Goodguys Rod & Custom Association has been hosting fantastic automotive events all over the country since 1983, but their premiere event (at least in our mind) is the PPG Nationals. Held in early-July at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, this event draws thousands of the best hot rods, customs, classics and pre-'73 street machines.
This year's event was no exception, as top builders from around the country brought their latest projects and squared off for top honors in a variety of categories. This is the kind of place where a talented builder can emerge from the shadows of the industry and make a name for himself (or in the case of guys like Boyd and Troy, have their identities shortened to just their first name). This is a weekend where cutting-edge style is showcased and new trends emerge.
Immaculate paint jobs are commonplace, attention to detail is meticulous and amazing craftsmanship is found in spades. Dozens of awards are handed out in a broad expanse of categories, but the key for being in contention for PHR's Street Machine of the Year (SMOY) honors is to combine all of those elements in the same vehicle--a challenge few are able to meet.
Entering a vehicle from the General Motors lineup might seem like a good starting point, considering GM models have clearly been dominant in recent years. Chevys have brought home top honors the last five years in a row, while GM models have comprised a whopping 88 percent of the finalists during that same stretch, including 2000 and 2001 when all five finalists were from the General's Army.
Judges in recent years have shown a particular soft spot for tri-5 Chevys and first-gen Camaros (there were certainly plenty to choose from again this year). That might make them the odds-on favorites, but one could also argue that the past success of a particular model could make it more difficult to create new standout examples. That theory would suggest anyone entering a '69 Camaro wouldn't just be judged against other cars in the field, but every other notable '69 Camaro built in recent memory.
The SMOY tends to take center stage at Columbus along with Street Rodder Magazine's Street Rod of the Year, but the scope of the 6,057 other cars in attendance at Columbus reaches far beyond those two build styles. Check out some of the action from this year's event and mark your calendar for 2005, as this is one show you won't want to miss! Did the SMOY continue its historic preference for GM iron or would new contenders emerge? Read on for all the juicy details.
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 Art Morrison's '55 Chevy was...  Art Morrison's '55 Chevy was clearly up to the challenge for SMOY and found its way into one of the finalist positions. Morrison's shoebox had already proven its performance capabilities in a series of Super Chevy articles that included testing numbers of 0-60 in 4.3 seconds, 12.61 at 117 mph in the quarter mile and .94 gs on the skidpad. The 500-horsepower Bill Mitchell engine and Keisler T-56 combination also proved reliable on a 1,200-mile roadtrip down the West Coast. All cleaned up and dressed in a new coat of paint for the Columbus show, Morrison's '55 proved it could show as well as it could go. |
 In a surprising turn of events,...  In a surprising turn of events, only one other GM model managed to make it into the group of five finalists and that was the '56 Corvette owned by Jack Barnett of Apollo Beach, Florida. Barnett's 'Vette managed to blur the line hot rodders attempt to draw between customs and street machines with his tricked-out '56. Like many of the top cars being built today, the classic body lines hide a modern drivetrain, in this case, an LS1 engine and 4L60E transmission. More than 100 different body modifications were executed to perfection, from subtle shaving and lengthening of the nose to a remote-actuated hood and trunk. |
 Barnett's 'Vette was built...  Barnett's 'Vette was built at Time Machines in Hudson, Florida, which also crafted this Viper-powered '70 Cuda. The 'Cuda made a bold statement, becoming the first Mopar to make it into the group of five since the SMOY moved to Columbus. The idea behind this creation was based in part on the necessity of finding a car big enough to accommodate the 6'8" frame of Time Machines owner, Mike Staveski. During the course of the build, Staveski's crew installed a Paxton supercharger on the already potent V10, which now generates 650 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque. Staveski has a personal stash of five other 'Cuda convertibles and the response to this car has been so strong, that he is already finalizing plans to build two similar cars for customers. |
 The blue oval crowd was well-represented...  The blue oval crowd was well-represented by the latest creation coming from Kevin King's garage at Year One headquarters in Braselton, Georgia. King's '66 Mustang proved without a doubt that top-shelf Street Machines are not the sole domain of GM platforms. King's capable crew of craftsmen transformed this fastback into a modern performance machine by dropping in a supercharged version of Ford's current 4.6 DOHC V8, which they linked to the same T56 transmission found in new Cobras. As with all the finalists, the fit and finish on this car was spectacular, especially considering it had just come off the Power Tour long haul. |
 When the judges' votes were...  When the judges' votes were tallied, it was Kathy Lange's '57 T-bird that came out on top. All weekend long, streams of people looked over the car, trying to figure out why it looked so much better than any other '57 T-bird they'd ever seen. Kathy and her husband, George are quick to praise the work of builder Bobby Alloway in creating this motoring masterpiece. Alloway smoothed the body in all the right places while grafting rear quarter panels from a '55 Nomad and dropping the headlights down an inch and a half. Much of the classic look and feel of the original interior was retained, but red leather now covers many of the surfaces and custom Alloway gauges monitor all the vitals of the blown 302 tucked under the hood. A Thunderbird might have seemed like a long shot coming into the weekend, but once everyone laid eyes on this machine, it was hard to question it's worthiness as the 2004 Street Machine of the Year. |
 The gasser movement is alive...  The gasser movement is alive and well, even if the condition of some of the cars might indicate otherwise. Countless hours were probably spent selecting the right combination of primers to complete the rat rod look on this example. |
 In addition to a massive swap...  In addition to a massive swap meet area, Goodguys provided an excellent setting for hundreds of car owners looking to make a sale. One such example was this '62 Ford Falcon Country Squire Wagon owned by Dwayne King of Sod, West Virginia. King's lowered wagon has a full Air Ride suspension system, 17-inch Mustang Bullit wheels on all four corners and a healthy 302 under the hood. |
 Rick Young's '40 Willys packs...  Rick Young's '40 Willys packs a 392 Hemi and had a steady flow of admirers throughout the weekend. |
 Editor Hunkins was all smiles...  Editor Hunkins was all smiles after scoring a free hat from the Holley display. Now we just need to find someone to hook him up with a decent pair of shades. |
 It's not very often that we...  It's not very often that we come across one clean Ford Maverick. Finding two super-clean examples parked next to each other may not happen anywhere else in the country outside of a Maverick Comet Club Round-Up. |
 We love the variety of cars...  We love the variety of cars found at Columbus and a perfect example is this 1961 Olds 88 owned by Leon Hallman of Northpoint, Alabama. Leon's Olds is powered by a Sky Rocket 394 with a hydra-matic tranny. |
 A trip to Columbus can force...  A trip to Columbus can force people to re-think their opinions on virtually any car. We've always liked wagons, but never gave much thought to the 70s-era Buick wagons until we saw this smooth, two-tone '72 Buick Century owned by Vince Davin of Pittsburgh. As the prices of Nomads and Ranch Wagons continue to rise and replacement parts become scarce, we expect we'll see more people turning to wagons of this vintage as an alternative. |
 Mitch Stilger's two-tone '62...  Mitch Stilger's two-tone '62 Impala led a parade of award winners on Sunday. The Louisville resident's Impy picked up a Custom Rodder Top 10 award during the weekend. |
 Roger Ritzow's Roadster staked...  Roger Ritzow's Roadster staked out a spot in front of the eBay Motors trailer early in the weekend, but was quickly re-located to the Pro's Picks area. What at first glance appears to be a clean, but ordinary '32 Roadster covered in WWII-era Glasurit Grey Green paint is actually an incredibly-detailed creation by renown builder, Troy Trepanier. Troy's latest masterpiece topped one of the deepest fields of Street Rods we've ever seen and took home the Goodguys Street Rod of the Year honors. |
 There isn't much room for...  There isn't much room for passengers in David Hearman's '65 Corvair convertible now that a 355 cubic-inch small block is sitting in the backseat. |
 Once the dust settled on Saturday...  Once the dust settled on Saturday night and the finalists and winners are announced, the top finishers headed back to the Pro's Picks area on Sunday and lined up side by side for the masses to inspect. |
 Rob Gerring was all smiles...  Rob Gerring was all smiles on Sunday, as his '50 Chevy was also a Custom Rodder Top 10 award recipient and he got the girl! Gerring's radical custom has been picking up awards at every show he's entered, including the prestigious Alexander Brothers award at the Detroit Autorama. One question remains for us--Is the rotary phone on the center console functional? |
 Crowds looking for the abridged...  Crowds looking for the abridged version of the PPG Nationals headed straight for the Pro's Picks area on Saturday, where all the top contenders for the weekend assembled to give the judges a comparative look. |
 We weren't going to include...  We weren't going to include this picture, because we lost this young lady's name, but Hunkins threw a fit. We can tell you that she is from the Columbus area and when we asked her what her choice for Street Machine of the Year was, she led us over to Imagine Motorsports "INCINER8OR" '57 Chevy convertible, which is powered by an LS1 with eight turbos! |
 Manufacturers from major aftermarket...  Manufacturers from major aftermarket companies like Magnuson Superchargers set up displays on the midway to give potential customers a closer look at their products and answer any questions they might have. Our offer to shake down Magnuson's supercharged Cadillac CTS-V was politely declined, so we'll have to catch it's debut at SEMA like everyone else. |
 2004 SMOY winner Kathy Lange...  2004 SMOY winner Kathy Lange was elated to pose for a picture with Vince Vance's Valianetettes and contributing editor, Jim McIlvaine. McIlvaine is the tall guy with the goatee, who later picked up a few hair care tips from the Valianetettes. |