Is Ronnie and Deb Goodwin’s ’32 Roadster the “perfect hot rod”?   Traditional hot rods hold an aura all their own, influenced by the very earliest rodders who not only wanted to instill some of their own personality in their vehicles, but create true works of art. Ronnie Goodwin understands this influence and after studying hot rodding history, he knew what he had to do.     While Ronnie could understand his buddies loving Tri-five Chevrolets, Corvettes and Mustangs, he was smitten by the all time classic hot rod, the 1932 Ford roadster, a one-off classic that became the darling of hot rodders almost from its introduction. When Henry Ford relented and allowed his Model A to have some needed refinement, the future was set and hot rodding as we know it began in earnest. The Deuce was born.     Ronnie wanted to create the quintessential hot rod, the ’32 roadster that if you woke up in 1957 and looked out the window, this is the car you would see. He was particularly swayed by the likes of Ray Brown and Walker Morrison, early hot rodders whose cars...

High school program gets kids involved in hot rodding   One of the benefits of carrying a media pass at some of the big show events is you have access the regular guy doesn’t have…which is why we write about it and share it here! Heading into the 2014 Grand National Roadster Show I was psyched to see some of the finest iron in the country, all shined up and waiting for the crowds to come and gawk, stare and drool over.   Got caught just a bit off guard, though, inside the main building where the contenders for the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster competition was happening. It was early Friday before the crowds got inside so all the cars  were being set up inside their display areas with the required buffers, wipers and waxers doing their thing on every vehicle.   One display stopped me short because it was being swarmed by what I thought were “high schoolers”…you know those young human beings we old timers don’t get to see too often at rod and custom events. It’s just not natural.         But here they...

2014 Grand National Roadster Show AMBR Winner The First Chevy to win? YES! See the complete list here: Grand National Roadster Show AMBR Winners 2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Winner: 1935 Chevrolet Phaeton owned by Wes Rydell After we started talking about Wes Rydell's 2014 rare Chevy, Mike Lynch got in touch and shared this info with us... From Mike: Most of the media coverage on early Chevrolets in the 1933—1935 era is on the coupes. Few people actually know much about them other than 1934-1935 standard series coupes that were made in glass and quite popular.   I have had my 35 standard series 3 window coupe since 1970.   The 1933 chevrolet line up involves the 107’ wheelbase STANDARD SERIES CC, of which only the 3 window coupe and a 2 door sedan were made and very little of these were sold. The other 1933 Chevrolet made was the MASTER SERIES CA 112” WHEELBASE. A lot of body styles were made… roadster , touring, cabriolet, 3 window coupes, 5 window coupes , 2 door sedans, 4 door sedans, sedan delivery. These outsold the standard series 10-1.   The...

2014 Grand National Roadster Show AMBR Winner Results are in!   2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Winner: 1935 Chevrolet Phaeton owned by Wes Rydell   As always, for any picture: Click to see the full-size image. 2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster In MyRideisMe.com's 7th year at the Grand National Roadster Show, we successfully picked the winner again. (To see the other 2014 America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contenders click here) There's no doubt all 11 hot rods were great builds by passionate owners, but when looking for true beauty in a roadster, this 1935 Chevy Phaeton is another masterpiece!   It took about 30 years for Wes Rydell to finally put together his 1935 Chevy Standard Phaeton, a rare 4-door that has been around his Rydell Toy Shop in Grand Forks, North Dakota just waiting for the right touch. The 2014 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster got that touch not only from designer Chip Foose, but Rydell enlisted builder Troy Trepanier to complete the understated “driver” as he described the AMBR winner during last weekend’s 65th Annual Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California.       To see all Grand National...

Choosing "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" for 2014 Another year at the "Grand-daddy of all hot rod shows, the Grand National Roadster Show. MyRideisMe.com is proud to be here for our seventh year of coverage online. In case you've been sleeping these last 7 years, Grand National Roadster Show, sometimes referred to GNRS, is the best of the west, maybe in the USA (you can decide here) hot rod and custom car show. Every year, the "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" contenders assemble for 1000's of Southern California hot rod enthusiasts to enjoy, bench race and judge. Before most people make it to the show, MyRideisMe likes to give a little preview of who might win the "AMBR" (pronounced "amber") Award and show a few pictures so you can decide.   There are a total of 11 roadsters contending. There were 12, but a very unfortunate accident happened during setup and one car was lost. We were shocked to hear AMBR judge and all around nice guy Vic Cunnyngham was injured as well. BUT! Vic's on the mend already and show promoter John Buck announced he'll be back at the show on...

What Custom Car Show has the TOP Hot Rod?  This contest is CLOSED as of 5/5/13. Thank you. Got an opinion? Speak up now and win a set of Auto Meter Gauges worth $500! I believe: The Ridler Award - handed out at the Detroit Autorama in Feb/March America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) award - handed out in January at the Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) Are the most prestigious car show awards a hot rod or custom car can win. I suspect few, if any, will disagree. Well do ya? Let's talk about it! To settle the score and to check-the-pulse of MyRideisMe.com readers, I've arranged a detailed look at past Ridler and AMBR winners RIGHT HERE. Take yourself back a few years, then answer: Which car show presents the best hot rod or custom? Taken year by year, side by side... pick one! Then at the end of this post, cast your vote and you'll have a chance to win the Auto Meter Gauges. (Click on any picture for a larger, closer look.) I'm also posting links to the contenders (called, "Great 8" in Detroit) for each award for...

Grand National Roadster Show - 2013 AMBR Winner Results are in! More info to follow as I track down owner John Mumford and the team of builders at Roy Brizio Street Rods. For now, please enjoy these pictures! As always, for any picture, click to see the full-size image. 2013 America's Most Beautiful Roadster The Kelly Brown Track 'T' 1927 Ford Roadster According to the show card: Kelly Brown "1978 NHRA Top Fuel World Champion" - For his determination and vision. Special Thanks to: Steve Davis Team Brizio Pete Chapouris Pete Eastwood Kent Fuller Also from the show card: Special Features: V8-60 Ardun Heads Halibrand Culver City Quickchange rearend 4 wheel kinmont disc brakes 1937 Ford tube axle Schroeder Steering I showed you the story: 7 of the best Roadsters contending for 2013 AMBR Award then, here's the rest of the contenders: 5 other roadster trying to win Did the judges pick the right one? Your comments are welcome. Download a long group of photos of this...

The Air up there: 2013 America's Most Beautiful Roadsters   Vote for your favorite below by leaving a comment...   There are a few advantages to being tall. If you can put up with bumping your head hard enough to see stars once in a while, you get shots like these without carrying a step ladder. So... even though I shared the Best 7 AMBR Contenders already, here's another look from up high.   For all pictures, click to see the full-size image. Can't wait?  Click here to see pictures of 2013 AMBR winning roadster America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender - Bad in Black 1932 Hot Rod! America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender - 200+ MPH Bad & Beautiful America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender - Australian Hot Rod America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender - The Kid's Cruiser America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender - Indy Racer's Dream 1932 Hot Rod America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender - Cooper Elegance America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender - Track Nose Champion America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender - Possessed Pickup Which one's most beautiful and which is your favorite? Are you answers different? Feel free to vote for...

America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contenders for 2013 Vote for your favorite below... The Grand National Roadster Show is the best west coast hot rod and custom car show. Anyone want to argue that? I showed you the 7 Roadsters that could win the 2013 AMBR Award but there are 5 other roadster in the show... they're all shown here. I'm not saying these hot rod roadsters aren't all amazing, I'm only saying, they're not likely to win based on my experience and the way I understand the rules. (I don't think the owners would argue... Am I wrong?) Enjoy the pictures and for any picture, click on it to see the full-size image. America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender #8 This is a RACE CAR! The Bonneville Salt Flats have never looked so good than when this 200+ mph beauty rockets down the road! Make no mistake, this roadster is beautiful! Built by the true craftsmen at Rad Rides by Troy, you won't find a nicer race car anywhere (OK, except maybe for Blowfish) but still, this isn't enough to win the AMBR Award. Owned by Mark and Dennis Mariani...

Winning "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" for 2013 Vote for your favorite below... So much has been said here at MyRideisMe.com about the Grand National Roadster Show. In the fewest words, it's the best of the west kicking off 2013. As we've said before... (and I haven't heard any arguments.) This year's America's Most Beautiful Roadster contenders, "AMBR Cars" (pronounced like "amber") total 12 in all. I've got shots of all 12, but without throwing stones and certainly without criticizing, let's be honest: Five of the contenders can't win. If you've been to GNRS before and seen what wins... you can narrow it to 7 and really, I think there's only 4. (We couldn't be happier they changed the AMBR judging rules 2 years ago) So let's get started! Here's the four-with-a-chance plus the three long shots for America's Most Beautiful Roadster: For all pictures, click to see the full-size image. America's Most Beautiful Roadster Contender #1 This was the winner! Click here to open additional pictures. Out of the shoot, here's the 1927 Ford Roadster owned by John Mumford of Woodside, CA. Roy Brizio Street Rods is listed as putting...

Background and Details on the 2012 AMBR Winner How did editors and writers work before Google? I searched for some info on the man who started the 2012 America's Most Beautiful Roadster winning hot rod: Jack Howerton. I found this great video of "Jackie"  from back in the day: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUDD3gph8LM[/youtube] You can really see the expression of Jack's racing past in the AMBR car. Then, I found this great video by Cars.tv from the SoCal shop interviewing Pete Chapouris about the Indy Speedster following the shakedown runs. Needless to say, Pete likes it... [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cmFefotPwg[/youtube] So here it is: America's Most Beautiful Roadster: Bill Lindig's Indy Speedster If you missed them: Past Winners from the Grand National Roadster...

2012 AMBR Winner - The Indy Speedster Enjoy the pictures and for any picture, click on it to see the full-size image. America's Most Beautiful Roadster: Bill Lindig's Indy Speedster I got lucky, or was I good? I managed to find Houston's Bill Lindig while the crowds started pouring into the Fairplex on Friday of the 2012 Grand National Roadster Show. I asked for an interview and the gracious Bill did NOT say, "I'm waiting for Rodder's Journal". I started the interview by saying I think the "Indy Speedster" is this year's AMBR winner. Bill humbly replied, "If the other nine cars don't win, we will." Guess what Bill, you did it! The story of the Indy Speedster goes back 16 years. Bill's friend, Jack Howerton, is an Indy Car and sprint car driver - and builder as you can see - that wanted a race car inspired hot rod like the old sprint cars he used to drive. About 12 years ago, Jack had started the chassis, then the build kinda stalled a little, then Steve Moal from Moal Coachbuilders helped the project along, but when Bill saw it...