Anthony, you already bought it up. Yes, it's a roadster, no they didn't make many here but did in Australia, this isn't the first 37 to be entered. https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/1937-the-end-of-the-ford-v8-roadster-era/ https://rodshows.com/grand-national/americas-most-beautiful-roadster/ in part: "Open to 1937 and older U.S. Production based roadsters, roadster pickups, Phaetons and touring s cars including designer roadsters that resemble 1937 or older U.S. built roadsters. Cars cannot have roll up side windows." 37 kid, if it was really bothering you, go look for more than a single picture! Here's a video Here's a screenshot from it.
Not sure if Al was the right choice to name the car after....... In 1937, Al Capone was in the fourth year of his eleven-year federal prison sentence for tax evasion, held at Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. During this year, his physical and mental health rapidly declined due to advanced, untreated syphilis Also that rear license plate frame just doesn't look right for a build of this quality.
The roadster in '37 didn't have bolt-on windshield posts. The only year Ford roadster that has a non-removable post and the last year for a Ford roadster.
RodStRace, Thanks for the video link, nice to see part of the event that few get to see. I think that '37 has more body modifications than any of the others, that may give it an edge. Looking forward to more photos of the event. Bob
Actually the last year for a Ford Roadster was 1940, here in Australia Ford, Geelong built apparently 20 1940 Roadsters, using the Australian 1937 Roadster body and 1940 Cowl with no windup side windows, just side curtains........This car belongs to a mate Cliff Wiles here in Grafton NSW, he has owned it since the early 1970's and it is a genuine 1940 Ford Roadster.
@The37Kid I didn't go looking for the other contenders in video form, but I'd imagine this is a common thing to do to promote each entrant/builder.
If you look close, the custom made California license plate had no holes. He was matching the plate to the hole pattern on the license plate frame.
Can anybody tell me the brand and size of the tires on the John Fairleigh roadster? Those tires are what I want to use on my champ car, but I do not know who the supplier is. Many thanks. There are many fine cars, and HAMB friendly too, nominated this year. It makes me wonder if the presence of the JalopyJournal on the internet and all the activity the HAMB site sees if it has had an influence on what the general hot rodding public wants to see, and what the judges are now looking for. I wish I could attend.
@THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER I remember that there was a lot of complaining about the direction things were going and a push toward toning down the extremes. It was in the age of the internet, so that can probably be tracked down. I know the HAMB was very strongly pushing that way, but I don't know that it was a main influence. Probably a part of the chorus. The entrants were really getting to the point of having all modern stuff wrapped in a handmade body that had some 1930s cues. The link I posted describes general judging and has a list of past winners. You can go looking for pics of those and probably pinpoint the time when things swung back to more traditional styling and components. https://rodshows.com/grand-national/americas-most-beautiful-roadster/
The number of body modifications doesn't make any difference in a cars ability to win. It is not a points based system anymore. The builder are just letting the judges know what went into the build and pointing out changes that they feel improved the look of the car. Explaining why the changes helped the overall look may help the cars chances but it doesn't matter if it took one change or fifty to achieve that as far as judging goes. It changed in 2011 and the cars have been far less out there ever since.
It's easy to pinpoint when the change happened. It was when they changed the judging criteria from a points based system to a non points based system in 2011. The cars were being based on actual factory cars again not just handmade one off bodies with as many modifications as they could cram in.
That video on the 37 was neat to watch, not a fan of the car but it showed the process of entering a car in the show and the builder and owner going over everything done with the judges
Yeah, that point system was the cause of some of the controversial wildness in the 60s and later. Thanks for naming the change year, @K13 . I enjoy the show stuff but don't follow it like a fan with a scorecard.
Custommikes walk through of building 4. Quick look at all the AMBR cars at the beginning of the video.
Im amazed by how hideous contemporary styling is. TBH im not even sure what is considered "the look" of our year 2026. To my eye, big wheels, bad stance, and everything smooth and rounded to get that electric shaver look. The cl***ic style of the traditional cars really shines thru when you put them in the same room as the modern takes, Some things are just timeless, and proper design, proportion, and good lines never get old.
Thank you for the answers to many questions. I would hope all the judges judge all nine cars, and I know there must be a set amount of time to judge them. How far in advance of the event do owners apply to enter, and how many apply on an average year? The quality of the cars is on a level with Pebble Beach, just wondering what takes place in the years before the car is finished and ready to show. Bob
The Jalopy Journal
