This month, "Ask the Experts" sat down with custom car builder and president of Year One, Kevin King, to talk about the past year, how he got into the business of building cars and some exciting projects he has in the works for 2008.

Can you please tell us a little bit about the 2007 Year One experience?

"The Year One is the ultimate automotive experience. We have over 1,000 cars and well over 10,000 people spread out all around Road Atlanta having a great time in their cars. No other single event we know of combines a massive multi-make car show, a Best-in-Event award that includes thousands of dollars worth of prizes and amenities, drag racing, autocrossing, access to one of North America's premier road courses, a huge manufacturer's midway, as well as family activities including a special area for youngsters. I know it sounds kind of funny but it's not just a car show, or a driving event - it really is an experience."

What was your biggest project vehicle for the year and can you tell us a little about the car?

"The Burt Reynolds Edition Trans Am was by far the largest project of the year. We re-created the '77 Trans Am with the help of the "Bandit" himself. We worked with Burt and he was very helpful in deciding what to keep and what to modify on the new car. He had very strong opinions about certain elements of the vehicle that needed to stay - like the hood bird, for example. Most of the things we wanted to do were to update the areas of the car that made it look dated. The wheel and tire size are obvious, but I also felt the glass mouldings, the four square headlights and the amount of pinstriping dated the car too much as well. The end result is definitely pretty cool!"

Anything special you are working on for 2008?

"For 2008 we are working on a '68 Firebird for AJ from the TLC Show "Overhaulin'" and we are also doing a "Charity Satellite to Superbird" conversion with Bill Goldberg. We will build the Superbird on TV and the car will be auctioned at Barrett Jackson in Jan 09. All of the money raised from the auction will be donated to charity. We also have a few more projects in the works, but I can't give too many secrets away."

How important is tire choice on the custom cars your building?

"The tire choice is huge. If we cannot find the right size shoes we are dead in the water. Because we like the BFGoodrich^® Tires brand so much and appreciate the support we get, we start our projects based on wheels and tires sizes to make sure we can run BFGoodrich tires on the cars we are building."

Well, that leads me to the next question, why do you choose BFGoodrich tires for most of your builds?

"That answer is pretty simple - they are always good on the track and the street! BFGoodrich makes tires and sizes for every occasion."

We know you restore many vehicles, but is there one build that stands out in your mind as your favorite project?

"The 1969 NOV8TR Camaro as it was our first build and landed on the cover of Hot Rod. The Bandit project was also a dream come true. Who would not want to be the company that Burt asks to re-build a legend?"

What was the first car you ever owned?

"A 1973 Gran Torino was handed down through the family."

How do tires sizes and styles differentiate the look of customized vehicles? (i.e., some people prefer larger tire sizes for the rear, etc.)

"Tire sizes are an integral part of a build. Some may prefer say BFGoodrich^® g-Force™ T/A^® KDW tires sizes 215/45R17s in the front and 265/50R20s in the back or they may want something a little different or more retro looking like Radial T/A^® tires. The tire choice and style keep the car real and not looking like a cartoon unless that is what you are after. "

Does tire performance hold important value in the custom car industry or do you feel it's more about the look, style and design of a car?

"Performance is key to ride quality on all the cars we build. Of course a custom car has to be aesthetically appealing; however I feel the performance of a vehicle is equally as important. Style is just one piece of the puzzle - you must also have car that performs well on and off the road. This is why most Year One vehicles are equipped with BFGoodrich tires."