Todd Samson's 1932 Ford Roadster wins Goodguys 2026 Hot Rod of the Year

By AI, Created 2:25 PM UTC, May 22, 2026, /AGP/ – Goodguys Rod & Custom Association named Todd Samson and Gray’s Garage the 2026 TANKS Inc. Hot Rod of the Year at the BASF Legends of Hot Rodding event. The win spotlights a 1932 Ford roadster built around vintage hot rod parts and a long-distance reliability run through Tennessee.

Why it matters: - The Goodguys award puts a national spotlight on craftsmanship, authenticity and roadworthiness in classic hot rodding. - The title also marks one of the top honors in Goodguys’ 2026 Top 12 of the Year Awards program.

What happened: - Goodguys Rod & Custom Association named Todd Samson and his 1932 Ford Roadster the 2026 TANKS Inc. Hot Rod of the Year. - Goodguys presented the award during the 1st BASF Legends of Hot Rodding event last weekend. - Gray’s Garage in Sanford, Michigan, built the roadster for Samson. - Goodguys will name 10 more vehicles to complete its 2026 Top 12 of the Year Awards.

The details: - Samson said his interest in a 1932 Ford roadster began in childhood after car-show visits with his father. - Samson had long wanted a ’32 roadster with a Flathead engine and rare Ardun cylinder heads. - Samson bought a similar engine before he owned a car for it. - The roadster rides on a custom Brooks Craft chassis. - The build includes a drilled and dropped front axle, a Winters quick-change rear axle and a Model A rear spring. - Don Ferguson built the vintage Ford Flathead engine. - A SCoT blower feeds the Ardun heads, and a Ronco magneto provides spark. - Gray’s Garage shaped the all-steel Brookville body, tightened the gaps and added hot rod louvers. - Gray’s Garage added taillights from a vintage VW Beetle. - The car wears PPG Muddy Green and Black paint. - The interior features custom seats upholstered in leather by Colten Leigeb. - The cabin also includes vintage gauges, an MG steering wheel and a 1936 Ford steering column. - To qualify for the title, vehicles must be older than 1949, show at least 500 miles on the odometer and complete a 100-plus-mile reliability run through Tennessee. - The route includes passes down the Music City Raceway drag strip. - Samson’s roadster completed the run without issues.

Between the lines: - The award criteria favor cars that can perform as well as they present, not just vehicles that look good on display. - Gray’s Garage’s result reinforces the value of hand-built details and period-correct components in high-level competition. - The national award program suggests Goodguys is using category winners to keep momentum across its 2026 season.

What’s next: - Goodguys will continue rolling out the remaining Top 12 of the Year Awards throughout 2026. - The next honors include the Snap-on Muscle Car, Vintage Air Custom Rod and Dakota Digital Truck of the Year Late categories. - More information is available on Goodguys Rod & Custom Association’s social channels, Facebook, YouTube and X.

The bottom line: - Todd Samson’s Deuce roadster won because it paired a carefully executed vintage look with a successful road test that proved the build could handle real miles.