Winning the Battle of the Builders presented by Mothers Polish at SEMA is a huge achievement, and one of our industry’s own did just that for 2025. The 1936 Ford roadster, owned by Ross and Beth Myers, was built at Rad Rides by Troy under Troy Trepanier’s guidance and managed through the entire process by Adam Banks. It was selected from among 40 truly amazing builds as the best of the best.

This isn’t Trepanier’s first time competing in the Battle of the Builders; he previously won the title in 2017. This year, the 1936 Ford roadster competed in the Hot Rod/Hot Rod Truck category, one of many that drew a field of 40 possible winners. In the Hot Rod/Hot Rod Truck category alone, there was some incredible competition, rounding out the final three made up of the 1959 Chevy Impala owned by Eugene Bothello and built at BBT Fabrications under the watchful eye of Troy Gudgel, and a 1966 Corvette coupe built by Kyle Kuhnhausen, owner and accomplished builder of Kuhnhausen Metal Concepts.

The 1936 roadster appeared on the cover of Modern Rodding (Sept. ’25) and has been featured in numerous build articles. The following links will take you to many of those build stories:
https://bit.ly/4czMtsg, https://bit.ly/3zEitMV, https://bit.ly/4bzkmrw, https://bit.ly/4eUpHN1, https://bit.ly/3LekGl6, https://bit.ly/4cIPzdy.

The 1959 Chevy Impala has appeared on the cover of Modern Rodding (Sept. ’24) and has been featured in numerous build articles. The following links will take you to many build stories and the all-metal feature: https://bit.ly/4oY4MgH, https://bit.ly/4rm3pKq, https://bit.ly/4pxFdDg, https://bit.ly/44y7wZY, https://bit.ly/4puJ0kz, https://bit.ly/4riUVni. Interestingly, the 1959 Impala is now painted, as you can see in the photo, and will soon again grace the pages of Modern Rodding, this time in its full, finished beauty.

The 1966 Corvette coupe named the “Serious66” ranks in the Top 3 of the Hot Rod/Hot Rod Truck category. Not only was it among the Top 3 in its category at the Battle of the Builders, but it also won the Top Engineering award at SEMA. We agree with all of kudos it has received.

The Kuhnhausen Metal Concepts’ 1966 Chevrolet Corvette is an amazing blend of classic design and modern engineering. This build features an advanced PWR North America cooling package and a powerful GM LT4 supercharged engine with direct injection and a dry-sump oil system. Its driving experience is enhanced by a ZF8HP paddle-shifted eight-speed transmission equipped with an electronic clutch pedal for smooth shifting. The car’s performance is further supported by TurboLamik TCU control and comes with cutting-edge Dakota Digital HDX instrumentation for accurate readings. Inside, you’ll find a luxurious custom leather interior crafted by BUX Built. At its core is an Art Morrison GT Sport IRS chassis paired with a Strange S60 differential and a Tru-Trac Posi for optimal traction. To ensure a smooth ride, the car is equipped with JRi double-adjustable coilovers, fine-tuned by Ultimate Performance. It sits on stylish Forgeline R56 wheels and features a Woodward Roadrace rack-and-pinion for precise steering. Finally, powerful Wilwood AERO brakes provide exceptional stopping power, making this Corvette an impressive combination of style and performance.

Well, there you have it. The best of the best, and in our world, we figure these three hot rods really tell it like it is within our segment of the automotive aftermarket industry.

The 1936 Ford roadster owned by the Myers and built at Rad Rides by Troy has won numerous awards, including the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award, the Best Street Rod at the Triple Crown of Rodding, and now the SEMA Battle of the Builders. What’s next? Could it be the Barrett-Jackson Cup at the auction in Scottsdale?

A truly amazing 1966 Corvette is this one built at Kuhnhausen Metal Concepts. It also captured the Top Engineering award at SEMA.

The Granatelli NHRA Pro Mod, which runs the 1320 in the mid 5 seconds and approaches 250 mph, definitely qualifies as a “hot rod.” All of us at In The Garage Media, Inc., are proud to be a tiny part of the project and very excited to have our logos proudly displayed.

For over 80 years, the Granatelli name has been synonymous with auto racing. The legendary Granatelli brothers introduced groundbreaking innovations to the Indy 500 as early as 1939. At just 20 years old, Joe Granatelli Sr. earned his place in racing history as the chief mechanic for Wilbur Shaw, piloting the only all-Italian car and engine ever to compete in the prestigious event.

The Granatelli brothers continued to design and build some of the most notable race cars of our time, earning multiple victories and championships at the Indy 500. Following in their footsteps, JR Granatelli, son of Joe Sr., became a multi-time champion during his own racing career. Now, Jojo Granatelli, the third generation of race-winning Granatellis, is making his mark in the sport. After winning kart championships in 2012 and 2013, Jojo successfully transitioned to Stadium Trucks, proving his skill as a “hot shoe” and demonstrating his exceptional driving talent.

The Granatelli family’s latest project centers on NHRA Pro Mod racing. Their 2023 RJ Chassis, equipped with a late-model GM body, serves as a showcase for Granatelli Motor Sports’ newest advancements. Early testing has demonstrated impressive performance, with the car running in the high 5-second range at 248 mph.

We couldn’t pass up this photo taken after closing one day at SEMA. Look closely, that’s a car cover! The real deal is hiding underneath. Now that’s a car cover.

JR stated, “While we are not focused on setting records at this point, our main goal is to highlight the parts our company manufactures and sells—such as wastegates, ignition coils and wires, blow-off valves, and exhaust cutouts. It’s just an added bonus that our car looks so stunning.” It truly is a sight to behold, with attention to detail that reflects show car quality throughout the build. The LS-based, 383ci engine is equipped with two of the latest 80mm turbochargers from HPT Turbos. It features a newly designed Granatelli Motor Sports dual throttle body billet intake manifold.

Young driver Jojo expresses gratitude to his supporters stating, “None of this would be possible without my dad’s hard work and dedication to this project. He never gives up and never gives in.” He added, “In The Garage Media has been with me from day one, along with Automotive Racing Products (ARP) and Summit Racing Equipment, who have helped my father and I spread the word since 1990, as well as Miller Welders. I would be lost without their support.”

Fans can see the In The Garage Media–sponsored car at most NHRA Pro Mod events in 2026, along with all Holley LS FEST events.

For more information about Granatelli Motor Sports, please visit granatellimotorsports.com.

You can never have enough projects lying around the garage—right? That’s definitely true in our world of hot rods. Here at the Modern Rodding offices, we’ve taken on a 1965 Ford Mustang fastback to see how much we can do to turn it into a modern-day hot rod.

Beginning this month, we’ve enlisted the expertise of Evan Smith, a longtime Ford enthusiast, to tell us about the Godzilla V-8 we sourced from Ford Performance Parts. This affectionately nicknamed “Godzilla” 7.3L V-8 is a powerful engine capable of delivering the torque needed to bring a street-driven hot rod to life. Our 1965 Mustang fastback may never have been intended to house such a beast of a V-8. Still, with help from companies like CPP, Roadster Shop, SST, TREMEC, American Autowire, Lokar, Old Air, Dakota Digital, Holley, and more, we hope to build one very cool hot rod we can cruise across the country or around the fairgrounds.

This month, there is an article about the basics of the motor and some insights into what we are doing with the chassis. In future months, there will be more on producing the right amount of horsepower and torque, along with various how-to stories on different topics.

For more information, take a look at the Ford Performance Parts website at performanceparts.ford.com.