The Birth of the Ridler Award “Great Eight”

In 2002, we rushed to print “first-look” coverage of the cars in contention for the 2002 Ridler Award. Since the number of finalists totaled eight, we elected to call them “The Great Eight.” The folks in Detroit liked the term so well that, beginning this year, the “official” name for the chosen finalists has become The Ridler Award “Great 8.”

Exceeding Expectations at the 51st Annual Autorama

After the huge hype centered around last year’s 50th Annual Autorama, many thought the competition would be a tough act to follow and that the 51st Annual would be somewhat of a letdown. Those negative-thinking “experts” were once again proven wrong, as there was a strong showing of super-detailed, super-innovative super rods. While there may not have been as large a number of cars in contention, the quality was just as good, if not better, and over a broader range of cars. Narrowing the field to the required eight was no easy task, and as usual, much controversy plagued the final decisions.

The Selection Process and Excitement

The Great 8 were chosen early on Friday, with a sign placed in each display designating each as a “finalist.” From that point, the speculation and anticipation built throughout the three days of the show. Just who will win? Which car shows the most promise? Which one is the most innovative? The Great 8 owners remained busy being whisked to various meetings with judges, along with a cocktail party, special breakfast and dinner. It was not all that different from a beauty contest. The bathing-suit part of the contest consisted of the cars themselves, which were on display throughout the weekend.

The Great 8 Contenders

Barry Lobeck showed with his much-anticipated ’37 Ford, built for Sam Magrino, who seemed just as excited about being there as Lobeck did wishing he would win the Ridler. While all of Lobeck’s creations have been of the finest quality, he has never gotten caught up in building what you would expect to see in Ridler competition, and he nearly walked away with the prize. Another strong entry came from Canada. Fran Speer had many knowledgeable people talking about his super ’33 Ford coupe. The display alone impressed everybody, with an observation deck to get a close look inside and to view the car as it would appear sitting on the ground. Ray Von Uhlit brought a full custom ’51 Plymouth designed and painted by the legendary Art Himsl. Longtime builder Larry Griffey joined forces with Avery Clark to create a ’40 Ford pickup that stretched the envelope almost far enough to haul off the coveted trophy. Lenny Spallone tried to power his way to the front with an 800hp ’37 Ford highboy. A ’34 Dodge coupe owned by Vahan Kaloustian made a strong case for the award to go to an all-Mopar entry. Looking to make a smooth getaway, Charlie Lambetecchio eased into the competition with a slick ’36 Ford roadster. But Chip Foose orchestrated Ron Whiteside’s “rare” ’34 Mercury in a way that left the others “singing in the rain” on Sunday night.

The Aftermath and a Look Ahead

While only one winner emerges from the Great 8, the remaining finalists can take pride in being part of the prestigious Magnificent Seven. The exceptional quality of this group warranted special recognition, and interestingly, all but one were street rods—the exception being a fully custom early ’50s build. Do you think this signals a shift toward rods, or is it just a coincidence?