For the first time in two decades, the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association will raise the year eligibility for participating vehicles. Starting in 2018, Goodguys will extend a welcome to 1987-and-earlier show cars for its national events.
This expansion is the result of several years of planning. “We carefully considered all aspects of a year bump,” explained Goodguys President and CEO Marc Meadors. “We discussed it with prominent builders, manufacturers, and our members. We asked our internet and social media audience for their input and we ran a column in the Gazette which garnered over a thousand letters. The resulting flood of feedback and collective input from all of our research suggested nearly 70-percent of our audience was in favor of the bump.”
1987 was selected as the cutoff year because it includes many of the most popular body styles of next-generation vehicles collected and modified by enthusiasts. This includes Fox-body Mustangs, third-generation Camaros and Trans Ams, G-body GM cars such as Monte Carlos and Buick Grand Nationals, and squarebody Chevy and GMC pickups. Vans, ’Vettes and other distinctive rides from the ’70s and ’80s also join the lineup.
“Our events will prominently feature the familiar fabric of the world’s finest pre-war hot rods, customs, classics, muscle cars and trick trucks,” Meadors said. “We will also see fresh, friendly faces – 20- and 30-year-olds, longing for a chance to show off their hot cars, welcomed with a nod and a smile. Our industry manufacturers currently offer a wide range of products for next-gen cars and many of our industry’s top hot rod shops have next-gen cars currently under construction.”
One exception to the new year cutoff will be the West Coast Nationals in Pleasanton, California. This event will retain its current 1972 cutoff. However, the West Coast Nationals will incorporate an All American Sunday in 2018, welcoming all years of American-made cars on its final day. The event will also add an AutoCross competition.
The next generation of vehicles will be eligible for all standard Goodguys event awards, including Builder’s Choice selections. They will also be eligible for the following Goodguys Top 12 awards:
• Street Machine of the Year
• Muscle Machine of the Year
• Muscle Car of the Year
• Truck of the Year Late (now ’67-’87)
• Autocrosser of the Year
This latest year expansion follows a similar process Goodguys used to determine year cutoffs in the past. Goodguys first moved the year cutoff at events from 1959 to 1962, and then from 1962 to 1964. We began incorporating 1972-and-earlier cars 20 years ago, in 1998.