Event Coverage The Grand National Roadster Show

Right there says it all.

Rather than the "poor me" attitude one should think on how they can improve their skills just a tad bit to do things a bit better.
A lot of times it isn't even the skill level but the patience level that makes for a far nicer build. There is an album in my photobucket album of a late 60's Chevy truck that a guy on the east coast asked me to go look at as he was thinking about buying it and it was about 15 miles from my house. I found out that I knew the seller and his wife both since I was 16 years old . The truck had a make it shiny for resale paint job on it and I told the buyer that although the paint it's self was nice the prep work needed a day with a long board to be a real nice paint job. The guy did buy it for his dad and the dad was happy with it and planned to drive it. Still that is the difference between a lot of cars you see. Not money spent or fancy work or rare parts but the patience to take a few more minutes or a few more hours to make something as perfect as you can get it rather than "that's all the time I am going to spend on it".

As far as the "too nice to drive" thing, I know a guy who hauls his maybe 20K value Mustang in a 12K trailer behind an 80K pickup because he says that the Mustang is too nice to drive and bought the truck just to tow the trailer and Mustang to shows. On the other hand I remember being at Pleasanton in 1998 and was walking though a batch of cars lined up across from the vendor's building and down in the middle of that row with no fanfare or power parking was Sniper, George Poteet's new build that year. Driven cross country as I learned later and just parked out in a row of rods and customs with no whooptedo or power parking.

Still even the most basic of us back yard builders should be looking at those AMBR and high dollar builds for ideas to borrow and run with. Something on the car should spark one's imagination or some piece that took endless hours to perfect might be the idea that one of us can use and do ourselves without throwing away a dozen attempts.

 

Most now days,are too flawless. I really don't mind a few flaws.=They show me someone was working so hard at it.they missed them or even ,closer to maxed out. What looks like"No Limit $" has always ,just looked over the top to me,so not my thing really. Dose not mean,I don't like a car,but dose mean=Its not a hotrod of my times { I'm 83+}did 100+ Car Shows in late 50s and on { We can't go home,as much any more }

It's great,that we are not all the same!!

 

I feel ya. I walk through the buildings with the AMBR and Slonaker cars just to say I saw them. I give them a quick look over but usually nothing really jumps out at me with a cool factor. They all just sort of blend together with perfect paint and chrome, everything machined and 3D designed. Thankfully there's plenty of other cars to check out that I think are cool. Is this what it was like in the 90s in the heyday of billet everything?

 

not a big fan of AMBR winner for this year... .. the last AMBR that I really liked alot was
Darryl Hollenbeck’s 1932 Ford High Boy Roadster . and it get's driven now.
can't say that about others that have one in the past..

 

This year was a great to attend. Especially to see most of the past winners in one room. The winner this year in person was a masterpiece of metal work and machining. Something you needed to see in person. Always been a fan of the show since it showcases so many different aspects of the hobby and the height of what's possible with a car. You can complain about the person spending the money on the car, but it was still built by the most talented people out there. Cant wait for next year.

 

The thing I dislike about GNRS is the same thing I dislike about the current Hot Rod magazine. The focus on the AMBR/Slonaker cars projects an image that rodding is a checkbook exercise. Compare any current Hot Rod 'build' article to almost any HAMB-era article. In the HAMB-era, the owner was the builder (the exceptions tend to be icons to this day, such as the Hirohata Merc) and almost invariably showcased 'ingenuity in action'. Now 'build' articles are a catalog of parts purchased and shops the car visited. Props to Kenny Green and friends, but how long has it been since a home builder was an AMBR winner?
The anachronistically named Suede Palace tends to be where home-built cars land, although that isn't its stated purpose. It gets far less press, except for sites that focus on it specifically.
I don't have a beef with people who pay to have their cars built, or the builders who build them. Rodding is a big enough tent to welcome home builders, checkbook 'builders' and the pros. I don't accept the notion currently projected that buying crap/paying builders is hot rodding.

 

That's an interesting example. Perhaps the Niekamp car could be held up as an example of a perfect hot rod because its nothing more than the best way you could assemble these parts into a car. There's no subtly reshaped body, custom machined chrome trim, or really anything showy about it. It looks like it's primarily built to function and not to win trophys at indoor car shows. So it's still a hot rod - just a very very nicely done one - but built using the same parts that everyone can start with. So it also feels attainable.
Just a thought.

 

How was attendance? I live 30 minutes from Pomona and you’d swear it was a damned secret… Used to have local radio ads, billboards, flyers at the swap meets, etc. but haven’t seen any of that in a few years. Instead I had to find out a day too late on the HAMB. I talked to two different buddies and I wasn’t the only one…Wish I had known.

 

Local Radio is Clear Channel. Many listeners or advertisers don't bother with ad-infested AM/FM.
Billboards are the domain of lawyers and car dealers last time I went thru LA, not local events, except the casino acts.
Haven't been to a Swap in a while, so can't answer that.
I'd say that GNRS and the father's day Roadster show are institutions, with those that are interested expected to know rough dates and seek it out. You mention being in So Cal. I'd try to find a website that has car-centric gatherings listed.
https://www.ecosia.org/search?method=index&q=southern+california+car+gatherings

 

You guys are hard to please a beautiful roadster that won an award for being a beautiful roadster.

Y'all remember what these shows were like twenty fve ago right?

 

i don't get it, i always heard it was taboo to go fenderless on anything past 1934

just wondering the effect the car would have if they had used the fenders

maybe it could be subjected to the photoshop thread

@themoose

then again, maybe it's taboo to fuck with an AMBR winner

 

anyone take pictures of souvenirs, including official GNRS posters & shirts & dash plaques etc ?

 

We had an incredible time! We spent a week in the area and enjoyed everything except the LA traffic! LOL
The shop tours and open houses were awesome along with everyone we met! It truly was a trip of a lifetime for us!

 

Looks like a Chrysler Prowler to me.

What does that mean to the builders? Absolutely nothing.

 

Is this Jalopies. trust in rust vs The Ridler ? Hatfields and McCoys ? One is built to use and enjoy and other not to be touched. Different strokes ? Is beauty in the eye of the builder ? I think the Ridler 53' Vette-sorta, is beautiful. Like female enhancements, till you touch them.

 

Heres the program, same artwork

 

^^ Thanks

 

Maybe not HAMB friendly, as the workmanship is as good as it gets, but Dan Webb's newest masterpiece is a marvel, with the Craig Naff radiator and shell.

 

I don't know about taboo but people have said it would look "unconventional" and some have attempted it with less than ideal results.
I will say that if someone had told me their intentions of doing something similar as Troy has I would have had to bite my tongue, in this case Troy and team pulled a rabbit out of their collective hats.
As with many builds of this caliber, I do have to wonder how much input came from the owners, many times you hear people say "just do what you think looks right".
This looks right!

 

Remember Posies' Aeroliner.
Yeah, kind of "out there".

 

I would imagine when writing checks with that many zeros on it, there are long detailed discussions. This couple have past winners and another at this very show. I'd imagine that by this time in this case, they have trust and shorthand language to talk about the next one. I'd also assume that there are numerous artist sketches and possibly models to get the lines right for them and others working at this level.

 

This discussion had gone on for ever, it would be interesting to know what people complained about before the invention of the automobile.

 

What the hell, did you feed your horse chili last night?

 

Man, you are weird, Ryan. In a good way ? Yeah, in a good way. Carry on. Hope the Ferrari happens.

Ben

 

I can imagine it was someone grousing about the rising cost of baling wire or the color that his neighbor chose to paint his wagon.

 

Well that was my first chance to attend the AMBR, and it took an air flight of almost 12 hours (and 6000 miles) to get there. We were part of a group of about 30 folk who came to have a great time. And a great time was had by all.

I was impressed, big time, particularly with the quality of (gloss black) paint and the (red leather) upholstery. We went around a bunch of shops and the folk were way friendly and inviting in the week before the show, even tho they were going flat out to get their cars ready. (Not a curmudgeon amongst any of them)

It all depends upon your perspective I guess, but I saw it as a privilege to be there, to meet people and to see the great work they are capable of doing.

 

Horse Shit

 

LMAO!