Suppose you dropped a book but when you picked it up it fell open to your place. The Grand National Roadster Show did just that by coming back to normal after losing a year to the lockdown. The buildings at the Fairplex this year were again filled with cars, vendors and spectators as they were in 2020.
The 72nd show, January 28-30 featured 11 contenders for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster and 12 contenders for the Slonaker Award. The Grand Daddy Cruise-in was expanded to three days and a large gathering of ’32 Fords was held outside to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the popular hot rod. Look below in the Friday posting for the contenders and winners of the AMBR and Slonaker awards. Also below are photos from the gathering of the ’32 Fords.
Again, one entire building was devoted to a feature vehicle, this time “A gathering of Hot VW’s” and there were a lot of amazing VW’s. Below is the BIGGEST VW we’ve ever seen. The guy standing next to it for scale is about 6′. But the license plate says it all “HUGE BUG”.
This Bug bus went the other way – it started as a 23 window VW bus and it’s been shortened
There were a lot of amazing VW’s on display.
There were a lot of nice cars at the drive-in .
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One interesting car at the drive-in was a tribute to the Paradise Fire. The top photo shows a 1973 VW Thing sitting abandoned after the Paradise Fire. The car was burned November 8, 2018.
Jon Winters got a hold the burned out Thing and rebuilt the running gear, electric, etc. The Thing now sits on a fully restored Ghia chassis. The exterior of the car was straightened a bit and sprayed with a clear coat. The car is now driveable and makes the rounds. The rectangular hunk of metal sitting on the folded down window is the original license plate – post fire.
Another popular stop was the Suede Palace. This building houses customs and rat rods.
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SUNDAY; posted last day of show
2022 AMERICA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL ROADSTER – JEFF BREAULT’S 1934 CHEVROLET ROADSTER
Congratulations to Jeff Breault and the team at Devlin Rod & Customs on winning America’s Most Beautiful Roadster.
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Pat Gauntt’s 1932 Ford Coupe is the Al Slonaker Memorial Award winner. Hollywood Hot Rods is the builder.
All the contenders for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster and the Slonaker Award can be seen below. As always the competition is fierce for these awards.
The culmination of the Grand National Roadster Show is the presentation of the awards and selection of America’s Most Beautiful Roadster, but the rest of the week-end had plenty to offer.
As shown below, this year marks the 90th anniversary of the 1932 Ford – the Deuce – and the Grand National Roadster Show held a gathering.
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FRIDAY; posted first day of show
The 72nd Grand National Roadster Show roared back to life after it’s forced shut-down in 2021. When the show opened Friday morning the buildings were full of cars and vendors and by noon it was obvious that even a virus can’t dampen the spirit of car enthusiasts.
There are 11 cars contending for the coveted title of America’s Most Beautiful Roadster and, as always, the winner is not obvious because each roadster is spectacular. Below are the contenders.
This 1932 Ford roadster belongs to Henry Verbeck of The Villages, Florida.
This 1929 Dodge roadster came from Surrey, BC Canada and is owned by Ewald Penner.
Joe Dooling brought this 1932 Ford roadster from Freeport, Texas.
This 1927 Ford roadster is owned by Edward McSweeney of Newhall, California.
Joe Faso of Stockton, California owns this 1935 Ford roadster.
John Mumford of Portola Valley, California owns this 1933 Ford roadster.
This 1928 Model A Ford roadster is owned by Ryan Root of Wyandotte, Michigan.
A 1932 Ford roadster from Wellington, Texas owned by Robert Owens, Jr.
Kevin Williams from Long Beach, California owns this 1932 Ford roadster.
This 1934 Edsel 40 Speedster roadster is owned by Bruce Wanta of Bellevue, Washington.
This 1934 Chevrolet roadster came from Wichita, Kansas with Jeff Breault.
The announcement of America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) occurs Sunday night. The AMBR award is open for all United States built roadsters, roadster pick-ups and touring vehicles 1937 and older. The winner’s name is added to the perpetual 9 foot trophy.
The above ’32 Ford roadster was the 2020 AMBR winner and is owned by Monte Belsham of Houston, BC.
Above is the newly restored 1953 AMBR winner originally owned by Dick Willams.
The Al Slonaker Memorial Award is given each year in addition to the AMBR award. This year, twelve hot rods, trucks, customs, street machines and VW’s are competing for the Slonaker Award. This award is given in memory of Al Slonaker the founder of the Grand National Roadster Show.
Below are the Slonaker Award contenders.
This 1936 Ford Cabriolet is owned by Tim Frey of Lodi, California.
This 1932 Ford Coupe came from Nipomo, California with Jim Forteiny.
A 1961 Chevrolet Impala from Marietta, Georgia and is owned by Dan Duffy.
This 1969 Chevrolet Camaro is owned by Jesse Lindberg of Anderson, California.
This 1956 Chevrolet truck is owned by Ken Fontes from Arroyo Grande, California.
This 1932 Ford 3 Window Coupe came from Lafayette, Louisiana and is owned by Sonny Freeman.
This 1955 Volkswagen convertible is owned by Art Shapiro of Claremont, California.
This 1958 Chevrolet Corvette is owned by John Bollier of Molalla, Oregon.
A 1940 Chevrolet Suburban owned by Amadeo Angelo of Gold Creek, Montana.
This 1952 Volkswagen sedan is owned by Gary Stell, Jr. of Corona, Calfiornia.
A 1932 Ford coupe owned by Pat Gauntt of Burbank, California.
This 1937 LaSalle Series 50 coupe is owned by Garrett Jedlicki of Chanhassen, Minnesota.
This is the Al Slonaker Memorial award that one of the contenders will take home with him on Sunday evening.
This 1936 Willys pick up owned by Ron Ernsberger of Napoleon, Ohio was the 2020 Slonaker award winner.
Typically the Grand Daddy Drive-in has typically been held on Saturday and Sunday. This year Friday was included in what is now the 16th annual Grand Daddy Drive-in. Over the week-end somewhere around 1,000 cars are showcased between the buildings and around the show grounds.
This year at the GNRS a large number of ’32 Fords gathered to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Duece.
