For instance, there was a crowd around Kirk Brown's little '42 Ford pickup all day when it was parked out in the field on Friday, but you could barely get near the thing when he parked in front of the exhibit building on Saturday! Similarly, pro builders and hobbyists alike were talking about the underside of Ross and Beth Myers' Trepanier-built '36, which won this year's Ridler Award and was displayed up on a rack in the exhibit building, giving everyone present the chance to see just what the fuss was about when the car was first shown at Detroit back in March. From the chassis and exhaust craftsmanship to the suspension design, this car has raised the bar, and giving everyone the opportunity to appreciate it will undoubtedly have a knock-on effect on rods built in the near future.
That is one of the best things about any event, but especially cool is an event that brings cars from all over the country, offering the opportunity to check out other peoples' interpretations of what a rod (or custom) is, then being able to cherry-pick ideas and apply them to your next project.