upgrade You’ll Appreciate Every Time You Drive
June 30, 2026
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For more than 35 years, Dynamat has been the #1 name in automotive sound deadening, helping enthusiasts build quieter, cooler, and better-sounding vehicles. Whether you’re restoring a classic, building a Pro Touring machine, finishing a street truck, or simply improving
Secondhand Rose
June 29, 2026
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The coupe was a seedy, lumpy refugee from the Southern California dry lakes and dusty old dragstrips. It had an ancient Cadillac engine and Plexiglas windows, the frame was butchered, the rollcage was a joke and the floorboards were gone—but
Hidden Gems and Head-Turners at the Erwin Marine Sales Car Show
June 26, 2026
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Think you have to attend a giant national event to see world-class builds? Think again. The Erwin Marine Sales Car Show was proof that some of the baddest rides around show up at the smallest gatherings. Tucked along Chattanooga’s scenic
