The search for the Goodguys Custom Rod of the Year award, held annually at the Heartland Nationals in Des Moines, spans the entire lower 48 states, but this year's selection committee didn't have to look far for the winner. The team of Roger Burman (Lakeside Rods, Rockwell City, Iowa) and Sioux Center's Doug Hoppe pooled to build a ground scraping two-tone '55 Chevy Convertible, worthy of any crown.
A Custom Rod is defined as a 1949 through 1972 street driven, functional custom. The Lakeside '55 would definitely qualify as functional! At first glance - you know you're looking at a special car. The low slung convertible sparkles with orange pearl and black hues. Its Air Ride Technologies bags allow for a ground scraping profile. Colorado Custom wheels (20's out back and 17's up front) roll smoothly and elegantly. But perhaps the most striking feature of the Chevy is its overall craftsmanship. Lakeside outdid themselves here. Every seam is smooth and refined. Handling is sports car-like thanks to a custom chassis which features Morrison mandrel bent rails. Giddy up is courtesy of a 500-plus horsepower 502 Ramjet bowtie big block.
The competition for the CROY crown this year was more than formidable. The finalists included 19 year old phenom Derrick Samson ('62 Chevy Wagon, Marshall, Missouri), Bob Smith ('55 Nomad, Lake Havasu City, Arizona), Jack Baruette ( '56 Corvette, Apollo Beach, FL) and Norm Fey ( Edgerton, MN '49 Cadillac Convertible). The five finalists were displayed in front of a capacity crowd during Sunday's final awards ceremony at which the winner was announced. "Awesome!" were the first words out of Hoppe's mouth. "I was nervous as can be but when my name was announced it was the best thing that's ever happened to me. When you spend that much time trying to get a car ready and then something like this happens - it makes you very grateful."