Bill Smathers entered his Competition Orange 409/409 horse, four-speed 1956 Chevy “Gasser” at the Autorama Drive-In and was awarded All Chevy Performance magazine’s Editor’s Pick—then he sold it on the spot!
Custom D’Elegance winner Jimmy Hervatin customizes cars for himself, performing the metal shaping, paint, and upholstery at his shop, Precision Metal Fab. Jimmy scratch-built “Lit-Up,” his 1951 F-1 Ford pickup, faithfully following a Keith Weesner illustration. Lit-Up is powered by a 1954 324-inch Olds with a T5 five-speed tranny. 
Painted Hawaiian Blue and rolling on Cadillac wires, John Lane debuted his 1924 “T” roadster pickup at the 1958 Sacramento Autorama and was featured in the Apr. ’58 issue of Hot Rod. It was powered by a 1940 Ford V-8/60 with two Strombergs on an Edelbrock manifold.
Photography by THE AUTHORmerica’s West Coast is steeped in time-honored traditions when it comes to custom car shows that trace their roots to the early postwar years. To celebrate May Day, not with a Hallmark card or a bouquet of roses, but with a road trip north, we jumped into our old GMC and left Orange County headed for the 74th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Sacramento Autorama.
Arriving Thursday afternoon at the host hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Sacramento Cal Expo, was a good omen; this was going to be an amazing experience that materialized before we even checked in. No custom car show is complete without celebrity guests, and for 2025 it was CHiPs’ Larry Wilcox who played Jon and Erik Estrada who played “Ponch.” Outside the hotel lobby, Estrada walked up and asked us if we knew where he could smoke his cigar. Estrada said he had hoped to get a room with a balcony but there wasn’t one.
The next morning, on May 2, we entered the expo grounds at 9 a.m., one hour ahead of the general public. This period is for exhibitors to handle last-minute details and for media personnel to photograph show cars before they are obscured by the growing crowd of spectators entering at 10 a.m.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts Sacramento Autorama serves as the series finale for the ARP West Coast Challenge, which begins in Pomona, California, at the “Grand Daddy of Them All,” the Grand National Roadster Show, in early February. Founded in 1950, the Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) celebrated its 75th year in 2025. Next in the ARP West Coast Challenge series for 2025 is the Portland Roadster Show, which was established in 1956 and takes place in mid March. Then, in mid April, the West Coast Challenge crossed the Oregon border into Washington State at the Spokane Speed and Custom Show, held inside the Spokane Fair and Expo Center. Closing out the month of April, the ARP West Coast Challenge traveled back to Oregon for the 48th Annual Medford Rod & Custom Show, held in the fabulous new Rouge X Event Center.
The finale for the West Coast Challenge presented by ARP returned to California, where the grand champion was crowned during the 74th Annual Sacramento Autorama. David Maxwell was awarded “Best of the West” for his Kindig It Design–built 1953 Corvette “TwelveAir,” defeating 10 other vehicles that competed in at least three of five select car shows held in California, Oregon, and Washington. Maxwell received a $12,500 purse presented by ARP, while Second and Third Place finishers Cliff Mattis’ 1957 Chevy convertible and Carlos Martinez’s 1964 Chevy Impala convertible received $6,500 and $3,500 ARP prize money, respectively. In addition, “TwelveAir” clinched the Sam Barris Memorial Award, named in honor of George’s legendary brother, custom car builder Sam Barris; this award is selected by members of the Barris family.
For the second consecutive year the Sacramento Autorama crowned the World’s Most Beautiful Lowrider. This coveted award went to Eric Wisterman’s “Breaking Bad,” a fully engraved and chromed 1962 Chevy Impala embellished with freehand airbrush work depicting scenes and characters from the TV show Breaking Bad. “Breaking Bad” received $5,000 in prize money presented by ARP. The Sacramento Autorama closed out its 74th annual show on Sunday, May 4, at Cal Expo by recognizing some of the country’s finest custom vehicles. Overall, the show hosted over 500 custom vehicles and handed out more than 400 individual awards during its closing ceremony. Editors from In the Garage Media were there representing Modern Rodding, All Chevy Performance, and Classic Truck Performance to award Editor’s Picks to participants entered in the Drive-In held on Saturday and Sunday.
Quoting John Buck, owner of Rod Shows, and producer of the Grand National Roadster Show and Sacramento Autorama: “This weekend was a celebration of Sacramento’s deep history of hot rodding, and everyone who came out enjoyed hundreds of incredible customs, hot rods, trucks, motorcycles, and more. It was a spectacular show and we can’t wait until next year to celebrate a major milestone, the 75th Annual Sacramento Autorama.”
Built by Whitley’s Customs, Greg Saunders’ “Sweet Pea” is a 1930 Ford Model A coupe powered by a fuel-injected 302 Ford engine built by H&P Engine. The paint was done by Rusty Whitley, and the upholstery was crafted by Gerardo Gonzales A. “Nino.”
Built by South City Rod & Custom with fit and finish by Compani Color, Mark Brooks’ silver 1932 Ford five-window coupe took First place in the Street Coupe Pre-1935 classification. Not fitting under the hood is a 454-inch Rat.
Banger-powered, Monty L. Osborn’s 1932 Ford highboy roadster retains its 1932 Model B engine but has been hopped up with a Riley OHV four-port cylinder head complemented by a polished go-fast intake and exhaust goodies.
First Place 138 Altered Street Sedan Pre 35 went to “Medusa,” a 1934 Ford Tudor owned by Jerry and Josie Kjensrud, and was a 2025 West Coast Challenge Contender.
Next to the stage in the Clubhouse is Squires Car Club member Justin Lawley’s traditional custom 1935 Ford cabriolet, powered by an 8BA Flathead with Fenton headers, Offy heads, and intake with dual Stromberg 97s. A pair of 1939 Ford juice brakes stop it.
The ground shook when Tim Berget idled into the Autorama Drive-In Saturday with his 4-inch chopped 1935 Ford, powered by a Rex Hutchinson–built Weiand 871 blown Rat, backed with a Richmond six-speed and a 9-inch Ford rearend.
Stunning fit and finish by Nuevo, CA’s Sylvesters Customs, the Joe “Candy Apple Red” Bailon Memorial Award was presented to Nick Dias’ candy blue-toned Teal Later 1947 Cadillac.
First Place in the Radical Custom Coupe class went to “Dillinger,” Mike Aiello’s 1941 Buick, built by Lucky 7 Customs. It was crowned in 2018 at the 68th Annual Sacramento Autorama, receiving the H.A. Bagdasarian Memorial World’s Most Beautiful Custom Award and the Custom D’Elegance Award.
“The Emerald” Squires Car Club member Jeremy Jack’s 1951 customized shoebox Ford was built by Emperors Car Club’s Chris Johnson. Johnny Aguirre of Emperors did the paint, and Johnson’s Kustom Upholstery crafted the interior.
Discovered after being stored for 50 years in the clubhouse, “Snake Bite,” a 1955 Chevy gasser built in 1964, is perched on a Ford straight axle with deep 5.38:1 rearend gears.
The Smiths’ 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop, with special thanks to Lucky 7 Customs, Hayward, CA; Powermaster, West Chicago, IL; and Hot Rod Wire Service, San Ramon.
Russ and Diana Baker’s Red Hot “2 Bright Red” 1959 Chevy Impala. It has a 6.2 LT1 with a 4L70E overdrive automatic trans and 3.55 gears. The car has an American Autowire harness, Dakota Digital gauges, Vintage Air A/C, and a Custom Autosound sound system.
First Place winner in the Full Lowrider Convertible class, Carlos and Audie Martinez’s stunning Lavender Pearl 1964 Chevy Impala, crafted by American Muscle Cars.
On Saturday morning at the Autorama Drive-In, Bryan Celosse parked his 425-inch Nailhead Buick-powered 1964 Buick Riviera built by Hot Rod Machine. He left that afternoon with an Editor’s Pick plaque, presented by Modern Rodding.
Editor’s Pick by Modern Rodding at Saturday’s Drive-In, as stunning as any pro-built car, DIY guy Craig Oliveira spent eight years and 11,000 hours upholstering, bodyworking, and painting his 540-inch 671 blown 1965 Buick Riviera.
West Coast Challenge contender and homebuilt is Vic Costello’s 1967 fastback Mustang powered by a 5.2 XS Aluminator backed with a TREMEC T-56 six-speed and Strange 9-inch Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis.
The H.A. Bagdasarian World’s Most Beautiful Custom Award went to “Angel Eyes,” Jerry Logan’s 1952 Chevy Fleetline. Originally owned by Dave “Captain Hook” Spears and 20 years ago chopped, hard-topped, and custom painted by Rich Wilson.
Competing in Full Handbuilt Sports, David Maxwell’s Kindig It Design–built 1953 Corvette “TwelveAir” won the West Coast Challenge Car Show Series presented by ARP and received a $12,500 prize.
Vintage Color Studio’s Darryl Hollenbeck rolled his 2016 AMBR-winning 1932 Ford highboy roadster in on Saturday’s Drive-In not to compete but just to park up from Concord, CA, almost 75 miles below Sacramento. 
From Sacramento, Michael Williams Brewster’s Green 1931 Model A Ford coupe on pinched Deuce rails with Coker Excelsior Stahl Sport radial tires mounted on Tacoma Cream Ford wire wheels.
Ray Zarick, owner of the Model T Shop in Sacramento, displayed his skinny 1926 Ford Model T inspired by 1930s-style lakes modified roadsters in the Traditional Rod & Custom Showcase, formerly known as the Suede Pavilion. RIP Rod & Custom magazine.