The Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, Ohio was filled with stunning rides once again during the 63th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Cavalcade of Customs. This event also hosts the International Show Car Association (ISCA) finals where champions of the series are crowned. There were so many awesome vehicles on display and here are a few of our favorites from the show.
Rick And Patty Bird’s 1931 Chevy Coupe “Sho Bird” Wins ISCA Gold
The Sho Bird was built for Rick and Patty Bird by the team at Pro Comp Custom in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania. This Chevy won the Ridler Award at the 69th Detroit Autorama, and is now an ISCA Grand Champion as well. Every inch of the Sho Bird as worked over by Pro Comp Customs. From the hand-fabricated chassis, to the custom body, this car is just packed with so much craftsmanship. The twin-turbo 509 cubic-inch Shafiroff W-Series engine is a great final touch to this car.
Lonnie And Sandy John’s 1932 Ford Roadster
Squeeg’s Kustoms spent seven years building this refined roadster for the John family. The body is an original steel unit that features an extended hood and narrowed grill shell. All of the handles have been shaved off the body to give the car a sleek look. The car is built on the original 1932 Ford frame with some additional bracing added. A custom front and rear suspension with coilover shocks was added to the Ford. An aluminum Dart block was used to build a 383 cubic-inch stroker motor that’s topped Trick Flow heads, a custom fuel injection manifold, and a Blower Shop supercharger.
Cy Schmidt’s 1969 Mercury Cyclone C.J.
The Mercury Cyclone was a force of nature on the race track and made for a super stylish street car. Cy Schmidt’s 1969 Mercury Cyclone C.J. is an immaculate example of one of these cars. In between the fenders of Schmidt’s Cyclone, you’ll find a massive 428 Cobra Jet mill that’s fed air through a Ram Air-option hood. A C-6 transmission sends the 410 horsepower generated by the Cobra Jet back to the rearend. The Competition Orange paint looks perfect on the Cyclone’s big body.
Scott Demitt’s Viper-Powered 1937 Ford Coupe
Scott Demitt and Rick Reigs found a way to stuff the V10 engine from a 2000 Viper GTS into a 1937 Ford Coupe. The Downs-made body rides on a custom-built frame that uses the suspension from a Viper that’s been augmented with a RideTech Shock Wave system. Mongoose laid down the paint, while Todd’s Extreme Paint sprayed the graphics on the car. Inside the Ford, you’ll find a set of Viper seats, Crest leather, a Cashmere suede headliner, and Mercedes carpet. A set of Dakota Digital gauges live inside the dash along with a Southern Air A/C system.
Tom Kroner’s 1971 SS 396 Chevelle
The 1971 Chevelle is one of those rides that just embodies what a muscle car really is. Tom Kroner’s Chevelle has that magical 396 engine that cranks out 375 horsepower and is backed by a five-speed transmission. The car also has factory air conditioning and tilt steering. A set of Dakota Digital gauges look right at home in the Chevelle’s dash. Tom O’Shod completed a rotisserie restoration on the Chevelle in 2007. The Hot Hues Orange Peal pearl paint really makes the Chevelle stand out in a crowd.
Joe Hartman’s 1972 C-10
There are many ways to build a C-10, and Joe Hartman’s 1972 truck looks good. Hartman used the stock frame with a mixture of parts from Accuair, RideTech, and Wilwood to create a great stance. Queen City Fab and Highley’s Hot Rods took care of the sheet metal fabrication to get the truck ready for paint. Charlie Meadows sprayed the Synergy Green paint, and Rob Baker laid down the pinstriping. Jason Henry took care of the woodwork for the truck’s bed. Inside the cab, you’ll find a TMI interior, AutoMeter gauges, and Kicker sound system. Under the hood, you’ll find a GM 350 engine that’s controlled by a FiTech fuel injection system.
Larry Farrell’s 1969 Camaro Convertible
The five years it took to build Larry Farrel’s Camaro really paid off. This car has been worked over and refined to a high level. The chassis has been outfitted with a Detroit Speed Pro Touring front suspension, and a RideTech four-link rear suspension that uses a 9-inch Ford rearend. Tin Solider Race Cars took care of the mini tubs, roll cage, and subframe connectors. D&D Engines built the gnarly 540 cubic-inch fuel-injected Chevy mill that powers the car. A Bowler paddle-shifted 4L80E transmission sends the horsepower to the rear tires. Lead Foot Speed Shop took care of the paint and bodywork on the Camaro.
Terri And Randy Chatterton’s Wild 1962 Plymouth Valiant Sedan Delivery
If you’re going to build something different out of a Plymouth Valiant Sedan Delivery you’d better be ready to go all-in. Terri and Randy Chatterton went beyond all in with the build of their Plymouth. The first thing you notice is the massive 426 cubic-inch Hemi that powers the Valiant and is wearing a massive blower. A 727 TorqueFlight transmission takes all of the abusive horsepower generated by the Hemi and sends it back to Ford 9-inch rearend. The PPG Blue and Silver metallic paint was sprayed by Bull Head Finishes.
Jason Cooper wanted to build a 1965 Mustang that could cruise anywhere and look good while doing it. The Mustang has been outfitted with a 306 cubic-inch Ford mill that is controlled by a FiTech EFI system. Exhaust is removed from the engine by a set of Doug’s Headers and a stainless steel Magnaflow system. Jason shifts the Mustang’s gears through a World Class T-5 transmission. The chassis and suspension of the Mustang has been outfitted with a RideTech air ride system, Mustang II front suspension, and Wilwood brakes.
Clay King’s Street/Strip 1973 Plymouth Barracuda
Clay King purchased his Barracuda in 1990 and hasn’t stopped working on it since the day he brought it home. The Barracuda is powered by a Fraley Racing Engines-built 508 cubic-inch big block Mopar mill. The engine is topped off with a set of Edelbrock Performer RPM cylinder heads, a Mopar M1 single plane intake, and a Holley 950 cfm carburetor. Clay built the 727 TorqueFlight transmission that sits behind the big block and sends power back to the 8 ¾ Mopar rearend. Clay has piloted the Barracuda to a best time of 10.73 at 121 MPH at the track.
Ken And Kay Plagens 1967 Pontiac GTO
It’s been said that the GTO kicked off the muscle car revolution in the United States. Ken and Kay Plagens’ 1967 GTO is an amazing example of one of these legendary cars. Run Rite Classics completed the GTO’s frame-off restoration, and made sure all the body panels were perfectly aligned. The GTO is powered by a 400 cubic-inch Pontiac mill that’s controlled by a FiTech EFI system. Global West suspension parts and KYB shocks can be found under the GTO.
Barry Richardson’s Pro Street 1967 Biscayne
There’s nothing that screams cool like a big-body Chevy with a blown rat motor under the hood. Barry Richardson’s 1967 Biscayne fits the bill thanks to its 433 cubic-inch big block that’s rocking a TBS 10-71 supercharger. This behemoth of a car weighs in at 3,875 pounds, but that big Chevy engine and TH400 transmission have no problem moving it down the road.
