ClassiCar News

ClassiCar News

Your daily source for collector car news by Cars On Line.com

menu

2015 Detroit Autorama

Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala

Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Malibu

The Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala known as “Impastar” has won the 2015 Ridler Award. In a short awards ceremony on Sunday at the 2015 Detroit Autorama, Don and Elma Voth approached the awards podium as the proud recipients of the Ridler Award, the most prestigious award in the custom car building hobby. Their joy at winning the Ridler was complimented by the appearance of TV celebrity and custom car builder Chip Foose.  This was the fourth time that a Foose-built custom has won the Ridler Award.

We know that whatever Foose touches turns to gold. So when it became known that a Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala was built for the Voths who hail from Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, everybody surmised that the Ridler Award was in their sights. Foose had built the ’65 Chevy Impala Custom for the Voths because their favorite car was an Impala Super Sport. So why did they call it the “Impastar?” It seems that it was a play on the words “Impala” and “imposter.” Foose designed a logo for the car spelled “I-m-p-a-s-t-a-r.” The imposter reference came about when Foose used a ’65 Impala body fitted to a stretched 2008 Corvette chassis. In the photos below you will see a second white 1965 Chevy Impala which was part of the Foose display. On the second car he showed where the cuts were made on the Ridler car.

With Foose in the Great 8 it took the competition up a notch. There was already a great lineup of cars ready to compete for the Ridler this year. That level of competition provided anxious moments for all eight contenders as Sunday arrived and the awards presentation was about to commence.

The fact that the Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala was competing in the Radical Hardtop category is a departure for Foose. For his three previous Ridler Awards, Foose built a 1935 Chevy Master for Bob and Wes Rydell in 2002; a 1934 Mercury Stallion for Ron Whiteside, 2003; and a 1936 Ford Roadster for Ken Reister, 2005. This is the first time he has had an entry in a custom hardtop category in competition for the Ridler. However, Foose has a history of excelling at custom muscle and pro touring cars. Evidence the amazing Terracuda, a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Custom built for the CEO of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Click on the photos below for a larger view:

Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala  Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala  Chip Foose

Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala  Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala  1965 Chevy Impala interior

Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala sample car shows where body mods were made  undercarriage  Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala

1937 Ford Woodie Wagon Makes the Great 8

Cars On Line reported on Friday that this 1937 Ford Woodie Wagon makes the Great 8 list of contenders for the Ridler Award. Mike and Melinda Terzich of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania asked Clay Cook of C. Cook Enterprises to build the custom woodie wagon. It was no small task. Clay and his crew have overcome immense engineering challenges to build this car. All of the custom builders here at the show agree that this car was done right. Normally a builder must be a craftsman at sheet metal. But in the case of this 1937 Ford Woodie Wagon Clay’s crew had to become specialists at wood crafting and using carbon fiber materials as well.

Some of the builders who know tell us this is the car to beat. We watched as the judges went over this elegant street rod today for the final judging for the Ridler Award. They are pretty tough. But the ’37 Woodie was built right and has some incredible features designed in.

For instance, when Mike Terzich wanted power windows installed all the door panels had to be contructed of double wood panels. As any Ford woodie owner will tell you the Ford doors were always a problem anyway. Putting power windows in the doors was not small challenge. Likewise, when Nagle Design rendered the air intake for the headlights (see photo) and included LED headlights in the design, special cad work had to be done at Clay’s shop to produce the plans machining the headlight housing and the ductwork to cool the front brakes.  Fabricating the differential cover took a full set of cad drawings and breakouts. They also had to have cad work done to design the fabrication of Carbon 14 embossing on the brake calipers. Such attention to detail is part of what makes the 1937 Ford Woodie Wagon such a formidable contender for the Ridler Award.

Why the Carbon 14 theme? The panels in the wood doors are made of carbon fiber. There is also a lot of carbon fiber used in the interior giving it that very special look.

The list of equipment used on the Carbon 14 ’37 Ford Woodie is like a litany of the top performance parts vendors. Advanced Plating for the chrome work, Billet Specialties, Classic Instruments, Glasurit, Kooks Custom headers, Roadster Shop, Roush Performance 427, Vintage Air, Wilwood and Winters Performance.

Click the images below for a larger view:

1937 Ford Woodie Wagon makes the Great 8  37 Ford Woodie Wagon makes the Great 8  37 Ford Woodie Wagon makes the Great 8

37 Ford Woodie Wagon makes the Great 8  37 Ford Woodie Wagon rear valance  37 Ford Woodie Wagon makes the Great 8

37 Ford Woodie Wagon makes the Great 8  1937 Ford Woodie Wagon Carbon 14  1937 Ford Woodie Wagon headlight

1937 Ford Woodie Wagon being judge for Ridler Award

 

1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon makes Great 8

A Ridler Award contender, the 1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon makes the Great 8 list of contenders today. From that select group known as the Great 8 will come the 2015 Ridler Award winner. It is the biggest event here at the 2015 Detroit Autorama. That’s why Dean Osland of Scottsdale, Arizona is a happy custom car owner today. For a moment he can relax and bask in the awareness that his car was chosen among the top eight custom cars in the world.

This car is categorized in the Radical Custom Wagon class.

If the Ridler Award were judged on cool gadgetry alone this car would win hands down. It is a two-seater with a custom cargo area that opens electronically. Pop the rear taillight and the tailgate goes up. Then click a lever and the top of the storage compartment reveals a cargo area nicely matched with the interior.

Click the photos below for a larger view.

1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon makes Great 8  1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon makes Great 8  1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon makes Great 8

1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon makes Great 8  1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon makes Great 8  1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon makes Great 8

 

It was way back in 2008 when a 1960 Rambler Custom Wagon won the Ridler Award. Can it happen again?

Here is a link to the Ridler Award winners from 2000-2009.

Click here to link back to the 2015 Detroit Autorama news feed.

 

 

1965 Dodge Dart SL Street Touring

Great 8 Contender for the Ridler Award …

Willie and Charlotte Maise were on their way over to the Cobo Center Friday morning to see their 1965 Dodge Dart SL Street Touring car at the 2015 Detroit Autorama. Their pride and joy,  a 1965 Dodge Dart which they call the “Dart SL ” was to be shown to the public for the first time, and their anticipation was high. This car started out to be Willie’s driver, but when he took it to Big Oak Garage, the crew there came up with some good ideas so Willie’s driver turned into a full on show car. Every panel was reworked. The roof was lowered a bit toward the windshield and the body was totally reworked.  The finely crafted custom includes 110 body modifications, 42 one-off machined parts and countless hand-made sheet metal pieces. But the lines of the car and enough of the look of the car were saved so that you can very definitely tell it is a ’65 Dodge Dart. The fit and finish on this car are perfect.

The Dart SL has a 392 Supercharged Gen 2 Hemi motor which is the heart of the car. It sits in a perfect clean engine compartment where all of the wires and plumbing are hidden, even the radiator was built in under a special valance.

When Big Oak Garage designed in the the suspension they used a special belly pan type cover that is tied into the rear suspension and they used a torque arm type suspension in the rear. (See photo.) An air vent was used below the headlights on the front valance to bring air through a duct in the fender to the front brakes. (See headlight photo.) You can also see that the front headlights are LED.

In the photos you’ll notice the one-off Schott wheels labeled SL65’s. Willie was told by Schott that they will be selling this design sometime in the future, and they will call them SL65’s in honor of this build.

The custom interior is so fully detailed it takes a while to take in all the subtleties. The interior was done by M&M Hot Rod Interiors.

Big Oak Garage did the paintwork in-house. The D-BASF color is called Green With Envy.

Willie and Charlotte soon found out that their car had been selected as one of the Great 8 contenders for the 2015 Ridler Award. Willie said, “It’s still all just sinking in.”

1965 Dodge Dart SL Great 8 contender for the Ridler Award

Click thumbnail pictures to view a larger resolution photo.

1965 Dodge Dart rear view  1965 Dodge Dart Great 8 contender for the Ridler Award  1965 Dodge Dart 392 Supercharged Gen 2 Hemi motor

1965 Dodge Dart SL makes the Great 8  1965 Dodge Dart in the Great 8 at 2015 Detroit Autorama   1965 Dodge Dart SL65 LED headlight

1965 Dodge Dart SL65 rear torque arm suspension  1965 Dodge Dart SL65 fit and finish  1965 Dodge Dart SL65 from the rear

 

Click here to return to the 2015 Detroit Autorama page.

 

2015 Detroit Autorama

Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala wins Ridler Award
The 1965 Chevy Impala Custom nicknamed “The Impastar” has been chosen by 2015 Detroit Autorama judges as the Ridler Award winner.

 

Foose Wins Ridler Award at 2015 Detroit Autorama

DETROIT, MI, March 8, 2015 — It’s official. Chip Foose has solidified his legacy as a car designing legend by winning his fourth Ridler Award at the 2015 Detroit Autorama this evening. Foose designed and built the 1965 Chevy Impala Custom Hardtop which was chosen for the award. The Ridler Award is considered the most prestigious honor in the world of hot rods and customs.

In a short awards ceremony the 2015 Ridler Award trophy was presented to Don and Elma Voth of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada for their incredible 1965 Chevy Impala Custom they nicknamed “The Impastar.” It is a play on the words “Impala” and “imposter.” Imposter is a reference to the ’65 Impala body being shortened to fit on a stretched 2008 Corvette chassis. What you see is not what you get.

The Builders Cup trophy was given to TV celebrity and custom car designer Chip Foose for designing and building the Ridler winning car. This is the fourth time a Chip Foose built car has won the Ridler Award.

Ridler Award ceremony at 2015 Detroit Autorama
Elma and Don Voth (center) are presented with the Ridler Award for their fresh custom build, a 1965 Chevy Impala Custom they call the “Impastar.” Designer and builder Chip Foose stands to the right.

 

Chip Foose next to Ridler Award
Chip Foose, star of the TV series Overhaulin’, at the podium after receiving his fourth Ridler Award. The Ridler Award trophy sits next to the podium.

 

Foose used humble words when he accepted the Builders Cup award for the Ridler winning 1965 Chevy Impala Custom. “I’m not a car builder,” he said, preferring to think of himself as an artist and designer. He indicated that he has always been lucky to have the right people to support him both at home, a reference to his wife Lynne, and at work. One of the things that is endearing to car guys is how Chip Foose never let his fame go to his head. He’s always ready to talk cars with anyone who approaches him.

Don Voth, in his acceptance of the Ridler Award, noted that his wife Elma actually came up with the idea of building the Chevy. He said the simple formula for winning the Ridler Award is to convince Chip Foose to build it for you.

Click here to view more photos and a story on the 2015 Ridler Award winning 1965 Chevy Impala Custom.

The Ridler Award is chosen by the judges of the Detroit Autorama, one of the best known custom car shows in the world. The 2015 Detroit Autorama was put on by the Michigan Street Rod Association and sponsored by Meguiars.

On Friday, eight top cars were chosen to contend for the Ridler Award here at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit.  These top contenders are known as the Great 8. Tension was high here all weekend as 2015 Ridler Awardspectators were milling around the Great 8 winners speculating on who would win the Ridler Award.
By definition of the rules they all had to be fresh builds, never shown anywhere before, all hoping to capture the Ridler Award, considered the highest achievement in the custom car building hobby.  The 2015 Detroit Autorama is sponsored by the Michigan Street Rod Association. Don Ridler was a tireless promoter for the Michigan Street Rod Association during his short life. The Ridler Award is in memory of his contributions. Click here for a tribute to Don Ridler by Autorama. The Don Ridler Memorial trophy is always awarded here at the Detroit Autorama. This will be the 52nd annual Ridler Award competition.

We asked our Facebook fans to vote for their favorite to win the Ridler Award out of the Great 8 contenders. All of the Great 8 contenders were featured on our Facebook page during the weekend. Click the link to find out which one our readers picked.

Here are the Great 8 cars:

1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon – Great 8

It was way back in 2008 when a 1960 Rambler Custom Wagon won the Ridler Award. Can it happen again? A 1959 Rambler American Custom Wagon from Scottsdale, Arizona was just 1959 Rambler American 2-Dr Wagon at 2015 Detroit Autoramaselected to the Great 8. Dean Osland brought his 1959 AMC Rambler American Custom 2-Dr Wagon to the 2015 Detroit Autorama hoping to compete for the Ridler Award. His dreams have stayed ontrack as of Friday by being selected to the Great 8. If the Ridler Award were judged on cool gadgetry alone this car would win hands down. It is a two-seater with a custom cargo area that opens electronically. Pop the rear taillight and key the switch to see the tailgate go up. Then click a lever and the top of the storage compartment opens.

See more photos of this 1959 Rambler 2-Dr Wagon by clicking this link.

1969 Custom Camaro – Infused – Great 8

A 1969 Chevy Custom Camaro was chosen to compete in the Great 8 today for the Ridler Award competition. The owner is Alan Reed from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He calls the car 1969 Custom Camaro "Infused" at 2015 Detroit Autorama“Infused” as opposed to injected. It was designed and built by Hot Rod Joe’s Rod & Custom shop in Lafayette, Louisiana. The front and rear valances are all custom fabricated sheet metal facia with altered body lines and shaved dip rails, custom window trim and flush mounted glass. Underneath is a Heidt’s Pro G front with Wilwood 13″ 6-piston brakes, Heidt’s 4-link with 9″ Ford differential and Wilwood 12″ 4-piston brakes in back. It is powered by a GM SL3 motor with a Magnusson Heartbeat Supercharger. Inside was done by Pro Auto Interiors of Knoxville, Tennesee. Then they added a Pioneer touchscreen, DVD and backup camera, touch start and push button E-brake. Click here to view more photos of this 1969 Custom Camaro called Infused.

1956 Plymouth Custom Convertible – Great 8

The sign in the show display says it is a rare combination of modern age technology with 1950’s Golden Age design and spirit. It is the 1956 Plymouth Custom Convertible brought to the 2015 1956 Plymouth Convertible in the Great 8 competitionDetroit Autorama by Gil and Janet Losi of Murrieta, California.  It is entered in the Radical Custom Convertible category, but today the Autorama judges were so impressed that they put a Great 8 Award sign in the display. Gil’s car has been entered to contend for the Ridler Award. The ’56 Belvedere is built on a custom chassis with a late model 6.1L Hemi engine. Look at the photos and you’ll see Curtis/Foose wheels, Axalta paint, Advanced Plating custom chrome and a Gabe Lopez interior. The build was completed by Steve Cook Creations. Click here to view more photos of this unusual 1956 Plymouth Custom Convertible entered in the Radical Custom Convertible class.

1932 Ford Roadster – Deuce Flyer – Great 8

They only let one 1932 Ford Roadster into the competition for the Ridler Award this year, but it 1932 Ford Roadster "Deuce Flyer" made the Great 8 at the 2015 Detroit Autoramais a good one and worthy of the award. Al Nagele’s “Deuce Flyer” is as exquisitely beautiful as it is cutting edge progressive. Stretched and pinched, it is a jewel among true hot rod customs. The Roadster Shop stretched the ’32 Brookville steel roadster chassis while they pinched and stepped the frame rails with refabricated cross members. They dropped the front 5 inches. The center section is a Ford 9″ with positraction. The Deuce Flyer has a GM LS6 motor with CNC heads, Comp Cam, Edelbrock dual quads and a TKO500 5-speed. They estimate this little roadster will create 500 horsepower. About Noon today we noticed there was a Great 8 sign in their display. Click this link to see more photos of the 1932 Ford Roadster Deuce Flyer.

Chip Foose 1965 Chevy “Impaster” – Great 8

They just couldn’t keep it a secret. Since it has been all over the internet that Chip Foose would be bringing a car to the 2015 Detroit Autorama again this year to compete for the Ridler Award the press was Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Malibualready anticipating his appearance here. The Foose Design team built a 1965 Chevy Impala for Don and Elma Voth of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada that has everyone talking about it. Chip was at the display a good part of the morning on Friday as the exhibit was being set up. The display is like no other here. Chip actually had a second 1965 Chevy Impala set up in the display with the cut marks outlined on the car to indicate where the body mods were on the show car. Foose has won more Ridler Awards than any other designer. His presence here ups the anti as to who will  win the Ridler Award. But Foose will have to earn it on build quality, not on his reputation.  The competition here this year is intense. However, there is a Great 8 sign in his display, so he’s in. Click here to see more photos and info on the Chip Foose 1965 Chevy Impala.

Carbon 14 – 1937 Ford Woodie Wagon – Great 8

All the top custom builders think this 1937 Ford Woodie Wagon is the one to beat. They say it was built ProRides' 1937 Ford Woodie Wagonright, a very difficult build to achieve because of the wood construction. The display benefitted from a digital media presentation on how the rod was built. This is not your typical resto rod. The list of equipment used is like a litany of the top performance parts vendors. It was brought to the show by Mike and Melinda Terzich of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania. Their company, ProRides, has been building top show cars for over 20 years. They have won Goodguys as Street Machine of the Year with a famous ’56 Chevy Radical Custom. But they have never won a Ridler Award. This year, that all might change. See more high resolution photos of the ’37 Ford Woodie by clicking this link.

Willie Maise 1965 Dodge Dart SL – Great 8

When we left the GM Renaissance Center today we bumped into Willie and Charlotte Maise from Hokes Bluff, Alabama. They were a little nervous as this was to be the day that they would find out if their 1965 1965 Dodge Dart rear viewDodge Dart would make the Great 8 as a contender for the Ridler Award for 2015. It was not long after they arrived that they were told that their ’65 Dart, which was entered in the Street Touring 1955-69 category, had been selected as one of the Great 8. The excitement was written all over Willie’s face as well as in his voice as he talked about the car. All the hopes and dreams that built this car had come to this. When you get that sign that says “Great 8” placed in your display the whole world opens up. There is no way to describe how much joy that brings to a custom car guy when he is recognized here at the Detroit Autorama as having one of the top cars in the country.  Click here to view more photos.

Stampede – 1969 Mustang – Great 8

There was a time when you could only win the Ridler Award if you brought a 1932 Ford Roadster to the Detroit Autorama. Then they opened it up a little to let ’50s classic customs into the mix. Last year a 1969 Mustang Stampede makes the Great 8street machine won for the first time. Now this year a 1969 Mustang with 20″ wheels has entered the Great 8.  And the builder didn’t have a gray hair on his head. What is this world coming to!? Seriously, it is good to see a radical custom muscle car like this 1969 Mustang called the “Stampede” earn a place in the Great 8. The custom PPG paint is startling under the neon lighting in this display. And the Boss 572 ci motor just plain turns heads with its multi-stack EFI. It uses Air Ride shocks with a magnetic ride, tubular front suspension and torque arm rear suspension. The wheels are 20X10 front and 20X12 rear. The interior has no stitching. We’ll have to find out more about this one. The car is owned by Tim Palazzolo of Houston, Texas. It competes in the Semi Hardtop category. Click here to view more photos and build info.

1971 Plymouth Cuda at 2015 Detroit Autorama
Some of the cars that did not make it into the Great 8 were still very popular among show-goers. Here is a 1971 Cuda that drew a lot of attention all weekend.

More Customs at 2015 Detroit Autorama …

While the Great 8 and the Ridler Award were of immense interest to the press and custom car builders around the country, there were many cars at the 2015 Detroit Autorama that drew crowds. The 1971 Cuda you see here really got the attention of show-goers. It was brought to the show by Maureen and Jerry Chandler of Livonia, Michigan. It was competing in the Semi Hardtop category. The car was built by Motor City Solutions with paint done by Greg Dutton. Jerry says he did the body mods and engine himself.

And we found many more rods and customs that you’ll want to see. Click here to see a gallery of photos of the beautiful customs at Autorama.

It is fitting that the greatest custom auto show in the world is held here in Deroit, the city that holds so much of America’s automotive history. Over 1,000 custom cars were on display here.  There is just nothing like it anywhere else in the country. Street rods, customs, pro touring cars, rat rods, classic muscle cars and sport compact tuners, they are all on display here. That’s what you’ll find at the 63rd Annual 2015 Detroit Autorama.  It is the longest running rod and custom show in the country. The show started on Friday and ends today. They estimate that over 170,000 people will have passed through the turnstiles by this evening.

The 2015 Detroit Autorama was held at the Cobo Center, a famous venue on the Detroit riverfront. Click this link to view the Ridler Award winners from this decade, 2010-2014. Here is a link to the winners from 2000-2009. This will be our third year covering the Autorama in Detroit. It is always a great show. In addition to the Ridler Award competition there were hundreds of top show cars in over 50 different categories. It is an amazing awards ceremony. Show goers will also get to meet and talk to the top custom car builders in the country.

Close Menu