They don't call it the "Roadster Show" for nuthin'! This year's AMBR contention was tight, but in the end, it was Charlie Lambetecchio's (Fresno, CA) modern-styled '36 Ford that took home top honors. Very slick ride, indeed.
Recipient of the Barris Custom d'Elegance: John Babcock's '40 Merc. This car's a pure work of art from the nostalgic mind of Don Lowe. From the awe-inspiring grille to the swimming-pool-deep metallic paint, the car was simply amazing, even with a late-model IFS and small-block power!
John D'Agostino stepped up his annual pace this year with two customs representing two completely different eras. "Gable," his '40 Packard, was about as Hollywood a custom as you can get. Can you image this beauty rolling down Sunset just before WWII?
Moving up a few decades, his '67 Eldo "El Conquistador" looked all the part of a '60s show car custom. Look for more on the Cad in an upcoming issue.
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Pomoakland?
What's the Grand National Roadster Show Doing in SoCal? We'll Show You!
By Rob Fortier
Photography: Rob Fortier , Eric Geisert , Nick Licata
For nearly as long as time itself, if you were going to the Grand National Roadster Show, you were going to Northern California, be it Oakland or San Francisco. As you may or may not know by now, the Bay Area turf war is over--the Roadster Show now officially calls Pomona, California, home.
So why SoCal, you may ask? Well, it's pretty simple when you really think about it--NorCal has its share of indoor events, from the Fresno and Sacramento Autoramas to the San Francisco Rod, Custom, and Motorcycle Show. During the winter months, it can get pretty lonely down in the lower regions of the state, and Dan Cyr Enterprises saw the perfect opportunity to capitalize on that by moving the Roadster Show to the Fairplex at Pomona, otherwise known as the L.A. County Fairgrounds, or simply Pomona! For most everyone down south, it was long-overdue yet highly welcomed news--it's been almost since the days of the indoor venues in Los Angeles and Long Beach (decades ago) that we SoCal folk have been able to enjoy a show like this without having to make hotel reservations and take time off work!
Obviously, we eagerly awaited the weekend of January 23-25, and it seems people outside of Southern California felt the same way. Once the gates of the Fairplex opened Friday morning and curious spectators began to wander through the various buildings filled door-to-door with hot rods, customs, and motorcycles, you knew the Roadster Show was home! And, according to Dan Cyr Enterprises, it's claiming Pomona as home turf for the long run.
Now, while we were more concerned with the customs in attendance, and there were quite a few to say the least, there is the "big award" associated with the Grand National that we can't overlook--America's Most Beautiful Roadster. And while all the hype may have been buzzing around the Discovery Channel build-off between SO-CAL Speed Shop's Ardun '32 and Street Rod Repair Company's phantom '36, when the name was announced on Sunday, it wound up being Charlie Lambetecchio's yellow and silver '36 Ford roadster, the same one that picked up the biggie at Frisco as well as a few other notable recognitions. Many were skeptical of the final decision, but in the long run, when it came down to each nut and bolt, the '36 was hard to beat. As for the Barris Custom d'Elegance, it wound up going to an early period-style custom, and much deservedly so. The Don Lowe-built '40 Merc belonging to John Babcock went away with the prize. This car, friends, is an absolute work of art!
We hope you enjoy the photos of the newly christened SoCal Grand National Roadster Show--still the Granddaddy of Them All--nearly as much as we enjoyed attending. Maybe we'll see you there next year!
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