A little late (but let's face it I've got threads I need to write as far back as Wheels Day last year!).
For those that don't know the Grand Nation Roadster Show takes place in Pomona, California usually early February. It is home to two very important prizes in the world of customs and hot rods, America's Most Beautiful Roadster and the Al Slonaker Memorial Award.
AMBR has been awarded since 1950 and is considered the pinnacle of the hot rodding world, it goes (as you would expect) to "1937 and earlier U.S. Production based Roadsters, Roadster Pickups, Phaetons, and Touring cars, including designer roadsters that resemble 1937 or older U.S.-built roadsters. Cars cannot have side windows."
The Slonaker Award is much more wide-ranging and is "open to all types of vehicles, Rods, Customs, Street Machines, Lowriders, VW’s, and Trucks are eligible to enter as long as they meet the criteria of the rules."
Those are the tent pole awards and part of why this event attracts the best of the best from across the US Custom scene, but it is more than that. The show is spread across a number of indoor halls, and outdoor areas. There are specialist themed halls, last year there was an amazing line up of historic VW's (original Cal-lookers, famous customs and rarities). This year it was a celebration of 50 years of "Keep On Truckin'" so saw a bunch of Custom American trucks along with a smattering of Minitrucks. There is also the Suede Palace "The Suede Palace showcases hot rods and classic cars that are more 'traditional' in their look. These amazing vehicles will give you a taste of what hot rodding was like 'back in the day'."
Anyway... enough preamble.
I was reminded today how damn good Flickr is for events galleries. Although their search seems a bit broken, so a little google-fu and I found a gold mine of GNRS 2023 images here : www.flickr.com/photos/daddio/albums/72177720305735269
Whilst the two big awards get a lot of focus (and I'll try and find pictures of the contenders and winners in a follow up post) I'm just going to pick out some of my favourites from this gallery (and one they did the day after).
From the Suede Palace
Thursday set up by bballchico, on Flickr
Thursday set up by bballchico, on Flickr
This truck is quite something
GNRS 2023 setup Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
Legendary custom Fridolin
SetUp Thursday GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Paint on this is incredible
SetUp Thursday GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Pretty close to my perfect rod
SetUp Thursday GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Oh no wait THIS is close to my perfect rod/custom/merch van (this is Mike Bello's Kustoms sedan delivery shop truck I believe, if it isn't it looks VERY much like it)
Thursday at GNRS by bballchico, on Flickr
Thursday at GNRS by bballchico, on Flickr
This is a very heavy custom in more ways than one
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
The paint!
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
Also... The Paint! (belongs to Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top)
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
MINITRUCK
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
MINITRUCK!!
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
MINITRUCK!!!!
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
Best custom van in the world? Probably
Thursday set up day by bballchico, on Flickr
Boogie Van, does what it says on the tin
Thursday set up day by bballchico, on Flickr
Work in progress
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Interesting striping/outlining on this
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Probably the loudest thing on Earth, looks so gnarly with the slicks too
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
One of the stars of the show if Instagram posting is anything to go by
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Perfect merging of my desire for a hot rod and my desire for a merch van
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Linc Lowrider!?
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Bomb-ish custom on a non-Chevy
SetUp Thursday GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
And let's finish this round of photos with my favourite car so far from the entire event, which had me scurrying off to various for sale sites looking to see how much they are, lots of subtle touches on this 49 Chevy Deluxe
Thursday walk thru by bballchico, on Flickr
Lovely stuff... check out the gallery I could have literally posted any of the 500 odd pictures in it and they would all have been valid!
For those that don't know the Grand Nation Roadster Show takes place in Pomona, California usually early February. It is home to two very important prizes in the world of customs and hot rods, America's Most Beautiful Roadster and the Al Slonaker Memorial Award.
AMBR has been awarded since 1950 and is considered the pinnacle of the hot rodding world, it goes (as you would expect) to "1937 and earlier U.S. Production based Roadsters, Roadster Pickups, Phaetons, and Touring cars, including designer roadsters that resemble 1937 or older U.S.-built roadsters. Cars cannot have side windows."
The Slonaker Award is much more wide-ranging and is "open to all types of vehicles, Rods, Customs, Street Machines, Lowriders, VW’s, and Trucks are eligible to enter as long as they meet the criteria of the rules."
Those are the tent pole awards and part of why this event attracts the best of the best from across the US Custom scene, but it is more than that. The show is spread across a number of indoor halls, and outdoor areas. There are specialist themed halls, last year there was an amazing line up of historic VW's (original Cal-lookers, famous customs and rarities). This year it was a celebration of 50 years of "Keep On Truckin'" so saw a bunch of Custom American trucks along with a smattering of Minitrucks. There is also the Suede Palace "The Suede Palace showcases hot rods and classic cars that are more 'traditional' in their look. These amazing vehicles will give you a taste of what hot rodding was like 'back in the day'."
Anyway... enough preamble.
I was reminded today how damn good Flickr is for events galleries. Although their search seems a bit broken, so a little google-fu and I found a gold mine of GNRS 2023 images here : www.flickr.com/photos/daddio/albums/72177720305735269
Whilst the two big awards get a lot of focus (and I'll try and find pictures of the contenders and winners in a follow up post) I'm just going to pick out some of my favourites from this gallery (and one they did the day after).
From the Suede Palace
Thursday set up by bballchico, on Flickr
Thursday set up by bballchico, on Flickr
This truck is quite something
GNRS 2023 setup Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
Legendary custom Fridolin
SetUp Thursday GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Paint on this is incredible
SetUp Thursday GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Pretty close to my perfect rod
SetUp Thursday GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Oh no wait THIS is close to my perfect rod/custom/merch van (this is Mike Bello's Kustoms sedan delivery shop truck I believe, if it isn't it looks VERY much like it)
Thursday at GNRS by bballchico, on Flickr
Thursday at GNRS by bballchico, on Flickr
This is a very heavy custom in more ways than one
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
The paint!
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
Also... The Paint! (belongs to Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top)
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
MINITRUCK
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
MINITRUCK!!
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
MINITRUCK!!!!
No Ropes Thursday by bballchico, on Flickr
Best custom van in the world? Probably
Thursday set up day by bballchico, on Flickr
Boogie Van, does what it says on the tin
Thursday set up day by bballchico, on Flickr
Work in progress
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Interesting striping/outlining on this
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Probably the loudest thing on Earth, looks so gnarly with the slicks too
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
One of the stars of the show if Instagram posting is anything to go by
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Perfect merging of my desire for a hot rod and my desire for a merch van
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Linc Lowrider!?
Thursday at GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
Bomb-ish custom on a non-Chevy
SetUp Thursday GNRS 2023 by bballchico, on Flickr
And let's finish this round of photos with my favourite car so far from the entire event, which had me scurrying off to various for sale sites looking to see how much they are, lots of subtle touches on this 49 Chevy Deluxe
Thursday walk thru by bballchico, on Flickr
Lovely stuff... check out the gallery I could have literally posted any of the 500 odd pictures in it and they would all have been valid!
... Also a good excuse to link and awesome YouTube channel.
