Thread: Grand National Roadster Show

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First off, I was not at the GNRS, so maybe I'm not qualified to speak on the subject....................but that never stopped me before. I have seen a lot of pictures posted elsewhere of this year's show and have come to the conclusion that I really could care less about lots of the cars displayed there. I also think the roadster that won Americas Most Beautiful Roadster is pretty ugly.

I think this show has turned into something that most people can not relate to. Yeah, there are lots of high dollar cars dressed in multi-thousand dollar paint jobs, but do they really interest any of you? Kinda reminds me of going to a Rolls Royce dealership and looking at the new models on the showroom floor........ all shiny and new,and very expensive, but who cares.

On the other hand, I have seen lots of pictures from the Suede Palace section and those cars were great. Most look like cars that could actually be driven, and be built in one of our garages. More like cars I would actually want to own.

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that we all have opinions and all that stuff, but what do you think? Here are a couple of pictures of the winner.

Don

About the only thing I like is the color. I don't think there has ever been any fuel in the tank, just pushed on and off the trai;ler. I like my cars to be driven.
BradC

Originally Posted by BradC

About the only thing I like is the color. I don't think there has ever been any fuel in the tank, just pushed on and off the trai;ler. I like my cars to be driven.
BradC

this car was at detroit last year for the riddler , it has been started ,under its own power went forward , and backwards . then drained of fluids .
plus i agree i think the car is ugly and no style .
i think lobecks gold 40 was a better looking car .

I think it is obvious from the photos, that this car has a very high degree of craftsmanship. It also shares common traits with earlier winners, a degree of restyling, attention to detail, and of course a bold presentation. I would not call it ugly....unless you just don't like '32 highboys.....because it still has that classic shape and stance.

The problem for me is that it looks like "just another" '32 highboy, maybe a little shinier, and if I saw it at a show, all I would remember would be the seats......and that is not good!

In my personal opinion, I would say, the wheels are little too big, the seats are a negative, and the car lacks that "individual character" that I love to see. i.e. it needs something more...a simple, tasteful, but unique bit of styling or graphics, that would give is a memorable quality.

Remember, this would not be a winner if it did not attempt to show the public something out-of-the-ordinary. If "ordinary" were the requirement to win, the show promotoers would need about 10,000 trophies.

As far a "positives", I like the work on the interior side of the doors, and great craftsmanship is something I always admire. Also, gold is a "value color", which would be a logical choice if you want a quality appearance, but this light of a shade just looks like it's faded, or almost like beige, which is a "neutral color" lacking much personality.

Some people like to parrot the phrase "less is more"....but too much less is bad too. This car is competing for the most coveted prize in the history of hot rod show trophies. It should look like a car that deserves to be on top!

Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT

I think it is obvious from the photos, that this car has a very high degree of craftsmanship. It also shares common traits with earlier winners, a degree of restyling, attention to detail, and of course a bold presentation. I would not call it ugly....unless you just don't like '32 highboys.....because it still has that classic shape and stance.

The problem for me is that it looks like "just another" '32 highboy, maybe a little shinier, and if I saw it at a show, all I would remember would be the seats......and that is not good!

In my personal opinion, I would say, the wheels are little too big, the seats are a negative, and the car lacks that "individual character" that I love to see. i.e. it needs something more...a simple, tasteful, but unique bit of styling or graphics, that would give is a memorable quality.

Remember, this would not be a winner if it did not attempt to show the public something out-of-the-ordinary. If "ordinary" were the requirement to win, the show promotoers would need about 10,000 trophies.

As far a "positives", I like the work on the interior side of the doors, and great craftsmanship is something I always admire. Also, gold is a "value color", which would be a logical choice if you want a quality appearance, but this light of a shade just looks like it's faded, or almost like beige, which is a "neutral color" lacking much personality.

Some people like to parrot the phrase "less is more"....but too much less is bad too. This car is competing for the most coveted prize in the history of hot rod show trophies. It should look like a car that deserves to be on top!

once you see the car in person you will have a different view , and if the top is on..... WOW

and yes it is a 32 BUT , they have modified for the sake of change not to make the car better .

I am sure it "sparkles"! If it didn't, they would not have given him the award.

As harsh and rude as some internet personalities can be, nobody can deny that the cars that win this award are built to extreme levels of workmanship......though plenty of "self proclaimed experts" will disagree.

I was just offering some thoughts based on my own perception of the overall design.

I realized when I posted this that my views were coming from someone who couldn't turn out this degree of detail ever in his life, kinda like me criticizing Donald Trump for the way he conducts business. But, let's face it, we all do have our opinions of good/bad, pretty/ugly, etc. I like redheads, you like blondes..............

What turns me off about this car primarily are the Donk wheels and tires, and pretty much the overall bling bling look to it. Maybe the same was said in the old days when cars like Barris' Ala Kart won, because it was not a practical hot rod.

All I know is that I would have spent the majority of my time in the Suede Palace looking at all the neat cars on display there. But, that is just me........

Don

Don, those comments were not pointed at anyone on this site. You guys are real gentlemen compared to other sites!

I have quit a couple of them, due to the rudeness. I think what bothers me the most is that it is tolerated by their moderators.

BTW...I like redheads AND blondes.....

......and brunettes, and bald women, and...

We just went to the Chicago show---I was disappointed that there weren't more cars there of both ends of the specdrom--there was one of the eight from Riddler last year there--I didn't care for it

Of course I was tremendously disappointed because a 32 5w that we built the chassis and drive train didn't get the interior finished in time for the show-It is an in your face hotrod that has something to look at everywhere you look--built as a hot rod that is a contender for best of show--not a trailer queen , but a driver---of course anyone who drives to the Chicago show in this Jan weather should be arrested or committed!!!!

I can appreciate the handiwork/craftsmanship of others but so many seem to follow the guidelines of a guy I knew years ago saying"give me a D/A and a can of bondo and I can do anything"

We have won several awards over the years but my favorites are the Best Appearing, Best Engineered along with Low ET and Top MPH

Jerry

PS and some Top Eliminator awards also

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Maybe the same was said in the old days when cars like Barris' Ala Kart won, because it was not a practical hot rod.

Some irony? The newly restored Ala Kart was just across the aisle from this....uh....car. And on some forums the whine is that the Ala Kart didn't win "as it should have"!

In a way there's nothing new here, depending on your view we've been down this road before. Through the late '60s, and into the '70s there were some winners of questionable taste. Exotic, spacey designs, psychedelic paint schemes, lots of froo froo...... For those of us that are more aligned with traditional style cars the light didn't shine again until 1978 when Phil Cool's '32 hiboy won the title (more irony? I heard his car was on display there this year as well). Fads come and go, and as kenny said, some stuff is done just for the sake of doing rather than for an artistic/stylistic/funtional purpose. Just like at the other end of the spectrum where some are tiring of the cookie-cutter, deep channeled, rusty sedan look (yawwwnnn!)

Anyway, here's a pic for kenny with the top on, sorry, best I could find so far.

Since we are talking about personal preferrence, I never cared for the Ala Kart design. It was too overdone for me,.... but that was Barris' style.

In a "side story",.... a few years ago, a friend had decided to buy the burned Ala Kart, and was able to pay the price, but did not get to it in time. I was already negotiating with him for the job of restoring it! While I thought it was overdone, I do respect the car's reputation, and achievements, and would have considered it an honor to do the job.

Do I think past winners should win this award twice?.....No. If it is to retain it's position as the highest award, it would be a mistake to move backward, instead of forward. Also it would take away the "suspense" of which new effort will win this highly prized award.

Well, here is my two cents on this award winner. I spent the better part of 4 days there and looked at every car, I think, for a reasonable amount of time. I watched the judging on the MBR. I listened to them when I could get close and there were some interesting comments, that I won't repeat. But I have to tell you some of the judges feel the same way that has been expressed on this post. I came to the conclusion after watching what they look at, is there personal likes dislikes can not come into play, they judge on specifics only. I couldn't be a judge, I know that. I'm to closed minded on my likes and dislikes (I only like brunettes).
Well here goes,I will be as honest as I can! I wouldn't PISS on that thing if it was on fire.
Ken

[QUOTE=HOTRODPAINT]Don, those comments were not pointed at anyone on this site. You guys are real gentlemen compared to other sites!

I knew that Jay...........you always go out of your way to make your points in the kindest way possible. I felt there would be people on both sides of this award, and maybe my term "ugly" was inappropriate too. Maybe "not my cup of tea" would have been better.

What did you guys think of this car? I think it is really sharp. Jay, just out of curiousity, what would a paint job like this cost, I mean on the frame, suspension, and all?

Don

[QUOTE=Itoldyouso]

Originally Posted by HOTRODPAINT

Don, those comments were not pointed at anyone on this site. You guys are real gentlemen compared to other sites!

I knew that Jay...........you always go out of your way to make your points in the kindest way possible. I felt there would be people on both sides of this award, and maybe my term "ugly" was inappropriate too. Maybe "not my cup of tea" would have been better.

What did you guys think of this car? I think it is really sharp. Jay, just out of curiousity, what would a paint job like this cost, I mean on the frame, suspension, and all?

Don

cost to paint something like this .... 80.000.00 pesos.

Originally Posted by Ken Thurm

Well, here is my two cents on this award winner. I spent the better part of 4 days there and looked at every car, I think, for a reasonable amount of time. I watched the judging on the MBR. I listened to them when I could get close and there were some interesting comments, that I won't repeat. But I have to tell you some of the judges feel the same way that has been expressed on this post. I came to the conclusion after watching what they look at, is there personal likes dislikes can not come into play, they judge on specifics only. I couldn't be a judge, I know that. I'm to closed minded on my likes and dislikes (I only like brunettes).
Well here goes,I will be as honest as I can! I wouldn't PISS on that thing if it was on fire.
Ken

did you take any photos of the other cars that should have been in the running for the AMBR ? i know BOB did so post them .