Randy and Lisa Wilcox’s 1962 Chevy Impala Bel Air bubbletop, the 2015 Barrett-Jackson Cup winner. Photos courtesy Barrett-Jackson.
Hot August Nights in Reno, Nevada, has been a mecca for the street machine and hot rod crowd since its inception in 1986. When the Barrett-Jackson Cup was announced in 2013, suddenly those with top-shelf cars had another reason to attend: Capturing the Ultimate Best of Show award would deliver a payout of $30,000 cash, plus nearly $28,000 in prizes. For 2015, the Ultimate Best of Show award went to the 1962 Chevrolet Impala Bel Air bubbletop owned by Randy and Lisa Wilcox and built by Andy Leach and Cal Automotive Creations of Omaha, Nebraska.
The Wilcox’s bubbletop was designed by Bob Thrash, and may be among the more understated winners in recent years. Rather than alter the car’s shape significantly and cover it in over-the-top paint, the design and construction went to great lengths to enhance the Impala’s Bel Air’s lines. Bumpers are tucked to give the car a more streamlined look, and side trim (along with taillamp and window molding) is machined from billet. Out back, a low-profile wing follows the trunk’s subtle v-shaped contour, blending in instead of standing out. The same can be said of the car’s silver paint, applied by Charley Hutton.
The long and low Chevy sits on an Art Morrison chassis and rides on one-off wheels created by Billet Specialties. Power comes from a 6.2-liter supercharged LS9 V-8, which when beneath the hood of the Corvette ZR1 produces 638 horsepower and just over 600 pound-feet of torque. A Tremec T-56 six-speed transmission, built to handle up to 700 pound-feet of torque, handles shifting duties.
For their work on the bubbletop, Andy Leach and Cal Automotive Creations (which also built the 2013 Ridler Award-winning 1940 Ford coupe, Checkered Past) took home this year’s Builder’s Award. Leach and his family were on hand to accept the $30,000 check for the Wilcox family, who also received the Barrett-Jackson Cup; a GM crate engine and transmission worth $15,000; $6,000 in Craftsman tools; a $5,000 credit for Reliable Carriers; $1,000 in Barrett-Jackson car care products; a GoPro Camera worth $399; an Optima Battery certificate worth $225; and a Barrett-Jackson Cup mechanic’s shirt from Red Kap.
Gary Brown’s 1957 Chevy pickup, the First Runner-Up.
First Runner-Up went to the 1957 Chevrolet pickup of Gary Brown, built by Mike Goldman Customs. Gary’s truck uses a Roadster Shop chassis and boasts an independent rear suspension. Power comes from a ZL1 big block V-8, mated to a five-speed manual transmission, and the truck’s interior was liberated from a 1964 Corvette. The First Runner-Up package included a cash prize of $18,000; $1,000 in Barrett-Jackson car care products; a Dodge Driving School certificate worth $800; a GoPro Camera worth $399; an Optima Battery certificate worth $225; and a Barrett-Jackson Cup mechanic’s shirt from Red Kap.
Don and Elma Voth’s Ridler Award-winning 1965 Chevrolet Impala, the Second Runner-Up.
Second Runner-Up went to the 1965 Chevrolet Impala owned by Don and Elma Voth and built by Chip Foose. If the car, named The Imposter, looks familiar, there’s a reason for that – last March, it took home the 2015 Ridler Award at the Detroit Autorama. The Second Runner-Up package included a $10,000 cash prize; $1,000 in Barrett-Jackson car care products; a GoPro Camera worth $399; an Optima Battery certificate worth $225; and a Barrett-Jackson Cup mechanic’s shirt from Red Kap.
Gil and Janet Losi’s 1956 Plymouth Belvedere, the Third Runner-Up.
Third Runner-Up was awarded to the 1956 Plymouth Belvedere convertible of Gil and Janet Losi, built by Steve Cook Creations. The car rides on a custom chassis with an air suspension, and the channeled body wears custom rockers and headlamps borrowed from a 1956 Chrysler 300. Power comes from a current-generation fuel-injected 6.1-liter Hemi V-8, which should produce in the neighborhood of 425 horsepower. The Third Runner-Up package included a $7,000 cash prize; $1,000 in Barrett-Jackson car care products; a GoPro Camera worth $399; an Optima Battery certificate worth $225; and a Barrett-Jackson Cup mechanic’s shirt from Red Kap.
Willie Maise’s 1965 Dodge Dart, the Fourth Runner-Up.
Finally, the Fourth Runner-Up was the 1965 Dodge Dart owned by Willie Maise and built by Will Posey and the Big Oak Garage. The Green with Envy Mopar rides on a stretched wheelbase, which looks even longer with the car’s shortened body. Power comes from a supercharged 6.4-liter current-generation Hemi V-8, which sits in a custom chassis crafted by Big Oak Garage. The Fourth Runner-Up package included a $5,000 cash prize; $1,000 in Barrett-Jackson car care products; a GoPro Camera worth $399; an Optima Battery certificate worth $225; and a Barrett-Jackson Cup mechanic’s shirt from Red Kap.
For more information on the Barrett-Jackson Cup, visit Barrett-Jackson.com. For more details on Hot August Nights, visit HotAugustNights.net.