Naked Ambition: Bare Metal Builds at GNRS 2025
March 13, 2025
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Spotlighter
Masterclass in Metal: The Battle for the Al Slonaker Memorial Award
A Look at the Elite Builders and Machines Competing for Top Honors
The 75th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Grand National Roadster Show, presented by Meguiar’s, went full throttle this year, bringing out some of the most insane custom cars the hot rod world has ever seen. Sure, the AMBR award gets all the press, but the real hardcore builders know that the Al Slonaker Memorial Award is where true engineering battles happen. This isn’t just about looking pretty—this is about pushing the limits of fabrication, design, and flat-out mechanical genius.
Author
Jamie Dent
Photography by Scott Killeen
The Al Slonaker Legacy
Al Slonaker was the guy who started it all, and this award honors the cars that don’t fit the roadster mold but still blow minds. Think radical customs, over-the-top restomods, and builds so clean you’d swear they were machined from a single block of billet. Winning this award means your car isn’t just good—it’s a game-changer.
The Contenders
Twelve wicked builds rolled into Pomona, each one gnarlier than the last. The lineup this year included a ‘33 Pontiac, De Tomaso Pantera, VW Thing, International Pickup, Ford F100, ‘35 Chevy, Ford Fairlane, and a ‘38 Chevy Canopy Express—a wild mix of old-school cool and modern muscle. These cars weren’t just built to turn heads; they were designed to make jaws hit the floor.
Judges got up close and personal, checking every weld, every panel gap, every piece of trim. The paint had to be flawless, the stance had to be perfect, and the drivetrain had to be as wild as the rest of the build. No shortcuts, no excuses—just pure automotive excellence.
The Showdown
The crowds knew something special was happening. Every Slonaker contender had a story, and every builder brought their A-game. These weren’t just cars—they were rolling pieces of art, built with the kind of passion that makes grown men stare for hours. Whether it was a trick suspension setup, a one-off chassis, or an engine bay that looked too clean to actually run, these builds represented the absolute best of custom fabrication.
Al Slonaker Award Winner 2025
1933 Pontiac “Aurabella”
Andy Leach and the team at Cal Auto Creations brought this jaw-dropping ’33 Pontiac “Aurabella” to the competition, and when it rolled into the building, it was clear that it was something special. After seven years of painstaking craftsmanship, the hard work paid off—this masterpiece took home the 2025 Al Slonaker Award, cementing its place among the best of the best.
Built for owner Bill Barbato, who has a deep love for this particular year, make, and model, the project began with the challenge of even finding a suitable starting point. Once in hand, every body panel was reshaped, slimmed, chopped, and smoothed to perfection, creating a silhouette that looks factory—but far better than anything that ever left Pontiac’s assembly line. The interior and undercarriage are just as stunning as the exterior, and under the hood sits a proper Pontiac powerplant—a 400ci V8, backed by a modern 4L80E transmission. A true blend of heritage, craftsmanship, and innovation, this build is everything the Slonaker Award represents. CLICK HERE to see our extended coverage of the AL Slonaker Award Winner.
1971 Volkswagen Thing
This Porsche-Volkswagen mashup had the judges talking, and for good reason—it’s not every day you see a Thing turned into a high-performance rally machine. Built by Ron Jones Garage in Windsor, Colorado, the only original piece left from the ’71 VW Thing they started with is the windshield frame. Everything else? Hand-formed, CNC-machined, and purpose-built to answer the question: What if Porsche had built a VW Thing to compete in the Paris-Dakar Rally?
The heart of this beast is an air-cooled 3.2-liter Porsche flat-six, paired with a 996-era 911 transaxle and all-wheel-drive system. That combo cranks out over 300 horsepower—more than enough to make this 2,600-pound machine a total riot. Porsche DNA is everywhere, from the plaid-upholstered seats to the 911 RS steering wheel. It’s wild to think that a custom VW Thing could reach this level of performance and show-car perfection, but Ron and his crew absolutely nailed it.
“The Ardun Killer Coupe” 1932 Ford 3-Window
Cody Walls’ Deuce coupe is a total knockout, and that cool blue fade paint job is just the beginning. Look past the flawless finish, and you’ll find some seriously unique choices that set this build apart. The wheel and tire package nails the stance, the interior features Christmas tree tinsel woven into the carpet (seriously), and under the hood? That’s where things get really interesting.
Cody, the owner and builder, calls this coupe the Ardun Killer, and for good reason. Instead of the usual flathead, he went with a Chevrolet inline-six topped with a Wayne cross-flow cylinder head—pure vintage speed equipment gold. A Toploader transmission backs it up, making this one of the most unique powertrain combos in the field. Cody worked with designer Eric Black to bring this vision to life, and the result is a ride that looks as mean as it is innovative.
1973 DeTomaso Pantera
Greg Paboojian’s build stands out in this group of contenders for a lot of reasons—it’s the newest car here, it’s a sleek Italian supercar, and best of all, it was built in a home shop. Aside from the paint, Greg handled just about everything himself, proving once again that some of the wildest machines come straight out of garages, not high-end shops.
The body has been given the full treatment, with GT5s wide-body fenders, shaved door handles, no drip rails, and deleted mirrors. All the chrome and trim? Gone. The result is an ultra-clean, low-slung profile that looks fast just sitting still. But it’s what’s under the skin that really makes this thing wild—a 489 cubic-inch SOHC engine with a pair of turbochargers stuffed in for good measure. Greg admits packaging it all was a nightmare, but it was worth it. Power routes through a Holinger six-speed transaxle, and the fully custom suspension runs air springs to drop it to pavement-scraping levels. Built, not bought—and looking damn good.
1938 Chevrolet Canopy Express Truck
Oscar Munoz and his sons pulled off something incredible with this Canopy Express truck, turning a rough-starting point into a show-stopper in just twelve months. Canopy Express trucks were once workhorses in agriculture and repair services, but for the Munoz family, this build is more than just a restoration—it’s a tribute to their roots and a showcase of craftsmanship passed down through generations.
Oscar, a self-taught mechanic and auto body expert, built a career out of his passion and brought his sons, Roberto and Alonzo, along for the ride. Under the hood, a 216-inch inline-six breathes through a Wayne 12-port head and dual Winfield carbs, while Alonzo laid down the flawless black paint that looks deep enough to swim in. The red cloth interior and wire wheels add just the right touch of class, making this home-built hauler a true family masterpiece.
1963 Ford Fairlane “Dean’s Machine”
The lone muscle car in the mix, Dean’s Fairlane brings a road-race attitude with a resto-mod soul, wrapped up in a perfectly executed package. Built by AVS Fabrication in Oceanside, California, this thing is more than just a looker—it’s got serious performance under the hood.
Power comes from a 417-inch LS that’s been cleverly disguised as a Windsor Ford, blending an LS3 block with LSA cylinder heads. With 11.0:1 compression, it’s street-friendly, but the aggressive cam and valvetrain let it scream past 8,000 rpm, laying down 600 hp at the wheels. A Bowler T56 Magnum sends the power to a Ford 9-inch, making sure all that grunt gets to the pavement. Despite its race-ready spec, Dean keeps it real—he loves the car’s simplicity, the fact that it has air conditioning, and the plan to rack up miles cruising California later this year.
1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe “Gracie’s Glide”
Beth Myers’ ’32 three-window coupe, nicknamed Gracie’s Glide, takes heavy inspiration from the elegant lines of ’30s Bugattis, but under the skin, it’s a pure hot rod built by Iron Hill Hot Rods. From the flawless paint to the custom-machined wheels, every detail is dialed in—but what really sets this coupe apart is the drivetrain.
Power comes from a Mercruiser four-cylinder, but this isn’t just any marine engine. It’s topped with a P51 cylinder head from Jon Kaase Racing Engines and force-fed by a crank-driven supercharger mounted outside the grille, giving it a look—and sound—like nothing else in the field. At 220 cubic inches, it’s not the biggest mill here, but it’s got character in spades. Refined, bold, and full of unique touches, Gracie’s Glide is a perfect blend of classic European elegance and hot rod ingenuity.
1955 Ford F-100 “Tri 5 Effie”
Pat Kelly’s F-100 is one of only two pickups in this lineup, but it holds its own against the roadsters with a perfect mix of vintage style and modern muscle. Sitting on an Art Morrison chassis, this truck packs a Coyote V8 under the hood, topped with a Borla eight-stack injection system that gives it an old-school flair while keeping all the modern performance.
Backing up the power is a Tremec T56 Magnum feeding a Strange 9-inch rear, making sure this thing moves as good as it looks. The body mods are subtle but clever—the cab’s been shifted three inches rearward, the roof has been chopped and reshaped, and quarter panels from a ’55 Ford panel truck have been seamlessly worked in. Inside, Gabe’s Custom Interiors handled the stitching, while custom wheels from Hot Rods by Boyd round out the stance. It’s clean, it’s mean, and it’s built to drive.
1935 Chevrolet Coupe
Ironworks Speed and Kustom spent nearly a decade perfecting this 1935 Chevrolet, and the result is nothing short of a masterpiece. The owner? Absolutely over the moon—and for good reason.
Under the hood sits an aluminum Donovan small-block Chevy, but don’t let that high-tech foundation fool you. With camel hump Trick Flow heads and a set of rams-horn exhaust manifolds, it nails that stealthy, vintage vibe. The Ferrari-sourced paint is drop-dead gorgeous, and the level of detail in the custom-machined trim and interior work is the kind of stuff you could obsess over for months. Every inch of this car is a masterclass in craftsmanship, proving that patience—and precision—pay off in the long run.
1935 International Truck by Charlie’s Burnout Machines
This old International started life as Bruce’s grandfather’s company work truck, hauling construction equipment back in the day. Then it found a second life yanking sleds in tractor pulls. Now? It’s a twin-blown, fire-breathing, show-quality burnout machine that’s about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face.
Under the hood—if it even had one—you’ll find not one, but two big-block Chevys, each sporting a blower and dumping fire through a set of zoomie headers. The fuel system is a work of art, the interior is just as wild, and that paint is smoother than a fresh layer of asphalt. When this thing fires up, you won’t just hear it—you’ll feel it. And when the show’s over, forget looking for it in the parking lot. Just follow the sound of pure, unfiltered horsepower shaking the earth.
1932 GMC Roadster
We’re all about creative takes on classic iron, and this ’32 Ford—err, GMC—is one of the coolest “what ifs” we’ve seen. Built by Roseville Rod & Custom, this Deuce is a design experiment in what a 1932 GMC roadster could have looked like if one had ever rolled off the assembly line. The result? A seamless blend of old-school hot rodding and factory-style imagination.
Under the hood sits a 303ci GMC inline-six, topped with a rare 12-port Howard cylinder head—an engine choice that instantly sets this build apart. It’s backed by a Tremec TKX 5-speed from Modern Driveline and a Winters Quick Change rear, bringing modern drivability to the vintage-inspired package. The body, coated in PPG paint, rides on a Roy Brizio chassis, while Wheelsmith wheels and a sleek side-exit exhaust add just the right amount of custom flair. Modern EFI on an antique powerplant ties it all together, proving that sometimes the best customs aren’t just built—they’re imagined first.
