DOME ALONE
August 22, 2024
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Spotlighter
Hot Rod Royalty: A Half-Century of AMBR & Al Slonaker Winners
Step into the ultimate showcase of custom craftsmanship at the 75th Grand National Roadster Show.
Hot rod history hit overdrive at the 2025 Grand National Roadster Show, celebrating its 75th anniversary with a killer lineup in Building 9. The big deal? A special exhibit packed with 50 years' worth of America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) and Al Slonaker Memorial Award winners. Teaming up with the Petersen Automotive Museum, GNRS pulled together some of the most legendary roadsters ever to roll out of a garage.
Author
Jamie Dent
Photography by Scott Killeen
A Walk Through Hot Rod Evolution
Step inside, and it was like jumping into a time machine fueled by leaded gas and old-school craftsmanship. The exhibit laid out the entire arc of hot rod and custom car design, from the swoopy 1920s and ‘30s builds to the radical, boundary-pushing creations of the ‘80s and today. Every car on display was a snapshot of its era—telling the story of trends, tech, and the gearheads who made it all happen.
A Salute to the Builders
The real magic of GNRS? The guys (and gals) behind the wrenches. This display wasn’t just about cars—it was about the builders and owners who turned visions into reality. Each roadster on display was a rolling tribute to the passion, sweat, and sheer willpower that make the custom car world what it is.
See the Metal for Yourself
We know you wanna see these machines up close—so check out our exclusive photo gallery packed with every insane detail. Click through, and soak up the glory of 50 years of hot rod history.
2017 AMBR Winner – 1936 Packard “Mulholland Speedster”
Bruce Wanta’s 1936 Packard “Mulholland Speedster” is the kind of car that makes you stop dead in your tracks. Built by Troy Ladd and Hollywood Hot Rods, designed by Eric Black, and inspired by ’30s-era coachbuilt luxury, it started life as a rusted-out Packard coupe. But Wanta had a vision—something elegant, something wild, something with the most beautiful grille ever put on a car. What followed was a six-year, no-expense-spared build, with hand-formed sheet metal, a disappearing hardtop, a figure-8 chassis, and a supercharged Lincoln V-12. Every detail, from the handmade headlights to the engine-turned dash, was obsessively crafted, because this thing wasn’t just built to look pretty—it was built to take home trophies.
And that’s exactly what it did. The Packard shocked everyone at the 2017 Grand National Roadster Show, taking America’s Most Beautiful Roadster and proving that you don’t need a ‘32 Ford to win big. Then it went on a rampage, sweeping Custom D’Elegance, World’s Most Beautiful Custom, the Legend Cup, and anything else in its path. It’s got the elegance of a classic Duesenberg and the engineering chops of a Bonneville racer. But here’s the best part—Wanta didn’t build it to be a trailer queen. He built it to drive. And that’s exactly what he plans to do.
1960 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster – 1929 Ford Roadster “Emperor”
Chuck Krikorian didn’t set out to build a show car—he just wanted to go fast. Back in the late ‘50s, he dropped a ‘29 Ford roadster body onto ‘31 Model A rails with plans to hit the dragstrip. But with some nudging from Richard Peters and Blackie Gejeian, the project took a sharp turn toward full-blown show car status. With help from George Barris, the build went next-level—channeling, a custom grille, chromed-out chassis, and a six-carb Cadillac V8 that looked as good as it ran.
The result? America’s Most Beautiful Roadster, 1960. Blackie even wrung it out at Kingdon Drag Strip, blasting through the quarter at 106 mph before grenading the engine. Decades later, The Emperor is still kicking—no fenders, fatter tires, and a few tweaks, but otherwise a time capsule of hot rod history. Long live The Emperor!
1975 Al Slonaker Memorial Award winner – John Buterra’s 1926 Ford Model-T Sedan
Lil’ John Buttera didn’t do flashy—he did precise. His 1926 Ford Tudor, built in 1974, looked simple but packed wild innovation under the skin. A hand-built space-frame chassis, fully independent suspension, billet uprights, and a Chrisman-built small-block Ford made it a stealth engineering masterpiece. Inside, it had a Cadillac dash, Tony Nancy upholstery, and automatic-dimming lights. Borrani wires and root beer metallic paint kept it clean, but make no mistake—this thing was built to drive. Buttera finished it six hours before a cross-country haul to the Street Rod Nationals, where it ran perfectly and snagged Best Interior.
At a glance, it blended in. But when Rod & Custom’s Tom Medley told a skeptical editor to “look closer,” the guy was blown away. Hot Rod put it on the December ‘74 cover, Revell turned it into a model kit, and Steve Coonan called it the first truly pro-built street rod. Buttera, the father of billet, rewrote the rulebook and left his fingerprints on countless AMBR winners. He passed in 2008, but his influence? Still everywhere—sometimes, you just have to look twice.
1984 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster – 1927 Ford Roadster “California Star”
When Don Varner and Ron Covell teamed up on the California Star, they didn’t just build a hot rod—they built controversy. This 1984 AMBR-winning roadster threw tradition out the window, ditching old car parts for a fully hand-formed aluminum body, a mid-engine layout, and a chassis built from scratch. It set a new bar for craftsmanship, proving that winning Oakland wasn’t about dolled-up old metal anymore. Purists hated it, but there was no denying the Ferrari Red lacquered masterpiece was next-level. From Porsche rack-and-pinion steering to a turbo Chevy Citation powerplant, it blurred the line between hot rod and race car—ruffling feathers in the process.
Love it or hate it, California Star changed the game. It was a fully realized vision, sculpted over years with zero compromises, and remains one of Ron Covell’s most ambitious builds. Today, it sits with longtime caretaker Steve Lykken, still flawless, a testament to the elite craftsmanship that made it legendary. The debate over whether it’s a “real” hot rod? Still going. But as long as AMBR winners push the limits, the California Star will always be one of the most important builds in street rod history.
1955 America’s Most Beautiful Roadsters – The First-Ever AMBR Tie in 1955
In 1955, the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) award went into full-blown chaos when the judges couldn’t pick a winner, leading to the first-ever tie in the history of the show. The two roadsters that earned that prestigious title were Blackie Gejeian’s 1926 Ford Roadster and Ray Anderegg’s 1927 Ford Roadster, and they couldn’t have been more different. Gejeian’s “Shishkabob” was a lean, mean, hot rod machine that brought a whole new level of sleek design to the table. Built with a custom frame and body modifications, the car sat low and wide, sporting a look that was pure aggression. Pop the hood, and you’d find a high-performance engine lurking beneath, with every square inch of the engine bay detailed to perfection. Inside, the custom upholstery didn’t just look good – it had the kind of finesse that made you think the car was built for a show but could still smoke the competition on the street.
Ray Anderegg’s 1927 Ford Roadster was a different beast altogether. Built from a 1927 Ford Coupe, Ray didn’t just chop the roof off – he hacked up the body to get the proportions just right, shortening the doors and shifting the rear axle back. It wasn’t about just looking cool – this thing was built with purpose. Under the hood, you’ll find a powerful engine to match the roadster’s bold design. The paint job? In 1959, Ray went full throttle with a lime/gold metallic finish that made it pop even more. He ditched the hood and hood sides, making this car stand out even more at shows. It was a car that screamed personality from every angle, and even with its shiny new paint job, it still carried that “racer” vibe.
Both roadsters were stars in their own right, setting the bar for the hot rod community. Their shared victory showed just how diverse and creative the hot rod world could be, and it paved the way for decades of innovation that would follow. These two cars didn’t just win the AMBR; they became symbols of everything that was good about American custom car culture in the mid-’50s. Their timeless craftsmanship and bold designs would go on to inspire countless builders and enthusiasts, leaving a lasting legacy in the world of hot rodding.
1989 & 1991 AMBR winner – Two-Time Winner 1925 Ford Roadster “Golden Star”
Some roadsters win America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) once and fade into history. Others, like Ermie Immerso’s 1925 Ford “Golden Star,” take the crown twice—in 1989 and 1991—and become legends. This wasn’t just another pretty show car; it packed a 1965 Ford DOHC Indy racing engine, proving that beauty and brute force could go hand in hand. Immerso built it with the same precision and performance mindset that defined his career, making it one of the most respected AMBR winners ever.
Golden Star wasn’t just ahead of its time—it rewrote the rulebook. The combination of cutting-edge engineering, race-bred power, and flawless execution set a new bar for AMBR contenders. It was more than just a showpiece; it was a statement that hot rods could be both meticulously crafted and brutally fast. Decades later, it’s still one of the most talked-about and admired winners in AMBR history.
1992 AMBR winner – 1929 Ford Roadster Built by Boyd Coddington
Some AMBR winners get pampered in climate-controlled garages, and then there’s Dennis Varni’s 1929 Ford highboy, a 1992 AMBR champion that actually gets driven. Originally built in 1971, Varni decided in 1990 that it was time for a refresh, and who better to handle it than Boyd Coddington? With sheet metal shaped by Ron Covell and final touches from Kindig-It, this roadster became one of the most iconic and roadworthy AMBR winners ever.
Built on a custom chassis with Boydster independent suspension, this torsion bar-equipped, 5-speed manual beast packs a polished aluminum engine under a three-piece aluminum hood. It was also one of the last cars to roll out of Boyd’s shop, sporting the final set of one-off wheels from Boyd’s custom wheel shop. Finished in Boyd’s Red, the roadster is a rolling tribute to hot rod royalty, built by legends, owned by a guy who actually drives it, and still turning heads decades later.
2020 Al Slonaker Award winner – 1936 Willys Pickup “Model 77”
Ron Ernsberger’s ‘36 Willys pickup, built by The Tin Man’s Garage, is a wild, hand-built monster that oozes both style and performance. It’s the result of eight years of blood, sweat, and fabrication, with a custom chrome moly tube chassis and a whole lot of modifications that make this thing a true one-of-a-kind. Under the hood, you’ve got a 498ci Arias V6 Hemi with stack injection—basically, it’s got enough power to make your hair stand up. That power’s hooked to a Tremec TKO five-speed and pushed to the road through a straight-axle front suspension and Dana 70 rear axle. Plus, everything is polished to a mirror finish, making this thing as sharp under the hood as it is on the outside.
The body? It’s been totally reworked from the stock Model 77, with a mix of subtle and major mods that make it stand out. Adam Krause at The Refinery laid down that red paint, and it shines like the devil’s fire. Inside, Schober’s Custom Hot Rod Interiors took things up a notch with some diamond-pattern stitching and a layout that’s ready for business. This ‘36 Willys is more than just a truck; it’s a gasser-style beast that’s built to turn heads and tear up the pavement.
