Don Ridler

2016 Detroit Autorama, Home of the Ridler Award

 

2016 Detroit Autorama, World’s Greatest Car Show …

DETROIT, MI — In the finale of the 2016 Detroit Autorama a rare 1939 Oldsmobile Series 60 Convertible named “Olds Cool” captured the most coveted honor in the custom car world, the Ridler Award. Owner Billy Thomas of Corpus Christi, Texas accepted the 2016 Ridler Award at a ceremony in the Grand Riverview Ballroom at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit this evening. Custom Hot Rods of Andice won the 2016 Builders Award for their work in creating this “Olds Cool” dream car.

Here is a photo slideshow of the 1930 Oldsmobile Series 60 Convertible called “Olds Cool” during the awards presentations.

Click this link to view a photo gallery on “Olds Cool” taken earlier this weekend at the 2016 Detroit Autorama. You’ll find several videos with interviews with the owner and a discussion of what it takes to bring a car to this level.

Here at the 2016 Detroit Autorama we have been awaiting the 2016 Ridler Award annoucement.  It was a little tense as the Great 8 group of contenders was the best there has ever been at the MHRA show in Detroit. You spend years of your time and talent to get a custom car to this level. You dream of this day all your life, to build a car so flawless and special that it can be called the 2016 Ridler Award winner. These are all great cars. No, actually they are all works of art.  But only one can win the coveted Ridler Award here at the 2016 Detroit Autorama.

Here are the Great 8 contenders for 2016:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday’s opening of the 2016 Detroit Autorama revealed that the competition for the Ridler Award was going to be intense. Eight stellar cars were selected to the Great 8 as the field was narrowed down to the top eight contenders.  All eight cars are featured inside Cobo Hall where the world famous 2016 Detroit Autorama is underway. The Detroit Autorama is where custom car builders come to display their work and contend for the most sought-after trophy of them all, the Ridler Award. By definition of the rules the Ridler Award winner must be a fresh build, never shown anywhere before.

Sometimes we put so much weight on the importance of the Ridler Award that we forget that there are over 1,000 cars on display here at the Cobo Center during the 2015 Detroit Autorama. Cars entered in all 50 class categories are very strong entries this year. The winners of those categories are judged and awards are given for the top cars in each category. In addition, there are cash awards for the top categories. Here is the winner for Truck of the Year which has a $750 cash prize.

For more of the top show cars at the 2016 Detroit Autorama follow this link to our feature page on show car class winners.

While we were at the 2016 Detroit Autorama this weekend we were looking for new trends in the Street Rod hobby. We spotted this one at the GM Performance booth. Check out this video of a new development in paint techniques:

The cool electroluminescent paint is something fresh for this year. It is being offered here on a 2016 Camaro RS. The package is called the Krypton Concept. It includes luminescent Chevrolet bowties which appear in the paint and can be remotely activated. The package also includes 20-inch blackout wheels, HID headlamps with green LED running lamps, unique grille and decklid mounted spoiler. Interior has Krypton Green door inserts. This is so unique we had to show it to you here.

The Detroit Autorama has been running annually for 64 years and is the feature event of the Michigan Street Rod Association. Sponsors for the event againt this year are Meguiars and O’Reilly’s Auto Parts.