Robert Street's award winning Impala.

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
Man, that car looks great, very original. Is the car to be subjected to extreme scrutiny in a major judged event soon?

Maybe we can form a group to cheer him on :). That could get ugly quick...

Best, TomK
 

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 12
If I am not mistaken, that '62 was completed to a high level of detail by Tommy Nolen (I could be wrong on that, but will be corrected). Not sure if Tommy campaigned that car or not, he has quite a few nicely finished vehicles :).

Cheers!
TomK
 

Fathead Racing

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
If I am not mistaken, that '62 was completed to a high level of detail by Tommy Nolen (I could be wrong on that, but will be corrected). Not sure if Tommy campaigned that car or not, he has quite a few nicely finished vehicles :).

Cheers!
TomK
Indeed, that car was in Tommy Nolens care. I don't know what condition the car was in when Tommy first acquired it. Maybe he will tell us if he sees this post. Mr. Street is now the most capable caretaker. Tommy couldn't have found a better home for the car.
 

real61ss

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 8
Congratulations to Robert. Let me take a minute to explain what is taking place with Roberts car. He shows the car at Antique Automobile Club of America National Meets. AACA has about six national meets across the country each year. They have the normal 5 person judging teams that point judge the cars and in addition to this they have what is known as the National Awards Judging Team that also looks at every car. The National Awards Team is made up of experienced judges that have many years of judging experence, they do not point judge the cars, they look for the best of the best, those cars that stand about the rest. At each National Meet they nominate those cars that are clearly standing above the others. On average about 6000 cars are shown at these National Meets each year and about 4 to 5 hundred are picked by the National Team to be nominated for what is known as a National Award. Roberts car has been chosen and was nominated to recieve one of these special awards. Each owner of cars that were nominated recieved a letter at the end of the show season advising them of their nomination. They are asked to send in 2 photos of their car, on the first Saturday of December the National Awards team meets in Hershey, PA to select the winners. This group of 4 to 5 hundred nominatees is narrowed down to fifty some winners. The winners are then notified and asked to attend the Annual Meeting that is held each year in Philidelphia, Pa in February where the awards are presented. They literally roll out the red carpet for the winners. This is the highest award given by AACA, Roberts car has recieved the second highest award given, that was being nominated, let's hope he gets the letter advising him to report to Philadelphia to recieve their highest award.
These National Awards Trophis are kept at AACA headquarters in Hershey, the winners are presented with a very nice and expensive trophy for themselves and their names are engraved on the real trophy that is on display in Hershey.
Go Robert!!!

PS, the AACA's mission statement is to restore automobiles to the condition in which the dealer could have prepared the vehicle for sale using factory approved equpment or accessories. The judges look first at correctness and then at workmanship
 
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303Radar

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Congratulations to Robert. Let me take a minute to explain what is taking place with Roberts car. He shows the car at Antique Automobile Club of America National Meets. AACA has about six national meets across the country each year. They have the normal 5 person judging teams that point judge the cars and in addition to this they have what is known as the National Awards Judging Team that also looks at every car. The National Awards Team is made up of experienced judges that have many years of judging experence, they do not point judge the cars, they look for the best of the best, those cars that stand about the rest. At each National Meet they nominate those cars that are clearly standing above the others. On average about 6000 cars are shown at these National Meets each year and about 4 to 5 hundred are picked by the National Team to be nominated for what is known as a National Award. Roberts car has been chosen and was nominated to recieve one of these special awards. Each owner of cars that were nominated recieved a letter at the end of the show season advising them of their nomination. They are asked to send in 2 photos of their car, on the first Saturday of December the National Awards team meets in Hershey, PA to select the winners. This group of 4 to 5 hundred nominatees is narrowed down to fifty some winners. The winners are then notified and asked to attend the Annual Meeting that is held each year in Philidelphia, Pa in February where the awards are presented. They literally roll out the red carpet for the winners. This is the highest award given by AACA, Roberts car has recieved the second highest award given, that was being nominated, let's hope he gets the letter advising him to report to Philadelphia to recieve their highest award.
These National Awards Trophis are kept at AACA headquarters in Hershey, the winners are presented with a very nice and expensive trophy for themselves and their names are engraved on the real trophy that is on display in Hershey.
Go Robert!!!

PS, the AACA's mission statement is to restore automobiles to the condition in which the dealer could have prepared the vehicle for sale using factory approved equpment or accessories. The judges look first at correctness and then at workmanship
Good to know, particularly the PS.
 

blkblk63ss

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 5
Who actually performed the restoration is what i was asking, and was it a original 409 car.Was it good ,bad in need of a lot of work?????
 

rstreet

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 17
Thanks everyone for the kind words. Yes, I still have the 61 and have been working on it to show it next year but not at the National show level the 62 is, more like a Junior varsity level.
Don yes, this car is a Tommy Nolen car that he rescued out of a museum! It isn't the best one in my opinion as the 61 Blue SS or the Maroon 62 Pontiac 425A car are. Tommy can respond as to the interior girl that does the interiors and the engine person who does the engines if you need them. I liked this car when I first saw it many years ago and never ever dreamed I would own it someday so I quite honestly never researched nor cared about it's "pedigree" as I have done with the 61. Yes, as Tommy has eluded to AACA National show requirements it is tense at times with all of the schedules and protocol but well worth it when the car has achieved the pinnacle. That is why I enjoyed The Good Guys South East Nationals at Charlotte this weekend as it was actually relaxing but humbling as to the many people that came up to me and gave accolades for the car. Even the antics of Jeremy and his Dad with their 62 in front of Tommy's Pontiacs was hilarious
I have a new garage and plan on more improvements this winter to both cars as show season is over until April.
Thanks everyone.
Robert
 

models916

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 7
I always wondered if the judges ding you for base coat/clear coat or any of the other modern paints in stead of the factory lacquer?
 

real61ss

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 8
I've never heard of points being deducted for base/clear paint so long as it is a correct original color with the correct flake if it is a metalic paint. It would probably be considered over restoration and AACA does not deduct for that. In the judges schools they say they deduct for incorrect restoration but not for over restoration. That can be a fine line
 
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