Detroit Autorama Part II!

Hello again! After discussing the many spectacular muscle cars that were out at this year’s Detroit Autorama, I believe it is now time to dive into the heart and soul of the show: hot rods. A long-standing tradition in the States, hot rodding was really America’s first widely popular foray into making performance cars, and became especially popular in the years after World War II. Young, mechanically-inclined soldiers returning home from the war with a thirst for adrenaline made this a performance phenomenon for the masses. From this environment, Autorama and other similar shows began. Detroit is an ideal place to show the cream of the crop in American-built customs. These days, you can find anything from preserved builds dating back to the 50’s, to what are essentially brand-new exotics with the best parts and technology money can buy. Let’s take a look at the wide range of hot rods on display at Autorama.

I think the logical place to start off here is the basement of the Cobo Center. This contained a couple hundred examples of traditionally-built hot rods and rat rods. The crowd here was way more blue collar than upstairs and the environment was just one big party. In other words, my kind of place.

The range of cars on display here covered everything from a traditionally-built belly tank racer, to a re-bodied custom Duesenberg. That belly tank hot rod started life as a wing-carried fuel tank on a Vietnam-era B-57 Canberra bomber. Running gear for the conversion all came from 1930’s-era vehicles, and the seat came from a World War II fighter plane. These cars are best suited for top-speed runs on the salt flats. And what isn’t cool about taking something designed for 500 miles an hour at 35,000 feet and slapping some wheels and a flathead V-8 on it? The wacky-looking Duesenberg Model J started life with a Murphy body, pretty much right in line with the conventional look of high-end American luxury in the 1930’s. 1948 came around and the owner got bored, so this entirely new design was strapped on to the unmodified chassis. This beats the hell out of any Cadillac I’ve seen with horns mounted on the front.

Loads of slammed Model A’s and coupes/roadsters of various makes were around too. Flat paint or gloss black were everywhere, with flathead V-8’s the predominant engine choice. If you’re ever feeling self conscious about your height, maybe pick up one of these guys for a daily driver.

At the heart of the fun was a booth set up by a Dearborn-based distillery, where you could pick up any of a variety of bourbons as a Detroit souvenir. Of course, a Dearborn-based distillery wasn’t about to show up without something low and V-8 powered. This distillery-themed rat rod was a true highlight, with gorgeous brass work throughout. Seeing the roots of a show as big as Autorama was pretty incredible, and made for an excellent primer for what was to come in the main show upstairs.

A typical show car these days will take classic design cues and building techniques, and stretch them to the absolute extreme. Hoods and doors open backwards and upwards and any way they aren’t supposed to, every bit of bare metal is slathered in chrome or paint, candy colors reign supreme, and power plants make extensive use of newer technology.

Some of these high-dollar builds make apparent their roots as an original, stock truck or car, and simply massage the factory design into something with new design flairs and way more power. Other owners go above and beyond to build something totally unique, with no real basis in a factory design.

This classic Chevy pickup is a great example of something that largely kept the basic design recognizable, but took quality and performance to a new level. The body has been shaved and smoothed over as much as possible, with a spectacular two-tone paint job slathered over everything. Underneath it all, a custom-built frame decked out with C5 Corvette running gear and suspension provides a giant upgrade in performance, and explains the lowered look of the car. The wackiest parts donor for this ride was a Chevy Equinox, which is where the seats were pulled from. Because hey, when I think hot rodding and customization, the first place my mind goes is Chevy Equinox. Joking aside, this is true hot-rod thinking to the core: use whatever works to get the job done.

This spectacular wagon goes by the name of “SRT 33”, and features a vast laundry list of high-end parts to complete the beautiful burgundy package. Underneath the ’33 Dodge body lies a 6.1 Hemi V-8 matched to an ’08 Challenger tranny. Engine cooling is clearly not an issue here, with everything open and exposed to fresh air at all times. As is the norm with cars of this quality, the chassis is entirely custom, and was built by the Roadster Shop. Classic design matched with modern performance and reliability sounds like perfection to me.

This blinding roadster has no connection whatsoever to anything made by the Detroit Big 3. It is every bit the show car, with wildly detailed flames and giant rims separated from the fenders by maybe the width of a finger. This car might be streetable, but only just. Thanks to the aftermarket, builders are now able to grab a body with the looks of something with hours of work on it right off the shelf. That is the case with this screaming red rod, with both the body and the frame being sourced from Coast to Coast. An additional benefit comes in the form of weight savings, as you are replacing steel with fiberglass. With the number of original donor cars for projects falling by the year, this is likely the future of the hobby.

Of course, it’s not all high-tech modern builds running the place. You still see new builds using classic techniques, like this crazy straight-axle ’49 Ford. Inspiration for the looks came from military aircraft of the 40’s and 50’s, complete with airbrushed panel lines and rivets on a silver finish. A 327 V-8 blowing through straight pipes provides as much noise as it does momentum.

The real coveted prize of the Autorama is the Ridler Award, given to the overall best hot rod of Autorama. In order to keep the competition fresh year after year, anything competing for the prize must have been built in the last year. It’s the most prestigious award in the world of hot rodding, with past winners including Chip Foose and Boyd Coddington. This time around, it was claimed by a ’39 Oldsmobile Series 60 convertible dubbed “Olds Cool”. There is just so much about this car that I love. The designers did a stellar job combining cutting-edge modern styling and tech, while still keeping the classic looks. The engine is a built 455 Olds unit, well-known for brutish torque output in their muscle cars. The rims are a one-off set, specifically designed for this build. It’s like something the Great Gatsby would be rolling in if he were around in the modern world.

The main attraction of Detroit Autorama will always be the hot rods, and after going there this year it is very easy to see why. For many more shots of this year’s show, check out my page at https://fromcruise-instoconcours.tumblr.com/. Or even better, check out our car show listing to get out and see some cars like this near you! I’ll be back with the final part of my Autorama coverage to take a look at the special interest segment of the show field. See ya then!