“Possessed” 2010 AMBR winner; the true trailer Queen!

By Peter Linney

This high-tech roadster did not starits’s life with Sean, Mike Dingman is a Gentleman car guy with high standards and he likes to build high-end cars, and when completed, drive them for a short time, and then move on to something fresh. This was the case with this 33 Ford-sponsored car. Mike’s ambition was to build a car that could win one of the two highest awards in the custom car world. The Ridler award on the East coast and the AMBR here on the West coast. Mike had a serious vision in mind, to blend the early 30’s Ford Roadster design with a feel of the European coachbuilders of the same time. The concept was put to paper with Gary Regal Design. And the foundation was laid by Scotts Customs in Ventura.

The car features a 100% hand-built steel body and custom-built tubular chassis. All of its panels, moldings windshield, frame was hand build and formed, same with the suspension. The grill was created from mesh normally used to make high-end gates; it took 4 weeks to do.

Ford donated the 392 motors, TWM induction provides a “one-off” fuel injection system, all mated to a Ford AOD transmission. Boyd jr provided one-off wheels and a steering wheel. Wildwood hand-built all the breaks. Once the car was altogether in its raw form, Palmers Customs in Camarillo CA got involved. All bodywork, fit and finish, paint, and final assembly was done by them. The car also features a very unique luggage set built by Ron Mangus and his team. It was modeled after the luggage sets that were often seen in the fancy coaches of the 1930s. One side of the luggage features a complete picnic set, while the other side has a bar set. In January 2010 Mike Dingman got what he was asking for and his mission was complete; Possessed won the 2010 AMBR award. The competition was stiff, incl a Chip Foose roadster. Sean told me that the reason his family bought the car was simple: It is a hand-crafted work of art with now a very serious history and heritage to it. Not a car to drive down the street, but more of a piece of automotive history that should be in a museum. Possessed will be on display at the Peterson Museum in Los Angeles, and part of their AMBR collection. Sean commented; “ My family and I are very excited to donate the car to the Peterson Museum because we know that it will be preserved to perfection, and put on display for millions of people to see in the future. Now that is exciting!”

So there you have it; a true fairytale of an automotive “Orphan Annie”.