Who says steel has to be the skin of a slick hot rod build? Bob Warren, the owner of this awesome Factory Five ’33 kit car, felt it was the right direction to go if he was to make himself stand out at the 2014 Huntington Beach Cruise-In.

The butterfly valves on the supercharger bear Warren’s initials. Photo credit: Factory Five

That wound up being the right choice, as he caught the eye of FF president Dave Smith while there at the show. Smith got to talking with Warren about the build and all that it had accomplished since its completion, and as it turns out, the list of awards and recognition was by no means small.

As of February 2015, the roadster has taken home such awards as: 2014 Inland Valley Street Rods Show, Best of Class; 2014 Newport Classic Car Show Best on the Beach, Best of Show; Legends Burgers Christmas Cruise, Best Custom; The Great Labor Day Cruise, Best Street Rod; JRDF 6th Annual Charity Car Show, 1st Place Interior; 7th Annual TVK Rods & Customs Charity Car Show, Best Engine and Best of Show; and 4th Cable Air Faire Car Show, Top 10 Award. These are just a few of the honors the car has received.

Not too shabby for a car that was crafted in a garage. That’s right, Warren did all the work himself in his own home, from the candy apple red paint to the beefy Roots-type supercharger sticking out of the hood. It took the man about a year to finish, and made its first appearance at the fateful 2014 Huntington Beach shindig where Smith and Warren met (while also taking home three trophies from that event).

We salute Warren for such a sweet home-brewed creation, and wish him the best as he and his car continue their SoCal tour of fame. And if you’re feeling up to following in Warren’s footsteps, check out the Factory Five website!