and designing ingenuity.

The show, held last week at Number One Shed on Front Street, drew crowds eager to see the latest in custom paint, bodywork and interior work.

The participants offered stiff competition for most of the coveted awards.

This year there were 25 bikes and 14 cars entered.

The originator of this prestigious event, David (The Godfather) Moniz entered his special ordered red Peugeot 405 wagon.

As he busily prepped his car for the judges he proudly stated: "I started these shows some seven years ago. After me came Anthony Peets then Vincent Trott.

"The shows I held were awesome.

"I would have celebrity guest stars come to my shows.'' However, Mr. Moniz still loves to participate in each upcoming show.

"My eight-year-old daughter loves cars and bikes,'' he proudly stated.

"She helped me clean and prep my car for competition. My son Matice also has a car in the competition. He's following in my footsteps.'' One of the many dazzling entries was a 1998 Runner owned by Kim Waldron with custom paint, seatwork, name and helmet.

"It took me about six months to complete this bike,'' he said, "using transparent colour paint over those stripes to achieve the overall design.

"The other one we did took two to three weeks to complete.'' Another eye-catching entry was an RC 100 done by Tavio.

It sported custom helmet, seatwork, paint graphics done in a whimsical Tasmanian Devil motif.

A 1999 Honda Scoopy owned by the Gambino Family boasted a lifelike picture on its storage hatch.

A hot entry was a 1984 RC100 owned by Kyle Parkin. It was listed vintage custom, best in show, and most tricked. With its funky M&M design, it appealed to sweet tooth in everyone.

As colourful as the bike entries were the cars on show. But they did not entirely steal the show.

The car entries put on an impressive display with custom paint, interiors and body work.

The Suzuki jeep by Local Motion was an excellent example, combining colour, design and function.

With custom paint, interior, stereo and shocks, it is truly a radical Sport Utility Vehicle.

Another stunning entry was a 1989 Diahatsu Charade owned by Shane Brown.

Custom work done on the interior and stereo components as well as graphics and paint.

The show's one and only boat entry was a 21-foot 1985 Shadow cruiser with Mercury 2.5 motor called Street Life .

The boat was completely customised at Local Motion Graphics by world renowned airbrush artist Craig Fraser using both air brush and vinyl graphics. The mural contains the likeness of Tupac Shakur.

The truck, also done by Local Motion via Fraser, was a Chevy S10 extended cab.

Its mural features a portrait of the Notorious (rapper) BIG.

"The graphics were all locally done,'' said Steve Flood, owner of Local Motion.

"The boat took about five days to complete. However we finished the truck in one evening. The mural on the hood took one week to finish.

"We brought in the expert Craig Fraser, an acquaintance of mine from the States.'' Based in California, Mr. Fraser has been in the craft for 15 years.

"I've done it all,'' he said, "from murals to body painting to T-shirts, you name it.'' Being US-based, Mr. Fraser compared the different artistic preferences between Bermuda culture and those of the US.

"My favourite challenge has been coming to the Island,'' he said.

"You find a whole other world here as far as artistic creativity is concerned. Most people in the US want work copied that they already have. But the people here like colourful and original work.

"The sky's the limit. I've done portraits of people as well as elaborate mural work on someone's car and they like the design so much, they want the work copied on to a canvas to keep on their wall at home.'' Though airbrush is Mr. Fraser's hobby of choice, it was not his original career choice.

"I started out as an architect,'' he said.

"This is my hobby and it pays. I love it. The work I'm most proud of is my gallery art.

"Most galleries turn up their noses at street art.

"But it makes me happy to know that some of my street art is displayed in some of those galleries.'' "As long as I can do this, I'll be doing it,'' he stressed.

"Even if they don't pay me, I'll do it. It's truly fun to do.'' Two of the youngest participants -- Teran Kamika Simmons-Talbot, eight, and Kiera Wolff, seven -- had their own rad ride, an all-terrain vehicle.

However, they seemed to have more fun zooming up and down than competing in the contest.