Autorama '08
Back from Detroit, barely. Occasion for the road trip was the 2008 edition of Autorama, the world's biggest indoor hot rod and custom show, at Detroit's cavernous Cobo Hall.
As expected, the hands-down star of the show was the "Atomic Punk" bubbletop custom just completed by our farm fertilizin' friend Aaron "Plowboy" Grote. This home garage-built wonder appeared in the basement "Autorama Extreme" traditional / low buck/ rat rod section, where it swept the top awards. It oozed a thousand times more fun and cool and style than the sterile gazillion dollar projects competing for the Ridler award upstairs.
Also had a chance to catch up with Michigander Dave Shuten, whom I interviewed for an upcoming Garage magazine article about Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's long lost Orbitron show car. Dave has restored or cloned a number of Roth cars, using the same painstaking vermiculite - plaster - fiberglass method developed by Roth, and will be supervising the Orbitron's restoration in California over the next few months. Shuten's last project was the restoration of the "Ice Truck" custom originally built by Dan Woods in the early 70s. Restoration was completed just hours before the show. This isn't just a pretty paperweight - that engine is an aluminum block Buick prepped by Mickey Thompson - blown, bored, stroked, with solid lifters - with vintage Firestone Indy tires. I pity you if it doesn't bring out your inner 10 year old glue sniffer.
Amazing 1947 Ford custom built by a Japanese dude named "Dice." Obsessed with American custom cars, he moved from Japan to the Louisville KY area a few years ago to ply his trade. Incredible subtle custom touches abound everywhere on this one.
As per usual, the great Gene Winfield was on hand with some of his show car classics. If you don't understand a "Winfield Fade," here's a visual reference.
Well I'm gonna shut up and let the rest of the pix speak for themselves. Including a few of the tamer post-show party blackmail pictures. Hey Plowboy - if you don't want the others to hit the internet, you know where to send the money.
Mr. Iowahawk, how do you indend to blackmail someone who has no shame?? Bring it, Holmes.
Autorama is really two survival stories in one. First you must survive the city, second you must survive yourself.
Posted by:Plowboy | March 10, 2008 at 02:43 PM
Plowboy, you know I would never do that because I love you like my own brother. Or my own sister. The one with the funny looking kids with hemophilia.
Speaking of which, everybody go over to Plowboy's site and buy t-shirts!
www.groterodshop.com
Posted by:iowahawk | March 10, 2008 at 03:09 PM
"I pity you if it doesn't bring out your inner 10 year old glue sniffer."
yes indeedy, yes it does, and the good stuff too, the Testor's with the red and white label not that crappy no fume, no sticking, blue and white label crap.
Posted by:Bob | March 10, 2008 at 03:42 PM