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Hot Rod Hall of Fame

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AMBR TROPHY

America's Most Beautiful Roadster

America's Most Beautiful Roadster, or AMBR, is the ultimate recognition of an "open" hot rod.
It is awarded at the Grand National Roadster Show (originally the Oakland Roadster Show) which is the longest running indoor car show in the world.

The 8 feet tall trophy for America's Most Beautiful Roadster is best known as the AMBR (pronounced "amber"), and some of the most famous hot rods of all time have won it. The names of each year's AMBR winners are inscribed in plaques affixed to the trophy's base. There are a few simple rules. The winner has to be a roadster, defined as a two-seat convertible. And since Ford stopped making roadsters in 1937, that's the cutoff date.

Six of the first seven AMBR winners were Model T’s. The first three winners used similar track noses, the rest had ’32 shells, and seven of the 11 in the first decade were channeled. Every AMBR winner was flathead powered until 1958, when the Ala Kart shook things up with its injected Hemi.

2010 Mike & Dianne Dingman 1933 Ford Roadster

The car was called, “Possessed” and was built by Scott’s Hot Rods, a shop that built another America’s Most Beautiful Roadster winner back in 2008.

  AMBR 2010 WINNER

2009 Harry Willet 1932 Ford roadster (Willett Coach Works)

Harry made numerous modifications to the dimensions of the all-steel body, creating what he calls a "uniside" body. The entire body is built from individual removable panels. It's channeled over a GT road racing-style chassis featuring lower rails tied to a tubular upper frame and roll bar, with front and rear independent suspension. The Viper V-10 engine is fed by the 10-port FI system used on the LeMans-winning Vipers in 1997. It's set back on the rails for the correct 50/50 weight balance. A Hurst shifter operates the Tremec T-56 six-speed.

  AMBR 2009 WINNER
2008 Rudy Necoechea roadster “Undisputed”   AMBR 2008 WINNER
2007 Karen and Kevin Alstott 1935 Ford "Iowa Radster"   AMBR 2007 WINNER
2006 Ken Reister 1936 Ford “Impression” (Chip Foose)   AMBR 2006 WINNER

2005 Paul and Erik Hansen 1932 roadster “Seduced” (Steve Moal)

Moal Coachbuilders crafted this sleek roadster with over 750 hand fabricated features. These include custom trim and metalwork, curved safety glass, aluminum hood, steel cowl, side panels, speed blisters, and ventilation screens. The wheels too, were designed by Moal. Even the radiator is handmade. The car is finished with a top-notch, “insatiable red” paint job. Sedeuced is thus the contemporary expression of the more than half-century old hot rod tradition, exemplifying the ideal of creating something unique and personal out of something mass-produced.

  AMBR 2005 WINNER
2004 Charlie Lambetecchio 1936 Ford (Larry Ruth)   AMBR 2004 WINNER
2003 George Lange 1932 Ford Roadster "Boydster II" (Chip Foose, Bobby Alloway)   AMBR 2003 WINNER
2002 Richard Berg "Impact" (Chip Foose, Barry White)   AMBR 2002 WINNER
2001 Paul Trussell - 1932 Ford Roadster - (Don's Hot Rods)   AMBR 2001 WINNER
2000 Chuck Svatos “0032” (Chip Foose)   AMBR 2000 WINNER
1999 Fred Warren "Shock Wave" (Chip Foose)   AMBR 1999 WINNER
1998 Dave Emery 1932 Ford Roadster "Revolver" (Dave Emery)   AMBR 1998 WINNER
1997 Bob Young 1932 Ford Roadster "Youngster" Don Pilkenton   AMBR 1997 WINNER
1996 Boyd Coddington "Boydster 1" (Chip Foose, Boyd Coddington)   AMBR 1996 WINNER
1995 Fred Warren "Smoothster" (Chip Foose, Boyd Coddington, Craig Naff)   AMBR 1995 WINNER
1994 Joe McPherson "Infinity Flyer" Joe McPhearson   AMBR 1994 WINNER
1993 Don Raible 1932 Ford "Blu Steel"   AMBR 1993 WINNER
1992 Dennis Varni 1929 Ford roadster (Built by Boyd, body by Ron Covell)   AMBR 1992 WINNER
1991 Ermie Immerso 1925 T Roadster “Golden Star” (Ermie Immerso)   AMBR 1991 WINNER
1990 Butch Martino 1932 Ford Roadster "Alumna" (Craig Naff, Hot Rods by Boyd)   AMBR 1990 WINNER
1989 Ermie Immerso 1925 T Roadster “Golden Star” (Ermie Immerso)   AMBR 1989 WINNER

1988 Ermie Immerso 1932 Ford Roadster "Orange Twist" (Ermie Immerso)

Assembled by the late Don Thelen, the man responsible for at lest three cars on the list, and powered by an Ardun ohv converted flathead, it successfully predicted the incredible interest in early speed equipment. Just to rub it in, so to speak, Immerso the showman parked the “Orange Twist” on four polished Ardun heads so the mirrors could reflect the immaculate undercarriage.

  AMBR 1988 WINNER

1987 James Ells’ (Roy Brizio)

Ferrari-powered

  AMBR 1987 WINNER
1986 Jim and Florine McNamara "Mere Image"   AMBR 1986 WINNER
1985 Larry and Judy Murray 1933 Ford Phaeton   AMBR 1985 WINNER
1984 Don Varner, Ron Covell "California Star" (Don Varner)   AMBR 1984 WINNER
1983 Chuck Lombardo 1932 Ford Roadster (Chuck Lombardo - California Street Rods)   AMBR 1983 WINNER
1982 Jamie Musselman’s 1933 Ford Roadster (the first Boyd Coddington winner)   AMBR 1982 WINNER
1981 John Siroonian 1932 Ford Roadster   AMBR 1981 WINNER
1980 John Corno’s 1929 Roadster (John Buttera)   AMBR 1980 WINNER
1979 Ed Hegarty’s 1932 Ford Roadster “Deucari” originally built for Brian Burnett (Dick Magoo)   AMBR 1979 WINNER
1978 Phil Cool 1932 Ford (Phil Cool)   AMBR 1978 WINNER
1977 Jim Molino 1923 Ford Roadster Pickup "Candy Man"   AMBR 1977 WINNER
1976 Bob Sbarbaro 1923 Ford Touring   AMBR 1976 WINNER

1975 Lonnie Gilbertson (again) - T Roadster

Powered by a highly modified Chevrolet small block V-8, this striking roadster won the coveted "America Most Beautiful Roadster" award at the Oakland Roadster Show in both 1971 and 1975. One year after its last AMBR win, it competed in 29 other major events across America, taking the top prize in all but one. Its decorative side mural, candy root beer paint and earth tone upholstery are highly representative of the aesthetics of the 1970s.

  AMBR 1975 WINNER
1974 Jim Vasser - 1923 Ford T Touring   AMBR 1974 WINNER
1973 Chuck Corselo 1923 Ford roadster   AMBR 1973 WINNER

1972 John Corno’s 1930 Fird Roadster (Russ Meeks)

Rear engine flip-top body

  AMBR 1972 WINNER

1971 Lonnie Gilbertson’s 1923 “T-Bucket”

Powered by a highly modified Chevrolet small block V-8, this striking roadster won the coveted "America Most Beautiful Roadster" award at the Oakland Roadster Show in both 1971 and 1975. One year after its last AMBR win, it competed in 29 other major events across America, taking the top prize in all but one. Its decorative side mural, candy root beer paint and earth tone upholstery are highly representative of the aesthetics of the 1970s.

  AMBR 1971 WINNER
1970 Andy Brizo 1923 Ford T Bucket "Instant T" (Andy Brizo)   AMBR 1970 WINNER
1969 Art and Mickey Himsl “Alien” (Art and Mickey Himsl)   AMBR 1969 WINNER
1968 2nd Tie: Joe Wilhelm "Wild Dream"
and
Bob Reisner "Invader" (Don Borth)
  AMBR 1968 WINNER

1967 Bob Reisner "Invader" (Don Borth)

  AMBR 1967 WINNER

1966 Don Lokey 1927 Ford T Roadster "Plus II" Don Lokey

  AMBR 1966 WINNER
1965 Carl Casper "Casper's Ghost" (Carl Casper)   AMBR 1965 WINNER
1964 Don Tognotti 1914 Ford Roadster “King T” (Don Tognotti)   AMBR 1964 WINNER
1963 LeRoi “Tex” Smith, Gene Winfield “XR-6” (LeRoi Smith)   AMBR 1963 WINNER
1962 George Barris 1927 Ford Roadster "Twister T" (George Barris)   AMBR 1962 WINNER

1961 Rich Guasco’s 1929 "Pure Hell" Ford Roadster (Rich Guasco)

purple

  AMBR 1961 WINNER
1960 George Barris,Chuck Krikorian 1929 Ford "The Emperor" (Chuck Krikorian)   AMBR 1960 WINNER
1959 Richard Peters "A La Kart" (George Barris)   AMBR 1959 WINNER
1958 Richard Peters "A La Kart" (George Barris)   AMBR 1958 WINNER
1957   AMBR 1957 WINNER
1956 Eddie Bosio's 1932 Ford Roadster "Mr. Ed" ex-Vic Edelbrock, Sr. (Eddie Bosio)   AMBR 1956 WINNER

1955 The first tie: Blackie Gejeian’s “Shish-Kabob” 1926 T Ford Roadster (Blackie Gejeian’s)
and Ray Anderegg 1927 Ford (Ray Anderegg)

Blackie Gegeian’s 1927-T, known as the Shish Kabob Special for its rotisserie show display that was used to manually flip the car, showing off the chromed undercarriage.

Anderegg had trouble finding an open car, so he made do with an old 1927 Model T coupe body. He removed the top, filled the doors, and added a Model A windshield to create his own quasi-roadster. He made his own frame from four-inch channel, and in keeping with tradition for really low cars in California at the time, he placed the body over the frame and used a “suicide-style” mounted dropped axle up front for a street-hugging stance. Under the filled deck lid, Anderegg mounted a salvaged ’41 Mercury rear end. For power, he squeezed an internally stock ’42 flathead equipped with an Evans triple-carb intake and Offenhauser heads between the framerails, followed by the requisite ’39 trans. The whole thing rolled on a set of ’50 Merc wheels (reversed in the back) and a set of big-and-little wide whites. The final touches were a shortened ’32 shell and insert up front, ’42 Buick instruments in the custom dash, and simple white and yellow upholstery. Everything that wasn’t chrome plated was painted pale yellow. The project took about four years to complete.

  AMBR 1955 WINNER
1954 Frank Rose 1927 Ford Roadster   AMBR 1954 WINNER
1953 Dick Williams 1927 T Model Ford Roadster (Dick Williams)   AMBR 1953 WINNER
1952 Bud Crackbon   AMBR 1952 WINNER

1951 Rico Squaglia Ford Turtledeck T Roadster (Rico Squaglia)

Hood and tracknose by Harry Westergard. '38 Flathead and 3-speed.

  AMBR 1951 WINNER

1950 Bill Niekamp 1929 Ford Roadster (Bill Niekamp)

Constructed by Bill Niekamp in 1949, it used parts from many different cars. Components include a 1927 Essex frame, a modified 1942 Mercury V-8 engine, a 1939 Ford rear axle, and 1949 Plymouth taillamps. The belly pan, hood panels and nosepiece were hand-fabricated in aluminum. Although intended for street use, performance modifications on this car enabled it to achieve a top speed of 142.40 miles per hour at El Mirage dry lake in July 1952

  AMBR 1950 WINNER

 

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