Network
Their sign may not be overly fancy, but the rides that come out of Squeeg’s kustoms of Chandler, Arizona are enough to make any person passing by do a double take!
For every great car event, there is a proper kickoff party and Squeeg’s Kustoms in Chandler, Arizona is known for them. Earlier this month, the famed hot rod shop hosted its annual Goodguys Southwest Nationals Kickoff Party and we were there to take in all the sites and sounds! Check out the highlights below.
Celebrating their 50th year in business, this kickoff party was more than just a celebration for the annual autumn Goodguys Show; it was also an anniversary party for host shop Squeeg’s Kustoms! Knowing this, we arrived with an idea of what we might find given Squeeg’s amazing reputation, and owners Squeeg and Doug Jerger (and we can’t forget their dedicated crew) didn’t disappoint.
The Cars
With Squeeg’s being located in a Chandler business park, hot rods and their owners could be found for blocks around the shop on Thursday night. Among the many party-goers were show car owners set to display their rides at the Goodguys show starting Friday morning, and “long haulers”, like brothers Roger and Dan Jetter from Colorado and Roy Wighton from British Columbia who drove their hot rods across the country (not trailered them) to participate in the 2014 Goodguys season finale.
From traditional hot rods and crisp classics to low-slung lead sleds and uniquely etched (just check out the work on the unique Impala convertible) customs, all types of awesome hot rods were on display at the Goodguys kickoff party.
In total, over 400 hot rodders and their vehicles showed up for the celebration, which lasted well past dark, with many more enthusiasts packing the parking lot and custom shop without vehicles of their own on hand.
Front and center in Squeeg’s parking lot was one of the shop’s prized turn-key builds: Joe Proskie’s gorgeous 1950 Merc. If you’re a “stanced” fan, this build was certainly worth a look.
Also making its presence known at Squeeg’s anniversary and Goodguys kickoff party was this vibrant ’32 HEMI roadster owned by Todd Steven. Not your typical ’32 roadster build, this car attracted tons of attention from party-goers all evening long.
It wasn't just the party-goers that were having fun at the Goodguys kickoff party. Squeeg's staff members also enjoyed the party, mingling with enthusiasts, answering questions on project vehicles, and selling Squeeg's merchandise. We also caught a few Goodguys staff enjoying a bit of relaxation time before the big show the following day.
As if looking at the hundreds of hot rods and muscle cars in the area wasn’t enough to keep one occupied, party-goers were also treated to live music, a beer and wine garden, and food from local burger trucks. Out front, Squeeg’s Kustoms and some of their long-time friends even setup a vintage dragster display, complete with Doug Jerger strapping in and giving one of the old-school nitro cars a few hits to the throttle.
Of course, there was also socializing, meeting new friends and plenty of bench racing also to be had at the event.
The Shop
One of the highlights of the evening for many people, Squeeg’s Kustoms also opened its complete shop for celebration participants to walk through and check out the facility, shop amenities, and some of the shop’s current project vehicles.
Opened in 1964, Squeeg’s Kustoms has been building and painting award-winning, custom vehicles for 50 years now.
Though the shop’s roots are in Ohio where the first Squeeg’s Kustoms opened its doors, the hot rod shop has found its home in the Phoenix area since 1974 and continues to produce some of the industry’s top builds.
Now semi-retired, shop founder Squeeg Jerger is enjoying a bit more time off while Squeeg’s Kustoms remains a hot rod hot spot under the watchful eye of son Doug. And just like his father, Doug has become an industry legend with countless magazine feature vehicles and award-winning builds under his belt.
Amazing examples of the type of custom work Squeeg's Kustoms is known for, each and every vehicle inside the shop was accompanied by a short write-up detailing the vehicle's story and its future custom work.
A perfect example of the exemplary paint work Squeeg’s is known for, this car was nearly impossible to capture without a number of admirers in the photo. Can you blame them?
There were also prime examples of Squeeg’s amazing custom metal work, engine builds, and paint work on display, which enthusiasts swarmed over all night long.
The perfect kickoff to the amazing 3-day Goodguys Southwest Nationals at Westworld, the Squeeg’s Kustoms 50th Anniversary and Goodguys Kickoff Party was certainly the place for hot rodders to be on Thursday, November 13th. We’d like to thank Squeeg and Doug Jerger for welcoming us in and for showing us and the hot rod community such a great time!
For more hot rod highlights from the Squeeg’s Kustoms 50th Anniversary and Goodguys Kickoff Party, check out the Rod Authority Photo Gallery below! And be sure to check back soon for full coverage of the Goodguys Southwest Nationals season finale.
Though the sun may have set on the last Goodguys kickoff party of the season, there’s already much excitement brewing in the hot rod community for a whole new round of shows, cruises and events in 2015.
