The 56th Detroit Autorama - Bringing Together The Top Builders In The Country

The Atomic Punk was filled with an interior by Dave Martinez, featuring plenty of period-perfect vibrant white rolls 'n' pleats accented by a maroon metalflake steering wheel, a mile-high shifter, and maroon carpeting.

John and Susie Cooper's El Tiki '29 Ford roadster had more than 50 body modifications by Culbertson's Hot Rods & Customs, helping it become a definitive show rod that looks like it's knocking on 1962's door.

Sporting a healthy dose of '60s cool-thanks to a perfect stance, just enough suede, and classic style-Bruce and Glenda Elmer's '29 Ford pickup really caught our eye and earned the Street Rodder Editor's Pick this year.

Hilton Family Racing brought out the impressive Norm Reis B/Comp sedan, which was a Top 10 NHRA car in 1961. With its '56 Olds Hilborn-injected V-8 loaded with a Racer Brown cam, it was ready to challenge anyone who had the guts to take it on.

Gow job is a the term most fondly used in the heyday of hot rodding to describe what a real hot rod was. This barn-find '28 Ford roadster was originally raced on the lakebeds and streets of California with a Cragar-equipped four-banger. It was found later, untouched by time, by Guy Zaninovich, who said he'd never change it-amen!

One of the coolest displays of the weekend, without a doubt, came from the Poor Boys club, with their three-in-one kit model spread, complete with fullsize-scale glue, parts trees, paint, decals, and brush. The pair of killer As is owned by club members Tim King (left) and Bob Miller (right).

Created by Strange Days of Missoula, MT, with each character individually hand-carved from wood and finished with incredible attention to detail, Doc Huston's Finkosel was just plain bitchin'.

Items pinstriped and decorated by some 200 pinstripers were auctioned off for charity several times a day, with all the money raised by the volunteer group of artists and auctioneers going to Rescue 1 Fire Safety for Kids.

Two key ingredients: the paint and the gavel. As Sam had to buy the paint this year, he had labels printed up with the event's logo, reading: "Sponsorships are welcome for this charity event with an event, but as it is for charity, no one gets a free ride-it's for the kids." The "Von Who" gavel below belongs to auctioneer Richard Westlake, who volunteers his time and expertise, as well.

"There, that's it-just what my Roth-esque monster needed to pull in the big bucks at next hour's auction," sayeth he of Mysterion clone fame. And, believe me when I say Dave Shuten knows the "Large Father's" style. Isn't it great that there are those who carry on Ed's traditions?

You could even get a woodie at the auction, at least a representative of a quarter section. The "Surfs Up!" Tiki masterpiece went for $600.

Josh Shaw crafted these tribute pieces inspired by two greats who recently left us prematurely but made our hobby better for the time they spent among us. Pieces featuring cars from Boyd Coddington and Lil' John Buttera came up for auction, as well. Boyd's went for $1,300, and Lil' John's for $525. What bargains for pieces of history.

This isn't the Von Dutch box, but it's a beautifully airbrushed and pinstriped tribute piece, nonetheless. A lucky bidder took it home for $525.

When this life-size mannequin went on the block, who better to examine it for authenticity than the '08 Autorama's Builder of the Year, Gene Winfield? The gavel dropped at $2,100.

Here's Fritz Schenck in the early stages of decorating an oil-drum-cum-trash-can as a tribute to the ol' Finkster hisself, Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. A round of applause exploded from the bleachers when the final bid of $3,500 was announced.

Lew's Collectables was a vendor at yet another event within an event at the Autorama, the 14th annual Toy-A-Rama. Owner Mark Lewis got top bid on the "surfer helmet" Yosemite Sam Radoff is shown modeling. The Von Knobb-paintedand- pinstriped brain bucket went for $85.

Rich and Malana Cordova drove their Bellflower-style '60 Caddy to Michigan from Widefield, CO-that's a 1,300-mile one-way trip!

Accompanying Rich and Malana on their cruise to Detroit in the dead of winter were Greg and Jeramey Pitman in their chopped '47 Chrysler out of Colorado Springs, CO.

You can always count on Stillwater, NJ, resident Lou Calasibetta to have something cool and custom. He's now caretaker of the A-Bros. Golden Chariot '56 Chevy built in 1962, preserved for all to enjoy.

John St. Germain built this stunning '50 Ford coupe long before created his Time Bomb '36 Ford roadster.

Dice Kobayashi from Bardstown, KY, is still learning to speak English, but he understands customs pretty well. His Blue Moon '47 Ford featured a 6-inch chop, 6-inch channel, and 2-inch section job, along with numerous other custom tricks, and this is his first-ever attempt at building a car! The judges liked it, too, as Dice took home First Place in the Early Custom '35-48 class.

Alex and Donna Test came from nearby Dearborn with their mild, but ultra cool, custom version of a '59 Ford Galaxie to add to the Cavalcade's mix.

Victor Collins and a group of dedicated kustom enthusiasts cloned the Kopper Kart '55 Chevy that George Barris built decades ago as a shop truck and rolling advertisement. Does the original (or pieces thereof) still exist is a burning question that's been on true kustom guys' minds for years. But, rest assured, this ain't it-it's just a really kool Kopper Kart klone.

Bill Bierman's St. Louis, MO-based '64 Chevy pickup received a '61 Chrysler frontend, a '57 Chrysler rearend, and lots o' mudslingin' in between. Mounted on a 2x4 chassis, 'bagged, with a '61 Econoline front axle, and powered by a blown 354ci Chrysler fed by six Stromberg 97 carbs, this, er ... custom-yeah that's it, custom-drew a crowd all day long and well into the evening, every day. Its name? Freakshow!