March 11, 2007
BFGoodrich^® Tires Featured on 2007 Ridler Award Coupe
GREENVILLE, S.C.

Custom Car Builder Troy Trepanier Chooses Tires to Complement Classic Look

After more than two years of creative trial and error and more than 10,000 man-hours of work, Ross Myer’s awe-inspiring 1936 three-window Ford coupe affectionately known as “First Love” captured the ultimate custom car award, Detroit AutoRama^®'s Ridler Award. One of the unique attributes of the coupe’s design was the use of BFGoodrich^® g-Force T/A^® KDW tires, which feature a traditional tread pattern that complemented the classic look of the vehicle.

Inspired by a 1936 three-window Ford coupe, First Love is an elegant street rod designed and built by custom car aficionado Troy Trepanier. Trepanier worked with BFGoodrich Tires to hunt down the right set of tires that would complement the classic design of the vehicle while accentuating its modern appeal.

After months of arduous searching through warehouses, catalogs and builder contacts, Trepanier came across a set of pristine BFGoodrich^® g-Force T/A^® KDW tires. The tires, no longer in production, feature the traditional linear tread design that Trepanier was looking for to reflect the flowing lines of the vehicle’s classic signature.

To understand the detail of the car, one only needs to imagine themselves as a designer in 1936 who is tasked with creating the perfect concept car for the future, or a modern adaptation of a vintage vehicle.

"When designing the car, our goal at Rad Rides was to design each part so that it could be judged on its own as the best," said Trepanier. "We wanted to create the idea of a vehicle that transcends the future with unlimited possibilities, and then when you combine all the pieces, you have a real winner. The tires were an extremely important element. BFGoodrich Tires has been a strong supporter of the custom car scene for years and working with them to find the perfect set of tires that complemented my design concept and the overall consistency of the vehicle was an important element in winning the Ridler Award."

The Ridler Award is named for Don Ridler, a professional promoter responsible for laying the foundation for today's AutoRama. When Ridler passed away in 1963, he was honored with the creation of the Don Ridler Memorial Award, presented to the most outstanding custom car shown for the first time ever at the show.

When Ridler Award contestant vehicles are judged, every car is perfect. Rather than focusing on what's right about the car, judges take away points for things that they consider flaws. According to Trepanier, no part of the car was left untouched, which included hundreds of mechanical, design and construction innovations. According to Trepanier’s fans and colleagues, this car has a higher “Troy content” than any other car he has ever built.

"We are proud that Troy decided to utilize BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tires that would not only add to the vehicle's appearance, but it's uniqueness," said Kaz Holley, brand director for BFGoodrich Tires. "We applaud his determination to step outside the box while staying true to the vehicle’s classic design because it serves as tribute to our lineage as a top tire brand.”

The BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tire is one of the top choices for use in the entertainment and car customizing industry. The BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tire is available in more than 80 sizes with fitments ranging from 15-inches to 24-inches for those who are looking for eye-catching looks and proven performance. In addition to its many applications, the BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW tire is also well known as the world’s first 24-inch tire and the world’s first 20-inch fitment for sport-compact vehicles. Both versions revolutionized the customizing and tuning industries, adding a new dimension to the way enthusiasts look at tire and wheel combinations

Using motorsports as a proving ground for more than 30 years, BFGoodrich Tires is involved in every type of racing, including oval, sports car, drifting, drag, desert, dirt, rally (Dakar and WRC) and extreme rock-crawling. BFGoodrich Tires combines technological expertise with vast motorsports experience, delivering a high-performance tire for every type of vehicle. Visit BFGoodrich Tires online at www.bfgoodrichtires.com.