The Annual Good Guys Rod and Custom Show at West World in Scottsdale was subtly different this year. For one thing there seemed to be a little more oddball creativity than years past and that's saying a lot, considering that rods and customs are all about creativity. I may be kidding myself, but I seemed to see more unusual cars and trucks and I'm not just talking about the rat rods, etc. There was a wider mix of non-traditional cars that were modified and a bigger number of cars/trucks/etc., that you just don't see very often. Take a look.

One of the handicraft sleepers of the show was the late-20's Whippet. It started out as a four-door sedan and the builder did a masterful job of metal work on it.	At this stage he had just finished the top of the doors, etc., and the detailing was terrific. The original body metal still has the original rust but the running gear underneath was all new and very "hotroddy."
You probably can't see it but he has run a bead down the top of the cut-off area and manufactured a really fun-looking windshield frame. Look at the detail at the outside base of the frame.	He widened the fenders which required adding all sorts of weird pieces of metal because it was pie-cut front to back. The pieces are now stitch-welded in place and he'll come back in and finish weld it.
'47 Chevy Sedan deliveries are rare to begin with and this one is beautifully simple.	Counterpoint to the Chevy, this is an oddball VW variant completely restored and subtly rodded.
A totally stock Crosley circa-1950. I had a Crosly wagon of the same vintage.	This started out as a '32 Ford Coupe and the builder, a farmer, modified it until it was the way he wanted it.
The show was overun with non-Fords with each Chevy better than the next. This one was fantastically straight.	This represents a new trend called "Rig Rods." There are lots of half and three-quarter ton trucks out there that no one will ever rod. Until now, that is. I dig it!
A Fiat Tupelino coupe, the original engine was a tiny thing that sat in front of the radiator. This street freak has a big block and it won't fit in front of the radiator.	I liked the subtle nature of this barely chopped and not yet finished '30/31 A coupe. I'd like to build one of these, especially since A's are still reasonably priced.
'32 Ford sedan deliveries are hyper rare and this one appears nearly as it came out of a barn.	Standing between the '32 Ford and '50 Merc in popularity is the '40 delux coupe. Beautiful lines!
If you can't find a body, build one. This car only existed in the builder's imagination.	Contrast this A coupe (a '28/'29) with the earlier A. This is bad to the bone, but I prefer the other one.
A '36 Ford panel truck, the guy is either a master at faking patina or this really is a barn-find.	If you haven't figured it out by now, I like rust. Something about a rusty something just seems right.
The ultimate rig rod? A chopped and shortened 40-something Peterbilt.	Every possible hotrod trick has been applied to this sucker as if it has a thyroid problem.
A great idea: take a cheap four door, remove the rear doors, shorten it and you have...I don't know...this?	A 54-56 Ford F-100, I'm fairly certain they didn't make king cabs at that time. Nice work!
A sculpture in one of the displays. If I had the money, it would be sitting here in my office .	I hope someone gave it a good home.
Other than the paint, this is a basically original Mini pick-up. Priced at $15K.	How looooow, can you go? Air bags are marvelous inventions for the custom freak.
I love the restored, yet hotrodded, nature of this 26/27 T. Flames areghosted into the paint. Simplicity personified!	Can we say "nasty" boys and girls? With a blown big block and lawn roller rear tires this Anglia was looking for a fight.
This is either a '38 delux or a '39 standard woody. The hood treatments are the same on both.	Well, you just hotrod what you find .
Someone who doesn't take life very serious.	There's that damn boat again. Sorry.