“Gold Digger,” a stunning 1933 Ford Phaeton sporting a gleaming gold PPG finish, has been named the winner of this year’s coveted Ridler Award. The honor, regarded as the most prestigious in the world of custom cars, was announced at the 58th Detroit Autorama at Cobo Hall in downtown Detroit. The car is owned by Tammy Ray of Dahlonega, GA, making her the first woman to win the celebrated prize.Gold Digger was built by Ted Thomas of T & T Customs, in Canton, GA. Thomas and his crew selected PPG’s Vibrance Collection® coatings to give the car its glowing look. The shop then applied its own twist to the Vibrance Collection yellows and Crystal Pearl® coatings to create the car’s distinctly radiant gold luster.
“We’ve been using PPG products for almost 20 years,” said Thomas. “ I knew I could get the custom finish Tammy wanted with the Vibrance Collection. It’s real user-friendly and gave us the rich color the car deserved.”
In addition to its show-stopping exterior, Gold Digger’s custom-built features include a fully independent suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, inboard disc brakes, brightwork and a digital dash.
Established in 1964, the Ridler Award, officially known as the Don Ridler Memorial Award, was named after the man who turned the Detroit Autorama into the nation’s premier custom car show. The award is regarded as the ultimate recognition of custom design excellence and is presented annually at the Detroit Autorama.
The Ridler Award involves a series of sub-competitions. Cars must debut at the Detroit Autorama and be selected to compete—this year 33 cars made the cut. From that field, eight cars are chosen as finalists—the “Great Eight” —and receive $1,000 for making it that far. The winning car is selected from the final group. The owner receives a check for $10,000 along with a special embroidered jacket and the greater prize of the Ridler Award trophy itself, an honor regarded as the definitive custom car reward.
For more information about the PPG Vibrance Collection, call 800/647-6050 or visit the PPG Automotive Refinish website at www.ppgrefinish.com.
