National Roadster Show 1952

A photo of Gene "Clean Gene" Sadoian's 1934 Ford four-door sedan taken at the 1952 National Roadster Show. Inspired by Blackie Gejeian's 1926 Ford Model T roadster, this iteration of the car featured black paint and chrome. Photo from The Clean Gene Sadoian Collection.

Another photo of Gene "Clean Gene" Sadoian's 1934 Ford four-door sedan. Photo from The Clean Gene Sadoian Collection.

A photo of the dashboard in Joe Bailon's 1941 Chevrolet custom that Gene Sadoian took at the 1952 Oakland Roadster Show. Gene's 1934 Ford was listed as a top competitor for the new Concourse D'Elegance award against Joe Bailon's 1941 Chevrolet. According to Gene, "Joe had more money in his dashboard than I had in my whole car!" Photo from The Clean Gene Sadoian Collection.

Jim Hill's 1921 Dodge at the 1952 Oakland Roadster Show. Photo by Eric Rickman, courtesy of HONK! Magazine.

Another photo from the Oakland Roadster Show. Jim Hill won first prize for originality at the show. Photo by Eric Rickman, courtesy of HONK! Magazine.

A photo of Spencer Murray's 1949 Chevrolet taken at the 1952 National Roadster Show, where it took 2nd place behind Joe Bailon's 1941 Chevrolet Coupe, Miss Elegance. Third place at the show was taken by one of the Barris cars that were entered at the show. According to Spencer, George Barris never forgot that Spence beat him at the show.

An Oakland Tribune article published on January 29, 1952 highlighting Joe Bailon’s entry in the upcoming National Roadster Show. The custom-built Chevy featured a lavish $1,160 dashboard and an onboard cocktail bar, exemplifying the innovative work coming out of Customs of San Leandro.

An article from The Alameda Times-Star January 31, 1952 that previews the anticipated rivalry between George Barris of Los Angeles and Joe Bailon of San Leandro at the 1952 National Roadster Show. With five custom entries from Bailon’s shop challenging the reigning champions, the Kustoms of Los Angeles, the event was billed as a North vs. South showdown between two of the nation's top custom car builders.

Scan of the February 17, 1952, edition of the Oakland Tribune highlighting the third annual National Roadster Show. The article announces the arrival of Jim Skonzakes' 1949 Buick, referred to as the "Champion Eastern Car".

This February 25, 1952 article from the Oakland Tribune highlights the winners of the third annual National Roadster Show. Bud Crackbon's 1925 Ford Model-T Roadster Pickup took top honors as America's Most Beautiful Roadster,” while Joe Bailon's 1941 Chevrolet secured the first-ever national custom award, cementing his status as a rising star. The show marked a pivotal moment in custom car history, drawing record-breaking crowds and igniting a fierce North vs. South rivalry between Bailon and George Barris.

The third annual National Roadster Show was held February 19 to 24, 1952 at the Oakland Exposition Building in Oakland, California. The event, which attracted large crowds of automobile enthusiasts, continued the tradition established by its 1950 predecessor and showcased a dynamic mix of hot rods, customs, and innovative automotive design.

North vs. South: Barris vs. Bailon

By 1952, George Barris of Barris Kustoms had earned a reputation as Southern California’s leading custom car builder. But at the 3rd Annual National Roadster Show, a formidable new challenger emerged from the north; Joe Bailon of San Leandro. The show would mark the beginning of a fierce rivalry between two of the most talented customizers in the country, and one of the most exciting showdowns in early custom car history.

According to show manager Mary L. Slonaker, the fiercest competition that year was expected between the Kustoms of Los Angeles, led by Barris, and the newly rising Customs of San Leandro, under the leadership of Bailon. The contest quickly took on the feel of a North vs. South California rivalry. Bailon’s team arrived with five standout entries, including his own radically customized 1941 Chevrolet. Meanwhile, Barris had multiple contenders on display, among them Anthony Heinsbergen’s Muntz Jet and Jim Skonzakes’ 1949 Buick.

Skonzakes' Buick, driven all the way from Dayton, Ohio, became one of the most talked-about cars of the show. Representing the East Coast in the competition for the first-ever “Car of Elegance” award, Jim’s journey to Oakland was almost as legendary as the car itself, he was rerouted by snow and floods, blew three tires, and even hit a cow on the 3,500-mile trek west. His entry, built by Barris Kustoms, stood alongside other top customs from across the country, including The Sloan Special from the Portland Auto Show.

Despite the strong national presence, the local spotlight remained fixed on Bailon's Chevy, which press and spectators alike quickly nicknamed The Dashboard due to its extravagant interior. The car featured a $1,160 hand-built dashboard with 15 gauges, 32 push buttons, a custom steering post, and even a built-in cocktail bar. It was a rolling showcase of Bailon’s vision and craftsmanship, and it captured the judges’ attention.

Press coverage noted that the entries from Barris and Bailon would “match the bodywork of two nationally recognized leaders in custom construction,” and The Oakland Tribune reported that Barris had “assumed a stature as a target for other custom body designers to shoot at.” In 1952, it was Joe Bailon who took the shot and hit the mark.

Bailon's 1941 Chevrolet won the first-ever National award at the Oakland Roadster Show, beating out the field and solidifying his place among the elite customizers of the era. Later renamed Miss Elegance, the car became Bailon’s breakout creation and a symbol of Northern California's arrival on the custom car scene. At the time, Bailon operated Bailon's Body Shop at 15960 East 14th Street in San Leandro, located across from the Oakland Speedway. The win marked the beginning of a celebrated career and one of the defining rivalries of the golden age of custom cars.

America's Most Beautiful Roadster

The top honor of the show, the 9-foot tall gold trophy for America's Most Beautiful Roadster, was awarded to San Francisco engineer Bud Crackbon for his 1925 Ford Model-T Pick Up. Crackbon's entry featured a 248 cubic inch Mercury engine, a 1932 Ford frame reworked to fit a Model T body. A custom nose and hood were styled after Indianapolis cars. It stood as a triumph for Northern California design and engineering. The award was presented by Miss Nita Nelson, the official “Rodaster Show Girl.”

Slonaker later called the 1952 event the finest of the three shows held to that date, and it drew a record-breaking crowd, topping the previous year's 41,000.

Award Winners

America’s Most Beautiful Roadster:

• Bud Crackbon, San Francisco - Street Roadster pickup

Custom Division:

• Joe Bailon, 15960 East 14th Street, San Leandro - 1941 Chevrolet “The Dashboard”

Street Roadsters: Beauty & Construction

• Winner: Gene Crosby, Route 1, Bishop, California
• Second Place: Rico Squaglia, Walnut Creek, California

Originality:

• Winner: Dick Flint, 1548 Garden Street, Glendale
• Runner-up: Mike Lopez, P.O. Box 823, Brentwood, California

Street Pickup: Beauty and Construction:

• Winner: Joe Silva, U Street, Alvarado
• Runner-up: Mike Aaronian, 1926 University Avenue, Berkley

Originality:

• Winner: James Hill, 103 Militia Street, Vallejo
• Runner-up: Rich Dederian, 1908 Virginia Street, Berkley

Street Coupes: Beauty and Construction:

• Winner: Bill Corwell, 730 Cole Street, San Francisco
• Runner-up: Ron Fulmer, 348 Pope Street, San Francisco

Originality:

• Winner: Cecil Avila, 3168 T Street, Sacramento
• Runner-up: Vernon Brink, 333 College Avenue, San Francisco

Lake Division:

Lake Roadsters: Beauty and Construction:

• Winner: Albert Del Porto, Linden, California
• Runner-up: George Essig, 55 Herman Street, San Francisco

Originality:

• Winner: Richard Lee, 833 10th Street, Oakland
• Runner-up: Jack Dyer, 316 Monterey Street, Brisbane

Lake Coupes: Beauty and Construction:

• Winner: Bud Jones, 4009 Ortega Street, San Francisco

Originality:

• Winner: Harold Caseureng and Vern Hurst, 1930 La Cassie Avenue, Walnut Creek

Special Lake Awards:

Sreamliner:

• Winner: Eugene LeBlanc, 10206 Santa Clara, Cupertino, California

Frame:

• Fred Chiesa, 165 Los Olivos Avenue, Daly City

Custom Division:

Sport Models: Beauty and Construction:

• Winner: William David and R.E. Gillespie, 3068 Broadway, Oakland

Originality:

• Winner: Eugene F. Sloan, 3725 South 118th Street, Seattle, Washington

Custom Convertibles: Beauty and Construction

• Winner: Anthony Heinsbergen Jr., Los Angeles
• Runner-up: Ed Mesick, 2017 1th Avenue, Oakland

Originality:

• Winner: Darryl Correia, 1146 Park Street, Hayward
• Runner-up: Reno Peretto and Roy Peretto, 614 Lincoln Avenue, Alamedia

Hard Top Division: Beauty and Construction:

• Winner: Jack Brumack, 21 San Bonito Way, San Francisco
• Runner-up: Harold F. Scott, 500 Nevin Avenue, Richmond

Club Winners:

• Top Roadster Group: San Francisco Ramblers
• Top Custom Group: Customs of San Leandro
• Hard Luck Award: Jim Skonzakes, Dayton, Ohio
• Unique Custom Car: Bud Schaffnit, 215 Buena Vista Avenue, San Francisco

Photographers’ Contest:

• Winner: Jim Hokonson, Concord
• Runner-up: Russell Miller, Oakland
• Third Place: Carl Metziner, Oakland
• Fourth Place: Ruby Langford, Oakland

Cars Attending

Jim Hill's 1921 Dodge Pick Up
Bud Crackbon's 1925 Ford Model T Roadster Pick Up
Ray Lisea's 1927 Ford Model T Roadster
Dean Moon's 1934 Ford Coupe
Gene "Clean Gene" Sadoian's 1934 Ford Four-Door Sedan
Joe Bailon's 1941 Chevrolet
Jim Skonzakes' 1949 Buick
Spencer Murray's 1949 Chevrolet
Anthony Heinsbergen's Muntz