A gleaming black 1953 Studebaker was named the 2016 Goodguys Custom Rod of the Year. The car was customized and painted by Alan Johnson and his team at Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop in Gadsden, Ala., using PPG refinish products. The award was presented November 19 at the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association’s 19th annual Southwest Nationals at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

The Studebaker, owned by Paul and Betty Gilliam of Birmingham, Ala., was selected out of a competitive field of seven custom rod finalists from regional Goodguys events held throughout the past year. Goodguys defines “custom rod” as a car that “tastefully blends customizing techniques or factory stock bodies with modern-day performance, engineering, components and styling.” Custom rods from 1949 to 1972 were eligible to enter the contest. In the judges’ eyes, the Studebaker met the qualifications exceptionally well, well enough to be named the winner.

“Competition is always stiff for Goodguys awards,” said John Drummond, editor of the Goodguys Goodtimes Gazette. “We get the best of the best going for the top prizes, and it’s never easy to pick just one, especially in the custom rod category. But this car was different. Alan Johnson and the Gilliams built a masterpiece. It combines European coach building with contemporary style mixed with American hot rod essentials. They have a car they can be proud of.”

Johnson has been using PPG products since 1995. Painter Greg Chalcraft applied DELTRON^® DBC9700 Basecoat, GLOBAL REFINISH SYSTEM^® D8152 Performance + Glamour Clearcoat, D8115 Matte Clearcoat and D8117 Semi-Gloss Clearcoat to give the car its award-winning deep black finish. Johnson is no stranger to prestigious awards. His cars have won several other significant Goodguys honors including the Custom Street Machine, Trendsetter of the Year and Street Rod of the Year awards. The Studebaker also received Best Street Cruiser award at the Shades of the Past event in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., this past summer.

Goodguys is one of the world’s largest rod and custom associations, with more than 70,000 active members. The organization produces dynamic and well-attended automotive events across the country. PPG is the official paint supplier to the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association. PPG exhibits at all national and many regional Goodguys events, displaying the latest automotive refinish products, hottest colors and custom tones, unique pigments and special-effect finishes available in the VIBRANCE COLLECTION^®, Deltron and other PPG brands.

PPG Refinish wishes you and your family a Happy Holiday Season.

Amid the action of the recent SEMA show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the PPG booth, with its “Salute to Color” theme, was vibrant with custom-car world celebrities, award-winning cars and some very special guests: members of Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Hosting veterans from Paralyzed Veterans of America was PPG’s way of saying thank you to the men and women of the armed forces who have sacrificed so much for the nation. Based in Washington, D.C., the nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing disabled veterans—from as far back as World War II—and their families with everything they need to live full and productive lives. With paralyzed veterans composing the group’s board of directors, the organization well understands the many challenges and obstacles its members face.

“We learned about Paralyzed Veterans of America through our relationship with Team Penske,” said Cristina Fronzaglia-Murray, PPG manager, marketing communications. “We wanted to recognize and celebrate the freedom and choices we have in this country—from the ability to pick the cars we drive to the color and paint we choose for them—and the role our armed forces play in keeping us safe and free to make those choices. Paralyzed Veterans’ members have paid a high price to keep us secure. It’s PPG’s privilege to have them with us at SEMA.”

Booth visitors waiting to meet elite painters had a chance to write thank-you notes to Paralyzed Veterans of America members in appreciation of their service to the nation. Monetary donations were also welcome and more than $3,100 was raised for the organization. PPG contributed to the cause with two pieces of original art—renditions of stylized “Salute to Color” postage stamps created by PPG painters Jeff Matauch and Frank Ramos—that Paralyzed Veterans of America can auction to raise funds.

Paralyzed Veterans also had the opportunity to make the public aware of the many services it provides through its 34 chapters across the country. Special attention was given to the group’s “Wheels Helping Warriors” fundraising vehicle donation program, which provides the organization with significant financial support.

“We cannot adequately express our gratitude to PPG for its support of our organization and members,” said Bill Lawson, Paralyzed Veterans’ immediate past president, who attended SEMA. “Including us in their booth—giving us a chance to make the automotive industry aware of what we do and the backing we need—goes beyond thank you.”

Additional information about PPG and Paralyzed Veterans of America at SEMA can be found on the PPG Facebook page www.facebook.com/PPGRefinish.

To learn more about Paralyzed Veterans of America, visit www.pva.org. For more about PPG, visit www.ppgrefinish.com or call (800) 647-6050.
 

At PPG (NYSE: PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 130 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $14.8 billion in 2015. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

We protect and beautify the world is a trademark and the PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

The recent SEMA show at the Las Vegas Convention Center featured an array of custom cars and trucks, concept vehicles, motorcycles and special projects each more amazing than the next. But one car, a 1965 Mustang owned by Chris Marechal and dubbed “Vicious Mustang,” created a buzz that took custom to a whole new extreme. Marechal commissioned Jason Pecikonis and his talented crew at Timeless Kustoms in Camarillo, Calif., to take the car from meek to mighty. What started out as a simple coupe ended up as a show-stopping fastback road machine with 1,000 horsepower, a performance-focused build, bright red interior and a remarkable silver-gray paint job achieved with PPG’s automotive refinish products.

Pecikonis and his team converted the Mustang coupe to a sleek fastback using existing body parts and advanced fabrication skills. They then focused on creating race-ready performance and raw power ensuring that the fastback would be worthy of the name Vicious Mustang. The car’s engine, a Ford Performance 5.1L Aluminator, is based on a Mustang GT350R engine and was enhanced with two turbochargers and a supercharger to produce the astounding 1,000 horsepower. Drivetrain, suspension and mechanical systems were designed to accommodate the car’s muscle.

While Vicious Mustang is all about rocket power and speed, Timeless Kustoms gave it great style and presence with a predator-like profile. The “look at me” red interior is eye-catching and the silver-gray matte finish gives the fastback a sophisticated appearance that complements its performance attributes—like a quiet monster that roars only when it wants to and then roars very loud.

Shop owner Pecikonis painted the Mustang himself. To get the exact look he wanted, Pecikonis turned to PPG for several premium products including VIBRANCE COLLECTION^® VP2050 DTM High Build Primer, ENVIROBASE^® High Performance Waterborne Basecoat, ECP15 A-Chromatic Surfacer-Gray and ECS25 A-Chromatic LV Sealer-Gray, and GLOBAL REFINISH SYSTEM^™ D8115 Matte Clearcoat. A special Timeless Kustom mix created the unique Vicious Silver Titanium color.

Vicious Mustang attracted a crowd at its SEMA debut. It will soon begin appearing at various shows and racing events around the country.

At PPG (NYSE: PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 130 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $14.8 billion in 2015. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

We protect and beautify the world and Global Refinish System are trademarks and the PPG Logo, Vibrance Collection and Envirobase are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.