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Grand National Roadster ShowThe Return Of Real Hot Rods? From the July, 2012 issue of Rod & Custom By Kev Elliot Photography by Tim Sutton
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Paul Shaughnessy spied an old show rod by chance when he went to buy an engine, which turned out to be an ex-Car Craft cover car. Restored to better than original, “Sylvester III” was first built in the ’50s, with a torsion bar suspended tube chassis and a 401 Buick nailhead. The “Grand Daddy Of Them All”, as the Grand National Roadster Show is billed, has seen plenty of venue changes in its 63-year history. And though now firmly established at the Fairplex in Pomona, California, as of last year we saw some changes to the judging process—at least for the contenders for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster, which is probably what the show is best known for. Previously, a bizarre points system was in place, which saw extra points awarded for over-the-top displays, or just for having fenders, leading to a few questionable winners in the eyes of many hot rodders. The new system takes stance, proportion, and how the driver sits and looks in the car, into consideration. While last year was the first for these new rules, and the winner reflected as much, 2012 brought out a group of contenders who had clearly been built with them in mind, mainly traditional in appearance, and with a wide variety of engines. Many saw it as a return to real hot rods rather than all-out show cars. The ultimate winner in what was a very tight competition was Bill Lindig’s “Indy Speedster”, an amazing exercise in race car engineering in a very streetable package, that saw many miles of bare metal shakedown use before being stripped apart for paint and detailing at SO-CAL Speed Shop. Was this a first for an AMBR... Was this a first for an AMBR contender? The BMW Oxford Green hue on Larry Reynolds’ ’28 Lakes Modified was finished in semigloss clearcoat. Kenny’s Rod Shop was responsible for the build. Alternately shown with and without a roof, the latter offers a better view of the wooden “seats”. Of course the AMBR competition is only part of this show. Every year one of the buildings is given over to a special display, and this year it was “Driven Deuces”, with 80 regularly used ’32s displayed. These ranged from well-known cars, such as Gray Baskerville’s old roadster, to a stock coach-built German convertible Victoria. Building 3 this year housed a collection of old race cars, from dragsters to a long-lost lakes racer. With eight buildings crammed with everything from rods and customs to lowriders and motorcycles, over 250 vendors, the spaces between the buildings filled with participants in the Drive-In display, plus the opportunity to meet many of your hot rod heroes, either working booths or just walking around, you owe it to yourself to visit this show just once. Besides, where else can you wear a T-shirt in January?  The big trophy and America’s...  The big trophy and America’s Most Beautiful Roadster bragging rights for 2012 went to the “Indy Speedster”. Jackie Howerton spent 15 years fashioning the roadster after an Indy car, prior to selling it. Bill Lindig picked up the reins and had SO-CAL Speed Shop finish it, with a 425hp Roush 353, five-speed, and quick-change rearend. Loosely based on a ’27 T, the workmanship is outstanding, befitting Howerton’s initial plans for the car.  While Roy Brizio will admit...  While Roy Brizio will admit he doesn’t care much for channeled cars, Tom Gloy challenged him to do just that with a ’32 roadster, and give it a semi–race car look while he was at it. “Speed Racer” is the result, the Salt Flats guise aided by disc brakes disguised within non-moving Moon discs on the inside of the front wheels, and a fuel-injected small-block Ford backed by a manual trans.  Hatfield Restorations built...  Hatfield Restorations built the Riley Roadster for Don Smith, using a Riley overhead conversion on a Ford Flathead. We enjoyed the pun-filled show card, including “orthopedic seats” and “aerodynamic door hinges”, the latter of which were, if we’re not mistaken, ’60s Mini items.  There were two homebuilt Model...  There were two homebuilt Model A roadsters in AMBR contention this year. Keith Christopherson spent several years straightening a beat-up genie body, placing it on a Deuce frame and adding a full-house Merc Flathead by Vern Tardel. Built to drive, it already has 2,000 miles on the odometer.  By far the most contemporary...  By far the most contemporary roadster in what was surely the most “traditional” AMBR contestant for years, Steve Lyman’s ’33 roadster uses a 427 Ford motor with down draught Weber-style injection. Based on a chassis by Kugel Komponents, using their IRS and IFS, the ’33, named “Merlot”, was built by Brian Dickey.  Squeeg’s Kustoms handled the...  Squeeg’s Kustoms handled the fabrication, assembly, and body ’n’ paintwork on Richard Walpole’s H&H Flathead–equipped ’33 American Speed roadster. Is it still a roadster if it has side windows though?  Built in owner Eddie Baumann’s...  Built in owner Eddie Baumann’s home garage, this ’29 roadster employs a Brookville body, Tremec five-speed, Winters quick-change rear, and a 425ci Buick nailhead with Hilborn electronic fuel injection.  Bill Workman put together...  Bill Workman put together a team of true craftsmen to recreate the Vulcans’ ’32 Vicky drag car from the early ’60s. Jeb Scolman converted a regular Tudor sedan into a flip-bodied Vicky, while the blown 392 Hemi, which uses the World War II Stromberg tank carburetors from the original car, should propel it rapidly up the quarter-mile. Yep, this ’32 is NHRA-legal.  Brian Penna’s ’40 Ford four-door...  Brian Penna’s ’40 Ford four-door DeLuxe, dubbed “Suicide ’40”, is an unusual body style, but chopped ’n’ dropped and dipped in gloss black, it’s stunning.  Mark and Dennis Mariani’s...  Mark and Dennis Mariani’s ’32 is one of the latest from Roy Brizio Street Rods. Though that open hood showed off the S.Co.T.-blown 291 De Soto engine, the flawless black Dan Laughlin Customs–applied paint deserved an uninterrupted view. That’s Eric Clapton’s four-door Vicky in the background.  Taking center stage in the...  Taking center stage in the Suede Palace was “Take Five”, Marcus and Samantha Edell’s ’34 five-window. Built at Kevin Gallagher’s Oil Farm in Napa, CA, that’s a 304ci 8BA Flatty between the framerails.  Originally the Spurgin-Giovanine...  Originally the Spurgin-Giovanine roadster that was featured on the March ’49 cover of Hot Rod, Ernie Nagamatsu found it hiding in a backyard in Apple Valley in the high desert above L.A., and restored it, taking first in class.  “SweeNlo” took the Best Kustom...  “SweeNlo” took the Best Kustom award in the Suede Palace, owner Jesse Loera installing a 302 and AOD trans under the pearl copper hood, keeping it all Ford.  Deno Borghi built and showed...  Deno Borghi built and showed a replica of a ’30 cabriolet he owned in the early ’60s, complete with 6-71 blown 430ci Olds. We just wonder why he let the original get away!  Hot Rods By Dean built, painted,...  Hot Rods By Dean built, painted, and assembled Tim Kirby’s ’33 coupe. The 303 Olds uses boat vents as air cleaners, while the chopped ’n’ channeled rod rides on Divco milk truck wheels.  Richard Munz owns not just...  Richard Munz owns not just the March ’55 Hot Rod cover car—Chuck Porter’s chopped, channeled, and sectioned ’49 pickup—but the 200-mph ’27 T roadster Bonneville car, “The Platypus”, also out of Chuck Porter’s Body Shop from the same time period. What a perfect pair!  Jim Holmes had Brizio Street...  Jim Holmes had Brizio Street Rods build his sectioned ’33 coupe as he would like to have seen it in the ’60s. He actually rode in the coupe in 1960, when Bob Schneider bought it, before Dee Wescott helped section the body. Wescott ended up with the car 40 years later, with Holmes purchasing it from his family after Wescott’s death.
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