There are plenty of famous hot rods – the Niekamp roadster, the Pierson coupe, the Buttera tall T. We could go on and on. But few hot rods have reached across the pages of automotive buff books into the imagination of the general public. One
Larry Wood has arguably every car-loving kid’s dream job. Known as “Mr. Hot Wheels,” the Connecticut native has been designing Hot Wheels cars for Mattel since 1969 and continues to design and build hot rods today. “I have had a hot rod in my life,
The name Penske has become synonymous with cars and racing, thanks to Roger Penske. The owner of the Team Penske pro motorsports organization, the Penske Corporation, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (to name just a few of Penske’s very famous automotive businesses), Penske has also
The Reverend Billy F Gibbons One day in 1998, just after the November ’97 re-launch of the SO-CAL Speed Shop my mentor and boss Pete Chapouris said, “Grab your camera, we’re going to Billy Gibbons ZZ Top warehouse in Texas.” Billy Gibbons, front man of ZZ Top
Laying in a hospital bed, recovering from illness or injury, affords the mind a certain freedom to free-associate, to review life’s choices, map a new path forward. There is perhaps no greater example of this than the late Bill Simpson, the man who made safety
Brad Fanshaw has basically done it all over the course of his career in the automotive aftermarket. From running numerous successful companies, to fabricating award-winning cars, to starring on the reality show “Car Warriors,” Fanshaw has been a staple in the hot rod and custom
As curious as the world of beauty pageants can seem these days, many famous celebrities began their careers as Miss Whatevers. Journalist Diane Sawyer was America’s Junior Miss in 1963. Michelle Pfeiffer earned the 1978 Miss Orange Country title. Oprah Winfrey was crowned Miss Black
Deane Wilson still recalls the time the idea first struck him. “My wife Robin and I were at the 2018 Goodguys Colorado Nationals having dinner with friends, including Ed Capen from Goodguys and his wife Maggi,” Deane said. “We were discussing the possibility of Goodguys
George Trosley’s family and friends thought he was crazy back in 1973 when he walked away from a very lucrative job as a commercial artist…to draw cartoon cars. George Trosley – who helped design the box for the then-state-of-the-art RCA 8-Track Player – knew his
Some guys can build an engine. Others can fab up a chassis. Tuning is a skill in which others excel. And who doesn’t think he can drive? Finding someone who can do it all and do it with panache and performance, well, that as rare
