Kustom D'Elegance Winner at 2010 Motorama Custom Car Show If you're into customs, then the Long Beach Motorama is not to be missed! Although there are plenty of beautiful cars (like the ones I featured in my Motorama - First Look article) the highlight of the show is the Kustom D'Elegance award. Each of the dozen-plus contenders impressed in their own way... just being in the room sets these cars apart from the pack. However, just one could win the $20,000 cash prize along with a place on the perpetual trophy! As soon as you walk on into the Long Beach Arena, the red carpet leads you on past each of the skillful and innovative kustoms. Each one was fantastic... This roof- hammered 1959 Cadillac came all the way from Australia and was, I'm sure, one of the most customized cars present. Gene Winfield's old 1935 Ford Pickup shop truck , which had disappeared in 1965, was found in 2008 and resurrected to beautiful completion by Hatfield Restorations. This 1936 Auburn Roadster had some nice appeal. Voodoo Larry's newly completed 1946 Ford was in the running also. Those of you who...

2010 Motorama Custom Car Show Just when you thought the car show season was coming to the end, there's one more you don't want to miss! The Long Beach Motorama, featuring the Showcase of Kustoms, was created specifically to feature the top custom cars being built today. Not only that, but there's plenty of history too. Motorama is modeled after the custom car show begun in 1958 by the Renegades Car Club and  recognizes important builders, cars, and individuals from hot rodding history. To be sure that the Long Beach Motorama draws some of the most impressive custom builds around, it features a Kustom D'Elegance award that'll earn the skillful car builder a $20,000 purse! While the cars in competition for the Kustom D'Elegance award are fantastic, I wanted to give ya'll a chance to see the variety of other cars that showed up. From mild to radical customs, pickups to lowriders - this was a very well-rounded show! Scroll on down through this pick of ten from Mitzi (try not to drool on your keyboard) and be sure to leave a comment below and let everyone know which...

2010 Ink & Iron Show from Long Beach California Only a couple of hours remain at the 2010 Ink & Iron show, a show that proved as grand as the Queen Mary itself. Bands can still be heard cranking out tunes as the last rays of sunlight glisten off from metal flake and chrome. We launched Ink-N-Iron with this: First Look: 2010 Ink-N-Iron Festival The beautiful sound of tattoo guns still at work resonant through the belly of the Queen Mary with countless gallons of ink spilt. Yes, to put it mildly the show was amazing. Ivy D’Muerta hosted this years pin-up competition with the curvaceous Gia Genevieve taking home the title of Ms. Ink & Iron 2010 amongst a bevy of gorgeous ladies. Show goers were able to shop until wallets were drained at some of the most unique vendors the scene has to offer. (We grabbed a pic of Gia Genvieve at Viva Las Vegas too) Once again the hot rod & bike show grounds were packed to capacity with creations from some of the worlds top builders. With this years show going beyond expectations one cannot...

All Photos by Mitzi and co (Thanks Mitzi! Resume festivities!!) Pinup Monica Renee with Voodoo Larry’s killer 46 Ford 2010 Ink & Iron Show from Long Beach California Being from Wisconsin when I get a chance to hit the West Coast for a show, it had better be a good one. Lately the show buzz has been all about the Ink & Iron show held at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA so I figured I’d give it a shot. Ink & Iron is a 3 day event and we are just partially through the 1st day and I’ve seen more amazing tattoo artists, hot betties, amazing rods, bad ass bikes, and vendors than most shows pack into an entire weekend. While at the show I was given the opportunity to assist the always amazing Mitzi Valenzuela when she photographed the drop dead gorgeous Monica Renee with Voodoo Larry’s killer 46 Ford… I know it’s a rough gig! After the shoot we hit the packed vendors, the outrageous 3 story tattoo convention, and the Hall of Customs…all the while tapping our toes to the great line up of...

This past weekend I was able to make it to Ink N Iron 6 - a tattoo festival + car show + rockabilly music event held on the amazing Queen Mary ship in Long Beach, California. Am I glad I dropped anchor! Not only did I hear some great bands and see some awesome cars - but I got to meet up with car customizer Bo Huff and best of show winner Voodoo Larry! Let me fill you in on the show…this was year #6 for Ink & Iron – and I dug it! Each year it’s held in Long Beach aboard the Queen Mary – which is a huge, Titanic-ish ship. There are tons of tattoo artists exhibiting and doing tattoos. There’s dozens of bands playing throughout the day. Pinups are around too of course - vying for the $2000 grand prize in the contest (why don’t they award cars that much when they win?!?) And obviously… custom cars. This show is all about rockabilly and kustom culture. So of course the cars showing up are along the style the rockabilly crowd likes - Classic rods and crazy...