Ala Kart won America's Most Beautiful Roadster in which two years?

Ala Kart won America’s Most Beautiful Roadster in 1958 and 1959.

The car was a radically customized 1929 Ford Model A roadster pickup, built in 1957 by George Barris, Richard Peters, and Mike “Blackie” Gejeian. Peters originally owned it, and its dramatic styling quickly made it a standout at the Grand National Roadster Show.

Its back-to-back AMBR victories helped establish Ala Kart as one of the defining customs of the 1950s. The show award is associated with the Grand National Roadster Show, historically also known as the Oakland Roadster Show; it is not the same prize as Detroit’s later Ridler Award.

Ala Kart’s fame extended beyond the trophy circuit. It appeared in films, became a popular 1/25-scale AMT model kit in 1961, and was later issued as a Hot Wheels model. A meticulous restoration in 2008 preserved details such as its original scalloping, although the restored car did not win the Oakland show that year.