Street Rod of the Year Archives

Goodguys PPG Nationals Hot Rod Action

Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus …

The Goodguys PPG Nationals was one of the wildest weekends ever here in Columbus, Ohio, July 8-10, 2016. Talk about action! This is one of Cars On Line’s favorite shows all season. But this weekend was truly something special.

The 1939 Oldsmobile Model 60 Convertible that won the Ridler Award this winter in Detroit achieved legendary status by taking the title of Goodguys Classic Instruments’ Street Rod of the Year for 2016.

1939 Olds Goodguys Street Rod of the Year at the Goodguys PPG Nationals — 1939 “Olds Cool” is chosen Classic Instruments’ Street Rod of the Year for 2016. It also won the Ridler Award at Detroit this winter. Click here to see more photos of this legendary 1939 Oldsmobile Model 60 Convertible from the Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus. (Photo by Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com.)

Likewise, here at the Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, a 1969 Coyote Mustang was awarded the prestigious PPG Street Machine of the Year trophy for 2016.

1969 Coyote Mustang wins PPG Street Machine of the Year at the Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus — 1969 Coyote Mustang wins PPG Street Machine of the Year for 2016 at the Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus. Click here to see more pictures. (Photo by Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com.)

There we were at the Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio as thousands of street rods and customs were arriving from all over the country. This is Goodguys premier show with over 6,500 hot rods, customs, muscle cars and classic trucks expected to register to be displayed here. The PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, July 8-10, 2016 is the biggest show of the year for Goodguys. Of course, the Cars On Line.com car show team arrived in Columbus to cover all the action. The Goodguys Columbus Nationals, held at the Ohio Expo Center, is one of our favorite shows all year. (Follow this link for schedules of events for the Goodguys PPG Nationals this weekend. Photo journalists Bob and Donna Boberg of eClassicAutos.com were on hand to cover all the action for Cars On Line.com.

What we didn’t know is how much fun it is to attend the Goodguys Nostalgia Drags at the National Trail Raceway on Friday night. Man, it was worth the trip just to be there. Click the video window below to get a taste of the action during the Nostalgia Drags at the Goodguys PPG Nationals:

Here are a few photos by Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com as he captured some of the fun. Does this bring back some memories?

The most popular event at Goodguys shows this year has been the Goodguys Autocross sponsored by Optima Batteries. All of the contenders for the Street Machine of the Year Award must participate in the Autocross competition as part of the qualifying process.

1972 Corvette wins Goodguys Autocross — The 1972 Corvette driven by Danny Popp wins the big check for $5,000 for JRI Shocks during the Autocross Shootout on Saturday.

(Follow this link to find out more about Goodguys Autocross events.)

Country music star James Otto was playing LIVE Friday night, July 8th at the TGIF party at the Crowne Plaza Columbus! The concert was presented by our friends at RideTech.

Thursday Poker Run – Register by 10am. Then there will be the Thursday Registration Party – Noon-4pm at the Ohio Expo Center Cardinal Lot, with DJ and food available Noon-2pm.

One of the last big surprises at the Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus on Sunday was the awarding of the Goodguys 2016 Giveaway Car, a 1932 Ford Roadster. As this photo indicates, Gaylord Schroeder of Covington, Washington was ecstatic when his key started the Giveaway Car. Twenty-two Goodguys Nationals winners were eligible to win the award. Goodguys Rod & Custom Association gave out twenty-two keys to the eligible winners. When it came Schroeder’s turn to put his key in the ignition, it not only fit, but it started the hot rod right up. It was a moment Schroeder will never forget.

Here is a shot of the 22 Nationals winners eligible to win the 1932 Ford Roadster Goodguys Giveaway car.

This is the one Goodguys event you just can’t afford to miss. Click here to find out how to get tickets. If you order your tickets online the week before the show you can get them at a discount from the price at the gate. Active military and veterans can receive a $5 discount at the gate if they bring their military ID.

Goodguys Columbus Nationals 2015

Finalists at Goodguys Columbus Nationals 2015 …

Dodging the weather all weekend, the big events at the Goodguys Columbus Nationals 2015 came off without a hitch. Although rain was threatening early each day, the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio dried up in time for the judged events here.

Photo-journalist Bob Boberg of eClassicAutos.com has posted this video which captures the atmosphere on the grounds of the Goodguys Columbus Nationals 2015. Click the video window to take in the sights and sounds of this years Goodguys event:

On Sa

turday Goodguys announced the winner of the Goodguys Optima Batteries Street Machine of the Year, as well as the Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year. These are two of the most coveted awards in the custom car hobby. Both were announced here on Saturday at the Goodguys Columbus Nationals 2015.

That’s when we found out that the Goodguys Street Rod of the Year is a 1937 Chevy Coupe owned by Diane and Chuck Rowe of Memphis, Tennessee. The Goodguys Street Rod of the Year Award is sponsored by Classic Instruments, and is one of the most prestigious awards offered in the street rod hobby.

Goodguys Street Rod of the Year for 2015, a 1937 Chevy Coupe owned by Chuck Rowe of Memphis, TN
Chuck Rowe receiving Goodguys Optima Batteries Street Machine of the Year award
McLaren Chevrolet engine

Those who have seen this special street rod have called it “Simply Amazing!” It certainly has the credentials. This 1937 Chevy Coupe won the title of Best Hot Rod at the 2015 Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona. It also was the Gold Goodguys Award winner at the 2014 SEMA Show. It features an all-aluminum McLaren Chevrolet Big Block V8 (rare vintage motor used in Can-Am race series). It also has suicide doors, an Art Morrison chassis, Mike Long G-Force 6-speed transmission, one-off Alloway ET wheels, red leather interior and Classic Intrument gauges.

Interestingly, the 1937 Chevy Coupe beat out some pretty intense competition including two Great 8 finalists from this year’s Ridler Award competition at the 2015 Detroit Autorama. See photos of the Goodguys Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year here in a slideshow. See the Top Five finalists as well as other top contenders for the award below:

Top Five Finalist 1937 Ford Woodie Wagon owned by Mike and Belinda Terzich, Gibsonia, PA, a Great 8 finalist for the Ridler Award in 2015
Top Five Finalist, 1932 Ford Roadster owned by Al Negele, Willmette, IL, Great 8 winner in 2015 Ridler Award competition
Top Five Finalist, 1927 Ford Roadster owned by Jesse Greening, Nashville, TN
Top Five Finalist, 1936 Ford Roadster (Boss 302) owned by Diana Clise, Queenstown, MD

The winner of the Optima Batteries Street Machine of the Year for 2015 is a 1967 Corvette owned by Sonny Freeman of Lafayette, Louisiana. What you may not be able to tell from the photos is that this Corvette Custom is done in all brushed nickel, and featured tucked bumpers … something that did not allude the judges. It has an built LS7 Chevy motor. Freeman’s Corvette had to beat out some stiff competition from Willy Maise’ 1965 Dodge Dart SL Street Touring car, a Great 8 Award winner at this years Ridler Award competition at the 2015 Detroit Autorama.

Here are photos of the Goodguys Optima Batteries Street Machine of the Year:

Here are the Top Five runnersup for the Street Machine of the Year award sponsored by Optima Batteries, plus many of the other contenders not chosen to the Top Five:

Top Five Finalist, 1965 Dodge Dart SL Pro Touring (Supercharged 392 Hemi) owned by Charlotte and Willie Maise of Glencoe, TN
1965 Dodge Dart SL Pro Touring car during the Autocross competiton on Friday.
Top Five Finalist, 1962 Chevy Bubbletop, owned by Randy Wilcox, Mahtomedi, MN
Top Five Finalist, 1969 Camaro (Grumpy Jenkins 572/5-speed), owned by Clayton & Mary Graham, Baker, MT
Top Five Finalist for the Goodguys Street Machine of the Year Award - Mustang Resto Mod

Out of the 20+ contenders in each of the Street Rod and Street Machine categories, only five finalists were chosen. These 10 cars were then moved to center-stage and the owners/builders were interviewed in front of the audience. Then the winners in each category were announced.

Over 100 cars received trophies in various categories. Here are some of the cars as they paraded to the awards ceremony:

What an exciting day for Rick Lingen of Cave Creek, Arizona here at the Goodguys Columbus Nationals 2015. Out of 21 Goodguys Show Winners eligible for the Goodguys Truck Giveway today he chose the lucky key from the bowl that started the prize 1970 Chevy G-10 Custom Pickup. There were 21 winners here from Goodguys events around the country in the past 12 months. Each one took a turn to draw a key from a bowl. One key would start the G-10 Custom. Lingen was the eighth person to draw a key and when he tried to fit it into the ignition and the truck fired, the place erupted. Confetti and balloons dropped from the ceiling. At that point Lingen knew he had won the prize Goodguys custom truck. Boy, did his face light up. He was smilin’ from ear to ear. See photos in the slider below:

Rick Lingen of Cave Creek, AZ gets key from Goodguys founder Gary Meadows that would start the 1970 Chevy C10 Custom Pickup, this year's Goodguys Giveaway Truck.

On Saturday, the stage was set for the announcement of the 2016 Goodguys Giveway Car here at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio as Cars On Line.com was on hand to cover the unveiling of next year’s Goodguys Giveway Car. When the cover came off, baloons filled the air and the hoopla was impressive. You’ll be seeing a lot of this 1932 Ford Old School Hot Rod during the next year at all the national level Goodguys events. It will be awarded to one of the Goodguys Nationals winners here at Columbus next year. All of the show winners from now until next July will have a chance to win this incredible ride.

This year’s Goodguys Columbus Nationals 2015 was even bigger than last years record show. According to Goodguys Rod & Custom Association there were over 6,300 cars registered at the PPG sponsored Goodguys Columbus Nationals 2015. Cars On Line.com readers were able to follow all the action just as if they were there. Bob Boberg of eClassic Autos.com reported here and on Twitter the whole weekend. There was a lot to cover. Cars On Line.com readers were able to see his photos and videos here and on our Facebook page. Click here to view his article on the Goodguys Columbus Nationals 2015.

The Goodguys Columbus Nationals is the biggest show of the year for America’s largest street rod and customs organization. Some of the top cars in the country are on hand for the show. For many years this has been where hot rod history was made with the top cars in the hobby meeting here to contend for the two biggest awards of the summer car show season.

Here is a look at many of the incredible cars we spotted at the show: