Vehicles sporting PPG finishes drew enthusiastic crowds at the 20th annual Goodguys PPG Nationals held July 7-9 at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Tens of thousands of visitors braved a day and a half of wind, rain, thunder and lightning before the weather cleared and the sun shone on the more than 6,000 gleaming custom cars and trucks on display.

While every vehicle on the Expo grounds was a genuine eye-catcher, several PPG-painted cars and a unique truck stood out and captured key honors in several highly competitive categories, including the PPG Dream Pick awards, Street Machine of the Year, Street Rod of the Year and Truck of the Year.

PPG Dream Pick Awards

The PPG Dream Pick awards are given to the two cars or trucks that best demonstrate the outstanding use of color, design, gloss and execution in a paint job. Competition for the honor is always tough, with custom car painters and builders pulling out all the stops for the much sought-after accolade.

This year’s awards went to a 1962 Corvette owned by Jennifer and Steve Ketteler of Spring, Texas, and a 1951 Ford owned by Bruce Leven of Auburn, Wash.

Randy Borcherding and the team at Painthouse in Cypress, Texas, get the credit for the ’Vette’s lustrous paint job. Borcherding used PPG Deltron custom-mixed DBC2000 Basecoat, DP90LF Non-Sanding Epoxy Primer Black and Concept DCU202 Urethane Clear to create the exclusive “Dark Maroondy Pearl” finish.

Leven’s 1951 Ford was built by Craig Wick at Wicked Fabrication and painted by John Byers of Byers Custom, both in Auburn, Wash. Byers used Deltron-brand products DPS V-Prime Acrylic Urethane Surfacer, DBC2000 Basecoat and DP90LF Non-Sanding Epoxy Primer Black along with Global Refinish System D8152 Performance + Glamour Clearcoat and custom toners to give the car its distinctive gray-blue finish.

Street Machine of the Year

The 2017 Street Machine of the Year award was captured by “Inferno,” a bright yellow 1969 Camaro owned by John Wilkus of Lakeville, Minn.

The Camaro was built and painted by the talented team at the Roadster Shop, Mundelein, Ill., under the direction of owners Jeremy and Phil Gerber. Inferno blends styling, power and an expert paint job by Alan Palmer.

Palmer used Envirobase High Performance waterborne basecoat, Global Refinish System D8152 Performance + Glamour Clearcoat, OEM toners McLaren Volcano Yellow (code 937178) and Ferrari Argento Nurburgring (code 36520), and Deltron DMD1683 Basecoat Black toner to give the car its award-winning finish.

Street Rod of the Year

A 1932 Ford Tudor Sedan owned by George Poteet of Memphis, Tenn., and built by the craftsmen at Johnson’s Hot Road Shop in Gadsden, Ala., was named the Classic Instruments Street Rod of the Year.

Greg Chalcraft and Wesley Johnson did the elegant bodywork. Chalcraft also painted the Ford and gave it a rich, deep black finish using Vibrance Collection VP2050 DTM High Build Primer, Deltron DP90LF Non-Sanding Epoxy Primer Black and DBC9700 Basecoat Black along with Global Refinish System D8115 Matte Clearcoat, D8117 Semi-Gloss Clearcoat and D8152 Performance + Glamour Clearcoat.

Truck of the Year Late Finalist Award

Roger Burman of Lakeside Rods & Rides in Rockwell City, Iowa, bagged the 2017 Truck of the Year Late Finalist award (sponsored by LMC Truck) for a 1966 Chevrolet C-10 – dubbed “Unruly” – that he built for Randy Marston of Parksville, British Columbia.

To get the dazzling finish, Burman used Envirobase High Performance waterborne basecoat, Deltron DP50LV Low VOC Epoxy Primer – Gray and DPS3055 V-Prime Acrylic Urethane Primer – Gray and Global Refinish System D8115 Matte Clearcoat and D8152 Performance + Glamour Clearcoat.

The toners used were Lexus Atomic Silver (code 935576) and Citrinbraun. Burman proudly pointed out that this was the first time the shop used a waterborne basecoat. Winning the award puts the truck in the Truck of the Year finals later this summer.

With more than 70,000 active members, the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association is one of the world’s largest rod and custom associations. The organization produces dynamic and well-attended automotive events across the country, including the national show in Columbus. 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 Envirobase High Performance, Vibrance Collection, Deltron and other PPG brands.

To learn more about PPG products, call (800) 647-6050 or visit the PPG website.