Event Coverage What The Hell Just Happened?

Finally a trophy car that actually sees street duty. i could careless about these type of shows. They are typically only for rich folks and look at me cars that are just for show. This year is different and hopefully it changes everything.

 

There two exceptional things about this car winning AMBER one it that it is a real car, there is just something about a real car that really gets driven that is just exceptional. A car doesn't have to be a beater to get driven, it just need a real car guy to build and own it.

The really exceptional thing about this win is that it is someone that we know. Think about it this, Darryl built an amber winning roadster. He is not majic or legendary he is just a normal car guy, perhaps he is a tough act to follow but he is just a real car guy.

Congrats Darryl you done good.

 

Amen.

I'm most impressed that he built it, not wrote big checks to somebody else to build it for him. I'll never build something that would have a shot at AMBR, but that's the kind of do it yourself work that I can aspire to.

 

I have never had much interest in the AMBR at least for the last 40 years or so.
The cars or caricatures of cars were some of the most over the top, overly expensive to build examples of American excess I had ever seen.
Oh, there have been a couple along the way that were nice, but now one comes along that doesn't scream "show car"! Good Lord it's an olive greenish color, very little bright work, and it's a "freakin'' Hot Rod that was build to be driven, and has been driven!
Congrats to the Hollenbecks for showing America what an award winning Hot Rod should be like!
Just my $.02!
KK

 

I'll agree that it's a great looking car, it's exceptionally well built, I'd probably pick it over most of the AMBR winners of the last 30 years, I'm sure it's beyond my skill level, and I probably have no right to criticize it,

But,

How much of this car isn't brand-new reproduction parts? Any of it? I'd bet even without any labor, the parts and materials list of this car would cost more than my house.

Also, what period would run those 18" clearance wheels with a later small block Chevy? Not that I dislike either of those items by themselves, but they don't really go together period-wise.

 

First, I loved the car the minute I saw it featured in Hop Up #12 (err, 2 from the new). Their story laid out the whole exchange for services deal that resulted in this car. Ryan, you should read more! ;-)
And I agree that it is hardly "home built" - he just has more talented "buddys" than most people. But here's the point - no car is ever totally home built. You may assemble the parts, you may even paint and bodywork the car. Heck some even upholster their cars. But everybody gets a hand or purchases machine or fab services at some point. Everybody.

The OP's point, I think, is he didn't write a check and wait for the finished car to "appear" - he was the "general contractor" and the painter/finisher. And if you have never finished and painted a car to that level, then you don't realize how time consuming, muscle aching and maddening that step can be. Let's just be happy that a working guy rodder's art was rightly rewarded - great job all around.

 

That sure is a nice looking car!...Wish I had those skills.... that is just a beautiful car, sincerely

 

This is like two parallel universes colliding . . . the over-the-top-ridiculous-spending-to-win-a-big-award world just collided with the underworld of throw-back-grease-monkey-drive-'em traditionalists . . . and to have the Brizio (however tangentially) and Ganahl families involved, along with the Taulberts, represents some serious hotrod serendipity.
Amen!

 

One thing I didn't see mentioned is the overall traditional feel of the entire ambr contender group. It felt much more traditional than recent previous years.

 

Your line about seeing a A.M.B.R winner being driven on the streets caught my eye. In the early 70's we were headed back home to Washington going inland from the Petaluma coast area. Narrow two lane road with little or no traffic, coming towards us traveling by himself, is Frank Rose in his bright red/blue scalloped A.M.B.R. winning '27 roadster... I don't think my wife and kids were nearly as excited as I was, on bright sunny day to see this icon headed toward ya, how CooL is that?
Congrats to the Hollenbecks and friends... Dyno Dave

 

Anybody else wondering the reaction and whats being said on the street rod message boards?

It's great and sad at the same time ... Can't help but feel a little like " traditional " has jumped the shark , steel wheels and bias plys out weighed that show by a big margin....

 

A very deserving team of people, all with high skill levels, put together a roadster than represents "Tradition" as we know it today. I think we were all surprised at the presentation but very joyous when the name was announced. My hats off to this very close network of friends who have built some fantastic cars in the past few years. "Keep the Flame Burning!"

 

I'm admittedly not a huge Deuce fan, but this one is really sweet. Good to know the build history too. Congrats!

 

Showed the boss (Harold, of Harolds Hot Rods)this today and his comment was, "This is the best thing to happen to hot rodding in a long time".

 

I will go on the record and say I like the color. I see it as OD with a little towards brown. Standard color or custom?

 

I do have a couple cars for sale

 

An absolutely gorgeous automobile. I just cannot believe how much I love it. I think the color does for me as much as anything. The best thing is that it is driven, really driven.

 

It was my favorite hands down. Great to see it in person.

 

It's a BEAUTIFUL car of course! The fact is, that a man and his Hot Rod buddies got together and pitched in to help a buddy get his car built is what this hobby was built on! Doesn't matter what their names happen to be Bill, George, Fred, Al! What matters is their buddy was building a cool Hot Rod and they wanted to help! And Did! Joe

 

The olive green grows on you after while. I think it looks great!

 

I'm not a fan of the color, but it does need to be seen in person to really see the hue of it. The car is very well executed and deserving.

 

TITS!!

 

It is ever changing and ever evolving. In the picture posted by Tom Davidson, next to the subject car is the Andy Brizio roadster that has more miles than just about any roadster. Built by a man that has contributed more to this hobby than just about anybody. From his picnics, T's, and Tshirts, he lived the hot rod life, and now we are discussing what is fitting for the "movement". It is all fitting and soon we grow old and are told what is now acceptable. It's all acceptable. I would gladly pay $25. bucks to go to the GNRS, if I was closer. I'm going to take a nap now.

 

The color looks similar to the 1932 Harley-Davidson Olive Green. HRP

 

Congratulations to Darryl and his friends for a great win. It certainly shatters the opinion I've held about the GNRS for years - "He who spends the most, wins". It is also very inspiring to see a car that's actually driven win big time.
Now about that color.... I guess I'll wait to see it in person before I speak. It IS really shiny.

 

I'll say it again....
Hell Yeah!!!

 

Now, Avocado green is going to make a comeback.

 

I have to agree with Ryan and his story. I'm from Detroit, and every year, we have the Detroit Autorama (coming up at the end of this month in fact). I think it's really unfortunate to see people building 'traditional' hot rods just to win a trophy. For those not familiar, the Detroit Autorama awards the best in show car the Riddler every year. Now you can't deny that the cars that go for the award are some of the most wild rides out there, and are awesome in their own right, but I just can't jump on that bandwagon. Why on earth would someone spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to build a car that will NEVER get driven and just get trailered from car show to car show?? Now this is coming to the GNRS? Why? I know I haven't been around the scene as long as some of you because I'm only 20.. but doesn't this defeat the purpose of hot rodding? ESPECIALLY in the traditional sense. To me, the whole fun part about the cars once they're driveable is driving them.. at least that's why I built my coupe...

With that being said, it's really good to see a true traditional car taking the trophy this year. So congrats Darryl! Sorry for the longer post, but is there anyone else in agreement here?

 

Well deserved win, for sure. That car is absolutely spectacular. I think the year that the Jalopy Journal/HAMB had it's own trophy, started to turn the tide, for what was the "Real" winner.

 

What's going on? Same thing happened here a week or two ago at a local show. 'Top Street Machine' went to this neat little honey- coloured thing which was driven 100 miles to the event. Car is also driven daily because the late-model commuter broke down.
The owner's acceptance speech was humble and humurous- a breath of country-folk fresh air.