Builders Showcase
While many hot rodders build their own cars, a significant proportion of the hotrods out there today have been built by professional builders. Their work runs the gamut from turning out fully completed, one- off cars built literally from scratch to helping hot rodders complete those aspects of their car construction that they themselves just aren’t capable of.
Professional builders have been the innovators, often the trend setters in hot rodding. It’s their skill, their ingenuity, their resourcefulness that have resulted in the creation of some of the automotive industry’s most innovative, celebrated cars. When you look at the sophistication and inventiveness of their building techniques coupled with their extraordinary flair for design, you could easily make the case that the epicenter for all automotive design worldwide resides right here in the good old U.S.of A’s hot rod builder community.
This is why we wanted to create a separate place on this site for professional builders called BUILDERS SHOWCASE. We know their latest project cars are of real interest to all hot rodders, so we wanted to provide a central forum where builders could show their latest creations to the entire KruzinUSA national community.
The BUILDERS SHOWCASE will have two parts: the first will highlight a single builder and show a complete gallery of their work; the second will provide a national listing of builders with a brief sampling of some of their project cars. In both cases we have provided a direct hotlink to their respective websites so you can get a more in-depth look at their operations. If you’re interested in seeing some of the most innovative cars on this planet, we would encourage you to visit their sites.
Pullin' Out The Stops at Schwartz Performance
Stay tuned - we're about to do our next Builders Showcase on the magicians at Schwartz Performance in Woodstock, IL. These are the guys that can take any street car (and we do mean any!) and transform it into an autocross corner crusher, a dragstrip pavement pounder, a road course rocket ship, all while maintaining perfect street manners. Hard to believe? Wait till you see what they did to a completely stock looking 1982 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. It will make a believer out of you!
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Brent's Bad to the Bone Big Block Vettes
Those of you that have been on this site before know that we're big fans of Brent Jarvis, owner and driving force behind Performance Restorations, a premier hot rod shop out of Mundelein, Illinois.
A lot of you have commented about the fact that Brent not only builds his creations as drivers, but he often races them too. For example, here's his show winning, street legal, (yeah, he drives it to cruise nights!), blown Pro Street '59 Corvette that can run in the 7's all day:
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Here's his daily driver, a '68 Chevelle that's not only a great autocross car, but can turn high 10's with ease:
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Well this past summer Brent out did himself; he built 2 vintage '65 fastback Corvette Sting Rays as his new personal rides.
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This first one was built just for vintage road racing and is absolutely period correct in terms of body, chassis, suspension, drive train, even it's Nassau Blue color. It's powered by an L88, 427 big block that hauls major booty when Brent's racing it in the SVRA vintage circuit.
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The other Vette is an all out, no holds barred street machine powered by a 900 HP, all aluminum, 565 ci big block that's hooked to a G-Force 5 speed. With 3:08 gears in the rear end, top speed close to 200 MPH.
It's already won a Builder's Choice award at Good Guys and 3 separate awards at the recent SEMA show. And it just won the ISCA Street Machine Championship. It won 4 "Best in Class" and 4 "Best of Show Street Machine" awards. It was also a "Select Six" winner at the Chicago World of Wheels.
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Brent regularly brings both of these Vettes to the monthly Park on Park cruise night.
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Their entrance to the cruise night is like nothing you've ever heard. Both of these badass machines use straight through, side pipe exhausts with no mufflers, so when that Vette duo arrives they cannot be ignored. Brent says that big block stereo rumble is "music to my ears."
But rather than talk about it, we'll let you hear exactly what they sound like. Take a gander at this video of Brent and his 2 unique, bellowing, big blocks;
If you liked the Big Block Blues, you'll love the VooDoo that he do. Check out the VooDoo Larry Kustoms Update
Get all the details from our favorite magic man. VooDoo Larry Kustoms
Have a look at a shop that turns out the hottest of Hot Rods. Getz's Hot Rods
See the man and his ride in action, Brent Jarvis tears up GoodGuys. Ain't no Trailer Queen
This is where the Big Block Blues were born. It's all there in Brent Jarvis and Performance Restorations
VooDoo Larry Kustoms Update
Talk about multi-tasking! All I can say is my latest trip to Voodoo Larry Grobe's shop shows that this hot rod building genius' talents are much in demand!
Right off the bat there's a bright red addition to the roster. Turns out that it is the original Hot Rod Lincoln of country singing legend Charlie Ryan fame. The current owner purchased the car directly from Ryan's widow and now wants a full restoration. This is going to be a hot rod for the ages and surely Charlie is smiling down knowing his pride and joy is in very capable hands.
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The VooDoo Psychosis is back together, ready for the show circuit this year. You'll see the "old" deck lid of the VooDoo Psychosis has been replaced. Louvered steel now graces the rear of this minty green gem and the old lid is now art on the wall.
This ride is in high demand; it will be the headliner at the Cruis'n Wisconsin show in July.
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This is a '50 Chevy whose headlights are getting the Voodoo Larry treatment. As we said before, ground up restos to individual one of a kind touches make this your shop for Kool Kustoms!
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The '63 Caddy has been shopped since our last visit and they're starting on the air ride suspension.
Before:
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After:
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Bothe the Jag and the '28 Sedan are nearing completion.
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Larry still has Bonneville yearnings and plans to tear up the flats SoCal style, only now in a new ride. The new belly tank is off a P38 and is a roomy 14'. (At well over 6' Larry needed a little more room.) You'll see the new tank suspended above the shop. The "old" drop is up on the auction block, so now (if you want), you can make your old school drag racing dreams come true in Voodoo Larry style. Take a look at what else is going on in Larry's kingdom.
Earlier this year the Chicago World of Wheels asked LArry to oversee the Motorama area of their show; it's devoted to old school Kustoms and Hot Rods. It was so successful Larry was asked to host again for 2011. If you were unable to make it to the Chicago leg of World of Wheels, here is a brief look at what Larry pulled together.
If you want to get close to this genius, Larry opens his shop Saturdays for customer appreciation, but call first; this is one busy dude! His club the VooDoo Kings hosts a cruise night in Itasca, IL at Buona Beef. They can get up to 200 cars a night. And be sure to mark your calendars for August 1st. It's Voodoo Larry Kustoms 3rd ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE. Last year he had over 200 cars with nearly 1,000 people in attendance. Vendors, raffles and Kustoms - what a way to spend a Sunday. If you find yourself in the Chicagoland area his summer keep your eyes out at local cruise nights; Larry really tries to get his rides around to different show. Just look for the hugh crowds around a cool car and a guy with really fly hair in the middle of it and you've hit the jackpot!
To keep up to date with the goings on at Voodoo Larry Kustoms you can visit them at Voodoo Larry Kustoms.com
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