The Grand National Roadster Show is now a national success and perhaps the best custom car show held in the United States. But that didn’t happen over night. In fact, the Grand National Roadster Show at its founding in 1950 in Oakland, California was a local event and limited to just a few types of vehicles.
By 1962 “Grand” was added to its original “National Roadster Show” title and everything from customized go-karts to chopped Harley-Davidsons filled in the gaps between two-seater T-Birds and customized 1/2-ton pickups. In 2004 the Grand National Roadster Show moved from Northern California to Southern California and immediately grew from just three buildings in 2004 to consuming everything from outdoor spots up to Building 10 in 2005 at Pomona’s Fairplex.
For the 2023, 73rd edition of the Grand National Roadster Show a special tribute was held in GNRS’ “special features building” celebrating 50 years of unique classic trucks from 1948 up to 1998 and displayed a healthy helping of former magazine cover trucks and local icons from the past.
1954 Chevy AD with Chrysler Hemi power built by Harold’s Hot Rod Shop of Enid, Oklahoma and on the February 2023 cover of Classic Truck Performance.
Powered by a 429-inch Ford V-8 the “Lone Ranger” a very custom 1969 Ford Ranger originally a pickup by Kykers Rod & Kustom of Telford, Tennessee.
Kennedy Waite’s LS1 powered 1958 Chevy Cameo Carrier with paint and body by Squeeg’s Kustoms and upholstery by Gabe’s Custom Interiors on Wheelsmith wheels.
Darryl Hollenbeck custom painter for 2023’s AMBR winning 1932 Ford entered his 1974 Chevy C-10 stepside with special thanks to his friends that helped refresh it.
Chip Foose’s first car was a truck —Chip’s 1956 Ford “Big-Window pickup originally in CoCo Brown Metallic was restyled to Chip’s wishes in an episode of Overhaulin’.
Nothing brings back 1980s mini-trucking nostalgia like this 1977 Datsun 620 King Cab mini truck that came to Pomona all the way from New York.

















