Event Coverage 2015 AMBR contenders are up

Who's going to win the trophy?

 

Love it!!!!

 

I would vote for the one that I would buy, and the only one I would buy is Larry Christensen's 32. Seems like I like almost everything that Pinkees builds. Jibs

 

My vote is for Ross Myers 36.You may remember Ross as the owner of the First Love 36 ford coupe that won the Riddler a few years back.That car was built by Rad Rides by Troy.I like that he chose a less well known builder ala George Poteet to do this car.Although this car is much more subdued than First Love it still has lots of detail to draw you in.I hope to see it in person at some point.That being said there are in my view at least three cars that could win.

 

My vote is for the 36, built by Ellis, A great guy!


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Naturally I'll chime in and say that the black 36 gets my vote as well, but my father built it, so I am a tad biased. It contains a subtle aesthetic in spite of the radical louvers; I like it more every time I see it. I should also mention that my dad is a drag-racer at heart, and essentially grew up at Cecil County Drag-way, so one probably detects some of that influence in this car. Here is a better photo:


I'm digging the dark green 29 as well.

 

Beautiful car.Thumbs up Ellis and I will 2nd the great guy part.

 

Yep, the Black '36 gets my Vote!

 

Burt Diehl, Mesa, Arizona.
Builder: Charly’s Garage, Mesa
1926/27 T Roadster

 

Must be bad pictures....the 29 looks ugly as fuck to me.

 

The only traditional car in the running....

 

So who won ?

 

I like the one with the Halibrand wheels. Geez do all these guys stop into the same watering hole after work, or did I just not get the memo.

 

Yeah..........was he said.

 

Alloway built, stretched '33.

 

Who cares? The contenders this year were not that great.

 

Alloway built 33 won AMBR.

 

AMBR 2015 Larry Olson's Alloway-built '33

 

Little hemi and a straight axle.....could have been something worse.

 

Here in the Denver area, we have a Super Golden Cruise once a month in the good weather. Christensen has more than once been there with his Deuce. Driving around, cruising, just having fun. How many of the other AMBR contenders do you think actually drive those cars more than in and out of a garage or trailer?

 

Not to mention, painted black with flames.

 

Being that this is a traditional site with that proven aesthetic to judge all else; I read comments on here that often remind me of what was said in the locker room in a military school where I played pee wee football. Not only are they juvenile, but tinged with the kind of ignorance that Ryan fights against when people either don't know, or don't give a shit about the fine line that separates heritage from the kind of ignorance that passes for entertainment and information in the modern mainstream media. We should be better at seeing and describing the AMBR contenders based on education into what is part of our past, and the kind of show it is. After the first winner it has almost all been downhill if you're looking for anything that reflects the 'real' world. Those who judge these shows have their own criteria that does not correspond to ours, unfortunately; and even though 'show' cars have a tradition, they are like the girls who skate in roller derbies. While they look good and are full of Wheaties something is missing that makes you want to really love them in any normal way you would love other women. I call this the 'x' factor. Very few cars that compete for trophies are built to really drive; they look the same way movie stars do in the movies, being carefully crafted exaggerations that are bigger than life. Yet they miss the 'x' factor, having in the end a kind of lifelessness about them that speaks of doing things for the judges, rather than for the cars, driver, or owner when the builders begin the long road from vague dream to the hard cold reality of getting the glory and fame of being a winner. When it is about winning a beauty contest, bigger, flashier, brighter, more chrome and more everything ends up with exaggerations of the basic premise of a hot rod roadster. That is why they always leave something to be desired to those of us who only think in terms of being behind the wheel of our own dream: a traditional car that can be driven like the Devil himself was after us, and still work like a watch afterwards, even without having nightmares about the condition of the paint because of the detour we took to avoid the zombie crossing.

 

First, congratulations to Messer's Olson and Alloway, and the team of craftsman who built the winning car.

After looking at all the cars (in photos), from purely what grabbed me - one or two were there, several more seemed to interchange with any recent year, and quite frankly several I just didn't understand. When looking at this type of thing I try not to get tied up in the HAMB style criteria - my own tastes run to the traditional, but I appreciate fine craftsmanship, and good design, in whatever form it takes. But even acknowledging that, and after looking through all the assorted GNRS threads, for me the three cars that really reached out and grabbed me this year - were all coupes. Two new builds, and one restoration of an Icon. But everyone is grabbed by something different.

 

The Dale Fode roadster was the very best this year, handbuilt everything and a superb stance, sound, etc.

 

Congratulations to one of our own, HAMBer (GOATROPER02) Tony Lombardi over at Ross Racing Engines, for building 'Most Outstanding Engine' at the Grand National Roadster show.

His attention to detail is amazing and despite some of the comments I have seen on HAMB about trophy cars not being drivers this engine can be driven, and hard.

 

That engine is amazing!


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