Goodguys Nashville Nationals - Southern Hospitality

If a Top Ten wasn't enough, how about becoming a finalist for Truck of the Year-Early to boot? That's just what Jeff Wingo left the Nashville Nats with for his efforts (along with GS Customs and Custom Fab) on this stunning '50 Studebaker. Beyond the loads of custom body- and paintwork, the Stude features a Ramjet 350/700-R4 and air-bagged C4 suspension.

Speaking of customized trucks, Dennis Bunton's '54 Ford is all about custom, from the chopped top to the full Ford Lightning drivetrain. Owner-built, the HoK Tangelo Pearl F-1 is also outfitted with a very contemporary-styled leather interior.

There were a number of cool Studebaker trucks at Nashville, but it wouldn't have seemed fair to give them all Top Tens based on rarity, would it? Well, Keith Friend's homebuilt '48 couldn't be passed up, what with its "magazine red" paint, 5.0L Cobra engine with a T-5, and polished Salt Flats. But the feature that stands out the most-the interior in camel and faux ostrich by his wife!

Still recouping from the F-100 SuperNats in Knoxville, Jim Crowder's '61 Ford Unibody had Top Ten written all over it. Another owner-built, this short-wide features custom two-tone paint with both seaweed and ghost flames integrated with the copper pearl.

As mentioned, racer John Maffucci proved not only his abilities behind the wheel, but the abilities of his '55 Ford on the Autocross. It goes without saying that a full complement of '03 Mustang Cobra running gear/suspension (which includes 510hp to the rear wheels) helped propel the F-100 to victory.

Nashville proved to be a great resource for rare haulers. Greg Blaydes' '47 International-Harvester-a complete homebuilt from the frame up-hailing from Athens, GA, is just one example. The I-H's hot rod theme of traditional flames paired with polished Americans works perfectly.

If it wasn't rare, chances are it was owner-built. Brian Pope's '68 C-10 may not be an obscurity, but it sure is a looker. A green metallic and off-white exterior are accented with a tan interior on this flawless example of a "rodstored" pickup.

Lean, mean, and green, Myers Parker's '48 Chevy is one clean machine! Features include a Chevy 350/350 combo, Mustang II independent suspension beneath, and American Torq-Thrusts at each corner.

How do you make a 'glass truck that never existed look like it's weathered the years like a veteran hot rod? Give it a slick faux finish like Dennis Graham did on his '37 Downs pickup. But while there's rub-through on the outside, the interior was done all tidy-like with red tuck 'n' roll.

What? A Datsun? Oh, yeah-it's classic...and it's a truck! Pushing the Top Ten boundaries, Brandon Brooks' '68 Datsun 521 pickup is just plain cool, regardless of what continent it originated from, especially with its 18- and 20-inch Billet Specialties tucked nicely within the fenderwells.