John Wargo has been operating The Custom Shop in Flanagan, Illinois, for over 36 years. His love of cars began when he fixed up a 1975 Pontiac Firebird at the age of 16. On Friday, Jan. 23. 2026, at the upcoming Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, The Custom Shop will have two of its customers’ cars on the block: a 1970 Dodge Charger Custom Coupe and a 1967 Pontiac LeMans Custom Coupe.
In addition to the two cars up for auction, The Custom Shop’s 1969 Firebird Trans Am called “Early Bird” will compete against 49 other custom vehicles for the 2026 Barrett-Jackson Cup, presented by CRC and BluePrint Engines. Barrett-Jackson invites only 50 professionally built restomod and custom vehicles from hundreds of applications to compete for the Ultimate Best in Show and People’s Choice awards.
1970 Dodge Charger Custom Coupe
The custom 1970 Dodge Charger R/T Pro-Touring car features a supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat HEMI V-8 engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission that produces around 800 horsepower. It features an RMS height-adjustable suspension, an easy-entry roll bar for additional structural strength and a narrowed Dana rear. The car is finished in HEMI Orange with a painted white tail stripe and clearcoat.
Exterior details:
- Billet aluminum hood hinges
- Trunk hinges and mirrors
- LED headlights and taillights
- B-Forged 19-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli 265/40ZR19 front and 355/30ZR19 rear tires.
- Backup camera.
Interior details:
- Fully redesigned and wrapped in custom tan leather, including the dash, door panels, seats and console—all accented in black.
- Complete air-conditioning system
- Navigation system
- Stereo with steering wheel audio controls and upgraded Sony speakers
- Heated and cooled seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Push-button start
- Paddle shifters
- Power windows
- Power seats
- Tire pressure monitoring system.
1967 Pontiac LeMans Custom Coupe
This custom 1967 Pontiac LeMans Pro-Touring car is powered by an LS3 Thumper Cam engine producing 550 horsepower, paired with a 4L70E overdrive automatic transmission and a custom B&M shifter. It’s mounted on a Roadster Shop Revo chassis equipped with Aldan coil-over shocks and one-off billet wheels featuring a 7-inch rear lip.
Extensive custom fabrication is featured throughout, including a narrowed Ford 9-inch Moser rear end, custom ground effects and rear diffuser, custom hood and scoops, custom grille, custom radiator and dual cooling-fan systems, under-hood stainless trim panels and molded-in LED marker lights with Ram Air headlight intake.
In addition to being displayed at the 2017 SEMA Show, the ’67 Pontiac LeMans has received awards from Goodguys and won the Street Machine Grand Champion title and the Slamology Best of Show award in 2018.
Additional features:
- Flaming River steering column
- Billet spoiler
- Billet hood and trunk hinges
- Billet steering wheel and pedals
- LED headlights and taillights
- New tinted glass
- Power windows and power locks
- Wilwood drilled-and-slotted big brakes with a Hydratech brake-booster system
- MagnaFlow exhaust featuring stainless-steel components with a Hooker electric cutout controller
- Grote red and blue LED underbody lighting.
Interior features:
- Dakota Digital gauges
- Custom floating console
- Custom-upholstered trunk
- 4,000-watt Sony audio system
1969 Firebird Trans Am
Called “Early Bird,” this custom build will be competing in the Barrett-Jackson Cup. As one of the 50 finalists, “Early Bird” will be displayed in the arena on Saturday, Jan. 17, and then moved to the Equidome for the remainder of the auction. Each vehicle will be a part of a parade across the block that Saturday.
One of the five finalists will be announced each day beginning Monday, Jan. 19, leading to the presentation of winners on Super Saturday, Jan. 24.
The 1969 Trans Am “Early Bird” started life as a red Firebird and was transformed into a Trans Am using inspiration from a 1979 restomod and a new 2019 ZR1 Camaro that was converted to a 79 TA that The Custom Shop calls the “ZL/TA.” It was dubbed “Early Bird,” as the Trans Am was first introduced in 1969.
“Early Bird” features:
- Roadster Shop Fast Track IRS chassis
- Custom-built 455 LSX
- Bowler Performance 4L80E transmission, carbon fiber drive shaft and Pypes stainless steel exhaust system
- Shaved drip rails with added shaker scoop, fender vents and custom ground effects like a 1979 TA
- Custom-built forged carbon fiber chin spoiler, side skirts, grille and wheels with a chrome center
- Laser straight body work
- TCP Global Black Sparkle with airbrushed Trans Am lettering and iconic bird on the hood
- Custom remote flip-forward motorized hood to “Flip the Bird”
- Borla Stack Injection Polished EFI with a Holley Terminator X Max.
On the inside:
- Custom-made dash and console covered in Apex leather
- Dakota Digital Grafix gauge
- Sony XAV-AX8500 touchscreen
- Sony XM-8ES 8-channel amp running two sets of GS Separates and two 12-inch Sony subs
- Custom insert for XK Glow LED accent lighting
- Pro-Grand power seats from TMI and harness attached to a custom-built roll cage
- 14-inch Baer Brakes
- Forged carbon wheels wrapped with Atturo 335/30R20 and 275/30R19 tires.