Competition for America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) has always been hotly contested with the best of the best builders represented and the most legendary brands of roadsters converted into rolling artwork. The honor of being branded as AMBR winner is on par with any award in automotive show competition, up to and including the Ridler Award.

For the 2016 Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS), four roadsters were invited back for a second chance at the AMBR award. Typically the entries are limited to cars that have never competed in any car show event, and the competitors are by invitation only. Previously, the only time a vehicle could compete twice for the AMBR is when substantial changes have been made to the car.

Considering this a “peel back” year where previous contestants were invited back for a repeat appearance, the judging team was instructed to have special consideration for cars that showed some road wear.

Hollenbeck’s 1932 Ford High Boy Roadster

The Winner. Hollenbeck’s 1932 Ford High Boy Roadster

Aiming to build a driver, owner Darryl Hollenbeck claimed he “never wanted to build a show car, we wanted something to drive.” As it turned out, Hollenbeck’s 1932 Ford High Boy Roadster was more than just a show car. It was America’s Most Beautiful Roadster of 2016.

This should come as no surprise as Hollenbeck is a third generation hot rod builder. His wife Terri is the sister of Roy Brizio, a two-time winner of the award. Terri and Roy are the children of Andy Brizio, who won the award in 1970. Concord, California’s Terri and Darryl Hollenbeck are roadster royalty.

He wanted brown and she wanted green. They compromised on a blend that they call “Dirty Avocado” or “guacamole,” depending on which one of the husband and wife team that you ask.

After three years of building the roadster, the couple drove the car over 10,000 miles to break it in.

Specs:

Owners: Darryl and Terri Hollenbeck
Builders: Dan Webb, Cory Taulbert, and Darryl Hollenbeck
Chassis: Webb Automotive Art’s Dan Webb and Cory Taulbert
Body: Brookville body on SoCal rails
Motor: Edelbrock SBC crate engine
Trans: Borg and Warner T5
Interior: Sid Chavers
Body work: Vintage Color Studio, Darryl Hollenbeck, Darrell Schneider, and Mike Wenger
Paint: Custom mixed PPG Envirobase High Performance by Darryl Hollenbeck
Chrome: Sherm’s Plating and Advanced Plating
Wiring: Cory Taulbert at Webb Automotive Art
Assembly: Bill Ganahl of South City Rod and Custom, and Jack Stratton

Other Contenders That Competed In Previous Years

Due to a dearth of roadsters deemed worthy of the invitation, the field was reduced to 13 competitors this year compared to the 18 invitations of last year. There are a number of reasons for the lack of roadsters ready to compete for the AMBR award, among them being the option of competing for the Ridler Award. Both the GNRS and Detroit Autorama have stipulations to the rules that prevent cars from competing for awards prior to the show. This prevents builders and owners from competing in both shows – you can only enter one or the other. Owners typically decide based on the best potential outcome for their vehicle.

Gary Matranga’s 1932 Ford Roadster “White Ice”

Gary Matranga’s 1932 Ford Roadster “White Ice”

Matranga’s roadster was originally entered in 1989, built by Dennis King of King’s Fabrication in Turlock, California. Matranga used the Chrysler Hemi from his front engine top fuel dragster to power the roadster. The vehicle showed successfully but failed to win the AMBR award. It was re-entered in 1991 with significant changes to the vehicle including color. Once again, the car showed well but did not win due to keen competition. For the 2016 event, Matranga restored the vehicle back to its 1989 appearance, with Tim’s Hot Rods in Rio Lindo, California, for an unprecedented third attempt at the holy grail of roadsters.

Specs:

Owner: Gary Matranga
Builder: Dennis King (1989)
Body: Original Ford steel
Motor: 1957 Chrysler 401ci Hemi, BDS 6:71 blower, 10% overdrive, Hilborne EFI
Trans: Chrysler 727 TorqueFlite
Rearend: CAE quick change
Wheels: American Rebel 15×6-inch front, 15×14-inch rear
Interior: Dave Putman
Body work: Tim’s Hot Rods
Paint: Rich Lindgren
Glass: Kidwell Glass
Chrome: Sherm’s Plating
Assembly: Tim’s Hot Rods

Tom Lieb’s 1929 Ford Roadster “AV8”

Tom Lieb’s 1929 Ford Roadster “AV8”

Lieb’s roadster, first entered in the contest in 2010, is a collection of parts that he has acquired over the years. He proudly states that there are no parts on the car newer than 1963. Lieb also claims to have owned the car for 58 years.

Lieb took the 1929 body and mounted it on a 1932 frame, then turned the project over to his friend, and owner of the SoCal Speed Shop, Pete Chapouris. Originally assembled and prepped by SoCal Speed Shop, the car has been recently updated by Orange County’s Jimmy Shine, who originally worked at the SoCal Speedshop when the car was done the first time. As traditional as you can get, Lieb’s roadster is powered by a flathead Ford with a Borg and Warner transmission, and quick change Halibrand rearend from a vintage sprint car that Tom raced in the 1960s.

The car has been channeled one-inch over the chassis, and the cab moved back three-inches for extra leg room. The convertible folding top was “chopped” to fit the correct profile of the car. The crew sectioned and nosed the grille in combination with the 1933 Ford hood sides. Additional details like the recessed firewall and custom spring loaded ratchet hood prop must be seen to be appreciated fully.

Specs:

Owner: Tom Lieb
Builder: SoCal Speed Shop
Chassis: SoCal perimeter A-V8 custom channeled
Body: Original 1929 body stamped on July 16, 1929
Motor: 288ci AB Flathead Ford
Trans: David Key four-speed
Rearend: Halibrand quick change
Wheels: 17-inch rims with 1936 Ford hubs and Firestone “flat-trackers” and “rib runners.”
Interior: Gabe Lopez
Body work: Jimmy Shine
Paint: SoCal Speed Shop
Glass: Laid back and chopped windshield
Assembly: Jimmy Shine

Maureen Magnuson’s 1932 Ford Roadster “Magnatude”

Maureen Magnuson’s 1932 Ford Roadster “Magnatude”

Originally entered in 2010 by the late Jerry Magnuson, this Chip Foose creation was brought to life with body work by Marcel’s Custom Metal. 100 percent hand-built, this beauty isn’t a trailer queen either. It has thousands of miles on it and several cruises like the Hot Rod Power Tour, as well as many other weekend end trips.

Powered by a Chevy LS engine that is topped by a Magnuson supercharger. Kenny Duitweiler did the engine work, Jim Griffin handled the interior and Kugel suspension was added to the front and rear.

Specs:

Owner: Maureen Magnuson
Builder: Chip Foose
Chassis: Hand built frame rails by SAC
Body: Hand built body fenders and top by Marcel’s Custom Metal
Motor: GM LS1 prepped by Kenny Duitwelier with Magnuson MP1900 supercharger
Trans: Tremec six-speed
Suspension: Four-wheel independent suspension by Kugel
Wheels: 17-inch and 20-inch wheels with Pirelli tires
Body work: Marcel’s Custom Metal

Phillip Ray’s 1933 Ford Roadster “Nugget”

Phillip Ray’s 1933 Ford Roadster “Nugget”

Originally entered in 2011, Ray’s 1933 roadster made a great impression. The 2008 Jaguar sea foam green with custom mix paint makes this elegant roadster stand out. Byron Robeck’s interior details go well with the car’s fit and finish. The car is for sale by Ray, and there is no doubt that the two attempts at the AMBR will help the roadster find the right buyer.

The highly detailed engine with the special interior features like the ididit steering column and Classic Instruments, all add to one perfectly designed roadster.

Specs:

Owner: Phillip Ray
Builder: Ray’s American Classic Limited
Electrical: Full Circle
Body: Kenny March, Kenny’s Specialty Shop
Motor: GM LS2 with Magnacharger
Trans: 4L65E
Wheels: Executive Wheels, Nitto 555 tires 225×40/17 front, 295×45/18 rear
Interior: Finish Line Automotive Interiors
Paint: Stockdale’s Hot Rod Paint
Suspension: Kugel front suspension with coilover, Ford 9-inch with coilover rear
Assembly: Byron Robeck

Chris Evans 1931 Ford Roadster “Blue Bayou”

Chris Evans 1931 Ford Roadster “Blue Bayou”

The “Blue Bayou” or “Blew By You” roadster was built in record time, taking the crew at Charly’s garage in Mesa, Arizona, a scant nine months to create this exquisite machine. Evans claims that the inspiration for his build goes back to magazine editor Bill Neuman’s Rod & Custom roadster from the mid 1960s.

The Neuman Special carried all the best hot rod features of the time, but Evans went a bit futher by adding an early Hemi engine, great paint job, and superior interior. According to Evans, they focused on the basics. “Stance, components, craftsmanship, color, and details,” he said.

Specs:

Owner: Chris Evans
Builder: Chuck Spencer, Chris Scott
Chassis: American Stamping repo frame rails
Body: Brookville Roadster
Assembly: Charly’s Garage

Ron Simm’s 1931 Ford Roadster Pickup

Ron Simm’s 1931 Ford Roadster Pickup 

The windshield on this beast is laid back ten degrees and chopped two and a half inches and the grille is laid back ten degrees to match the windshield. This gives the roadster that speedy appearance. Armed with a BBC topped with Edelbrock carbs, a Joe Hunt magneto style distributor and Sanderson Zoomie headers, all the retro features that honor what a hot rod was and should always be.

Specs:

Owner: Ron and Lori Simm
Builder: Skeeter Oldewurtel
Chassis: Hand built tube frame
Body: 1931 Brookville body
Motor: 396ci big-block
Trans: GM 700R
Rearend: Ford 9-inch
Wheels: Halibrand style wheels with BF Goodrich tires
Gauges: Classic Intruments
Paint: PPG “Nothin But Black”
Pin Stripping: Slow of Phoenix, Arizona
Assembly: Greg Lowers, Todd Overton, Mark Dill, and Cody Pyles

Jack Stirnemann’s 1931 Ford Roadster

Jack Stirnemann’s 1931 Ford Roadster 

Stirnemann’s crew began by reworking the frame and body to fit 1932 fenders, massaging the metal to get everything to go together. The top is completely hand-made with a body that is channeled two inches in the front going back to a stock rear. The gauges are stock Stewart-Warner with a 1940 steering wheel on the early Ford steering column.

Specs:

Owner: Jack Stirnemann
Chassis: 1931 Ford
Body: Modified
Motor: 1949 Mercury Flathead with Edelbrock heads, three Stromberg 97s, Navarro intake
Trans: C4 automatic
Rearend: Halibrand quick change
Wheels: ET knockoff wheels with BF Goodrich tires
Interior: Don Albers
Body work: Jack & Harry Stirnemann

Wes Rawlins’ 1932 Ford Roadster Pickup

Wes Rawlins’ 1932 Ford Roadster Pickup 

One of two AMBR contenders built by Hollywood Hot Rods for this year’s consideration. The Brookville body started an awesome build that includes one of the beefiest engines in the competition this year. The Jon Kaase Boss nine shot gun motor is actually a 503ci beast with 4.390-inch bore and 4.160-inch stroke with 9.8 compression ratio. A FAST XFI ECU stack injection provides the fuel delivery with Aeromotive fuel pump, filter, regulator, and sending unit rounding out the fuel system.

The roadster has top shelf components in every system, from the custom aluminum driveshaft from Inland Empire driveline to the QA1 Hollywood Hot Rod series shocks. No detail was left undone.

Specs:

Owner: Wes Rawlins
Builder: Hollywood Hot Rods
Chassis: ACS Frame Rails
Body: Brookville body
Motor: 429ci Kasse Boss Ford
Trans: Tremec T56 Magnum six-speed
Rearend: Speedway Engineering limited slip
Wheels: Eric Black designed Intro Custom Wheels. 16×5 front, 16×6 rear wrapped with Firestone tires
Interior: Mark Lopez Elegance Auto Interiors
Body work: Hollywood Hot Rods
Paint: Stephen Cognata, The Paint Shop
Chrome: Faith Plating, P&M Metal Polishing
Assembly: Hollywood Hot Rods

Dean Scott’s 1932 Ford High Boy Roadster

Dean Scott’s 1932 Ford High Boy Roadster

Scott’s drag-themed 1932 high boy was built by the crew at ASR Performance and Customs in Grass Valley, California. The team thrashed to finish this build the evening prior to making the haul to the GNRS. With a mighty Boss 302 under the hood, Auto Trend EFI provided the fuel delivery to this monster. With a legitimate quick change rearend in the back, this mighty roadster could run the track if it wanted to. It is no stranger to magazines, having been featured in several custom magazines in the 1970s.

Specs:

Owner: Dean Scott
Builder: ASR Performance Customs
Chassis: ASR Performance Customs
Body: Original steel body
Motor: 1970 Boss 302 Ford
Trans: Ford AOD
Rearend: Winters V8
Wheels: Halibrand
Interior: Mike Miller
Body work: Brad Lovejoy
Paint: Brad Lovejoy

James Hetfield’s 1934 Packard Roadster “Aquarius”

James Hetfield’s 1934 Packard Roadster “Aquarius”

With a distinct French flavor, Rick Dore, Marcel Dulay, and Eric Brockmeyer styled this heavily modified custom after the work of French coach builders Figoni and Falaschi. If it looks similar to the Delahaye 165 Cabriolet, it is suppose to. The vintage look is combined with some modern components like a General Motor’s LS1 powerplant. The Art Morrison chassis with AccuAir suspension and rack and pinion steering make this one of those pleasant combinations of vintage and modern technology.

Specs:

Owner: James Hetfield
Builder: Rick Dore, Rick Dore Kustoms
Chassis: Art Morrison 1934 Packard
Body: Body by Marcel’s
Motor: GM LS1
Trans: 4L80E six-speed automatic
Rearend: Ford nine-inch
Wheels: Radial Wide Whitewalls from Coker Tires
Interior: Ron Mangus
Body work: Marcel Dulay
Paint: PPG Liquid Metal by Benny Flores and Art Himsl
Chrome: Sherm’s Plating

Jon Wright’s 1936 Ford Roadster

Jon Wright’s 1936 Ford Roadster

A rare tail dragger car represented the vintage late 30’s Ford roadsters in the AMBR competition. Wright’s ’36 is a departure from the norm, and was a refreshing breath of air. This traditional look has been ignored too often. Wright owns Custom Chrome in Ohio and knows what it takes to get a car prepared for the AMBR competition, having performed plating duties for show cars over the years. Most of the work was done by Wright and Squeege Jerger.

The custom grille is a hand-made piece by Wright with Jerger taking care of the body trim, customizing the 1949 Plymouth bumpers and extending the fenders. The front fenders were extended three inches with the rears extended another seven inches. 1956 Lincoln wheel covers were used to finish the bodywork. The lengthened hood was fabricated by Terry Hegman of Fountain Valley, California. This car is intended to be driven by the owner, which is always a pleasant thing to hear.

Specs:

Owner: Jon Wright
Chassis: Heidt’s IFS with full air suspension
Body: 1936 Ford with heavy custom work
Motor: 351 Windsor with custom Thunderbird valve covers
Trans: AOD automatic
Rearend: Ford 9-inch
Interior: Hot Rod Garage, Oklahoma
Body work: Squeege Jerger
Paint: Squeege Jerger
Chrome: Custom Chrome