We say and hear it every single year, but this year was a bit different and it really did just fly by! 2014 was a blur of awesomeness with the official launch of Slam’d Mag and it came and went before we could even catch our breath. For 2014 we wanted to do something special to remember and commemorate all of the amazing rides and people that we were fortunate enough to capture for the inaugural year of Slam’d Magazine. Looking back on our first year, it’s quite amazing to see the plethora of high-quality rides and photos from around the globe that we were able to create and share over the last six months. When we first set out to bring you a digital magazine chock full of all of the baddest rides worldwide, regardless of genre, we certainly had our work cut out for us, but with a well laid plan and a world-class team we exceeded even our own expectations!
The four categories our staff chose for the 2014 End of the Year (EOTY) Slam’d Mag awards were, Truck of the Year, Car of the Year, Rod & Custom of the Year, and Show of the Year. We also had a vote to honor our staff Photographers and chose a Slam’d Photographer of the Year (The Top 14 Photos from 2014 can be seen HERE).
We split this story into the four categories, each one can be seen here:
Truck of the Year Winner | Car of the Year Winner | Rod & Custom of the Year Winner | Show of the Year Winner | Photographer of the Year Winner
So without further ado, here are your finalists and year-end winners for 2014 Rod & Custom of the Year:
Rod & Custom of the Year
Mike Alexander – Slam’d Mag
Editor-in-chief | Publisher
Rod & Custom of the Year: US Built, Australia Driven; 1957 Buick Special
Adam Cleary – 1957 Buick Special
The presence alone of this ’57 Buick is worthy enough to earn it the title of Slam’d Rod & Custom of the Year. Seeing this thing in person is an experience of itself and if you don’t have at least a solid hour to dedicate to drooling all over every square inch then you’ll probably want to just keep on walking. There’s something SO right about a big body classic sitting flat on the ground on a nice set of billets – just pissing purists off left and right. Subtle yet extreme but pulled off in perfect form – this Buick will definitely be remembered for years to come!
Lindsey Fisher – Slam’d Mag
Slam’d Staff Editor
Rod & Custom of the Year: US Built, Australia Driven; 1957 Buick Special
Adam Cleary – 1957 Buick Special
Built in California but shipped off to the owner in Australia, this beautiful ’57 Buick Special is the result of die-hard passion. Sure, everyone who builds a vehicle has passion, but not many would have a car built and then shipped overseas to fulfill a life-long dream. Designed by Adam but built by a killer crew assembled by Chad’s Auto Glass, this Buick is no where near your average lowered ride. Not only does it ride atop 24-inch billet wheels, it also mixes automotive genres and styles a bit, pushing the limits of even the most laid back automotive enthusiasts. I’m a huge fan of people who think outside the box and make their dream vehicles come to life regardless of the work it takes and the possible scorn they may incur from others. Add that true passion and dedication to one sick ride like this, and there’s no doubt in my mind which vehicle should win the 2014 Rod & Custom of the Year Award!
John O’Neill – JohnnyOPhoto
Slam’d Photographer | Editor At Large
Rod & Custom of the Year: US Built, Australia Driven; 1957 Buick Special
Adam Cleary – 1957 Buick Special
Every single custom/rod that we featured this year was superb quality, but the one that makes my dreams wet is the black 1957 Buick Special built by The Choppin Block and Milinich’s Body Works. When I first laid eyes on it at the SEMA Show in Vegas it literally stopped me in my tracks. She was laid out on big Raceline billets, black as sin, straight as glass and a blood red interior. Simply put, this car is perfect. The only imperfection with the car is that I don’t own it.
Brian Goude – Grinder TV
Slam’d Contributor
Rod & Custom of the Year: US Built, Australia Driven; 1957 Buick Special
Adam Cleary – 1957 Buick Special
Words just cannot describe the way that this ’57 Buick looks. It radiates true badassness and nothing I say or type can do this thing the justice it deserves. You can literally sit and stare at it for hours on end. It’s aggressive yet classy, a true American Beauty.
Frank Newton – BST Clothing
Slam’d Contributor | Official Printer
Rod & Custom of the Year: La Ranfla Muerta: K-Daddy’s Killer 1960 Pontiac
Kyle “KDaddy” Gann – 1960 Pontiac
This Pontiac drips pure awesome from front to back. The paint, stance, wheels, all remind us of where we came from. When you look at this car you’re transported back to the late ’60s cruising Bellflower Blvd in Long Beach when Lowrider’s and classic rods ruled the streets. Panels, flake, and flames capture the essence of ’60s customs, yet the chop and drop show that there’s a bit more to this classic than meets the eye.
Jason Ballard – Slam’d Mag
Slam’d Contributor
Rod & Custom of the Year: La Ranfla Muerta: K-Daddy’s Killer 1960 Pontiac
Kyle “KDaddy” Gann – 1960 Pontiac
This was a hard pick for me to make because all of the cars are over the top and the cream of the crop in their respective genres. I selected the 1960 Pontiac for Rod & Custom of the Year due to the overall custom style and era that this build captures. From the wild K-Daddy paint work to the super crazy interior to the radical Slam’d stance, I just can’t get enough of this ride and every time I scroll through the pics another cool detail jumps out and grabs my attention.
Nico Jarrett – Nico Jarret Photography
Slamd Mag end of year awards 2014
Rod & Custom of the Year: La Ranfla Muerta: K-Daddy’s Killer 1960 Pontiac
Kyle “KDaddy” Gann – 1960 Pontiac
I originally started in the Lowrider scene when I was a kid. The eye catching paint jobs and all the chrome were it for me. When I first saw the feature on K-Daddy’s 1960 Pontiac “La Ranfla Muerta” I was instantly hooked. K Daddy Kustomz is well known for all their crazy builds and this one is no different, albeit a bit more over the top. The wild purple and blue hues in the paint work are executed with amazing detail and the chop top completes the wild look when fully laid out. The custom builds seem to have some mystery feel to them as you try and figure out the subtle differences the builder decided to do such as the shaved body moldings, custom stainless trim, etc. I really like how the rear windows were deleted and how the Ventura taillights were done in the rear. This Pontiac is something I could sit and look at for hours and that’s the reason it gets my vote for the Rod & Custom of the Year.
Josh Wilson – Slam’d Mag
Slam’d Contributor
Rod & Custom of the Year: SkunkRat; The Skunkwerx 1928 Tudor Sedan
Mark Whiteskunk – 1928 Ford Tudor Sedan
For the Rod & Custom of the Year I had to go with Mark Whiteskunk’s 1928 Tudor Sedan. Ratrods intrigue me because of the creativity that goes into building them right. Sure, there’s a ton of crap out there but it’s the same with every scene. Guys like Mark seem to take five different puzzles and masterfully pieces them together to create a true work of art. Again, all of the small details really win me over on this one, plus who doesn’t love a massive V-8 shoved into a lightweight vehicle?
Avit Toasty Chauhan – Toast Graphics
Slam’d Contributor
Rod & Custom of the Year: US Built, Australia Driven; 1957 Buick Special
Adam Cleary – 1957 Buick Special
This 1957 Buick gets my vote because it’s just damn cool! Such a tough look with a world class red leather interior that pops against the extremely deep black surface, everything about this build just stands out and demands attention. The body lines just flow smack into the ground and the wheel choice certainly tops it off quite nicely. Stellar job to the crew and all who had a hand in bringing this beauty to life!
Randy Johnson – Mini Truck Scene
Slam’d Contributor | Official Designer
Rod & Custom of the Year: US Built, Australia Driven; 1957 Buick Special
Adam Cleary – 1957 Buick Special
This car is just out of control. If I could ever dream up what the perfect hot rod would look like in my head, this would be it. The bodylines, the unique windows, the perfect stance, big billets that complete the look, and the timeless color scheme of black paint and red leather. I could stare at all the details on this car for days, maybe years. It’s hard not to picture a group of four guys cruising this inches off the ground on the way to a show, where they will ultimately break every neck that comes into contact with this machine. Hats off to everyone who had a hand in this magnificent build.
Steve Berndsen – Chance Photos
Slam’d Contributor
Rod & Custom of the Year: US Built, Australia Driven; 1957 Buick Special
Adam Cleary – 1957 Buick Special
Reading about someone realising a childhood dream and building their dream car for me is always a great story. Not knowing Adam personally, I was very interested to read the feature on a car that I had admired since seeing the build process and hearing the hype at SEMA. Style such as this never fades and I’m pleased that manufacturers are now beginning to bring back some of the flair from yesteryear when designing new cars, although i’m not sure anything can actually compete with the bodylines of the ’50s and ’60s. I could stare at this car for hours and still be completely in love and unable to find flaw. She’s definitely on the list!
2014 ROD & CUSTOM OF THE YEAR
Winner: US Built, Australia Driven; 1957 Buick Special
Our winner for the 2014 Slam’d Mag Rod & Custom of the Year goes to the US Built, Australia Driven; 1957 Buick Special! Very well deserved as this is probably one of the nicest vehicles ever built – the entire Chad’s Auto Glass, Choppin Block and Milinich’s Body Works crews all deserve a huge congrats for going against the norm and building something truly remarkable!
