Gang, I have a bet with a buddy, but since we can't find a list of every Ridler winner we will ask the huddle m***es on the HAMB... Does anyone know many true customs - versus rods, comp cars or street rods - have won the award? My bet is on less than six, and those were probably quite a while ago. And secondly, if so few customs have been entered or won, I wonder why? Nothing more than a beer rides on the bottom line. Thanx, Gary
you asked for it hope this helps <table cl***="wikitable"><tbody><tr><td>1964</td> <td>Al Bergler</td> <td>AA Comp Bantam Coupe</td> <td>"Aggravation"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1965</td> <td>Bob M***aron</td> <td>1956 Chevrolet Custom</td> <td>"Venturian"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1966</td> <td>Maynard Rupp</td> <td>1966 Chevy Malibu SS 396 Funny Car</td> <td>"Chevoom"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1967</td> <td>Mike Alexander</td> <td>1966 Dodge Pickup</td> <td>"Deora"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1968</td> <td>Chuck Miller</td> <td>Hand Built Fire Truck</td> <td>"Fire Truck"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1969</td> <td>Larry Alexander</td> <td>Ford T Roadster</td> <td>"Top Banana"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1970</td> <td>Jan Bergel</td> <td>1966 Dodge Hemi Charger</td> <td>"Electro Charger"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1971</td> <td>John Greer</td> <td>"C" Cab Truck</td> <td>"Brinks Express"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1972</td> <td>Jerry Pennington</td> <td>Rear Engine Corvette</td> <td>"Scorpion"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1973</td> <td>Jerry Pennington</td> <td>Hand Built Street Rod</td> <td>"Devilfish"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1974</td> <td>Don Campbell</td> <td>1927 Ford T Sedan</td> <td>"Tartan T"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1975</td> <td>Bob Gutzke</td> <td>1927 Model T Altered Rod Coupe</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1976</td> <td>Robert Sweatt</td> <td>1923 Ford AA Fuel Altered Comp Roadster</td> <td>"El Toro"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1977</td> <td>Frank Camden</td> <td>1926 T Ford Sedan</td> <td>"Frigid T"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1978</td> <td>Bob Anzalone</td> <td>1923 T Ford Roadster</td> <td>"Black Diamond"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1979</td> <td>Frank Morabito</td> <td>1923 T Touring</td> <td>"Garagefather"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1980</td> <td>Everett Rezendes</td> <td>1928 Ford Sedan Delivery</td> <td>"The Cranberry Delivery"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1981</td> <td>Bob Tiano</td> <td>1934 3-Window 350 Dual Turbo Ford Coupe</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1982</td> <td>John Pappert</td> <td>1934 Model Y English Ford</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1983</td> <td>Ron Barnum</td> <td>1929 Ford 3-Door Sedan Delivery</td> <td>"Renaissance Delivery"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1984</td> <td>Bob Reed</td> <td>1934 Ford Altered Street Coupe</td> <td>"The Khrome Shoppe Special"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1985</td> <td>Bobby Alloway</td> <td>1933 Ford Victoria Altered Street Sedan</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1986</td> <td>Dale Hunt</td> <td>1986 Pontiac Grand Am Pro Stock</td> <td>special thanks to Dewayne White for his hard work to complete this car</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1987</td> <td>John Kolbusz</td> <td>1934 Ford Altered Street Roadster</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1988</td> <td>Mal Kieswetter</td> <td>1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe</td> <td>"The Gambler"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1989</td> <td>Mike Baliestiero</td> <td>1934 Ford Cabriolet Altered Street Roadster</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1990</td> <td>Dan Webb</td> <td>1932 Ford Altered Street Roadster</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1991</td> <td>Tony Carlini</td> <td>1933 Ford Altered Street Roadster</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1992</td> <td>Jimmy Stewart</td> <td>1932 Ford Sedan</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1993</td> <td>Dave S***zer</td> <td>1940 Ford Coupe</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1994</td> <td>Fred Warren</td> <td>1937 Ford Coupe</td> <td>"Aero Coupe"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1995</td> <td>Bob Rizzoli</td> <td>1992 Mercedes 560 SEC</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1996</td> <td>George Poteet</td> <td>1937 Ford Roadster</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1997</td> <td>Dave Emery</td> <td>1932 Ford Roadster</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>1998</td> <td>Eric Peratt & Ken Reister</td> <td>1933 Ford Roadster</td> <td>"21st Century Comet"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1999</td> <td>Bob Young</td> <td>1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>2000</td> <td>Paul Atkins</td> <td>1933 Ford Speedster Coupe</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>2001</td> <td>Chris Williams</td> <td>1949 Chevy Coupe</td> <td>"M-80"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2002</td> <td>Wesley & Bob Rydell</td> <td>1935 Chevy</td> <td>"Grand Master"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2003</td> <td>Ron Whiteside</td> <td>1934 Mercury</td> <td>"The Stallion"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2004</td> <td>Al Brockly</td> <td>1937 Willys Coupe</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>2005</td> <td>Ken Reister</td> <td>1936 Ford Hardtop Convertible</td> <td>"Impression"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2006</td> <td>Kevin & Karen Alstott</td> <td>1935 Ford</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>2007</td> <td>Ross Myers</td> <td>1936 Ford</td> <td>"First Love"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2008</td> <td>Mike Warn</td> <td>1960 Nash Rambler</td> <td>"Ferrambo"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2009</td> <td>Doug Cooper</td> <td>1932 Ford B400</td> <td>"Deucenberg"</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2010</td> <td>Tammy Ray</td> <td>1933 Ford Phaeton</td> <td>"Gold Digger"</td></tr></tbody></table>
I would say that the same ratio of Ridler Customs would be equal to the amount of customs on the road versus rods,comp cars or street rods. According to what you figure, approximately 6 customs out of 47 Ridlers, or less than 1 in 8...... I would say that less than 1 in 8 cars on H.A.M.B. are true customs, so there would not be any bias or discrimination on behalf of the Autorama judges. Much less than 1 in 8 entered at Cobo Hall are customs.........just my opinion.
Seems plausible and since we don't know what all the cars look like yet, you are way ahead of us in the judging! (it's hard to tell by the names alone, eh?) I wonder why so many of the recent winners are not customs? Are the owners / backers of new builds only interested in the trendy, contemporary cars? No one wants to risk it all on the possibility they can build a totally fresh, future-trend setting custom? Thanx, Gary
I guess all I see is the Deora and the Venturian--as far as Customs that meet the HAMB standards. Even though the Deora dosen`t fit the year span. I guess I`m not seeing what you are. But then again I don`t know everything. What are the others.
http://www.autorama.com/casi/ridler_archive.php Pics of all the winners is on this link. Looks like according to a HAMB standard 1965 Bob M***aron 1956 Chevrolet Custom "Venturian"
Well the ridler is something different as awards go, first of all there are NO limitations to cl***, unlike going after the AMBR or something like that, so really anything can win it, as the drag cars early on proved. Basicly it needs to be the first unveiling of the best 4 wheeled thing in the nation, which on one hand puts very hard to judge, but on the other hand it makes it a best of all cl***es award. There was even some guys from a rice shop asking around about the particulars when i was there, I know some people would **** if they won. Truthfully there is a big grey area that rods, customs and street rods walk when they hit that kinda dollar other than obvious types of cars it is almost impossable to cl***ify many of the cars. If you guys ever have the chance to go there, do the autorama has a little bit for everyone, I had a blast in '08
BCR, Thanx for that link with the pix. I went to that site several times but had no luck finding the photos for some reason. Count wise, I think I'd have to agree with you. One solid custom winner, and it was a long, long time ago. Even if you count some of the more modern cars (man, are they cheesy looking), you can still count all the customs on one hand. I really do like the Deora, however. And I'm not counting anything with exposed wheels (calling them show rods, also). I wonder why newer concept builds, like Cadzilla or the Sniper, were not Ridler contenders or winners (if entered?). Were they just not finished to "Ridler" standards? You'd think that their builders would be up to the challenge, eh? So... is must be the owners / sponsors of the new builds driving the "look" of the cars? Even if a Ridler level custom might seem too expensive, why would any of the regular group of sponsors care about costs? Are customs just not swoopy or ***y enough? How can that be! Later, Gary
Most have been customs, but for the last couple of decades, they have been coming from some very exclusive zip codes. -KK
First off, being involved in a ridler car, i saw a lot of stuff that most people never do, most people see the cut and buffed inner fender wells, and the PERFECT paint, but dont realize that every part of the car is mirror finished, judges reach inside the body, and around corners for any unfinished part and we had 1/2 a dozen do so for quite a while. You wont stand a chance with bedlining undersides or even powder coat, it just isnt up to par. There are many cars that i find are nicer on the outside than many ridler cars, but they arent finished up to that level. Most people cant tell the difference from a $150k car or the $1.5mil it takes to build a contender especially when they arent allowed to crawl all over it. I think customs can win, it just takes the right builder, as said earlier, customs are only a fraction of cars and have won close to their share. Unfortunately it is hard to show off an imaculate undercarage on a car in the weeds and many customs especially traditional customs arent gear to to that. I think we forget on this website that all cars dont always fall in the rod, custom, street rod and rat rod catigories Here is something to think about, next time you go to a show, find the nicest cars there and pick them apart, dont leave until youve found an actual flaw in every one, and i'm not just talking stuff you dont like, actual flaws, a wave in the paint, ding in the trim, ect. I have a decent eye for that stuff, but there were a couple ridler cars i couldnt find ANYTHING wrong with. I seriously looked, the other guys from the shop did too, because it stopped us from stressing about the car we came with
If I may... Since the Ridler is a "debut" award then many of the cars that fit the true spirit of custom (kustom) that may have been there may have been shown in public prior to. "Most outstanding car shown for the 1st time" is the main criteria. Some of the newer customs that were mentioned above aren't really what "we" are about but they clearly fit the spirit in mods and craftsmanship. You sort of need to make a left turn into the world of fuel injection and 20" wheels along with exotic upholstery and 6 figure chrome bills to get there. Add to that an almost obscene degree of detail and fabrication just to make "Great 8". The gratuitous chopped merc wouldn't stand a chance. By definition "First Love" was a true custom but 2 mil and a hand fabbed ch***is later the spirit gets lost a bit to the true traditionalist. Same can be said for "Impression" and I feel both of those were beyond exceptional in presentation and detail. Some of the others do nothing for me. I fancy myself a believer when it comes to true customs. The look, the vibe, the style, all of it matters to one with the eye for it. Maybe it's like the art form as discussed evolved into those examples being that were living in 2010. Back in the 60s look at what happened in some regions regarding kustoms. Some of the most hideous and gorpy looking things wadded up with hundreds of pounds of lead and bondo, fake TVs, fur carpets, cross-eyed headlights, I mean it got ugly for a time, didn't it? Someone else feel free to jump in...
The Jalopy Journal
