Photos and Story by Steve Temple

Traditionally, a 10th anniversary gift is something made of tin or aluminum, but the modern-day present is now a diamond. Well, that’s fitting for this year’s Factory Five Racing Huntington Beach Cruise-In, as we came across several precious gems at the show’s 10th anniversary, held April 29.

The event had plenty of Cobras dressed in those timeless hues of Guardsman Blue with a Wimbledon White skunk stripe. But what we also appreciate is innovation and imagination. One of the great things about coming to an event where more than 100 Factory Five cars are gathered is having the opportunity to check out cool custom build ideas. After all, who wants their ride to be just like everyone else’s?

As mentioned during the awards ceremony, what Factory Five basically does is provide a blank canvas on which customers can express their creativity and ingenuity. Many builders relate how they view their project car as merely a starting point; a way to express their own personal vision. We certainly encourage this sort of innovation, since variety is the spice of life, right?

Of course, that makes it tough for us to present an award, and it seems like every vehicle in attendance merits some sort of recognition. So we decided to highlight what’s possible, focusing on a slew of interesting and unusual finish details, to give you some buildup ideas for your own project. After all, there’s more than one way to skin a Cobra.