Show Cars Automotive’s 1963 Chevy Wagon Wins 2020 Ridler Award

The winner of the 2020 Detroit Autorama Don Ridler Memorial Award goes to this 1963 Chevy two-door station wagon owned and built by Brad, Brady, and Cory Ranweiler of Show Cars Automotive in New Ulm, Minnesota. Dubbed “Impressive,” it certainly lived up to its name.

The big news was delivered during the Awards Ceremony on Sunday in Detroit. The Ranweiler clan brought the unique, custom-fabricated classic Chevy station wagon to TCF Hall to battle for the Ridler Award, one of the most significant accolades in the custom car hobby — and they didn’t go home empty-handed.

Nine years in the making, the Ranweilers threw every custom trick in the book at this old Chevy wagon. Starting with a four-door wagon, heavy fabrication was required to convert it to a two-door. Then they stuffed a massive 615hp, 509ci, big-block Chevy on an Art Morrison chassis, RideTech Coil Overs, and Wilwood brakes. From there, the parts list reads like a who’s who in the industry. Gauges by Dakota Digital, glass by AM Hot Rod Glass, custom interior by M&M Auto Interiors, wheels by EVOD Industries, and Advanced Plating handling the shiny stuff.

Congrats to everybody involved with the impressive “Impressive,” the 2020 Ridler Award winner.

Cover photo image: Hagerty

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Eric Geisert

A journalist and photographer, Eric Geisert, worked for three years at VW Trends magazine before joining Street Rodder magazine in 1991. In 2002, he was named one of The 50 Who Made A Difference at the 50th Detroit Autorama and, in 2004, was named editor of Kit Car magazine, a 30-year-old title. By 2006, a move back to Street Rodder came with a senior editor position and, in 2007, Eric was inducted into the Circle of Champions, the Detroit Autorama's Hall of Fame. In 2013, he became a freelance writer and works on his expansive car collection that includes a ’34 five-window Ford coupe, '32 Ford roadster, reproduction '59 Lotus 11, 356 Porsche speedster, and '59 Karmann Ghia.
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