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The stainless Spectre 4256 Hood Pin Kit offers form and function in one package.

The Spectre 6284 Large Shifter Boot helps to add some flair to an otherwise forgotten area.

Money was scarce during the Great Depression, so car enthusiasts had to get creative. Most couldn't afford a new car, let alone the parts. They had to make stuff, from other stuff. These new creations were called 'hot rods', and they consisted of a bunch of junkyard parts, bolted to a lightweight body. The parts they used were often homemade, and many of the custom details were truly extraordinary. There was real craftsmanship back then, because people took pride in their work. Today's car enthusiasts are no less talented, but they no longer need to scour the salvage yard for the thing they need to make the other thing, that eventually becomes the finishing detail. Hot rodders can simply go to Spectre Performance and browse their catalog of stainless and aluminum interior/exterior accessories. Let's look at a few of them now:

When you're looking for the perfect automotive accessory, you want something that functions as good as it looks. The Spectre Performance catalog is stuffed with things like the Spectre 4256 Hood Pin Kit, the Spectre 6280 Aluminum T-Bar Shifter, and the Spectre 6288 Chrome Gas Pedal. All of these accessories are designed to make any vehicle look good. But Spectre also has specialty items like the Spectre 90022 Aluminum Rear Wing for the 1969 Chevy Camaro, and the Spectre 90104 Aluminum Door Panels & Handles for the 1964-1965 Chevy Chevelle.

The Spectre 4982 Billet GM Column Shift Lever is milled from a single piece of aluminum and made to fit in place of the OE shifter.

What's so special about billet aluminum parts and stainless steel parts?

High quality automotive accessories should be able to withstand lots of abuse. That's why premium auto part manufacturers like Spectre Performance, use durable metals like stainless steel and billet aluminum. These materials come at a higher cost, but the strength and finish are second to none. Billet aluminum auto accessories for example, are made by milling or machining a solid aluminum blank (billet), into the desired part. This allows the particular accessory to be made from one solid piece of aluminum, improving both the strength and number of finish options. Stainless steel auto accessories are made in much the same way, however these parts are often laser cut from a thick sheet of steel, then chrome plated, polished, or a brushed finish is applied.

Examples of different Spectre billet accessories & Spectre stainless accessories:

The Spectre 90022 Aluminum Rear Wing for the 1969 Chevy Camaro will add style and added downforce to the rear of your car.

Under the category 'Shifters', you'll find the Spectre 4982 General Motors Billet Column Shift Lever. Designed for an OE fit in 1973-1994 GM vehicles, this handsome column shifter will add a custom touch to any style interior. It is precision milled from a solid aluminum billet, and features an attractive polished double slot design, capped off by a polished shift knob. Thanks to its OEM replacement design, all you have to do is remove the old shift lever and slide this one into place.

Under the category 'Shifter Boots', you'll find the Spectre 6284 Large Shifter Boot. If you drive a manual transmission vehicle, you may have never considered the shifter boot to be a design element. Until now that is. The Spectre Large Shifter Boot features a soft black rubber shifter boot, accented by a triple chrome plated stainless ring at them top of the boot beneath the shifter, and one at the base. Not only does it look elegantly understated, the rugged construction will probably outlast the factory shift boot.

No matter what you drive, Spectre Performance can make it look and perform better. To check out the complete line of Spectre interior/exterior accessories, visit the interior/exterior accessories page. Or, you can enter your year/make/model into the search by vehicle tool, to discover everything that Spectre makes for your ride.

Optima's Search for the Ultimate Street Car Pikes Peak International Raceway is right around the corner

Pikes Peak International Raceway owner, Bob Boileau, has a Datsun 520 and 411 that appeared on the Optima race circuit last year

Some may not recognize the name Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR), but that has not stopped Optima's Search for the Ultimate Street Car Race Series from returning to this track for its second year as part of their ten event race series for 2016.

With almost two decades since its grand opening in 1997, Pikes Peak International Raceway has hosted several different race events over the years. Series like INDY and NASCAR used the track up until 2007/2008. Currently the track holds amateur race events such as the Time Attack Series and the Optima Race Series along with several other local events throughout the year.

Spectre Driver James Shipka will be returning to the Optima Race Series with his 1967 Camaro

With the Optima Series Race around the corner, we took a closer look at the competition that will be attending Optima's Search for the Ultimate Street Car at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

Bob Boileau's 1966 Datsun 520 is unique within itself, but the little truck has grown in popularity even more as it continues to participate in the Optima Race Series

Owner Bob Boileau is no stranger to getting behind the wheel and hitting the track. Bob introduced his 1966 Datsun 520 and his 1967 Datsun 411 at last year's Optima Pikes Peak Raceway event. The little 1966 truck has been quite popular, as it has raced in the 2015 Optima Auto Club Speedway event and Optima's Ultimate Street Car Invitational at Las Vegas last November. Not only does Bob have some impressive skills behind the wheel, he is typically found in the pits offering advice and a helping hand when needed.

Though this will be James' first time behind the wheel of his 1967 Camaro for the 2016 race season, he was also spotted shaking down his 1LE car earlier this year

Besides Bob, several other Spectre Performance drivers will take to the track at PPIR. Matt Alcala announced that he is prepping the "Rental Car," a 2006 Mustang, to compete at PPIR. The Mustang recently competed in the NMCA West Hotchkis Autocross with multiple drivers racing the car throughout the weekend. Over the past week Matt has been testing some new aero on the front of the Mustang along with wider fender flares to accommodate 335's on all four corners. Pikes Peak International Raceway will be the first big event the Mustang will compete in after the upgrades are complete.

Bob Gawlik will be attending Pikes Peak International Raceway in his 1968 AMX

Spectre Performance driver James Shipka will be returning to the race circuit with his 1967 Camaro. With a recent addition to his already family of three, the birth of his second daughter kept James' main focus the first half of the year. This will be James first race in the 1967 Camaro for the 2016 race season, though he has also been racing his 1LE car over the past couple months. James has been participating in the Optima Series for several years before its growth in popularity. Though competition has increased over the years, James is one driver that can keep up with the competition, possibly bringing home a win in the GTV Class.

Bob received his invite to compete at OUSCI after winning the Spectre Performance Spirit of the Event back in April

Previous Spectre Performance Spirit of the Event Winner Bob Gawlik will also be competing in his 1968 Orange AMX. Bob already has an invitation to compete at the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational (OUSCI) in November, after winning the Spirit of the Event Award at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this past April. Bob's AMX does not only perform well out on track, it looks great standing still. Several people have asked why Bob takes such a beautiful build out on track and beats on it. Yet, as long as Bob is having fun, he will continue to beat on the car regardless when and where.

As of right now, fifty-three drivers are register to compete at the two-day event for a chance at an invite to the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational. With time still left to register for the upcoming race, it is hard to predict who will come out on top and take home an invite. Best of luck goes out to all the drivers competing at Pikes Peak International Speedway and we look forward to seeing who will move on to the final showdown in Vegas this November.

It has been a very busy race season for Spectre driver Greg Thurmond, competing in Goodguys Autocross, NMCA West Autoctross, SCCA, the Optima Series and several Camarillo Autocross events.

The race to win the Hotchkis Cup was held over a two-day autocross event hosted by the Racing Byrds. NMCA West is held four times a year at the Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, California. Eighty to ninety competitors bring out some of the most competitive built, pristine vehicles to race over the two days, trying to prove that they are the fastest driver.

NMCA West Hotchkis Autocross brought out several competitive drivers as they all fought for the ultimate title, the Hotchkis Cup.

Greg Thurmond entered the 2016 race season by storm in his 1965 Corvette named SCAR. Greg's season has been filled with race events including Goodguys, NMCA, SCCA, the Optima Series and several Camarillo Autocross events. Downtime isn't part of Greg's vocabulary. When he is not racing he is the man behind GTS Customs, working on customers' Corvettes and various other makes/models. Greg's work can be found in his own Corvette, from the precision bodylines, wide custom fenders and eye catching orange paint that he completed in time for its debut last SEMA.

Some people may think Greg Thurmond is out of his mind for racing such a beautiful piece of art, but for Greg, he would not have it any other way. Greg's desire to perform better, improve as a driver and represent his sponsors is always seen when watching him at the track. The level he has achieved in the last five months of racing has resulted in some notable finishes and now him taking podium.

Greg did exceptionally well both Saturday and Sunday, maintaining a podium finish on both race days.

The NMCA West Hothckis Autocross was not an easy win. With temperatures reaching well over 110 degrees and track conditions melting as the heat index increased, competitors had to be prepared for anything. From problems with overheating vehicles to dehydrated drivers, one could easily be forced out of the competition early due to unavoidable circumstances. Luckily Greg was not one of those drivers, racing his way through the heat and making his way to the top of his class.

Not only did Greg race his way into first place on Sunday, he finished within the top five drivers overall for the entire weekend.

Aside from the poor weather conditions, competition in the Classic Muscle Class was tough. Saturday brought out several pro drivers including autocross instructor Casey Cronin and his 1972 Vette along with SCCA competitor Richard Trujillo and his 1969 bright green Mustang. This did not stop Greg Thurmond from battling his way into the top three, resulting in a second place finish and less than a half of second off of the top time in his class.

The Hotchkis Autocross recognizes official times on both Saturday and Sunday. Competitors have the option to compete in both days or just one. The heat on Saturday resulted in a handful drivers dropping out of the race come Sunday. The NMCA West June Autocross event had been sold out long before the event. Those who chose not to attend Sunday's event opened new spots for waitlist drivers to enter the competition. This meant a handful of new drivers and more competition come Sunday.

Greg also took the lead in the Classic Muscle Class Sunday, resulting in a first place finish in his class.

The Racing Byrds make sure that the two-day autocross is fair for both Saturday and Sunday competitors. In order to do this, the track is reversed and drivers who ran Saturday must now run the track the opposite direction come Sunday. Several drivers including Greg Thurmond arrived early to prep their cars before the heat set-in. A drivers meeting was held then the track went hot as drivers either buckled up or found shelter from the heat. Greg knew this was his last chance to grab the lead not only in his class, but overall.

In order to be eligible for the Hotchkis Cup, a driver must compete both Saturday and Sunday. After ten laps each day, the day's averages were calculated and combine into an overall score. The driver with the fastest and most consistent time of the weekend would be awarded the Hotchkis Cup.

As the final five contenders for the Hotchkis Cup were announced, Greg was recognized for his third place overall finish against forty-two other drivers.

As awards were presented Sunday evening, Greg Thurmond was called to the podium as the Classic Muscle Class winner. Greg maintained an 8/10th of a second lead over his wife Jane Thurmond and her 1964 Corvette, who placed second in the Classic Muscle Class and a full second ahead of the third place contender.

The Hotchkis Cup was still to be announced, as this would be the final award presented Sunday evening. The top five drivers were called to the podium, each eagerly awaiting the process of elimination. Out of forty-three Hotchkis Cup eligible competitors, Spectre driver Greg Thurmond took third overall in the lineup for the Hotchkis Cup. With a little over one tenth of a second from the overall leader Tom Kamman in his 2004 Corvette, Greg Thurmond ranked ahead of forty other drivers who had ran both Saturday and Sunday for the overall title.

NMCA West Hotchkis Autocross will revisit the Auto Club Dragway in September of this year. Between now and then Greg has several more events lined up for the '65 Spectre Performance sponsored Corvette. We can only guess that when September comes around, Greg Thurmond will race his way ahead of his competition once again, possibly achieving an overall win and a chance to be named recipient of the Hotchkis Cup.

Brian Finch's 1971 Camaro started its winning streak back in 2010 and has continued to grow in popularity throughout the years.

Brian Finch is a name many recognize in the pro-touring community. From businessman to car builder, weekend racer, event coordinator, and the several other hats he wears, Finch has made quite the name for himself over the years. Brian Finch has been a long supporter of Spectre Performance, so it was no surprise when he joined the Spectre Performance race team for the 2016 season. Finch's racing history started long before the rise of the pro-touring era, but the 1971 Camaro took the world by storm as Finch started his winning streak in 2010.

Driver Brian Finch was one of the original Spectre Performance sponsored racers, supporting the brand name for several years before officially joining the Spectre racing team.

Finch has earned several wins including multi-time champion at the Goodguys Autocross, Holley LS Fest, and the Optima Series. The Kurt Urban 427ci-powered Camaro has undergone a lengthy list of changes over the years from different color schemes to swapping powertrains. With those changes, Finch grew in popularity, not only because of the Camaro, but also because of his driving skills. Before long, Finch was featured in shows and magazines like Power Block TV, R U Faster than a Redneck, Super Chevy magazine, Hot Rod magazine, and many others.

The Spectre Performance sponsored Camaro would compete in its first Optima Series event for the 2016 at NCM Motorsports Parkway in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Though this would be Finch's first Optima event for the year, this was not his first time behind the wheel during this race season. Finch finished off the 2015 season racing in the Baja 1000 for BFGoodrich only to jump back behind the wheel of his 1971 Camaro in 2016 for the BFGoodrich Are You Driver Enough Program. From there he continued to participate in events such as Cruisin' the Smokies in Tennessee, the Goodguys Nashville Autocross, the Midwest Muscle Car Challenge, and the NSRA Mid-American Street Rod Nationals Autocross in Georgia.

Though this would be Finch's first Optima Series Race for the 2016 season, he has competed in several other series throughout the year.

So how does one win an Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car Race? There is a lengthy checklist many drivers formulate before a race like Optima. From vehicle setup, driver ability, car preparation, and execution, a lot can happen that can bump a driver out of first place. Years of experience behind the wheel of the Spectre Performance sponsored 1971 Camaro have helped Finch adapt if problems arise or course conditions are not ideal.

In order to win his class, Finch has to place in the top three of all the Optima race segments.

Optima's Search for the Ultimate Street Car at NCM Motorsports Park presented the not so ideal conditions once again. Though it did not rain like the last Optima event, the overwhelming heat index posed a threat to both competitors and their vehicles throughout the weekend.

Per Optima's rules, the white 1970 Camaro ran in the GTV or Vintage class. There are rules detailing weight restrictions for this class, but Finch's Camaro was not affected by these guidelines. There are various awards given at an Optima Race including the overall winner, overall class winners, segment winners, and the Spectre Spirit of the Event winner.

Spectre Driver Brian Finch took home the win in the GTV Class at Optima's Search for the Ultimate Street Car Bowling Green Race.

After two days of racing and completing five race segments including the autocross, speed stop, road rally, design challenge, and hot lap challenge, the scores were in to see who would be the Ultimate Street Car at NCM Motorsports Park. With four classes and one Spirit of the Event winner, there are only four Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational (OUSCI) tickets that were awarded during the Optima Bowling Green ceremony Sunday evening. Points are accumulated throughout the five segment events, ranking drivers in their final standing for the weekend. Finishing top in each category will help a drive take podium come Sunday evening, though the final results do not always favor the driver who was the fastest. With the Design Challenge and Road Rally to consider, drivers must complete and rank high in these two categories in order to move into a podium position.

Finch declined his invitation to race at OUSCI immediately following SEMA as he preps to go for his third Baja 1000 win for team BFGoodrich this November.

It was obvious after day one that Finch was probably going home with a podium win, but the question was if he would take the overall win for the GTV Class. As Sunday came to an end and awards were announced, Spectre Performance driver Brian Finch was announced GTV Class overall winner and OUSCI Invitee.

Unfortunately, Brian Finch had to pass his invitee to second place winner Jim Stehlin and his 1973 Camaro. Brian, who is a two-time Baja 1000 Baja Challenge Class champion, will be racing for his third win this November with the BFGoodrich team. Though he loves racing his 1971 Camaro and will continue to do so throughout the 2016 race season, Finch's passion for Baja has grown over the years and his desire to excel in that sport resulted in dropping out of the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational grand finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this November.

Regardless if it is pavement or dirt, you will continue to see Spectre Driver Brian Finch take the podium as he continues to compete throughout the 2016 season. A huge congratulations to Finch and the best of luck to him as he starts to prep for the upcoming Baja 1000 race this fall.

The NMCA West Hotchkis Autocross is one of the only pro-touring race series that acknowledges trucks as an individual class.

Ever wonder what it takes to navigate a 4,000lb brick around a racecourse made from cones and win? Spectre Performance driver Brandy Phillips did just that in the PCHRODS C10R at the NMCA West Hotchkis Autocross. Though racing is not new to Brandy, sitting behind the wheel of the PCHRODS C10R has not come natural as she takes to her second year racing the truck in the pro-touring race series.

The Spectre-sponsored C10R would be competing at the NMCA West June event for the first time with its new 383 cubic inch stroker motor.

Since its debut at the 2014 SEMA Show in the Spectre Performance booth, Phillips and the C10R have participated in events such as the NMCA West Hotchkis Autocross, Goodguys Autocross, SCCA, and the Optima Series. The first year was spent sorting the truck, testing the prototype suspension, and working out the bugs. When reflecting on that year, the truck had great success overall, earning awards at several race events and car shows.

During Phillips participation in the 2015 Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational she noted a lack in horsepower on the track portion of the event. This lead Phillips to questioning if the C10 would ever be as competitive as some of the other vehicles she competed against including C2 and C3 Corvettes, first and second gen Camaros, and various other classic muscle cars.

Though reluctant at first, Phillips decided a motor swap was necessary in order to keep up with her competition at bigger track events

Since there are only a handful of trucks running the pro-touring race circuit, many of the events that Phillips participates in do not have a designated truck class. Instead, the C10R typically competes in the Classic Muscle Class, which includes various years of older vehicles (each event includes a different year range). In order to get the C10R on the podium, Phillips recognized that she needed more power. "We've sorted through the truck and its handling capabilities are very comparable to that of a first gen Camaro, but we were lacking power, which was hurting us on big course events," Phillips commented.

The complete motor install will be featured in an upcoming issue of Street Trucks magazine's Builder Guide.

Luckily her needs were answered when ATK Performance engines teamed up with PCHRODS, working together to build a new, bigger motor allowing Phillips to not only increase horsepower, but also increase torque. The result was a freshly built 383 cubic inch stroker motor that would allow Phillips to keep up on the straightaways at big course events in addition to more torque to help off the starting line and around the corners on an autocross.

The NMCA West Hotchkis Autocross at Auto Club Dragway in Fontana, California would be the first race event with the new motor. Last year Hotchkis Autocross event coordinators, the Racing Byrds, announced a Truck Class, which would allow Phillips to compete against other trucks over the two-day event. This class typically includes a handful of Silverado's, some El Caminos and any other makes and models of trucks that wish to compete.

It was difficult for Phillips to predict how the weekend would fair considering the unbearable temperatures and a freshly built motor. Friday was used as a test and tune, making sure the motor ran smooth and the suspension was dialed in. Once Phillips and her crew confirmed that the truck would be ready for Saturday's race, it was time to focus on the track, memorizing the course and finding the right driving line.

"The difficult thing about driving a truck is that the line is not always the same as it would be for a Camaro or a Corvette. The truck is much wider than both, which can present problems around turns and through slaloms," explained Phillips. "Sometimes I even question myself how I get through the maneuvers out of course. Luckily the truck likes to dance around the cones as I keep my fingers crossed not to hit cones. I am told I like to kiss cones, which can result in a two-second penalty per cone if I am not careful."

Phillips did exceptionally well throughout the weekend, considering the track was fast, but extremely technical.

The Hotchkis Autocross recognizes participants both Saturday and Sunday, though Sunday concludes the overall awards throughout the weekend. Phillips participated in the two-day event, running a total of ten laps each day. Once ten laps were complete and times were in Saturday evening, it was announced that Phillips maintained an almost three second lead over second place, earning her a win in the Truck Class.

Spectre Driver Brandy Phillips took first in the Truck Class both Saturday and Sunday, in addition to placing 17th overall among forty-three drivers.

Sunday would present itself with a new set of obstacles as Phillips struggled to keep the C10R running throughout the day. Problems with the tune kept the truck from idling at the start and finish. Phillips fought a hard battle throughout the day as they made small adjustments each session out, though her times were not improving. It was not until the last session of the day when she gave it everything she had left in her and the truck, resulting in her fastest time of the day. Phillips had managed to put herself a full second ahead of second place Mike Sullivan in his 1965 El Camino.

Phillips would return to the podium once more Sunday evening to receive her second Truck Class win for the weekend. When Phillips was asked what she attributed her win to, she credited her crew, which consisted of several family and friends that weekend along with her amazing sponsors and everyone who has supported the PCHRODS C10R along the way.

"I am always amazed at the following my truck has. We had a rough start to our race weekend that resulted in us breaking down on the side of the road Friday morning while heading out to Fontana," acknowledged Phillips. "A cop pulled over, though his initial conversation did not include asking us if we were okay. Rather, he wanted to know if that was the truck that was on YouTube. Though I was a little disappointed that he was not there to help, I was flattered that he knew the truck and stopped to check it out."

The Spectre Performance sponsored C10 has had great success over the past two years. Regardless whether Phillips is in first or last, one thing is for sure; it will always have a following that supports not only the C10R, but also Brandy Phillips. She added that if you are ever in the area and attend a race event she is participating in, feel free to ask for a ride. The passenger seat is definitely one way to get a first-hand look at just how hard it is to maneuver a 4,000lb brick through a parking lot filled with cones.

Phillips is proud to represent Spectre Performance throughout the 2016 race season. To learn more about her and the C10R or other Spectre Performance sponsored drivers, sign-up for the Spectre Performance newsletter today.