One of the unique traditions of the Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) is the GNRS Hall of Fame, itself started in 1960. As originally stated, the Hall of Fame was established to elect "outstanding pioneers in the creative car building sport." Selectees are inducted at an invitation-only luncheon Saturday during the GNRS show. For its 60th Anniversary show the GNRS is proud to announce that Dick Bertolucci, Steve Coonan, John Mumford and Thom Taylor have been selected for induction into the GNRS Hall of Fame.
Dick Bertolucci is a pioneering customizer from the Sacramento area-customizing cars for a living starting in 1948. He did customizing exclusively until 1954, when he branched out to include regular body repair for what is now called Bertolucci Body and Fender on Stockton Blvd. in Sacramento. Known throughout his career for some of the finest custom metalwork, candy paint jobs and detail, he also did his share of drag and Bonneville racing in the 1950s and again in later years with nostalgia drag racing.
Steve Coonan came to California from Maryland in the mid-1970s to work for Street Rodder magazine, later editor, and then feature editor for Popular Hot Rodding magazine, before venturing out as a freelance photographer. Known for his fine studio photography, he missed the magazine world, and in 1995 started The Rodders Journal located in So. San Francisco. He and his staff continue to uphold the high standards he set for magazine photography, design and writing.
John Mumford is a retired Bay Area venture capitalist, called one of the most successful of the 1990s by The Wall Street Journal. He is an enthusiastic hot rod and custom car collector. His collection includes dozens of hot rods and restored cars, but is more recently known in the hot rod and custom car world for his landmark restored Sam Barris Mercury-the original chopped 1949 Merc, and the George Barris-built Ala Kart 1929 Ford roadster pickup that won the GNRS in both 1958 and 1959.
Thom Taylor has designed four GNRS winners for builders Boyd Coddington and Don Thelan. He has been a hot rod, custom car, Harley, and automotive aftermarket designer for over 25 years. He has written four instructional drawing books, and three on the history of hot rods and custom cars including his latest Kustomland, for MBI Publishing, and has written for many automotive enthusiast publications. He lives with his wife and two children in Laguna Niguel, CA.
This year marks the 60th Anniversary of the GNRS, January 23-25, 2009 at the Fairplex in Pomona. Make plans to attend the GNRS-the oldest and most prestigious hot rod and custom car show in the world.