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CUSTOMIZER PROFILE
JF Launier and the customized 1967 Pontiac Acadian, Andiamo. JF Kustoms took two awards at the Grand National Roadster Show with this build.
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he Don Ridler Memorial Award is probably the most coveted honour in the custom car world. When JF Launier won in 2014, he was the first Canadian to do so in nearly 40 years. Launier is the owner/operator of JF Kustoms in Osoyoos, BC. The award is given every year at the Detroit Autorama. Launier is no stranger to the event. In fact, his entries in past years have made it into the “Great Eight” list of finalists three times. The car he eventually won with, Rivision, is a radically customized 1964 Buick Riviera. It’s a beautiful machine, although we’d expect nothing less from a Ridler Award contender. What makes this entry almost unique in the annals of the Detroit Autorama is that Launier funded the construction himself.
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“The winners are usually built on commission for somebody who’s got three or four million dollars to play with,” says Launier. “A really rich guy will have some sort of vision for a car, and he’ll find a builder who can do it. Rivision was different. I’m the only builder in the last 40 years to win with my own car.” Before you head off to your shop with stars in your eyes, you should probably know that building the car took an enormous toll on Launier. “It took me 22,000 hours spread over six years,” he says. “I got hives from the stress. By the end, I was working 20 hours a day for a solid year to get that car finished. When it came time to win, I was burned right out. It’s not like winning the lottery.”