2021 Goodguys/Summit Racing Nationals Builders Choice Top 10 by Talbert Goldman
When Mike Goldman began building hot rods full time in 1990, he had a secret weapon running around the shop: his 4-year-old son, Talbert. Their build team partnership was forged at a young age, with Talbert learning to weld at age 7, starting to work at the shop during high school, and finishing his first attention-grabbing build – a flamed Studebaker pickup – as a teenager.
Since joining the shop full time after graduation, Talbert has helped propel Mississippi-based Goldman Customs to new heights. The father-and-son team have built a string of award winners, including several Goodguys Top 12 winners. They recognize style and quality when they see it and found plenty of both among the ten rides that made their Builder’s Choice lineup. Let’s take a look!
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- Scott Sullivan was a hot rod and street machine “influencer” long before social media popularized the term. He’s been cruising this bitchin’ ’54 Chevy for the past few years and we always dig seeing it. It’s got a 620hp LS power dressed up like a vintage 409, a T-56 six speed, and fuel injection. Of course, the killer stance and skinny-and-wide Halibrand wheels help define this subtle beauty, as does the understated fawn metallic paint and tan cloth upholstery.
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- Tin Man’s Garage has had Ron Ernsberger’s incredible ’36 Willys out at a number of Goodguys events this year and has the pickup qualified as a finalist for the 2021 Scott’s Hotrods Truck of the Year Early. A custom chromoly tube chassis supports the Arias V6 Hemi – one of just five produced. Much of the body was scratch built prior to being finished in PPG red paint, and the diamond-stitched Dave Schober leather interior complements the truck’s ’60s competition theme.
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- Van Bingham’s ’67 Corvette looks great finished in custom-mixed Axalta Vanguard Green metallic paint and rolling on big-inch Forgeline wheels that mimic the look of OEM aluminum sport wheels. The ’Vette is built on a Street Shop chassis that uses C7 Corvette suspension components and has LS7 power, not to mention custom leather upholstery by Steve Holcomb complemented by Classic Instruments and air conditioning.
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- Jeff and Tyler Berry’s bitchin’ Deuce three-window coupe is a regular in Columbus and at other Goodguys events and was updated over the past couple years with a fantastic set of flames over the brown paint. Sitting just right over a set of American Rebel wheels, the Deuce has plenty of power thanks to a 454c.i. small-block Chevy backed by a four-speed Muncie transmission. Finished with traditional leather upholstery and Classic Instruments gauges, this rod is definitely hot!
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- A week after becoming a finalist for the Scott’s Hotrods Truck of the Year Early title in Des Moines, Rod Bryant’s beautiful ’50 Ford F1 grabbed a Builder’s Choice Top 10 honor from Goldman Customs. Built by Ron Jones Garage, the Ford has a custom chassis, Coyote power, one-off wheels from Curtis Speed, and a host of slick body mods under the beautiful Spies Hecker paint. It’s finished with custom leather upholstery and Classic Instruments inside.
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- Harold and Tracy Chapman have been all over the country this season in their beautiful ’57 Cadillac Biarritz. One of just 800 originally built, this beauty has been brought up to date at Customs and Hot Rods of Andice using a Roadster Shop chassis, LS3 power from Texas Speed, one-off gold-tone wheels inspired by original offerings and whittled by EVOD, plus vintage-flavored upholstery by JJ Auto Interiors. It’s one classy cruiser!
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- Low, smooth, and clean is a simple way to describe Fred Farrand’s slick ’36 Ford three-window coupe. The massaged Ford body rides low on a TCI chassis, with big-inch Wheelsmith wheels adding a little color contrast. A ’57 Ford Y-block engine, complete with triple carbs, is a surprise choice under the one-piece hood top, while the custom leather upholstery is complemented by ’34 Plymouth gauges restored by Classic Instruments.
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- Scotty Hooper’s ’58 Corvette looks plenty tasty with chocolate and cream colors over the classic Chevy body lines. The Alabama-based beauty benefits from a Roadster Shop chassis rolling on Forgeline wheels, with a potent LT4 under the hood backed by a Tremec six-speed. This is another high-quality ride to roll out of Paul Atkins Hot Rods, so you know the upholstery in this beauty looks every bit as good as the outside.
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- We drooled all over Josh Bailey’s ’57 Chevy in Nashville earlier in the season and were thrilled to see it earn a Top 10 pick in Columbus. A father-and-son project with his father Joe, the 210 model sedan was imagined as a bare-bones bruiser, with a 427c.i. L88 big-block engine, Tremec five-speed transmission, steel Wheelsmith wheels on a modified chassis, and stock Delray upholstery inside complementing the PPG Surf Green exterior paint. It’s basic, sanitary, and totally badass.
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- Oscar Gamble is no stranger to just-right street rods and this ’32 Ford Victoria is no exception. A contender for Street Rod of the Year, the red beauty rides on a custom chassis from Precision Hot Rods with a 425c.i. Buick Nailhead for power and Dayton wire wheels with tan rims and stainless spokes complementing the bright red PPG paint. Steve Holcomb gets credit for the brown leather upholstery with cloth inserts, while Classic Instruments and Vintage Air help complete the cabin.
