The Grand National Roadster Show, 2024

David G. Fox

AMBR Competition

For decades, flawless execution has been the hallmark of cars participating in the competition to be named America's Most Beautiful Roadster. This year there were nine entries.

It seems undeniable that the popularity of the 1932 Ford has reigned supreme and unwavering since they became financially available to hotrodders and since they began to be "fixed up" by early Ford V8 restorers. Certainly, Model Ts, Model As, Model 40s, etc., have always had their devotees, and will continue to do so. But the popularity of the Deuce has remained strong. And all of that seems to go double for the roadsters. Seven of nine AMBR contestants this year were '32 Fords, all but two were roadsters.

Since the '32 was produced for only nine months and has always been so popular, the need for more "tin" spawned a reproduction market. From Dee Wescott's faithful and well-constructed fiberglass roadster bodies to the various modern steel panels and complete assemblies from Brookville Roadster, '32s continue to be pieced together or built all new.

But what's a hotrodder to do with a need for a drive in a topless '32 Ford – sun on the face, wind in the hair, the rumble from a healthy V8 echoing from the back – and a desire to share that experience with more than one other person at a time? Throw in the fact that rodders have typically shied away from two too many doors. What to do? Ford's product line for 1930 and 1931 included, in addition to the standard four-door phaeton, a somewhat more elegantly turned out two-door open touring car called a Deluxe Phaeton. How about a '32 Deluxe Phaeton? Ford didn't make one.

A few years ago, Brookville Roadster set out to do what Ford did not, and they enlisted the extraordinary talent of Chip Foose to design and build the prototype. A production run of 32 units was planned. On examination, you can tell that Chip borrowed from Brookville's existing '32 Ford body panel stash. One might liken the suicide door shape and fitment to a '33. But the cowl and door panels start with '32 three-window Deluxe Coupe stampings. Thus, there is continuity from the Model A days begging to refer to this new body style as a Deluxe Phaeton.

These Brookville bodies were the outward visual basis for two contenders in the 2024 America's Most Beautiful Roadster competition

Beth Myers' black, channeled two-door phaeton was built by the team at Roy Brizio Street Rods in South San Francisco. The foundation consists of: fully boxed frame rails, Moal torsion-bar suspension, Bell front axle, Winters Quick Change differential, and Johnson Hot Rod Shop Kinmont-style disk brakes. Under the hood is a fuel-injected Roush 427ci engine.

Credits include: Vintage Color Studios for final body prep and paint, Sid Chavers for the interior, Sherm's Custom Plating, flames by Art Himsl, and pinstriping by Eric Reyes.

The body on Beth's car received numerous nips and tucks – some mild cosmetic tweaks, others, such as the raised and re-radiused rear wheel wells, likely necessitated by the body being channeled over the frame. The rear of the body has been reshaped to be more like that of a two-door sedan. The windshield and top have been chopped three inches.

Beth Myers' 2024 AMBR winner shouts hot rod, but is every bit as much the coach-build as any of the others in the field.

As you can see, Ken chose a different approach to the look of his phaeton, which was built in his shop with finish work completed at Squeeg's Kustoms in Arizona. It's all quite elegant. Squeeg's was responsible for applying the Candy Apple Red over gold base paint, including subtle ghost painting (which, unfortunately, barely shows in the photographs). Other credits include: Reister's Rod Shop for the chassis, Recovery Room Hot Rod Interiors for the premium leather upholstery and wool carpet inside, Sid Chavers for the Hartz cloth top, and Custom Chrome for plating. Truespoke wire wheels are spun by a 340hp fuel-injected Ford 302 backed by a Ford 4R70 transmission.

These two phantom phaetons are not the first to compete for the AMBR trophy. For the 2019 show, Gary Corkell used Brookville body number three in the construction of a full-fendered car powered by a 1953 DeSoto hemi engine. Reinforcing the potential of such bodies, Tom Sargis' bid for the AMBR that year was a '33 Ford Phaeton with a body converted to a two-door by Steve's Restorations. George Poteet's remarkable '36 Ford "3 Penny Roadster" was that year's AMBR winner.

Also in 2019, Beth Myers' other '32 two-door phaeton (Brookville body number 2), was displayed in Brizio's area. An ultra-stock looker, complete with Washington Blue paint, black fenders, cream painted wire wheels, etc., it received a first-place finish in the Pre-1935 Touring Class. Full Kugel independent suspension belied the stock coach-built look of that beautiful car.

Al Slonaker Memorial Award

The Al Slonaker Memorial Award competition works much like the AMBR competition. The difference is that the cars can be anything but roadsters. Here is a quick look at the 2024 Slonaker contestants.

Rods & Customs in the Show

Suede Palace

Outdoor Cruise In

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