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Australian built X-Boss 1976 Ford Falcon Great 8 winner

1976 Falcon X-Boss Custom Street Machine makes Great 8 at the 2016 Detroit Autorama
X-Boss 1976 Ford Falcon Great 8 winner owned by Chris and Colleen Bitmead of Orange Grove, West Australia

 

For an Australian built X-Boss 1976 Ford Falcon Great 8 winner to be selected at the Detroit Autorama was a bit of a surprise here in Detroit. Back ten years ago the entrants for the Ridler Award competition were all ’32 or ’33 Ford street rods. For this one to be a street machine and to be from Australia is something for our friends down under to cheer about.

The competition is happening as you read this report here at the 2016 Detroit Autorama. Cars On Line.com has been talking to the owner and even did a live Periscope video on Twitter (see below.) Now Cars On Line.com is asking its readers to vote for their favorite to win the 2016 Ridler Award on their Facebook page. Click here to vote now if you favor this X-Boss 1976 Ford Falcon Great 8 winner to take the Ridler Award.

We told this Australian custom car builder that his steering column was on the wrong side. But he quite rightly pointed out that it was literally on the “right side.”

  • 1976 Falcon X-Boss Custom Street Machine makes Great 8 at the 2016 Detroit Autorama
    Australian 1976 Ford Falcon Coupe

Here is a video interview we recorded on Twitter just after Chris Bitmead was notified that his X-Boss had been selected to the Great 8.

 

Cars On Line will cover the 2016 Ridler Award announcement live on Sunday evening. Watch for our Periscope live broadcast of the announcement on our Twitter page.

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

1962 Buick Skylark

Mike Wiemer of Mayville, Wisconsin built this 1962 Buick Skylark Custom for his father so his dad, Bob, could drive it on the Hot Rod Power Tour.  He says it was an original California car that he completely restored into this high quality custom street machine.

The 1962 Buick Skylark Custom features a Mustang II type front end and Ride Tech air bags all around giving it an extremely low profile. See the photos. It has a ladder bar rear end and the trunk floor was raised to get a fuel tank underneath. The engine is a  built LS1 motor with a 4L60 transmission. Look at the clean firewall and engine compartment free of plumbing and wiring.  Mike said his dad asked him to add a faux carbon fiber look to the hood.

Check out the You Tube video of this car from Scottie DTV:

Check out the photos. Then vote for the 1962 Buick Skylark as Best Street Machine on our Facebook page.
1962 Buick Skylark
1962 Buick Skylark
1962 Buick Skylark

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