Featured Event Coverage The Grand National Roadster Show

When you have guys who can write seven-figure checks to have a car built to compete, this is the result.

 

Ryan, I agree.

Complexity defining the aesthetic, even when simplicity works as well or better for the base function. - This speaks volumes.

Hot Rods are to be driven. Sweaty, loud, fast, and minimalistic. Customs are for picking up the fairer sex in comfort and date nights with your sweetheart.

Trophies are given show other people like your stuff. If you worry about the Trophy over your own happiness are you really doing "it" for you?

On the Art note: Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Doane Spencer, Mickey, or any of the "greats" never gave a hoot about what others thought. They did what and how they did because it was within them and needed to get out. Obsession some might say. Think about that, True Art is a possession given freely as it demands expressing in whatever medium the Arteest uses.

Every Human is an "Artist" some just suck at being honest with themselves while others suck at the execution of their vision.

And Sometimes when you are first place you really come in last on your true dreams and abilities.........

- Tim

 

That big check is paying for someone with the artistic skill to flex their ability. How many works of art over the centuries would not have been created without benefactors. This leads down a dark rabbit hole of capitalism and nobility along with it's winners and losers. WAY outside the topic and HAMB. I wrote a couple paragraphs and deleted them before posting, so yeah.

Thanks, @TERPU .

 

I'm thankful that people can afford to have cars like these built. I have some really good friends that happened to build the 59 Chevrolet that won the Slonaker award last year. The attention to detail on cars like these is nothing short of amazing. But, I more view them as art to be admired than something that I would want even if they are capable of being driven like I would want to do with them. I'm plenty happy with an old survivor or maybe a custom that I build by myself on a budget.

 

Don't get the idea I'm passing judgement on those guys, I'm just pointing out the reality.

 

Agreed, same as racing, your front yard or a thousand other measures.
Then there is the guy that is in his 80s building the car in his basement I saw in one post.
It is why I edited that stuff out of my first post to have a positive outlook on it all.

 

...............Absolutely!

 

Hey at @Ryan @RodStRace @guthriesmith @Moriarity @corncobcoupe @HOTRODPRIMER and to all of the other great contributors to this thread.

First of all, I have really been enjoying reading all of the input to this thread. I just want to add a few observations and a few points of perspective that might be helpful here, so bear with me!

I have been watching the coverage of the "GNRS" on YouTube, and the various great pictures by those that have posted here.

That in itself, via this web site, and the ability to view events like this on YouTube, 50 years ago, none of these ability's were in existence.

It's been said here on this thread, the huge amount of money it takes to be a contender at this particular show and other shows as well. Also its been said how some of the contenders are too dam nice to drive, and I get that.

I am partial to @Cody Walls "Ardun Killer", not only because its a master piece, but for my tastes, its because he chose to use an interesting GM 6 banger, that took imagination and skill and time to do, and he actually drove it over 3000 miles wringing it out !
Bravo Amigo, well done, enough said on that!

Okay, so try this on for size, pardon me if my comparison is a bit off topic, but I think you all will appreciate where I am going with this.

You want to talk about being a hot rod, and going fast, and the perfection of the build, and how it's a KUSTOM, one of a kind, etc, etc, etc!
Behold, the "James Webb Space Telescope".



You look at this image, its as wild as anything Roth or Barris ever built, and if it would fit in Moriarty's house, you can bet your ass it would be in there.

The start of the build was in 1996 at a projected cost of 1 billion dollars.
It took 26 years to build it, and the final cost at launch, soared to 10 billion dollars.

By the way, all of us helped to pay for it!

Was it fast?
Hell yes, it's ass was strapped to an Ariane 5 rocket, to get it off of the planet, and bare in mind, it was all folded up to fit the unit that held it.
KUSTOM parts?
Indeed, all hand built by teams of experts all working together, over a period of years.
Launched in 2021, and arrived at its current place in space on 2022, and that place is 930,000 miles out in space.
And it continues to kick "HUBBLES" ass as far as the amazing images it provides for us to watch and look at!
"Leica" and "Hassleblad" have to stay here on earth.

It's first images were first seen in 2022.
Enough said about that!

The thread about @jordabennett and the midnight special he built, I really appreciated it when he took it out into the Australian outback, at a hot, dusty, red dirt, improvised track with some friends, and wrung it out and got it dirty and had a blast doing it, and showed us all how its done!

The thing about this 75TH GNRS and its amazing array of over the top creations, as cool and as beautiful as they are, and the incredible craftsmanship displayed, I would have to agree with others on this thread, the cars sure are nice to look at, but they cant be driven fast and take chances with them and get them dirty.

You just cant take a hand crafted, super rare, Faberge' Easter Egg, and give it to a child, as a toy to play with!

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It did make me smile to see, that the very elegant roadster built by "Blackie Gejeian"
is still being shown at events such as this, this old school ride, in my opinion is what a real hot rod looks like.

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"Everyone else's results may vary greatly"
Thanks from Dennis.

 

I believe the Art factor in this has always been a part of Hotrod/Custom, constantly present in the days even before the first Carshows there were established. Money and perfection in racing and the Automakers was part of what drew in the masses. But those Shows like the NRS as I believe they called it further influenced and channeled that Shiney, charge for perfection that really opened the doors to those who looked at an Artistic connection to the overall look. Even then as now there were many were driven by winning the race over shiney, perfection but the evolution for quality was set and here we are today...From Frank Kurtis to Valley Custom, or Jimmy Summers crowd were in the mix...along with the solo masters of the Craft that were plentiful and part of that mix as well...that was then and this is now. The Niekamp Roadster is but one example...of that quest for speed, looks beyond speed and showworthy aka Competition/Hotrod Art.

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...s-from-beginning.1188084/page-2#post-13501428

I contributed to a Thread on the GNRS big Trophy winner history to 1965...some of the winners were not very popular amongst our group here but I do find the mix of competition over those years was more what I'd appreciate and I attribute that to hanging around this place and celebrating that past excellence. That will always find it's way into the present thankfully but being the show has guidelines that don't align completely with the Hambs as has been mentioned we will get deviation to far modern standards...it's also as been mentioned and nice to see some Fabricator/Owners reaching back for inspiration because it really was awesome then and timelessly compliments the modern period today...those elements whomever created them back in the day I sometimes say were onto something bigger than they'd ever imagine...many didn't put those Ideas to paper either...the canvas was in their head transfered to their fingers and approved by their visual judgement...

 

I like old American cars. all of them. from show cars all the way down to rusty relics in a field somewhere. cool is cool regardless of the money spent on paint, chrome and interior. the same goes with ugly, all the shiny paint, chrome and money spent will not make ugly go away.

 

The "art" in a basic old Ford(insert preferred brand here) is the experience.

 

I was having lunch with a friend who’d designed a series of paint schemes for one of our projects.
They were all great and I referred to him as an artist. He corrected me and said “designer”. Several more times I said “artist” and he’d say “designer”.
Finally asked me if I wanted to know the difference.
“An artist is trying to solve his own problem”.

 

I have attended GNRS for the past 10 years consecutively and noticed the following:

+ NEW BUILDS occupy about 80% of the real estate (and this is growing FAST)
+ HISTORICAL CARS get less than 20% (and this is dwindling)

I can still appreciate GNRS as a gaudy spectacle for its range of new builds, wealthy owners, and their craftsman laborers — but only so much. For me it will always be historical hot rods/customs that raise my pulse.

Some things money can’t buy. History is certainly one.

 

There was no doubt which car was going to walk away with the title. I crawled around the car last year in raw steel and admired and appreciated the workmanship.

I was part of the "crew" helping my buddy (Kenny Green) with his car. He's 80 years young and built his car with a little help from friends in a small 2 car garage connected to his house over 10 years. His car will be a driver (he's one of the CanAm Curmudgeons...and we drive our hotrods). His car is HAMB friendly.

He was thrilled to be accepted as part of the AMBR show...that was a win...and his car was recognized for outstanding detail...another win and a great overall experience.

 

While I admire the effort it takes to build these cars and their sheer beauty, I just can't relate to them.
Deep pockets and teams of builders can accomplish great things obviously.

 

I could drive it and enjoy every minute of it.
Troy himself said it was built with the ability to start it up and drive it reliably.
They’re not just eye candy to me the driving is another part of the experience that gets right into your soul.

 

Bare with you? Sorry Dennis you can get naked by yourself
As I said I would drive that car and enjoy every minute of it. Larry.

 

We pulled back into the black hills of South Dakota late last night from Pomona. My pops and I entered our father son built T roadster in the suede palace. I met several Hamb’er from all over the world. To me it’s the adventure of getting to and back from the show, meeting and chatting with people, going to the open houses and spending time with the group of people that share the same interests.The cars either multi million dollar builds or a rusty old jalopy are all kool.

 

I have seen your work at "FLABOB" Simply Magnificent!

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Disclaimer up front; I have not attended any of them in quite a while, so this is a comment from afar.
This is a car show. IMHO, it should be focused on new efforts. It should also pay tribute to the past, but if it is simply showing old revered icons, it will shrink and die. A museum or collection is the proper place for only historic display. If the pyramids collection came thru town every year with a majority of the same things on display, attendance would shrink over time.
I appreciate the heck out of the caretakers and the show promoters keeping the old builds in shape and sharing them. I loved the past winners section. I would have loved to have seen many of them in person more than a few of the current contestants. But I don't just listen to the same 5 albums I did at 18, although I do tend to ignore the current hits. Go to an outdoor car show and they play the same greatest hits to the point of nausea.
I see this as a boomer problem. We are an outsized percentage of the population and have had the same music, cars and other cultural touchstones fed to get our attention and money all our lives. It is familiar and comforting, but there must be new blood, new ideas, new cars to remain vibrant and alive.

 

I have often said that I wish I was one of those guys that only likes a certain flavor of car, but it's not me. I lust for things I will never be able to afford. Quite different from your wants though. I have absolutely no desire for anything built outside of the US. In high school I worked at a high end body shop specializing in Masseratis etc. Neat machines, but not for me. They had a 70 Chevelle SS, factory big block/4 speed car in there that I would rather work on.

I lust after things like a Westergard 36 3 window Ford.......

Then reality sets in and I settle for a 55 Ford Customline.

 

Damn right. Priorities.
Well done.

 

GNRS is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the cars are so well-crafted that you want to throw away all your tools, get out of cars, and collect stamps. On the other hand, you look at them and think, "If that guy can do it, why can't I?"

That's what I do take this weekend as inspiration and try to up my skill level.

 

Hey, I resemble that remark... I had a '55 Ford Customline once!

 

My tag line says it all.

 

Word

 

As a never been onlooker, I can certainly appreciate the craftsmanship, read $$, thrown into the AMBR contenders. Nothing but the best, most, finest, shiniest, hand made, polished, chromed, pristine, illogical, expensive, wiped on examples of automotive excellence this side of Pebble Beach.

BUT, just give me the Suede Palace cars and the epitome of early design and craftsmanship, the Niekamp roadster.
It simply checks all my boxes, as does the Kenny Green 31 shown above. YOMV.

 

I'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down, @Ryan.

Definitely some amazing work represented at the GNRS. I am definitely in awe of the skill of the craftsmen who build cars like that, however, I prefer the thrill of jumping in one of my '40's and running errands around town, cruising through the back roads, or blasting down the highway. The gravel chips and bug splatters mean more to me than any trophy ever would.

 

Exactly right. My dad used to tell me, "there are guys dumber than you doing it, so you can, too."

Years ago when they had the Merc Gathering at Sacramento, I kinda got bummed about my Merc compared to the greats and how I'd never get to that level. Got home, got in it to drive to work and stopped for gas on my way. I wasn't out of the car before someone was making a bee line across the pavement to tell me what I cool car I was driving and could he take a pic. Only chopped Merc in town and only one most folks around here will ever see....it's still cool and plenty cool enough. I learned a lesson about comparing myself or my abilities that morning....take inspiration from the greats, keep striving to improve my skills and accept my best.