Goodguys Top 12 Awards at the Southwest Nationals

The end of the year is a time for looking back at the noteworthy moments of the year. The Goodguys Southwest Nationals at WestWorld of Scottsdale is the final event in the season for Goodguys so part of the program is a review of some of the best cars and trucks that participated in Goodguys shows in 2016.

The Goodguys Top 12 consists of the dozen vehicles that earned the highest honors this year:Street Rod of the Year, America's Most Beautiful Street Rod, Street Rod d' Elegance, Hot Rod of the Year, Street Machine of the Year, Muscle Macine of the Year, Muscle Car of the Year, Truck of the Year/Early, Truck of the Year/Late, Custom of the Year, Custom Rod of the Year, and Autocrosser of the Year.

The winners in each of these categories receives a number of honors from Goopdguys, including a billet aluminum award and a large Snap-On tool box customized with the image of their vehicle-and of course the prestige and glory of the specific title earned by their car or truck.

If you're good at math, you'll notice that only 10 vehicles are featured in this story. That's not a mistake. Two of the 2016 Goodguys Top 12, Custom Rod of the Year andAutocrosser of the Year, will be determined this weekend here in Scottsdale. Stayed tuned, because we will bring you that information when the winners are announced. And now, here are the first 10 of Goodguys Top 12 winners for 2016.

Street Rod of the Year

1939 Oldsmobile

Billy & Debbie Thomas

This was an amazing year for pre-War Oldsmobiles, thanks in part to the Thomas' beautiful '39 Model 60 convertible, built by Customs and Hot Rods of Andice. Winner of the 2016 Ridler Award in Detroit earlier this year, the car is Olds-powered with a Joe Mondello 455. The Art Morrison chassis is modified with billet control arms and custom four-bars, and a Winters banjo rearend. The body is almost entirely scratch built.

America's Most Beautiful Street Rod

1937 Ford Business Coupe

Dan Wathor

Another favorite from the Detroit Autorama was Wathor's gold '37 Ford coupe, a 2016 Great 8 award winner there and Goodguys AMBSR winner. The Ford 351W engine was stroked to 427, and runs Arias aluminum Hemi heads and Hilborn-inspired EFI. Builder Kenny Welch at Kenny's Rod Shop made elaborate mods to the coupe, but kept the style clean-all the way to the billet aluminum solid wheels.

Street Rod d'Elegance

1940 Oldsmobile

Wes Rydell

Wes Rydell has a lot to smile about, and to drive. In addion to the two custom Cadillacs revealied at SEMA, Wes owns this amazing Series 90 four-door sedan built by Rad Rods by Troy. The Olds sits on a Roadster Shop chassis and is powered by a customized LS3, disguised to resemble a '50 Olds 303 Rocket engine. The interior includes late Cadillac seats and a '49 Cadiilac dash and gauges. And yes, he's driven it a lot.

Hot Rod of the Year

1931 Ford Model A Roadster

Brian George

From it's debut at the Grand National Roadster Show to its appearance here in Scottsdale this weekend, Brian's '31 roadster has been drawing a crowd and scooping up awards. And it's not done yet. The roadster was built at Roseville Rod & Custom. The 296 Flathead with Ardun heads, a ScoT blower, and twin 97s is just the beginnig of the amazing retro hot rod styling.

Street Machine of the Year

1969 Ford Mustang

Tim & Cici Spencer

Goolsby Customs built this '69 Fastback for performance as well as visual impact with extensively modified exterior sheetmetal and trim and contemporary grey paint. Detroit Speed supplied the performance-designed suspension. Th eford 302 under the hood is built by Greening Auto Company. Nutek wheels are wrapped in Michelin rubber and custom seats are wrapped in Relicate leather.

Muscle Machine of the Year

1967 Chevelle

Tom Demrovsky

Goodguys winner in the Muscle Macine category is this '67 Chevelle with muscle provided by a Wegner Motorsports LS7 with a Whipple Supercharger. A Roadster Shop chassis is stout enough to keep up with the engine's 850 horses, and Forgeline wheels with Michelin tires fill the wheelwells. Interior details include the modified factory seats in Relicate and suede, a Grant wheel, and Auto Meter gauges.

Muscle Car of the Year

1969 Ford Mustang

Gary McKay

McKay's Boss 429 muscle car is the second '69 Mustang in the Top 12 line up, but is an old school departure from the Street Machine winner. The fastback is completely deserving with an all-numbers matching aluminum head 429 topped by a 4-barrel Holley carb. The interior is unrestored original, and the chassis is likewise stock. The wheels are Magnum 500s rolling on Goodyears.

Truck of the Year/Early

1936 Ford Pickup

Fred & Jane Struckman

Remember that orange '32 Fordor that was named Street Rod of the Year by both Goodguys and STREET RODDER in 2014? Builder Jeff Kinsey of Hot Rods by JSK came back this year with Fred and Jane's Ford pickup. The body is all steel with virtually no inch left untouched. The truck has the heart of a Corvette with an LT4 planted under the hood. In addition to all the attention, the truck has covered a lot of miles in 2016.

Truck of the Year/Late

1961 Ford Unibody

Todd Williams

Jason Graham Hot Rods is known for radical early rods, but knocked it out of the park with Williams' '61 Ford pickup. The lines were modified with a 2-inch chop, and shaved driprails, and an Accuair and Porterbuilt suspension components upgrade the chassis. The engine compartment is packed with a Ford 5.0-liter Coyote engine. Wheels are from Schott. Mahagogany pearl paint provides a prefect finish.

Custom of the Year

1954 Mercury

Scott & Holly Roberts

STREET RODDER selected the Roberts' traditional style Merc as a Top 100 winner at the Sacramento Autorama earlier this year, so we were glad to see in get honored by Goodguys as well. Powered by a 292 Y-block, “El Sueno,” features te styling of a '50s custom, from the 3-inch chop to the fender skirts, slammed posture, wide whites with sombrero caps, and tons more.

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