2009 Grand National Roadster Show - Web Exclusive

One of my favorite cars of all time, the Niekamp '29 roadster also happens to be the very first winner of the AMBR award back in 1950. With the Grand National Roadster Show celebrating it's 60th Anniversary, it only made sense to bring it out of hibernation.

This year's theme was Wild Wild West and if I had to pick my favorite, it would have gone to Kim Vranas hands-down. Kim and her husband Chuck Vranas, whose name loyal SRM readers should recognize, brought out their freshly-completed, Nailhead-powered Touring and competed for the coveted America's Most Beautiful Roadster Award.

The staff at SRM obviously doesn't take themselves too seriously now do they???

Troy Ladd and the Hollywood Hot Rod crew came back for 2009 with their Black Widow roadster pickup to once again compete for the AMBR. Though they didn't take home the AMBR award, they did walk away with the Best Display trophy for their efforts.

By Saturday night, the Suede Palace was bopping to the sounds of DJ Axle along with live music from Russell Scott and his Red Hots. The crowd kept their distance from the stage to allow those who wanted to "cut a rug". Needless to say, none of the SRM staff partook.

Custom Auto from Loveland, Colorado had a handful of cool cars on display in various buildings, including the Larry Shinoda 3-window Deuce now owned by Ross Meyers. Larry raced the coupe back when he worked for Phil Weiand.

The Suede Palace was the place to be (at least from my perspective that is), and as usual it was chock full of cool hot rods and customs. I hesitate to say that Steve Kossman's La Mesa-based SBC powered '31 A coupe was my favorite (cuz everything in the building could have actually qualified) but it sure did get my attention.

What a blast from the past. Luckily the Granooch Coupe (another '31 A - fancy that) was behind a rope as I'd have more than likely salivated on it - its restoration was so spot on. Gil Granucci's cool coupe was originally built and shown at the GNRS back in '58 and he and all involved did an outstanding job in their four-year restoration - thanks guys, you brought a lot of joy to a lot of hot rodders.

H&H Flathead's Mike Herman was again on hand for the show - not only taking orders for rebuilds and turn-key flathead's but prowling the halls and grounds looking for the best dressed flathead - one worthy of the cool H&H Flathead trophy/clock. And find one he did . . . The Deuce B400 of Ed & Linda Woody from Hemet, California.

They may not have wheels but this collection of natural gas producing legumes elicited a chuckle none the less. Staffer Eric Geisert lifted these specimens from Mr. Brennan's pantry for use in Kim Vranas' AMBR contender display in building four. Mr. Brennan was seen late Sunday wielding his trusty P38 and mess kit spoon as he headed for the door.

Mark Gee out of Rossington, UK showed off his neat Deuce pickup, and his impromptu for sale notification had me counting my pennies - that is until Candy wandered up mumbling something about "finishing what I've got" anyway.

Another cool coupe I had to share is Tim Cicora's fenderless flathead-powered '34 coupe. This one (like nearly everything I saw at the show) was another hot rod whose only drawback was that it didn't have my name on its title. Oh well, perhaps someday...

Many have claimed the Lattin/Gillette streamliner (nicknamed Redhead) is one of the most beautiful ever produced, and we'd have to agree. It's also been record-setter nearly all of its life, and it still carries the Bonneville inspection stickers from 1989.

There were special tributes set up in the halls for pioneer rodders who have passed away in the past year, including Dick Dean, Boyd Coddington, and Lil' John Buttera. At Buttera's display, they had a couple of his landmark street rods, one of his latest motorcycles, plus the Indy car he built and campaigned himself in the late '80s as well as one of his chassis under Tom "The Mongoose" McEwen's Funny Car.

Perennial attendee Blackie Gejeian (left), who has been to every day of every Grand National Roadster Show since its inception in 1950, shares a laugh with panel beater (and record-holding AMBR builder) Marcel De Ley at the Saturday morning get-together before the show's Hall of Fame ceremony.

Who says California rodders won't drive in the rain? You can even spot a handful of roadster owners without roofs in this shot, which was taken early Saturday morning before the gates were open for the "Drive-In" where non show cars were driven on to the grounds and parked between the show halls for a mini show-within-a-show.

Vying for a cool parking space for Saturday's Drive-In, this white-on-blue '50 Buick hardtop caught our eye with both its stance and frenched and tunneled headlight treatment.

Pinhead Larry Watson (right), who was inducted into the Grand National Roadster Show's Hall of Fame in 2005, holds up one of Norm Grabowski's carved skulls at the Hall of Fame ceremony that saw the induction of Charlie Lambetecchio, Dick Bertolucci, Steve Coonan, John Mumford, and Thom Taylor.