uilding a successful custom car comes down to knowing when you’re done. It is often an exercise in restraint to achieve that perfect look. Several common approaches include the full radical custom that just screams “look at me” with extreme modifications. The mild custom could be as simple as nosing, decking, lowering, and a taillight swap. And then there is our personal favorite: the restyled car. Rodding and restyling go hand in hand (remember that old magazine?) and the restyled car has modifications that enhance the original lines of the car. Many of these modifications are quite complicated and yet when completed they often appear simple. We may look at a radical custom, but we take the time to study a restyled car.

hen the first Sacramento Autorama was organized in 1951, the average new car cost just $1,500, I Love Lucy was making its series debut on CBS, and the U.S. government was about to test the first nuclear bombs in Nevada. With the postwar boom in full swing, the custom car scene was also hitting its early apex.

Some seven decades later, the 72nd O’Reilly Auto Parts Sacramento Autorama is still going strong, giving car customizers around the globe a place to gather to celebrate the art of sculpting candy-colored masterpieces. Each car has its own unique story of what it took to build and where it came from.

f you as a youngster were fortunate enough to attend any type of high school industrial arts classes, you’ll more-than-likely acknowledge their value. I’ll tell you straight; back in the mid ’70s I gained from my own experience. Sadly, things are different today. High school vocational courses where heads and hands work together (apart from just keyboards and screens) have become fairly rare exceptions.

ight spaces are commonplace in the hot rod world; pre World War II Fords and closed cab pickups are especially tight. The ’34 Ford pickup in this article is an in-depth project at Precision Hot Rods and Fabrication and it has lots of trick details inside and out. The owner wanted a full array of creature comforts, including an LS engine, overdrive transmission, and Vintage Air heat and A/C. Additionally, he wanted a stereo system—a tall order in such a tight space. The guys at Precision Hot Rods and Fabrication came up with a plan to tastefully fit the Custom Autosound components inside the already-crowded cab.

art of the experience when it comes to driving a hot rod is the feeling of being transported back to an earlier era. Sitting on a bench seat looking out the windshield over an all-steel dash and hearing the mechanical rumblings of a V-8 drowns out reality. Unfortunately, there are other aspects of cars from this vintage that are less enjoyable. There is a way around the “uncomfortable zone” and it is a simple matter of the installation of heat and sound-deadening material, such as Thermo Tec products.

rian Limberg, the founder of Tin Man’s Garage (TMG) in Sycamore, Illinois, is no stranger to high-level metalworking. He has been refining his craft for many years, and his team has received some of the highest honors achievable. Last year they received the Al Slonaker award at the 2022 Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California, with the outstanding ’36 Willys pickup they built. In this article we’ll focus on a beautifully executed recess for a license plate, which TMG crew member Elijah Schroeder fitted to the rear of a ’37 GMC cabover bed that they built from scratch.

his month our Parting Shot looks at what could have been. There is no denying that the Buick Riviera, or Rivi, is an iconic design. The ’63 Buick Riviera is one of the hot rod world’s favorites, especially when equipped with the optional 340hp 425-inch Nailhead. The Buick Rivi is also one of the few examples of hot rod material that is best left in its original design state. It is a supreme car builder who can improve on this iconic factory look.