WrinkleRed: March 2019

Up next, I decided to make new brake shields, the original pieces had a few problems. They were rusted and smashed, they were sized for the original 10.1" diameter brake rotors, and they were stamped to be identical so there are unused holes on each side.

The first step was to measure the originals to get all of my dimensions correct.

Then I cut blanks from 20ga steel sheet. The fronts are sized for my new 11" diameter rotors and the rears will be sized for 10.1" diameter rotors.

Inked up and holes laid out

I wanted a lip around the outside, and decided to use the hammer forming method. I turned some plywood blanks on my lathe so they would be perfectly round:

After the first one made a complete mess, I got out a shop vac!

Note the old brake rotor I'm using for a fixture!

I clamped the steel sheet in between the plywood hammer forms.

After a considerable amount of hammering and slapping, I had a flange turned on the disc.

Fast forward a few steps. I trimmed them to shape, pressed in some countersunk holes, and shined them up!

I trimmed them even further to match the contour of the caliper carriers in the front and rear.

After a final trim of the flange and some fine tuning, they were all finished up!

Much improved!

I took a break from the Jetta for some tool and car related field trips.

Last weekend I went to the Detroit Autorama. This is the show where cars compete for the Ridler Award, one of the most prestigious trophies in the custom car world. The cars are built in secret, often over the course of decades, and are unveiled for the first time at this show. The level of workmanship is just mind blowing, these cars are absolutely perfect in every regard. These cars represent the limits of human capability in the custom car world, and I think it's inspiring to see them in person. These pictures cannot capture how perfect these cars are.

The Detroit Autorama happens at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Mi.

As soon as I walked in, this car was perched in the primo spot: a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham turned into a custom two door wagon using a Nomad roof. The car was shortened by around 18 inches, the front doors were lengthened to make it a two door, the car was narrowed, the roof was modified and added, custom tube chassis, Nelson Racing Engines 632ci twin turbo V8, custom wheels, and perfectly executed. It was built by Super Rides by Jordan over the past 16 years, and the owner actually passed away last year. This car ended up winning the Ridler Award, and I completely agree with the judges' decision.

The next competitor was this 1965 Chevelle built by Mike Goldman Customs. This Chevelle and the CadMad were a step above the other Ridler Award competitors. This was my original pick before taking a second look at the Cadillac, which I agree is the clear winner.

The paint and bodywork on these cars is just flawless. Without flaws.

The engine bay sheet metal was ONE PIECE. That's not a seam - it's a pinstripe separating the satin charcoal and gloss blue paints.

This car had dozens of custom machined parts, including the grill and bumpers machined from billet.

Custom display stand with a cross section of the custom tires. Yes you read that right - custom tires. Custom. Tires.

This was another Ridler contender and Great 8 finalist.

This Willys was another Great 8 finalist. While it wasn't the Ridler winner, and wasn't quite in the same league as the CadMad and Chevelle, it was built by ONE guy (Quint Walberts) in his garage in the evenings and weekends over the past decade. To be fair - he's a serious professional, owns his own shop, has been building custom cars his entire life, but still - not a team of people, not $2M plus invested like the others. Just a talented guy building cool shit.

The rest of the show is pretty awesome as well. These cars aren't in the same league as the Ridler contenders, but the quality at Detroit is quite high overall. The show field was almost exclusively American Muscle, but all over the spectrum.

This car was absolutely beautiful, but I don't know anything about it.

WRINKLE RED!

I was a big fan of this Maverick. I don't know anything about it (couldn't find the judges book / photo album) but I really liked it.

This was awesome tool. Again, I don't know anything about it, but it looked sweet.

This car was also on display, the 2019 winner of the America's Most Beautiful Roadster built by Pinkees Rod Shop. This car was absolutely beautiful in all ways, just as detailed as the Ridler cars but in a different category.

I couldn't get great pictures since I'm a terrible photographer, but it was flawless and very well executed.

I also took a visit to HGR Industrial Surplus a few weeks ago. What an amazing place! They buy and sell used industrial machinery, all in a 12 acre warehouse that was originally a stamping plant.