Every panel of the two-door sedan was reshaped or custom fabricated by Doug Peterson to achieve Foose’s design vision before the Foose team did the finish work and applied the jade green and silver finish. Polished Halibrand wheels provided sparkle, while European-style tan leather upholstery finished off the cockpit in fine style.Ĭhip Foose was hitting his stride in the early-2000s and changed the street rodding game with Wes Rydell’s “Grand Master” ’35 Chevy, ushering in an era of clean-sheet coach-built cars. Even the power came from a refined source – there was a polished and well-detailed Cadillac Northstar V8 breathing through those polished side pipes. Leonard’s personal Deuce roadster added enough refinement and flair to capture the d’Elegance crown in 2001 thanks in part to a smooth body coated in Ferrari Red paint and a curved-glass windshield. Leonard Lopez got his start in motorcycle and USAC Midget racing, so it’s no surprise that the hot rods he’s created at his Dominator Motorsports shop in the past quarter century frequently have a competition influence. Finished with British Racing Green paint and beautiful tan leather upholstery by Sid Chavers, this little roadster kicked off the new century in classic style. Chip foose riddler cars full#A polished aluminum fuel tank and equally polished Dutchman quick-change rearend were on full display behind the RPU body, while a Super Bell axle and Model A headlights made simple leading visual elements. Built on truncated ’32 rails and powered by a Weber-side-draft-fed Jaguar six-cylinder engine, the car was part hot rod and part sports car. That’s the thing about well-designed and well-crafted elegance – it never seems to go out of style.Ĭarlos Lara was always willing to push the rodding envelope and bring different styles into the mix, which is exactly what he and builder Roy Brizio did when they pulled European flavor and Italian flair into this lakes-influenced Model A. It’s also worth noting how fresh and relevant many of these builds still look today. It’s interesting to see the different design approaches builders have taken in their quest to earn this honor. We thought it would be interesting to take a look back at Street Rod d’Elegance winners from the past two decades and see how the definition of d’Elegance has evolved through the years. Fat-fendered rides from the mid- and late-’30s seem to have an advantage thanks to their alluring curves and Art Deco influences, as evidenced by cars like Kevin and Karen Alstott’s ’35 Ford roadster, Ron Cizek’s ’40 Ford coupe, or Wes and Vivian Rydell’s ’40 Oldsmobile sedan. Game-changing creations like Wes and Vivian Rydell’s Grand Master Chevy sedan, Ken Reister’s “Impression” ’36 Ford, and Bruce Wanta’s spectacular “Mulholland Speedster” ’36 Packard are among the winners. Over the past two decades, the Street Rod d’Elegance competition has attracted an incredible parade of candidates and the winning vehicles have included some of the most influential builds in modern history. Nestled next to the sea, it’s the sort of place you’d want to cruise in a finely crafted street rod. The facility is steeped in rich pageantry and tradition, a resort-like area where the wealthy and famous have come to play for generations. The refined, upscale setting of the Del Mar Fairgrounds made a perfect home for this award. Street Rod d’Elegance was initially awarded at the All American Get-Together in Pleasanton, California, but the award competition moved to a permanent new home at the Del Mar Nationals beginning in 2003. What makes a car elegant? That’s not always easy to put into words, but the winners tend to have graceful, flowing lines, rich details, and thoughtful design, in addition to impeccable fit, finish, and construction quality. Open to pre-’49 street rods, the competition is essentially a beauty contest – the selection committee looks for the most elegant and gorgeous car from among that year’s contenders. The Street Rod d’Elegance moniker reemerged and began gaining prominence toward the turn of the new century and eventually became part of Goodguys’ elite “Of The Year” awards, now known as the Goodguys Top 12. The award’s origins actually date back nearly 30 years, when the honor was intertwined with the first Street Rod of the Year competition at the Goodguys “Kar Kapades” event in Monterey, California. The Goodguys / March Performance Street Rod d’Elegance award celebrates the refined and elegant side of street rodding, those carefully crafted and coach-built rods that are more about style and grace than all-out performance. A Look Back at Two Decades of Goodguys / March Performance Street Rod d’Elegance Winners
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