Hall of Fame

The NSRA Hall of Fame was established in 2012 as part of the association’s 40th anniversary. Its aim is to recognise significant contributions or achievements from people or vehicles within the hobby.

Nominations will be taken from current NSRA members or previous inductees; nomination forms will be made available on-line or from the NSRA Secretary, and the cut-off date for nominations shall be six weeks before the AGM to coincide with the Committee nominations.

The five selection board members shall consist of Committee and invited members with an established background in the hobby – they will convene annually to elect candidates for inclusion into the Hall of Fame. The announcement of the inductees will be made at the NSRA AGM. The Committee shall invite the inductees to attend the annual NSRA Supernationals where the presentations will take place. Those honoured for inclusion into the Hall of Fame will receive an NSRA Hall of Fame commemorative plaque and certificate.

Eligibility for induction into the NSRA Hall of Fame is extended to any person who has driven, piloted, owned, designed, built, maintained, prepared, promoted, officiated, supported or taken part in any capacity connected with the worldwide hobby of Hot Rods/Street Rods, or any vehicle which has made a significant contribution to the same. An inductee must have made a recognisable and significant contribution to the hobby. The maximum total number of inductees each year will be four.

NSRA Hall of Fame Inductees

2019

NSRA Member – Ed Wimble
This man is simply one of the UK greats in our hobby and has not received the recognition he deserves. He has been massively influential, ground breaking and talented.

Supplier / Organisation – Wisbech Engineering
A first class organisation with top class work and assistance for customers. Changed the game when they got involved and have been one of the main suppliers to us all ever since. Again, massively influential.

Street Rod – Roarin’ Rat
An iconic car that launched many a teenagers love of custom cars, just down right bad ass. Caused quite a stir and is still with us now. Led to a rise in Gassers that shaped our hobby today. A bitchin’ ride.

Individual – Merv Barnett
There are just so many fine Rods that have had the “Merv magic” worked on them, he was one of our most prolific builders, whose work spoke for him far louder than he ever did himself. Always built on a tight budget but all had the right look. A really great guy who would help anyone with their project and was never a snob about engine size or type of vehicle. He spent countless hours helping other NSRA members achieve their dreams assisting them with theirs.

2018

NSRA Member: Ian Armstrong
As a stalwart supporter of the NSRA for 30+ years, Ian is a popular and charismatic man, and, together with his wife, Julie, Ian epitomises what our hobby/sport is all about. Ian has built 3 award winning cars and his green Pop is one of the most recognisable cars on the show field. Ian portrays a happy friendly demeanour and enthusiasm that promotes the spirit of friendship and like mindedness; not to mention his competition win rate at the Supernats!

Individual: John Price
John, and his family, have been involved in the Hot Rodding and Drag Racing worlds for many many years. John always has time for anyone and everyone who stops for a chat with him. He’s the one person who when you get to Supernats makes you feel that you’re “home”. John really is the Voice of the Hot Rod and drag racing world.

Organisation / Supplier: American Auto Mags, Graham Rennie
American Auto Mags are one of the very few suppliers where you are guaranteed to spend money! Graham always meets you with a smile and a happy greeting and his dedication and knowledge are second to none. Graham has provided the UK with every magazine that has been produced in the hot rod/ classic / drag racing world since Samuel Peeps wrote his first diary!

Street Rod: Havoc
Originally built in the ‘70’s by Brian Godber, this iconic street rod looks totally unique and can’t be mistaken for any other car in our scene. It has appeared in various NSRA displays at our shows and the current custodian regularly drives and shows it everywhere.

2017

NSRA MEMBER: Steve Lang
Steve built, supplied and helped and advised so many people over the years. He also wrote some articles for Custom Car. He was an excellent engineer, hugely knowledgeable and was to some, a hidden gem. The phrase that has been used so very often about Steve, is him being a Marmite character, because he could be so direct and brutally honest, but that honesty was justified by the fine attention to detail he put into every one of his cars. I think everybody, if they didn’t know him personally, knew of “Langy”.
“His advice was always right even if you didn’t think so at the time.”

INDIVIDUAL: Kev Rooney
From the early days when Type Approval was being talked about, through the process of SVA and on to BIVA, Kev has worked tirelessly to try and protect the hobby from excessive legislation and bringing any future legislation to our attention.

He was responsible, through ACE, for getting exemptions and clarity around the regulations and has been a source of invaluable assistance and advice on legislation matters and all done in his own time and often at his own cost, never looking for acclaim or applause for his efforts.
It is becoming increasingly evident that the results of his efforts will be absolutely crucial to the hobby in the future, and he’s had so much negativity about it for so very long.

His efforts still continue today and he’s now very heavily involved with his BIVA Guide, which is available on our Legislation page, and he’s still helping people who have genuine concerns with their cars.

STREET ROD: Andromeda
Andromeda is one of the most iconic and stand out hot rods this country has seen, and it is largely unchanged from when it was built by Nick Butler in 1977. It is still a very much talked about Hot Rod, known by nearly everybody and still pulls a huge crowd around it when the current custodian Edd Brown turns up at a show in it!!!
“A British Icon”

ORGANISATION/SUPPLIER: John Reid
John was instrumental in making American hot rod parts readily available in the UK for the first time. His business has subsequently spawned many others but if it wasn’t for John in the first instance, UK hot rodding wouldn’t have reached the heights it did all those years ago as it would have taken a lot longer to evolve.
John Reid and Reids Rod Parts were the “big names” of rodding for a few years and he always did as he said he would!
In more recent years, since becoming an ex-pat, he has been massively influential in getting some of our American Guests over to our events and is very involved with the So-Cal hot rod businesses.

2016

NSRA: Dave Biggadyke
Dave has been a very well respected part of the hot rod community for many many years now and has been a past long serving chairman of the NSRA, he has been editor of Custom Car for a good few years now and if he’s not got a camera in his hand it’s a beer. He attends nearly every single major event throughout the year, sometimes two in the same weekend. Not only has he been our chairman but he has run local clubs and shows as well. He has also had a good few great cars which get driven, and driven, and driven!! As one person said “He’s an unsung hero to the cause”

Individual(s): Mike and June Key
We couldn’t do this individual as individual! One name doesn’t get mentioned without the other and they’re the true definition of Hot Rodders! They have not only built some fantastic and stunning show winning cars they also really really do rack up the miles! They have also been hugely instrumental in preserving the history of hot rodding in the UK for future generations with not only a great knowledge of our history and put it in print, but also capturing it with a comprehensive photographic record for us all!

Organisation: Surrey Street Rodders
They have officially been a club for 42 years but they can trace their roots further back than that, they probably hold the UK record for the biggest one day show ever and erm, the longest queues as well, which goes to show what a great event they put on!! Their one day show is considered a debut show for many, and people will travel the length and breadth of the country to be there. And it’s all for charity!!

2015

INDIVIDUAL: Chris Boyle
– Founder of ’34 Corner and Wizard of Rods, almost every ’34 fibreglass rod on a show field would have a connection to Chris Boyle.

SPECIAL AWARD: ‘The Gang of Four’
– Special award for Alan Martin, Martyn Payne, Steve Tristram and Mark Fullard for all their hard work and contribution with the Nostalgia Nationals and Hot Rod Drags.

CAR: Milners Coupe
– This iconic hot rod was from American Graffiti, a film we all know and love.

NSRA: Richard Black
– Richard has been involved with hot rodding for many years, has served on the NSRA committee a couple of times and is involved with Victory Wheels and Wessex Rod & Custom. Richard was also involved in the inaugural ACE meeting and drives his cars all over Europe.

2014

NSRA: Simon Lane
Simon is one of the early members of the NSRA who is still around the scene today. He has served on the Committee for many a year as the Secretary and the Editor of the Club Magazine, the Street Gasser – a name Simon came up with. Simon has built many Hot Rods that have inspired others, along with supplying many parts and cars for other rodders.

INDIVIDUAL: Nick Butler
Nick had a very innovative approach to Hot Rod building back in the 70’s – who can forget seeing Revenge and Andromeda, both still around today. The development of the UK scene would not be what it is today without this vision, skill and eye for detail.

ORGANISATION: Custom Car Magazine
Custom Car has been around since the early days of the UK scene, the various editors have come and gone, some good, some not so, but the magazine has consistently promoted Hot Rodding in the UK.

CAR: Pinball Wizard (Ford Popular)
The Ford Pop of the late Micky Bray, an iconic version of the UK’s favourite car of choice. Mickey took the building of a Ford Pop-based rod to a whole new level – flip body, shaded paint, tunnel lights, and a car capable of being on the street or drag strip. The car is still on the road today.

2013

NSRA: Mike Payne
Mike was a Committee member for many years, then as the Chairman Mike steered the NSRA through a period when there was a great deal of pressure on the club to accept just about anything as a hot rod, and the club came through it as a club with a real identity.

INDIVIDUAL: Geoff Jago
Geoff started ‘Jagos’ in the early 1960’s. A pioneer in making US style fibreglass bodies available to the average hot rodder, Jago’s was the forerunner of a multitude of Hot Rod suppliers and builders who followed in his footsteps

ORGANISATION/TRADE: Kris Brown
Kris has been involved in the hobby for many years, and developed his company ‘Pop Browns’ to be the one-stop hot rod shop. There can’t be many folks that haven’t bought something from him.

CAR: Hot ‘n’ Bothered (Fordson)
Just look at this Ford Pop and you will see how Pops were built for many years, Viva Front, Jag rear, Rover V8, an inspiration to us all.

2012

Chris Church
Micky Bray
Graham Kerr
Roy Osbourne
These folks were on the very first NSRA Committee, and helped establish the Association in the early days back in 1972.