Hot Rods and Custom Cars at 2011 GNRS in Pomona, CA Day 2 of the "Grand-daddy of them all" the 2011 Grand National Roadster Show is done. This post shows just a few of my favorite shots from the show and gives a cross-section of the extremely wide array of custom rides. Above is the Hinkles Hot Rods amazing show truck. The gold paint lit up the main hall! Sticking with hot rod pickups, my friend Jim from the Throttle Kings completely transformed his truck! Last time I saw it, it wore suede paint and a pinstriped spade that covered the entire door.  Now, shiny paint and a bunch more chrome later, Jim's inside the Grand National Roadster Show's Suede Palace. This early hemi powered 1926 bodied pickup struck a menacing stance.  Everything about this hot rod says fast. The show card read like a history book of speed starting with drag racing from 1958 to 1961 at famed tracks like Bakersfiled, Lions, Pomona, Fontana and San Gabe. Dan Peterson's "El Gringo Loco" had to be one of my favorites. Built by Austin Speed Shop with a one-of-a-kind interior...

12 Hot Rod Roadsters at Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, CA Vote for your favorite below. (Click any picture to see it full size) Read about the new AMBR Award judging rules. It's that time... 12 judges in an ENTIRELY NEW judging format (more info on that coming soon...) will face the difficult task of picking the 2011 Grand National Roadster Show's "America's Most Beautiful Roadster". The AMBR award, as it's known, is given out every year at the Grand National Roadster Show to a true roadster (one that does not have roll-up windows) that has never been shown at an indoor show. Sounds simple enough? You choose your favorite in a poll below. America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender #1 Pictured above is Russ and Lora Freund's 1923 Ford Roadster from Postfalls, Idaho called, "The Takeout T". This is the only "T-bucket" competing for America's Most Beautiful Roadster and it is outstanding. 1948 Ford Flathead powered, chromed to the max and featuring a striking, custom shade of Planet Color Purple paint. I'll have to get the name of the color for the feature I'll have to do. This...

Debuting at the 2011 Grand National Roadster Show Going to the 2011 Grand National Roadster Show? Besides the amazing roadsters, including the ones after the "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" award, there are other custom cars at GNRS that should never be missed. This Ford Econoline van is one. The purpose of this post is NOT to show or tell about the van, only to let you know to see it in person yourself at the show. I'll follow up with a detailed story and pictures... What you're seeing is "Van Go" the creation of artist and publisher Coby from Church Magazine. What started as a 1963 Ford Econoline van is now a one-off masterpiece of creativity and custom work. This van oozes cool from every polished and painted pore and I know it reflects a ton of work from Coby and from KA Custom, Tim Conder and Pablo Perez, who Coby says, "Are the 3 who truly made it happen..." Here's where this Econoline started: To say it doesn't impress says it correctly... that is, unless you're Velma or Daphne. With the stance drastically improved, the van already looked...

Past America's Most Beautiful Roadster Winners AMBR Award Judging Explained - Click here 2012 America's Most Beautiful Roadster I picked it! I was pulling for Bill Lindig's "Indy Speedster" and was lucky enough to get an interview and pictures before the crowds started pouring into the Fairplex on Friday of the 2012 Grand National Roadster Show.  I started the interview by saying I think the “Indy Speedster” is this year’s AMBR winner. Bill humbly replied, “If the other nine cars don’t win, we will.” Guess what Bill, you did it! Read about the 2012 AMBR Winner here. 2011 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Built in my home town, Chandler, AZ, by Doug Jerger and the gang at Squeeg's Kustoms, this 1934 Ford Roadster stole the show with the new judging rules for the AMBR. Displayed for most of the show with the hood, doors and trunk closed, some claimed the details of the build were hidden... or did that show the true "beauty" of the car. You decide... 2010 America's Most Beautiful Roadster 2010 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Winner - Some controversy followed this winning roadster. Read about it and...

Here it is! America's Most Beautiful Roadster, or the AMBR award as it's known.  The AMBR is easily one of the top awards in the country and this year drew 10 roadsters to competition. 2010's AMBR winner is a 1933 Ford, or loosely based on that design, and is owned by Mike and Dianne Dingman.  The car was called, "Possessed" and was built by Scott's Hot Rods, a shop that built another America's Most Beautiful Roadster winner back in 2008. (2008 AMBR Story) Beyond that, you know what?  Not much to say.  This is one of only a couple pictures we took of the car for a couple reasons: First off, it was tough getting decent pictures. On Friday, during our media happy hour and right into the time when the public crowds started rolling in, the Scott's guys were busy setting up the car and the display.  Sure, there were chances to get shots of dudes busily wiping stuff down and placing the display panels, but there's only so much you can photoshop. (We did get one "interesting" video, but that's being saved for the, "how to ruin...

2008 Grand National Roadster Show Winner It's official, at least it was at about 7:30 Pacific Coast time, 1/25/2009. The "Hot Rod Special" built by Willet Specials in Chicago is the winner of the 2009 America's Most Beautiful Roadster title. Except for being able to roll forwards and back under their own power, the judging for the AMBR title is like "Riding a unicycle on wallpaper". (I don't know what that means either.) Let's hope the judges do cause they're looking for "excellence". That part couldn't be a simpler task, really, given that the level of competition for the AMBR is ridiculous. Pretty much every car in the main hall (not just the AMBR contenders) is a "Best of Show" winner at a regular show, but this is the "Granddaddy of them all" the Grand National Roadster show. When excellence abounds, the judges are forced to find something, "wrong" with the cars. Now there's a task! Every year, however, a winner is chosen and regardless of any complaining, "AMBR winner" is something that can never be taken away. (even if the car later appears topless in Playboy... in fact,...

2008 Grand National Roadster Show Winner Make sure to check out the 2009 Pictures of the Grand National Roadster Show! The votes are in for the 2008 America's Most Beautiful Roadster award from the "Grand-daddy of them all" the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California held last weekend, 1/26-27. Thanks to the show's promoter at Hotrodshows.com, I found the basic description for the AMBR: "The judges at this show are looking for excellence in: Display, Engineering, Paint, Engine, Interior, and Detail. All AMBR entries must be able to start under their own power and move forwards and backwards. All AMBR entries will be displayed in 20 X 20’s in Building 4. Winner is determined by a point system from the judging staff, and producer." Good luck guys! ALL of the cars looking to win the AMBR are nearly perfect. What am I saying? They are perfect! But let's break this down a little. Before we do, here's the winner: The 32 Roadster owned by Rudy Necoechea called, "Undisputed" As I've mentioned before, writing about another contending car, (previous blog, click here) the judges for these polished wonders have...