2011 Grand National Roadster Show: The Suede Palace - Expanded for Web

"Strip Tripper," this '41 Willys Gasser pickup, was originally built in the '60s (the paint might have been a tip off). Jack Goodrich, Tom Ferra and owner Paul Soliz have restored it. Hilborn injectors feed the Chevy small-block.

Bill Fowler's Chevy is another Gasser from the glory days. The Solo Speed Shop '55 was once a Blair Speed Shop car, purchased by Bill in 2001. One particularly cool component is the seat, modified by Tony Nancy.

The paint fades were one of our favorite period custom elements on Tim Wallace's '55 Mercury Monterey sled.

From Marietta, Georgia, to the Suede Palace, Joshua Mills' '35 Ford coupe is a long way from home. We loved the '40 Ford skits and chopped top.

White tuck 'n' roll upholstery and custom Cadillac taillights, and numerous other modifications caught our attention. Terry Wallace from San Diego is the owner of this so-low '39 Ford coupe.

With the roadster pickup body and slicks, there's got to be something we can say about Gerry Reynolds' channeled '29 Model A being "a real hot hauler"...get it?

This Model A rpu is a '28, owned by Dave Welles, who finished the bench seat in great looking plaid fabric, and filled the engine compartment with a Nailhead running an Offy manifold and three deuces.

Here's a good one for all you Oldsmobile guys. Russ Lynes came down from Upland with this tasty '50 Olds 88.

The Long Beach Swap Meet Special is a trip back to the early days, with a wishbone suspension, and a well-worn leather interior. Marshall Topping from Costa Mesa is the owner.

A two-tone black-and-white interior and the right pinstriping looked good on the slammed '47 Ford coupe owned by Mark Peru from Ontario, California.

Tim Musico did a nice job on his '41 Ford business coupe, including an off-white and tan interior.

One good taildragger deserves another. Check out this '56 Ford Vicky, owned by Christian Rodriguez.

Here's an old roadster that seems to have avoided getting hot rodded for all these years. Jorge Guttierrez showed off his undropped and unmolested '29 Model A roadster.

The monochrome blue flames are nice, but our favorite finishing touch on Todd George's '60s style '53 Plymouth Belvedere is the shaggy headliner.

Here's another one that stopped us in our tracks. Derrick Rivera got everything right-from the rake to the rims-on this '30 Ford five-window lowboy.

Gary Vahling's shoebox looks great from this angle, but the chromed Flathead with a Navarro intake and Eddie Meyer heads makes this '50 Ford even better. And we liked the green plaid interior too (there's something about plaid).

Kevin Simpson also treated his hot rod to a traditional looking engine under that shiny black hood, packing the Deuce roadster with an Edmunds flattie with cloth wire covers. The inside is bright red rolls 'n' pleats.

In addition to the charity fundraiser pinstriping exhibition going on in the main building, the brushes were busy in the Suede Palace too. Doc Von Weber is working on a trophy.

The Suede Palace isn't big enough for all the traditional iron at the GNRS, and the outdoor Greaser Alley was packed with more cars and trucks.

The blown small-block was a surprise inside John Gibson's bright orange '42 Ford coupe, on display in Greaser Alley.

After spotting this '28 Ford rpu at the Mooneyes Xmas Party one year, Karissa Elmo bought the cars and redid a few things to make it her own. Karissa caught the hot rod bug from her dad Tony. The inline-6 mill wears a Frontenac head with triple carbs.

The guy wearing glasses was intrigued by the Blue Flame 4-cylinder engine in Frank Ochoa's two-tone '53 Chevy Bel Air.

A broken cam on Wednesday night didn't keep Mike "Dingo" Dingillo from making it to Greaser Alley on Saturday. The chopped and channeled '31 sedan is loaded with craftsmanship and an amazing amount of detail.

Backyard built and daily driven, Jose De Leon's '55 Ford is customized with a DeSoto grille, Merc taillights and skirts, and tons more. The interior is brand new and the 292 Y-block is original.

Lil' Mo and the Dynaflos took the stage on Saturday, serving up a mix of doo wop, R&B, and early-style rock 'n' roll.

The Suede Palace is a reminder of the importance of car club participation in this hobby. Numerous Southern California clubs were represented here, plus a few out-of-state clubs, like the aforementioned Alter Boys from Massachusetts and the recently-formed Moonshiners from Wyoming.

Traditional car guys like traditional haircuts and Layrite barbers were in the S.P. to oblige. These guys are great at retro cuts like the flat top and the high and tight-and my trademark cut, the chrome dome.

Seems like everybody forgot about the cars when it was time for the Trophy Girl pin-up model contest. Every contestant was lovely and charming, but only one can wear the bejeweled tiara.

Another beauty from the Vintage Hammer Garage was Rene Lugo's chopped '58 Chevy pickup. Did you notice the pipes frenched into the bed sides? Taillights from a '54 Pontiac station wagon dress up the rear.

Ian Berky's grape-flavored, slammed '51 Chevy custom, from Burbank, was a trophy magnet. Not surprising.

We already showed you the decklid lettering. Now here's the full view of "El Patron," Greg Cueva's '53 Pontiac hardtop.

It's "Bad News II," the '52 Henry J owned by Victor Young from Camarillo, California. The paint is Mercedes Firemist and the powerplant is a Dart 434ci small-block.